Author Archives: MCW

Jon had another all-day rehearsal on Saturday, so I spent the time window shopping.  It quickly became obvious that, once familiar with stores and watching for sales, one could find affordable clothes if one lived here permanently.  Though tempted by a … Continue reading →

3 parties this week:  I guess we are making friends.  Last Sunday to celebrate a co-worker’s birthday, we were invited to an “Apéro”.   This was a new word for us, from French, meaning “aperitif”.  It was like a 1950’s cocktail … Continue reading →

Another one-day holiday:  Jon had rehearsal on Sunday, so we had only Saturday for touring.  Jon’s request:  once around the lake, any lake. Lake Neuchatel—did it, Bodensee—did it.  Lake Geneva—too big.   Lake Zurich or Lake Lucerne or Lake Zug—all possible.  … Continue reading →

Fall is here in full force.  It starts in the mountains and seeps down into the valleys.  Saturday we walked to the Gumligen train station under twinkling stars.  The trip to Zermatt takes 2.5 hours and we wanted to spend … Continue reading →

This was not one of our more glamorous European excursions.  Weather was iffy.  As the weekend neared, predictions held for rain Sunday, but maybe not Saturday.  On Friday, with Jon working at home, we watched the beautiful blue sky and … Continue reading →

Last Saturday it rained.  And it was cold.  All day.  Sunday was overcast.  And cold.  All day.  Today, Monday, more clouds, more cold.  Depressing.  Not just for today, but in anticipation.  Fall has begun.  Oh, there will be a few … Continue reading →

Itinerary:  a week-long trip to Scandinavia: Stockholm—Helsinki—Turku—Stockholm Saturday we arrive at Arlanda Airport on the best day of the year:  Arlanda is having an open house so buses between the airport and Stockholm city center are free!  Easily finding the … Continue reading →

Our neighbors from Vendola, Val and Dennis, stayed a few days with us on their way to family visits in Sardinia and England.  Flying into Zurich, they stayed overnight to see the city, then came down to Bern for 3 … Continue reading →

A ride to Solothurn tripped our odometer to 0, meaning we have ridden 1,000 km on the tandem since our arrival in Switzerland.  “Solothurn is regarded as the finest Baroque town in Switzerland, where Italian grandeur is combined with French … Continue reading →