This will be a marathon getting-up-to-date session as there’s about three weeks worth of stuff to get down. It has been a hectic whirl of sightseeing and socialising in Switzerland and now we’re about to embark on the same in Germany at Neckargemund where we are staying at the moment. Neckargemund lies on the river Neckar not far from Heidleberg. Our friends Ingo and Ilka, along with their four children live here. They were guests of ours at Rowleth End and became firm friends there. We have already enjoyed one evening of their hospitality!
But first, some events of the recent past.
TOSCA
When I left you last we were on our way to Tosca in Bregenz. We got to the huge Seecamping site and asked where we could drop our toilet and waste water. Down the drains marked with a circle, I asked. Yes was the reply from the lad on reception. So I did, only to be advised by an irate owner that I couldn’t. I explained that I had specifically asked and had been told it was OK, he said I should have asked at reception.! As far as I was concerned, the lad I spoke to was reception and if he didn’t know, he should have asked. Not the best start to our stay then. They had to get a tanker in to clear whatever it was I did drop my tanks into. Hey-ho, I’ll know for next time.
Found one of the few shady pitches on site and got hooked up and sorted out. As always, we drew a crowd. It was hot and getting hotter, so the shade offered by the trees was most welcome. We had started a new row on the camping and by teatime, it was full. Amazing the number of people and units there were. Also amazing was just how quiet it was in spite of the numbers. Everyone was very respectful and played music or TVs at a very low level. Mostly all you could hear was the buzz of animated conversation and it made for a very convivial atmosphere.
The evening drew near and we got dressed up in our glad rags (for the first time in ages – felt very strange!) and headed off along the lovely path into Bregenz to find a restaurant before heading to the opera. The network of paths and cycleways around the whole of Lake Constance is just brilliant and it would be easy to spend a holiday cycling around the lake and hardly every have to use a road. Anyway, not too far from the campsite we came across a yacht club restaurant overlooking a marina. It appeared very smart and as we were wearing clothes to match, we thought hang the expense, we’ll eat here. It turned out to be a wise move as (a) it was inexpensive and (b) it was the best meal we’d had in a very long time and we were looked after like royalty. To give you some idea of the level of service, we ordered a single started to share. The waitress looking after us had limited English to my limited German so brought a younger colleague across to explain that rather than one plate, they would split it to make two. When it came, it was beautiful and looked more like two complete starters than one shared! To go to all that trouble was just brilliant and whole meal ran that way. We will go back there when we head to the opera in future years.
And so to the main event (unusual in that it wasn’t the meal!) We entered the outdoor auditorium to be faced by the most spectacular stage set. An immense backdrop with a stage that sloped forward, with a section folded like canvas into the lake. The seats border the lake, the stage actually sits in the lake on stilts. The place holds about 4000 people and it was full. The performance began. I’m not a huge fan of opera but I enjoy the spectacle if not the singing. And this was all spectacle! The stage was truly amazing in that it revolved, twisted and turned as the performance went on. A triumph of engineering and I loved it. Amanda said that the singers were pretty good too, and she has a much better idea than me! All was not plain sailing however. Just in one of the very quiet, passionate arias, the lakeside ducks decided to join in with their own chorus. Must be a first for any diva – to be upstaged by a duck! To their credit, the audience were very restrained in their giggling. All in all it was a brilliant night.
The following day we wandered into Bregenz. It didn’t have much to offer and we had yet another second rate lunch, after which we called it quits and headed back to Floozie2.
BACK TO NEUHAUSSEN
Sunday, 27 July. Headed back to Neuhaussen on the north side of Lake Constance. Had a good run and parked up in a lay-by near Uberlingen. There was an American car show on in town and we saw a lot of really nice Yank-tanks passing by. There was a knock on the door. The driver of the lorry parked behind had sliced his finger open quite badly on a knife. Although the bleeding had stopped, he didn’t have anything to cover the wound so I gave him half a box of plasters to sort him out. Next thing, to say thanks, he had the back of his lorry open and reached out to hand me two punnets of grapes! His artic truck was crammed with them, all packaged, labelled and bound for Tesco. The driver was from Greece, he’d picked the grapes up in Italy, he expected to be in Ghent that night, before heading to the Tesco distribution centre the next day. What a tough life these drivers have. This one was a really nice guy.
Arrived back at the Rheinfall Stellplatz to be greeted by Hans-Peter and a guy who opened a barrier in the far end of the car park to let us in. The normal way is just a wee bit tight and fortunately for us H-P has contacts. In fact, he knows so many people, I’m wondering if he’s not the godfather of some Neuhaussen Mafia! The car parking attendants really were pleasant helpful people and present nearly all the time to help other campers. We left Floozie2 and went up to the house where we met Neil & Tobi from Devon. Neil & Tobi met H-P and Uli the year after we did, when they were neighbours on a camp site in Biarritz. It was the time H-P had a scooter accident and ended up in hospital. Neil & Tobi helped sort everything out and collected H-P and the remains of his scooter when he came out of hospital. We figured they would be nice people and we weren’t wrong. They are a great couple and in the course of the next week we had a great time with them. (If you’re reading this, cheers guys!)
