Interlaken - Part 2: Mountainbiking (photo bonanza!!)

Day 2 of Interlaken we rented mountainbikes to do the big tour and see Switzerland from its best side! Switzerland is for sure one of the most beautiful countries in the world. The nature is jaw-droppingly impressive and still so un-touched. Everything you expect to find from the movies you see: chalets and cottages, mountains and hills, cows and goats (with the obligatory bells!), little cute trains, flowing rivers, amazing waterfalls...

 We started in Interlaken, on to Wilderswil, then started going upwards to Lauterbrunnen where we had a sall lunch break after the morning accomplishment. From Laterbrunnen we took on a more flat route towards Trümmelbach which hosts the mighty glacial waterfall that are the only ones in Europe to still be found inside a mountain.

Notice the waterfall to the right!

Lunch stop in Lauterbrunnen - one of the best chicken salads I've ever had! Café was called Air Touch something...

 We were stuck at this field for quite a while. I first spotted some base jumpers, and then I saw a "batman"!!! A guy in a flight suit. Incredible - coolest thing I've ever seen! In the picture above you see him with his parachute, zooming in you can see he is in a square-shaped black suit.

To get up to Mürren we took the telepherique along with all the paraglideres and base jumpers so we could enjoy a nice long downhill bike.

Telepherique station Mürren, 1650m

Very well deserved dinner after that day! Rösti with everything! (everything = bacon, egg, cheese, mushroom, onion)

Interlaken - Part 1: Sea Kayaking

We had a long weekend (one of many to be honest!) first weekend in June and decided to go to one of Switzerland's most famous sport and nature areas: Interlaken. Interlaken is located in the well-known Bernese-Oberland canton, right in-between Lake Brienz and Lake Thun. You can kind of guess where it got its name from...!

It is famous for visiting the Jungfrau, the highest "visitable" Alp top in Europe, and amazing hiking trails, mountainbiking trails, paragliders in the hundreds (daily!) and all other activities and sports you can think of!

Our "Tent Village" we rented a tent at. Jacuzzi was nice, as well as the main part's beer garden, all the things for free (badminton, table tennis etc). However, light coloured tents let in the sun when it rises. I.e. only for early birds!

Ready to hit the day!

We decided to spend the first afternoon after arriving after lunch in one of the lakes with a rented sea kayak. The lakes have this gorgeous green-blue colour and are surrounded by beautiful backdrop of the Alps with paragliders continuously popping down.

Celebratory Weekend - Friday & Saturday

Friday eve: wine bar "Tour du Molard" in central Geneva. A quite recently opened wine bar serving only Swiss wines, and most of them by the glass. This bar is stunningly located in an old Medieval tower in central Geneva, on one side overlooking the lake and on the other side the Place du Molard. The stairs are many, but atmosphere unique! It is basically just a stone staircase, with small window tables and a few chairs at each "level", and 2 smaller rooms spread our on the 5 floors, with the bars. An air of old time. In a good way.

Birthday deserves Krabbelurer with cream and cream!!

After a breakfast in bed as the Swedish tradition goes, and opening the presents, we did a run through town to chase some sun protection cream...as we were going up towards the sun!

After a bus stopping a few metres from the border, walking over to France, we reached the telepherique du Saleve and went up! This hill/mountain is a paradise for para-gliders and mountainbikers, but we opted for a more still activity this time around: lunch!

This food never gets old! A big piece of cheese, melted, served with potatoes/rösti and meats. 

Blueberry cake instead of Birthday cake...at least they both start with the same letter!

Can't complain about the view....!

Geneva from above

Geneva by night

In the evening after dinner by the lake, we went to Carouge where the night was danced away and behinds were shaken at Le Chat Noir. Ska, R'n'B, Hip-Hop, Ragga, dance dance dance!

This is the roof of the groundfloor bar of Le Chat Noir... Yes, it is smurfs decorating the roof like little Finish/Greek islands...!

Caves Ouvertes Mont-sur-Rolle: 2011!

Longed for ever since May 2010 were the Caves Ouvertes de Mont-sur-Rolle! You might not think so, but Switzerland is a big wine producer. Most of the wines are drunk here, and not exported. But they mainly drink Swiss wines here. All in all this sums up to quite a substantial market!

 First stop!

In the late spring several of the wine regions have "Open Cellars/House", called Les Caves Ouvertes. This means that all wine houses open up their doors for people to visit their wine cellars and houses, and taste their wines. And sell a few bottles too.

Sitting in a barrel!

The regions arrange these Caves Ouvertes during a few weekends just after each other in May and June and one of the first ones are the Mont-sur-Rolles region. This is according to me the most authentic and pittoresque region. Stunning landscape and views, and still manage to keep a very familiar and relaxed small-village feel to it.

 They arrange free shuttle buses to and from the train station, the wine houses have big balloons marking their location for you to easy find them, and you pay a little sum and get a tasting glass allowing you endless free tasting and a map of all the wine houses! 

Easter Holidays - St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat

Easter Holidays - Nice to be back!

It was great to come back and visit Nice during the Easter holidays. Had only been back once since I left in 2005. And lots of things were indeed the same! My old house still there, La Banane's salads still looking awesome, Les Ideales still serving cheap rose wine, the water as turquoise blue as always. Actually almost got a little tear in my eye walking through my old neighbour hood streets. And some things had changed too. The waiters at the green place were nice, and the management of Bar des Oiseux had changed. However, the new Bar des Oiseaux is awesome too!! Great band, absolutely fantastic ambiance! Think very Frenchy Bistro, with very French food. Live band playing everything from Beatles, to Bon Jovi to Evergreens. By the dessert, the whole place was singing along with the band as more limoncellos were called in to the cafés. 

Bar des Oiseaux

Nice is well known for its flower and foods market at Cours Saleya in Old Town. Explosion of colors and smells, and during summer also tourists!

Up upon the high hill/rock separating at one part of Nice the old town and tourist centre, from the other side with the Port you can find the Jardins du Chateau after a good walk up the stairs (there is an elevator for lazy people). This is the area of the old citadel and the area carries memories of many many hundreds and hundreds of years of civilization down to stories of how pre-historical species habitated the area along with Roman ruins. Of course, on top of all of this the place offers amazing and wide-spanning view of the Mediterranean and land parts on both sides of Nice.

Nice from the top!

At the oh-so-famous Promenade des Anglais