Restaurant Dogs

Dear Homer,

It is not a rumor... it is true.  Dogs ARE ALLOWED in most restaurants.  As you can see by these pictures, they've grown used to the smell of pizzas and frites wafting over their head... no drooling allowed.  

A day in Vevey and beyond.

Blonay-Chamby steam train and train museum. 

A place with plenty of old engines and cars for one to climb on, push buttons, pull levers and get greasy dirty.

One of the boats that travels around Lake Geneva (Lac Leman to the locals) making stops in various towns on both Swiss and French coasts... notice both flags on the boat.

Flowers in sunshine... is there anything more beautiful?

H. and I decided that God thought this place called Vevey was so delicious, he just grabbed a fork and took a big bite.   Or maybe the fork is to mark the 'ALIMENTARIUM' food museum.

I could sure use a good wine-drinking girlfriend right about now!

Bonne Fete de Meres

Dear Homer,

From what I've heard, you spent a nice weekend with dad and the two grandmas.  

H. and I are fine... mother and son celebrating mother's day with lots of 6 year old actvities.  

Paris Slideshow

Make a Smilebox slideshow

I promised that I was working on a slideshow of our Paris moments... I've got some time on my hands since the kid is at school all day and I don't have a dog to walk.

Leukerbad / Loeche les Bains

Dear Homer, 

Last weekend we escaped from Lausanne for a few days and ventured to Leukerbad.  Almost in the center of Switzerland, set in a high valley in the canton of Valais, known for its resorts, skiing and wine.  The "bad" in Leukerbad is for the thermal waters that come from deep inside the mountains, rich in minerals but not stinky like sulphur springs.

The Europeans are fond of dogs and fond of public bathing but, never the two shall meet.  The "baths" are meant to be a healthy, clean, calm experience.  Bathrobes, swimwear, towels, showers, and foot disinfection are required once you are past the locker rooms(coed).  All of these would just make a dog look silly. In fact, Greg was relieved to see the "floor nazi" spraying the floors on a regular basis. (Osmany, can you believe the bacalao didn't bring his chancletas???)

Leukerbad also proved to be a great place for our first Swiss hike.  Being springtime, there was much snowmelt to create waterfalls aplenty.  H. and I had to convince daddy as we "pulled a Homer" to wander off the beaten path... up along a rocky mountain stream... onto a mini glacier which led us to the base of one such waterfall.  Sorry, my memory card was full by that point, so no photos of this grand finale.

snow melt

snow melt = waterfall = fun

Yes, the cows DO wear bells.

Dear Homer,

HenkJan and Fleur had us to dinner for a barbeque.  BTW, many Swiss have every cooking gadget and appliance available to man but, they have lousy grills... HJ's grill is so small and low to the ground that any four-legged friend, such as yourself, could have made off with a nice meal in 30 seconds!

Regardless, the food was tasty and the view spectacular.  Look closely... one of the four-legged creatures is a calf, born that very morning... still wobbly on its legs :-)