THE FARMHOUSE
Hans-Peter and Uli have an old farmhouse perched on a hill overlooking Lake Brienz, near Interlaken in the Alps and we found ourselves there the following day. It stands on its own in a field and it’s a good ten minute walk to get to it once the car has been parked at the end of a farm track. There is no electricity, just cold water which comes off the mountain, a kitchen and two bedrooms, one of which is the old hay loft. Outside is a covered platform built into the steeply sloping hillside on which is a huge table with benches running down each side, which is where we spent our days and candlelit evenings eating and chatting. The view to the lake and mountains beyond were enchanting and ever-changing. One of the best locations I have ever been to.
In time we were joined by Uli, Rene (their son) and Neil and Tobi’s friends Chris and Ali to make a complement of nine and two dogs to see in the Swiss National Day on the 1st August. This culminated in a huge firework display from the lake just below us. A barge is sailed up the lake and it stops at the ferry quays at each town and they set off the fireworks for a very impressive display. Shortly before that, somebody let over a hundred candles set in red plastic holders onto the lake so that little red dots floated in the current beneath the fireworks. It was magical.
Except not so for Pooch. He hates load bangs and fireworks are his least favourite. He’d spent all day charging up and down the hill barking at the kids setting off firecrackers and the display was enough to send him over the top. Poor lad was beside himself and it took ages to clam him down. He was exhausted, yet still feisty. He does belie his 12 years sometimes. However, it really wasn’t good for him and we will have to think twice before going into a situation like that again. He would literally keep going until he dropped, I’m sure. Poor lad.
During the day we had been to Interlaken on a boat. There’s a restored paddle steamer which plies the waters, and we were lucky enough to ride on her to Interlaken. We thought we’d do it in style, so went first class (upper deck, waiter service) and sipped champagne (fizzy wine). It was a lovely experience and appealed to the heart of Amanda’s idea of romance! In Interlaken, we watched the National Day parade, which was really good, despite the rain, which started soon after the parade did. I was amused to see a chap with a spade following the cows and goats at the front of the parade, clearing up any unwanted deposits. Wonderful efficiency I thought, until I saw the chap being followed by cavalry on horseback, dropping far more than the cows and goats together and with no one behind them to clear up! Ooops, thought I, that’s not quite gone to plan has it? Immediately behind the horses was the marching band and to watch them sidestepping all the horse crap was a joy to behold. I must say, they did it in style!
After watching gymnasts, local attractions, fire crews and costumes past and present, we scooted for the boat back, pausing only to buy a cuckoo clock (it had to be done) and a monster ice cream each, eaten on the hoof as we scurried back to the quayside.
We didn’t see much of Interlaken, but what we did see we liked. It grew up around the British Victorian need for a holiday resort and the architecture and feel of the place reflects that. It feels “genteel” and out of season I’m sure would be a fine place to go. In season, it’s just a wee bit too crowded for the country bumpkin in me. We certainly want to go back.
THE JUNGFRAUJOCH
“The Top of Europe!” the tourist blurb announces. It sure felt like it at 3,571m (11,782) The last time I got to that height was in Nepal and it took me days to get there. Here, you take the train! Back in the early 1900s, some enterprising bods decided it would be a great idea to carve a railway tunnel through the heart of the Eiger, popping out at a visitors station just a few hundred meters below some of the highest peaks in Europe. It’s an amazing feat of engineering.
We boarded the first train of the day from Gridlewald to Kleine Scheidegg with Hans-Peter and Pooch, then on to the top on our own. It wasn’t too busy; a smart move as the later trains were crowded and the top a seething mass of visitors (many Chinese) by the time we came back down. As it was, we felt we almost had the place to ourselves. Mind you, we did have to get up at 5am to get the first train at 7.03 from Grindlewald!
But boy was it worth it! The sky was clear, the sun warm in the chill 3C air and the views magnificent. From the top of the observation tower is an almost 360 degree panorama that is quite breath taking. We could see climbers coming down from their early morning summit of Mönch (4107m) and others making their way up the Jungfrau (4158m). The air was thin and crystal clear and we had to move slowly as above 3000m, oxygen is a bit more rare! We visited the Ice Palace, a network of tunnels carved out of the glacier, with ice sculptures along the way. Bit like being in Santa’s grotto! The ice on the walls was so smooth it felt like plastic and the floors like marble!
Huskies! For 8 francs, we could have a husky ride, once around a fairly small oval track in the glacial snow, but it had to be done. We had a good talk with the husky’s owner and it was fascinating listening to him. Apparently, these huskies are quite rare (they’re not Siberian) and the breeding lines are now so tight that every dog is fairly closely related to the other. Quite what that means for the future I don’t know. Anyhow, we were introduced to the pack and had a good fuss of all the dogs. They are fine with humans, we were told, not so with other little dogs. Good job Pooch stayed behind then. The first few times around the lead dog kept cutting the last corner and had to be told off. Then he was demoted when he did it again! By the time our turn came, they’d more or less got the idea. Good fun, lovely animals.
We headed back down to meet up with H-P just after midday, fighting against the packed hordes of coach tourists. We found him sat with Pooch near a bar and we then set off for a nice little amble down the mountain and in the shadow of the Eiger. We looked but couldn’t see anyone attempting the fearsome North Face. We walked to Alpiglen, then took the train back to Gridlewald to end the day. It was whilst we were making our way down that Hans-Peter confessed that whilst he’d had Pooch in his care, he’d let him off the lead. They had passed a restaurant whose automatic doors opened as Pooch passed by. He was straight inside and straight into the kitchen! H-P chased him around the kitchen 3 times, much to the horror and bemusement of the three chefs! Ever the opportunist that dog!
