The Old and the Restless

The Fête des Vendages takes place on the last weekend in September. The week before (this year in 2007) all of the grapes were on the vine and then came the forecast of rain later in the week. Within 3 days, the grapes were picked. Friday night the Fête starts as a drinking festival (for adults). Buses run to bring people home until 4am. Saturday is the Cortege des enfants, in which the school children on Neuchâtel parade down the main street in costume being bombarded with confetti and throwing back confetti at the people lining the streets in return. Unfortunately, most of our pictures are of the adult entertainment (marching bands) - rather than of the children. This class dressed as primitives paddling a dug out canoe. The first of the marching bands. (Notice how little confetti is on the street.) Synchronized dancers ahead of one of the marching bands. Another marching band (note there is a little more confetti on the street). A cart pulled by tiny ponies. The confetti is star...

We arrived at the hotel Gletschergarten just before noon. The hotel was 108 years old and one of the oldest in Grindelwald. The view from our balcony window. The view from Daryl and Jane's large balcony. The first order of business was lunch at an outdoor terrasse cafe. Ths start of our first afternoon's walk to the Gletscherschlucht. Jane and Paul on the ascent to the Terassenweg half way up the slope above Grindelwald on the second morning. The view across the valley before the sun rose over the mountains. The "Evolution of Mankind" according to the oh so neat Swiss! Sandra and Jane along the Terrassenweg. Jane and Paul enjoying the Terrassenweg walk in the sun. The farmer "chased" the biggest "cow" on the mountain up to join the others using a big stick. Then, we noticed that the "cow" had no udder. He was "king of the mountain". Jane, Sandra and Paul on the afternoon walk to the Oberer Gletscher. Jane on the way back fro...

Daryl and Jane left Paris in the teaming rain to arrive in Geneva to a slight drizzle. An hour and a half later we were in small castle town of Gruyère, Jane was prepared for a flood of Biblical proportions while Daryl, Paul and Sandra were slightly more relaxed. As we entered the castle courtyard of Gruyère castle, there were sculptures galore decorating the grounds. It doesn't seem the live audience met the standards set by the sculptures. From the top of Gruyère castle, the formal gardens looked spectacular. Another view of Gruyère castle's gardens. The view of the village of Gruyère through a window on the third floor of the castle. After Gruyère, we went cross country to the old fortified village of Murten. Here Daryl and Jane stand at the top of the rampart walls that still suround the city. By just after 4 in the afternoon, we arrived and Bryn at Hervé's house.

When Paul arrived back from his one day trip to Canada, Bryn picked up a really rich chocolate cake to celebrate the 50 years since Paul and Sandra had their first date. The cake, together with Swiss ice wine, was the dessert for the Sunday family dinner.

From Corcelles to Auvernier is a steep 180 meter descent through the grape fields and under the main line railway track. Auvernier's town walls and gate date back hundreds of years. Auvernier's town fountain was built in 1792, the year of the terror in the French Revolution. The houses are decorated with pretty shutters to keep out the afternoon sun. From Auvernier to Cortaillod is a mild ascent and then there is another 70 meter descent through grapes fields to Lac Neuchâtel. Sandra found this "short cut" down to the lake through the grape fields (involving, it seemed, hundreds of stairs). Paul gamely followed "the leader" down the stairs on the "secret path" to the lake. If you have a mountain bike, use it! Once the slope down to the lake became manageable, we hopped on the bikes and raced down through the grape fields. The ascent from Auvernier to Corcelles was mainly manageable by bicycle (although in the "granny gear" 1 - 1) at a p...

The Alps were clearly visible from Neuchâtel last Thursday when Paul flew back to Canada. He sent an e-mail when he arrived in Canada saying that the whole of Switzerland could be seen from the plane after take off (including the Alps from the Jungfrau to Mont Blanc, Neuchâtel, the Val de Ruz and the Val de Travers). We could also see the towering 4000 meter high Alps nearly 80 kms away from Corcelles (which is only 500 meters above sea level).

Politics can be rough in Québec with the distinction between "real Qubeckers " ( pûr laine - literally real wool) and the outsiders. But they have taken it to a new level here in Switzerland. The party of the Swiss Justice Minister (really), who favours deporting illegal immigrants guilty of a crime (and all of their family too), has created this election poster. The three white sheep stand on the Swiss flag while one of the white sheep boots the black sheep off the flag. Subtle, isn't it? Note the graffiti on the sign (with the white sheep bearing swastikas and the black sheep carrying a star of David). The sentence written on the bottom of the poster asks "doesn't this remind you of anything"? You will gather the election poster is not without controversy.

When Alicia is excited she waves her arms. She likes to "talk" too. Sometimes it's hard to resist a smile. Yum! Fruit for dessert. Although uncertain at first, she decided that the grass felt good. Of course she tried to taste it too. Lost...one sock.