Our day on the Jungfrau was magical and is a must for anyone going to Switzerland. The scenery is stunning and Grindlewald is picture postcard perfect. You half expect to see Heidi skipping down a hillside. I can only recommend that you go out of season as the crowds can be stifling. As we were leaving we took one last look at the mountains, only to see a light half way up the Eiger. There was someone up there after all!
Another excursion took us to an old military gun emplacement. As usual, I have managed to lose all the info I had on the place, but it is situated near Faulensee. It was constructed to defend Switzerland in the Second World War, and was decommissioned only in the late nineties and given over to an enthusiasts group to run as a tourist attraction. What is amazing about the place is that you would never have known that there were four gun emplacements there. The whole thing was built to look like a hamlet, with each gun in a barn or a ‘house’ all interlinked by a network of tunnels. Apparently, if the need arose, some 45+ personnel would be able to survive down there for 3 months or more. The guns (105mm) were never fired from their location, although had they been used, they had a range of 23km. What made this all the more remarkable was that there were dozens more secret locations like this decommissioned at the same time, many carved deep into the mountains. The Swiss have always been known for their engineering and I know why now. It was really interesting.
Our time near Interlaken came to an end and we were driven home via a couple of the big passes, Grimselpass and Furkapass. At Furkapass there is a glacier with a tunnel carved into it, so naturally we thought we’d take a peak. It was a sorry sight. The glacier is receding rapidly, taking the tunnel with it. Apparently, 10cm (4”) disappears each day. There are markers showing where the entrance used to be in previous years and it brings home just how much the climate is being affected at the moment. There were people on the glacier doing tests whilst we were there. As a tourist attraction, it doesn’t have long, reflected in the down-at-heel feel to the buildings and the hotel opposite. All very sad.
Our time in Switzerland was amazing and I’ve only highlighted the major events here. Hans-Peter and Uli looked after us like royalty and we had the best guide ever in Hans-Peter. We’re hoping to do the same for them one day in the UK. There, it’s in writing now guys, you have t go!
GERMANY
We arrived in Neckargemund on Thursday 7th July and got set up. Very nice riverside site with friendly, helpful and understanding owners. There’s pleasure boats and huge commercial barges passing by all the time, the backdrop is wooded hills and the old town of Neckargemund is within a short stroll of the camping. The one downside is traffic noise from nearby main roads, but you get used to it. Thankfully it’s quiet at night.
We’d were settling down to a cup of tea in the evening when in the near distance I could hear a voice singing the Swaledale Hymn, which was suddenly joined by its owner, our friend Ingo. The wine was uncorked and we sat and chatted and made plans. To explain, Ingo & Ilka and their 4 children were guests of ours at Rowleth End and have been going to Swaledale nearly every year for fifteen years. Ingo probably knows the place better than a lot of the locals and has a passionate love affair with the place. Understandable, I know! I’m pretty sure he’d live there given the chance! Anyhow, we became friends and an offer was extended to visit them near Heidelberg. When the guesthouse was sold, we were on the phone straight away!
So far we’ve had some lovely, relaxed suppers in a house full of kids (lots of friends always around!) and trying to learn a bit more German, which is quite good with kids. Mattis, the youngest at four, seems to have taken a shine to me and we have a lot of fun. He’s a cheeky little monkey, as is Emily. Nellie is 12 and growing up fast and Leander isn’t happy unless he’s running. He’s the mischief maker. In all it makes for a manic and entertaining time and is quite wonderful. They are lovely kids, energetic and creative, loving and inquisitive and a credit to Ingo & Ilka. Yes, this really is me saying I like kids!! Well these kids, anyway.
That more or less brings us up to date. Phew. Plans for the next week are open air performances of My Fair Lady and Carmen, trips to castles and vineyards and whatever else Ingo thinks up for us. Great fun and again, we have great guides and friends. We truly are very lucky people.
HEIDELBERG
Tough one this as there’s a real love hate thing for us with Heidelberg. To start with it’s a city, so for us not a good start. I guess everything starts with first impressions and that’s where it all went wrong for Heidelberg. It started with the surly, unhelpful bus driver when I smiled and asked in my best ropey German for a 24 hour ticket. I might as well have asked for the moon. Then in Heidelberg I asked another bus driver for directions to the tourist information office. ‘Behind’ he grunted, pointing beyond a waiting tram and turned on his heel. OK then, best take Pooch for a pee in the green space by the bus/tram station before heading over there to get our info. Recumbent drunks, noisy drunks, used tampons (I know, unsavoury but I gotta tell it like it is) litter, empty booze bottles and broken versions of the same. After Pooch took an unhealthy interest in the aforementioned tampon, we moved on to find the info office. There wasn’t one. There was only the tram office. So I went in and the nice lady there told me where it was. It didn’t seem to be anywhere near the main tourist area which seemed odd. It was two days before we happened upon the office down by the riverside at the lower end of the Old Town. There wasn’t a single signpost directing tourists to it. Hmmm.
I managed to get hold of a street map. To be honest, we were ready to get back on the bus and go home but we’ve had our first impressions proved wrong before, so we opened our minds and headed into the old town. It was Saturday and crowded, so to gird our loins we had cake and coffee in a side street café. Good coffee, great cake, but the pavement beneath the chair and tables seemed to be paved with cigarette butts. A visit to the loos showed that there was a running battle with graffiti ‘artists’ and damage done by ‘piss’ artists. As we wandered around in the next few hours, we tried very hard to like Heidelberg but it was scruffy, strewn with drunks and the tourist areas, which could have been nice, were unkempt and were again paved with fag ends, broken glass and empty bottles and decorated with graffiti. It is such a shame about the ‘presentation’ as Heidelberg has a lot to offer. The old town architecture is good and in some cases quite remarkable and the narrow lanes ramble away from the main street in a very charming way. The old castle, perched overlooking the city, is a romantic masterpiece in red sandstone and looks great lit at night. A funicular railway will take you up to it from the old town, then further up to a viewing area (complete with hotel/restaurant) giving an astounding view of Heidelberg and the Rhine valley beyond. Two of the churches, the Jesuit and the Heilligeist (in the main market square) are an interesting and successful mix of old and modern. We caught a visiting organist practising on the organ at the latter church and it was quite something. So too was the Gregorian chant version of Dire Straits’ Brothers in Arms we’d heard on the sound system there earlier. A trip into town in the evening with Ingo gave us a different insight as we were squirreled off to hideaway wine cellars and coffee shops. It all felt somewhat better, even on a rainy night, and knocked the hardened edge off our opinion of the place. Even the ubiquitous Irish Pub, a place I’d normally avoid, looked welcoming and had live Irish music wafting on to the street.
Getting around is easy too, with a regular tram and bus service. €8.50 bought us a 24 hour travel ticket for up to 5 people. The trams and trains are bright, clean and surprisingly free of the unwanted attentions of aerosol paint wielding numpties. They’re a pleasure to travel on, unless of course you have to deal with the driver! A trip on the river is a must too as that gives a different perspective of things and of course you sail past one of Steffi Graf’s houses on the way.
On balance, we went to Heidelberg on the wrong day and in the wrong frame of mind. We were tired and not really in the mood for a city which exacerbated things. If you look beyond the mess, it is a fine place to be with history and culture aplenty. If you like traipsing around shops, it’s a good place too. Definitely worth a visit. http://www.e-heidelberg.com/
It’s when you get beyond Heidelberg that things improve. Head up the Nekar valley and there are the most charming towns and villages. Nekartsteinach has four castle perched side by side more or less in the hill overlooking the river. Local gentry occupy two and two are ruins which you can scramble over to your heart’s content, with super views over the countryside. All are connected by a wide forest track. It was misty and raining when we went and it all added to the fun and romance of the place. We had a fine lunch in the “Schiff” hotel and restaurant before heading back. There’s also Dilsberg, with a fine church and castle, perched on the hill above Nekarsteinach. It’s one of only four such hill towns in the area and was able to fend off the marauding hordes in the middle-ages, when all the rest of the towns fell. www.neckarsteinach.com/downloads/burgengeschichte_englisch.pdf
SCHWETZINGEN
Heading into the Rhein valley, just south of Mannheim is Schwetzingen with its castle and, more importantly, it’s gardens. They are stupendous, on a huge scale, and a must see. Laid out in the in the late C18th they have all you’d expect of a ‘cost no object’ exercise in lavishness – and more. There’s a sweet, opulent bathhouse, formal gardens, lakes, canals, fountains, freeform woodland walks contrasting with the formality of the rest of the garden, vistas, temples, romantic ruins, hidden views, the list is endless. The crowning glory is the huge ‘mosque’ complete with it’s own gardens. When you go, take a picnic, get there early and leave late. We were there over three hours and barely scratched the surface.
SPEYER
Speyer is nearby. A lovely town in itself, with a technology museum (Big Boeing 747 parked outside, can’t miss it!) sea life centre and museums, it is overshadowed by the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Speyer Cathedral. It’s a huge building and quite simple, especially inside which is surprisingly free of adornments, and that really adds to the impact. There is the vault beneath the altar which is an original part of the C12th church and is truly wonderful. Here also lie the tombs of the Kaisers from that period. Their tombstones are replacements but there are six original bishop’s tombs, with the most intricately carved, lead sealed stone coffins. Back in the main cathedral there are small chapels and a chapel of relics, all very interesting. Again, Speyer is a full-day-out must. http://www.speyer.de/de/tourist?switch_language=en
We were invited to a BBQ last night, hosted by the Nekargemund Green Party (who says we don’t mix in elevated circles. They had invited a bat expert along who gave an interesting talk on the subject of bats, which was translated by a nice chap called Wolfgang. They were all very kind to the strange English people who were there! It got me thinking about this travel thing – it’s amazing the experiences you can have when you get involved, rather than just being a tourist and looking from the sidelines. We will have to look to doing that more perhaps.
Lastly for now, a little more culture. Wednesday night saw us at Zwingenberg am Nekar, about 40 minutes’ drive up the valley, for a production of ‘My Fair Lady’ in the castle grounds. It was all part of the festival they hold here every year and we will be back there on Sunday to see ‘Carmen’. The stage has the seriously impressive and pretty castle as a backdrop (I was itching to look around but yet again it’s privately owned) and despite the unfortunate noise of the passing trains, the whole evening was great. Even though it was in German, we followed the story and sang along in English! The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain is replaced with something about Spain being greener when the flowers bloom. The German has the same linguistic challenge as the English. If I think on I’ll ask Ingo to write it down. We’re looking forward to Carmen on Sunday, when it’ll be just Ilka, Amanda and me going.
That brings us up to date on the happenings; hope you haven’t dozed off! We’re probably heading off middle of next week, quite possibly up the Rhein to the Lorely, near Koblenz.
But first, some events of the recent past.
TOSCA
When I left you last we were on our way to Tosca in Bregenz. We got to the huge Seecamping site and asked where we could drop our toilet and waste water. Down the drains marked with a circle, I asked. Yes was the reply from the lad on reception. So I did, only to be advised by an irate owner that I couldn’t. I explained that I had specifically asked and had been told it was OK, he said I should have asked at reception.! As far as I was concerned, the lad I spoke to was reception and if he didn’t know, he should have asked. Not the best start to our stay then. They had to get a tanker in to clear whatever it was I did drop my tanks into. Hey-ho, I’ll know for next time.
Found one of the few shady pitches on site and got hooked up and sorted out. As always, we drew a crowd. It was hot and getting hotter, so the shade offered by the trees was most welcome. We had started a new row on the camping and by teatime, it was full. Amazing the number of people and units there were. Also amazing was just how quiet it was in spite of the numbers. Everyone was very respectful and played music or TVs at a very low level. Mostly all you could hear was the buzz of animated conversation and it made for a very convivial atmosphere.
The evening drew near and we got dressed up in our glad rags (for the first time in ages – felt very strange!) and headed off along the lovely path into Bregenz to find a restaurant before heading to the opera. The network of paths and cycleways around the whole of Lake Constance is just brilliant and it would be easy to spend a holiday cycling around the lake and hardly every have to use a road. Anyway, not too far from the campsite we came across a yacht club restaurant overlooking a marina. It appeared very smart and as we were wearing clothes to match, we thought hang the expense, we’ll eat here. It turned out to be a wise move as (a) it was inexpensive and (b) it was the best meal we’d had in a very long time and we were looked after like royalty. To give you some idea of the level of service, we ordered a single started to share. The waitress looking after us had limited English to my limited German so brought a younger colleague across to explain that rather than one plate, they would split it to make two. When it came, it was beautiful and looked more like two complete starters than one shared! To go to all that trouble was just brilliant and whole meal ran that way. We will go back there when we head to the opera in future years.
And so to the main event (unusual in that it wasn’t the meal!) We entered the outdoor auditorium to be faced by the most spectacular stage set. An immense backdrop with a stage that sloped forward, with a section folded like canvas into the lake. The seats border the lake, the stage actually sits in the lake on stilts. The place holds about 4000 people and it was full. The performance began. I’m not a huge fan of opera but I enjoy the spectacle if not the singing. And this was all spectacle! The stage was truly amazing in that it revolved, twisted and turned as the performance went on. A triumph of engineering and I loved it. Amanda said that the singers were pretty good too, and she has a much better idea than me! All was not plain sailing however. Just in one of the very quiet, passionate arias, the lakeside ducks decided to join in with their own chorus. Must be a first for any diva – to be upstaged by a duck! To their credit, the audience were very restrained in their giggling. All in all it was a brilliant night.
The following day we wandered into Bregenz. It didn’t have much to offer and we had yet another second rate lunch, after which we called it quits and headed back to Floozie2.
BACK TO NEUHAUSSEN
Sunday, 27 July. Headed back to Neuhaussen on the north side of Lake Constance. Had a good run and parked up in a lay-by near Uberlingen. There was an American car show on in town and we saw a lot of really nice Yank-tanks passing by. There was a knock on the door. The driver of the lorry parked behind had sliced his finger open quite badly on a knife. Although the bleeding had stopped, he didn’t have anything to cover the wound so I gave him half a box of plasters to sort him out. Next thing, to say thanks, he had the back of his lorry open and reached out to hand me two punnets of grapes! His artic truck was crammed with them, all packaged, labelled and bound for Tesco. The driver was from Greece, he’d picked the grapes up in Italy, he expected to be in Ghent that night, before heading to the Tesco distribution centre the next day. What a tough life these drivers have. This one was a really nice guy.
Arrived back at the Rheinfall Stellplatz to be greeted by Hans-Peter and a guy who opened a barrier in the far end of the car park to let us in. The normal way is just a wee bit tight and fortunately for us H-P has contacts. In fact, he knows so many people, I’m wondering if he’s not the godfather of some Neuhaussen Mafia! The car parking attendants really were pleasant helpful people and present nearly all the time to help other campers. We left Floozie2 and went up to the house where we met Neil & Tobi from Devon. Neil & Tobi met H-P and Uli the year after we did, when they were neighbours on a camp site in Biarritz. It was the time H-P had a scooter accident and ended up in hospital. Neil & Tobi helped sort everything out and collected H-P and the remains of his scooter when he came out of hospital. We figured they would be nice people and we weren’t wrong. They are a great couple and in the course of the next week we had a great time with them. (If you’re reading this, cheers guys!)
THE FARMHOUSE
Hans-Peter and Uli have an old farmhouse perched on a hill overlooking Lake Brienz, near Interlaken in the Alps and we found ourselves there the following day. It stands on its own in a field and it’s a good ten minute walk to get to it once the car has been parked at the end of a farm track. There is no electricity, just cold water which comes off the mountain, a kitchen and two bedrooms, one of which is the old hay loft. Outside is a covered platform built into the steeply sloping hillside on which is a huge table with benches running down each side, which is where we spent our days and candlelit evenings eating and chatting. The view to the lake and mountains beyond were enchanting and ever-changing. One of the best locations I have ever been to.
In time we were joined by Uli, Rene (their son) and Neil and Tobi’s friends Chris and Ali to make a complement of nine and two dogs to see in the Swiss National Day on the 1st August. This culminated in a huge firework display from the lake just below us. A barge is sailed up the lake and it stops at the ferry quays at each town and they set off the fireworks for a very impressive display. Shortly before that, somebody let over a hundred candles set in red plastic holders onto the lake so that little red dots floated in the current beneath the fireworks. It was magical.
Except not so for Pooch. He hates load bangs and fireworks are his least favourite. He’d spent all day charging up and down the hill barking at the kids setting off firecrackers and the display was enough to send him over the top. Poor lad was beside himself and it took ages to clam him down. He was exhausted, yet still feisty. He does belie his 12 years sometimes. However, it really wasn’t good for him and we will have to think twice before going into a situation like that again. He would literally keep going until he dropped, I’m sure. Poor lad.
During the day we had been to Interlaken on a boat. There’s a restored paddle steamer which plies the waters, and we were lucky enough to ride on her to Interlaken. We thought we’d do it in style, so went first class (upper deck, waiter service) and sipped champagne (fizzy wine). It was a lovely experience and appealed to the heart of Amanda’s idea of romance! In Interlaken, we watched the National Day parade, which was really good, despite the rain, which started soon after the parade did. I was amused to see a chap with a spade following the cows and goats at the front of the parade, clearing up any unwanted deposits. Wonderful efficiency I thought, until I saw the chap being followed by cavalry on horseback, dropping far more than the cows and goats together and with no one behind them to clear up! Ooops, thought I, that’s not quite gone to plan has it? Immediately behind the horses was the marching band and to watch them sidestepping all the horse crap was a joy to behold. I must say, they did it in style!
After watching gymnasts, local attractions, fire crews and costumes past and present, we scooted for the boat back, pausing only to buy a cuckoo clock (it had to be done) and a monster ice cream each, eaten on the hoof as we scurried back to the quayside.
We didn’t see much of Interlaken, but what we did see we liked. It grew up around the British Victorian need for a holiday resort and the architecture and feel of the place reflects that. It feels “genteel” and out of season I’m sure would be a fine place to go. In season, it’s just a wee bit too crowded for the country bumpkin in me. We certainly want to go back.
THE JUNGFRAUJOCH
“The Top of Europe!” the tourist blurb announces. It sure felt like it at 3,571m (11,782) The last time I got to that height was in Nepal and it took me days to get there. Here, you take the train! Back in the early 1900s, some enterprising bods decided it would be a great idea to carve a railway tunnel through the heart of the Eiger, popping out at a visitors station just a few hundred meters below some of the highest peaks in Europe. It’s an amazing feat of engineering.
We boarded the first train of the day from Gridlewald to Kleine Scheidegg with Hans-Peter and Pooch, then on to the top on our own. It wasn’t too busy; a smart move as the later trains were crowded and the top a seething mass of visitors (many Chinese) by the time we came back down. As it was, we felt we almost had the place to ourselves. Mind you, we did have to get up at 5am to get the first train at 7.03 from Grindlewald!
But boy was it worth it! The sky was clear, the sun warm in the chill 3C air and the views magnificent. From the top of the observation tower is an almost 360 degree panorama that is quite breath taking. We could see climbers coming down from their early morning summit of Mönch (4107m) and others making their way up the Jungfrau (4158m). The air was thin and crystal clear and we had to move slowly as above 3000m, oxygen is a bit more rare! We visited the Ice Palace, a network of tunnels carved out of the glacier, with ice sculptures along the way. Bit like being in Santa’s grotto! The ice on the walls was so smooth it felt like plastic and the floors like marble!
Huskies! For 8 francs, we could have a husky ride, once around a fairly small oval track in the glacial snow, but it had to be done. We had a good talk with the husky’s owner and it was fascinating listening to him. Apparently, these huskies are quite rare (they’re not Siberian) and the breeding lines are now so tight that every dog is fairly closely related to the other. Quite what that means for the future I don’t know. Anyhow, we were introduced to the pack and had a good fuss of all the dogs. They are fine with humans, we were told, not so with other little dogs. Good job Pooch stayed behind then. The first few times around the lead dog kept cutting the last corner and had to be told off. Then he was demoted when he did it again! By the time our turn came, they’d more or less got the idea. Good fun, lovely animals.
We headed back down to meet up with H-P just after midday, fighting against the packed hordes of coach tourists. We found him sat with Pooch near a bar and we then set off for a nice little amble down the mountain and in the shadow of the Eiger. We looked but couldn’t see anyone attempting the fearsome North Face. We walked to Alpiglen, then took the train back to Gridlewald to end the day. It was whilst we were making our way down that Hans-Peter confessed that whilst he’d had Pooch in his care, he’d let him off the lead. They had passed a restaurant whose automatic doors opened as Pooch passed by. He was straight inside and straight into the kitchen! H-P chased him around the kitchen 3 times, much to the horror and bemusement of the three chefs! Ever the opportunist that dog!
Our day on the Jungfrau was magical and is a must for anyone going to Switzerland. The scenery is stunning and Grindlewald is picture postcard perfect. You half expect to see Heidi skipping down a hillside. I can only recommend that you go out of season as the crowds can be stifling. As we were leaving we took one last look at the mountains, only to see a light half way up the Eiger. There was someone up there after all!
Another excursion took us to an old military gun emplacement. As usual, I have managed to lose all the info I had on the place, but it is situated near Faulensee. It was constructed to defend Switzerland in the Second World War, and was decommissioned only in the late nineties and given over to an enthusiasts group to run as a tourist attraction. What is amazing about the place is that you would never have known that there were four gun emplacements there. The whole thing was built to look like a hamlet, with each gun in a barn or a ‘house’ all interlinked by a network of tunnels. Apparently, if the need arose, some 45+ personnel would be able to survive down there for 3 months or more. The guns (105mm) were never fired from their location, although had they been used, they had a range of 23km. What made this all the more remarkable was that there were dozens more secret locations like this decommissioned at the same time, many carved deep into the mountains. The Swiss have always been known for their engineering and I know why now. It was really interesting.
Our time near Interlaken came to an end and we were driven home via a couple of the big passes, Grimselpass and Furkapass. At Furkapass there is a glacier with a tunnel carved into it, so naturally we thought we’d take a peak. It was a sorry sight. The glacier is receding rapidly, taking the tunnel with it. Apparently, 10cm (4”) disappears each day. There are markers showing where the entrance used to be in previous years and it brings home just how much the climate is being affected at the moment. There were people on the glacier doing tests whilst we were there. As a tourist attraction, it doesn’t have long, reflected in the down-at-heel feel to the buildings and the hotel opposite. All very sad.
Our time in Switzerland was amazing and I’ve only highlighted the major events here. Hans-Peter and Uli looked after us like royalty and we had the best guide ever in Hans-Peter. We’re hoping to do the same for them one day in the UK. There, it’s in writing now guys, you have t go!
GERMANY
We arrived in Neckargemund on Thursday 7th July and got set up. Very nice riverside site with friendly, helpful and understanding owners. There’s pleasure boats and huge commercial barges passing by all the time, the backdrop is wooded hills and the old town of Neckargemund is within a short stroll of the camping. The one downside is traffic noise from nearby main roads, but you get used to it. Thankfully it’s quiet at night.
We’d were settling down to a cup of tea in the evening when in the near distance I could hear a voice singing the Swaledale Hymn, which was suddenly joined by its owner, our friend Ingo. The wine was uncorked and we sat and chatted and made plans. To explain, Ingo & Ilka and their 4 children were guests of ours at Rowleth End and have been going to Swaledale nearly every year for fifteen years. Ingo probably knows the place better than a lot of the locals and has a passionate love affair with the place. Understandable, I know! I’m pretty sure he’d live there given the chance! Anyhow, we became friends and an offer was extended to visit them near Heidelberg. When the guesthouse was sold, we were on the phone straight away!
So far we’ve had some lovely, relaxed suppers in a house full of kids (lots of friends always around!) and trying to learn a bit more German, which is quite good with kids. Mattis, the youngest at four, seems to have taken a shine to me and we have a lot of fun. He’s a cheeky little monkey, as is Emily. Nellie is 12 and growing up fast and Leander isn’t happy unless he’s running. He’s the mischief maker. In all it makes for a manic and entertaining time and is quite wonderful. They are lovely kids, energetic and creative, loving and inquisitive and a credit to Ingo & Ilka. Yes, this really is me saying I like kids!! Well these kids, anyway.
That more or less brings us up to date. Phew. Plans for the next week are open air performances of My Fair Lady and Carmen, trips to castles and vineyards and whatever else Ingo thinks up for us. Great fun and again, we have great guides and friends. We truly are very lucky people.
HEIDELBERG
Tough one this as there’s a real love hate thing for us with Heidelberg. To start with it’s a city, so for us not a good start. I guess everything starts with first impressions and that’s where it all went wrong for Heidelberg. It started with the surly, unhelpful bus driver when I smiled and asked in my best ropey German for a 24 hour ticket. I might as well have asked for the moon. Then in Heidelberg I asked another bus driver for directions to the tourist information office. ‘Behind’ he grunted, pointing beyond a waiting tram and turned on his heel. OK then, best take Pooch for a pee in the green space by the bus/tram station before heading over there to get our info. Recumbent drunks, noisy drunks, used tampons (I know, unsavoury but I gotta tell it like it is) litter, empty booze bottles and broken versions of the same. After Pooch took an unhealthy interest in the aforementioned tampon, we moved on to find the info office. There wasn’t one. There was only the tram office. So I went in and the nice lady there told me where it was. It didn’t seem to be anywhere near the main tourist area which seemed odd. It was two days before we happened upon the office down by the riverside at the lower end of the Old Town. There wasn’t a single signpost directing tourists to it. Hmmm.
I managed to get hold of a street map. To be honest, we were ready to get back on the bus and go home but we’ve had our first impressions proved wrong before, so we opened our minds and headed into the old town. It was Saturday and crowded, so to gird our loins we had cake and coffee in a side street café. Good coffee, great cake, but the pavement beneath the chair and tables seemed to be paved with cigarette butts. A visit to the loos showed that there was a running battle with graffiti ‘artists’ and damage done by ‘piss’ artists. As we wandered around in the next few hours, we tried very hard to like Heidelberg but it was scruffy, strewn with drunks and the tourist areas, which could have been nice, were unkempt and were again paved with fag ends, broken glass and empty bottles and decorated with graffiti. It is such a shame about the ‘presentation’ as Heidelberg has a lot to offer. The old town architecture is good and in some cases quite remarkable and the narrow lanes ramble away from the main street in a very charming way. The old castle, perched overlooking the city, is a romantic masterpiece in red sandstone and looks great lit at night. A funicular railway will take you up to it from the old town, then further up to a viewing area (complete with hotel/restaurant) giving an astounding view of Heidelberg and the Rhine valley beyond. Two of the churches, the Jesuit and the Heilligeist (in the main market square) are an interesting and successful mix of old and modern. We caught a visiting organist practising on the organ at the latter church and it was quite something. So too was the Gregorian chant version of Dire Straits’ Brothers in Arms we’d heard on the sound system there earlier. A trip into town in the evening with Ingo gave us a different insight as we were squirreled off to hideaway wine cellars and coffee shops. It all felt somewhat better, even on a rainy night, and knocked the hardened edge off our opinion of the place. Even the ubiquitous Irish Pub, a place I’d normally avoid, looked welcoming and had live Irish music wafting on to the street.
Getting around is easy too, with a regular tram and bus service. €8.50 bought us a 24 hour travel ticket for up to 5 people. The trams and trains are bright, clean and surprisingly free of the unwanted attentions of aerosol paint wielding numpties. They’re a pleasure to travel on, unless of course you have to deal with the driver! A trip on the river is a must too as that gives a different perspective of things and of course you sail past one of Steffi Graf’s houses on the way.
On balance, we went to Heidelberg on the wrong day and in the wrong frame of mind. We were tired and not really in the mood for a city which exacerbated things. If you look beyond the mess, it is a fine place to be with history and culture aplenty. If you like traipsing around shops, it’s a good place too. Definitely worth a visit. http://www.e-heidelberg.com/
It’s when you get beyond Heidelberg that things improve. Head up the Nekar valley and there are the most charming towns and villages. Nekartsteinach has four castle perched side by side more or less in the hill overlooking the river. Local gentry occupy two and two are ruins which you can scramble over to your heart’s content, with super views over the countryside. All are connected by a wide forest track. It was misty and raining when we went and it all added to the fun and romance of the place. We had a fine lunch in the “Schiff” hotel and restaurant before heading back. There’s also Dilsberg, with a fine church and castle, perched on the hill above Nekarsteinach. It’s one of only four such hill towns in the area and was able to fend off the marauding hordes in the middle-ages, when all the rest of the towns fell. www.neckarsteinach.com/downloads/burgengeschichte_englisch.pdf
SCHWETZINGEN
Heading into the Rhein valley, just south of Mannheim is Schwetzingen with its castle and, more importantly, it’s gardens. They are stupendous, on a huge scale, and a must see. Laid out in the in the late C18th they have all you’d expect of a ‘cost no object’ exercise in lavishness – and more. There’s a sweet, opulent bathhouse, formal gardens, lakes, canals, fountains, freeform woodland walks contrasting with the formality of the rest of the garden, vistas, temples, romantic ruins, hidden views, the list is endless. The crowning glory is the huge ‘mosque’ complete with it’s own gardens. When you go, take a picnic, get there early and leave late. We were there over three hours and barely scratched the surface.
SPEYER
Speyer is nearby. A lovely town in itself, with a technology museum (Big Boeing 747 parked outside, can’t miss it!) sea life centre and museums, it is overshadowed by the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Speyer Cathedral. It’s a huge building and quite simple, especially inside which is surprisingly free of adornments, and that really adds to the impact. There is the vault beneath the altar which is an original part of the C12th church and is truly wonderful. Here also lie the tombs of the Kaisers from that period. Their tombstones are replacements but there are six original bishop’s tombs, with the most intricately carved, lead sealed stone coffins. Back in the main cathedral there are small chapels and a chapel of relics, all very interesting. Again, Speyer is a full-day-out must. http://www.speyer.de/de/tourist?switch_language=en
We were invited to a BBQ last night, hosted by the Nekargemund Green Party (who says we don’t mix in elevated circles. They had invited a bat expert along who gave an interesting talk on the subject of bats, which was translated by a nice chap called Wolfgang. They were all very kind to the strange English people who were there! It got me thinking about this travel thing – it’s amazing the experiences you can have when you get involved, rather than just being a tourist and looking from the sidelines. We will have to look to doing that more perhaps.
Lastly for now, a little more culture. Wednesday night saw us at Zwingenberg am Nekar, about 40 minutes’ drive up the valley, for a production of ‘My Fair Lady’ in the castle grounds. It was all part of the festival they hold here every year and we will be back there on Sunday to see ‘Carmen’. The stage has the seriously impressive and pretty castle as a backdrop (I was itching to look around but yet again it’s privately owned) and despite the unfortunate noise of the passing trains, the whole evening was great. Even though it was in German, we followed the story and sang along in English! The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain is replaced with something about Spain being greener when the flowers bloom. The German has the same linguistic challenge as the English. If I think on I’ll ask Ingo to write it down. We’re looking forward to Carmen on Sunday, when it’ll be just Ilka, Amanda and me going.
That brings us up to date on the happenings; hope you haven’t dozed off! We’re probably heading off middle of next week, quite possibly up the Rhein to the Lorely, near Koblenz.
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