We slotted a week of July for a European getaway opting to spend some of it within the borders of Switzerland and the rest in Scotland. First stop, Lugano, in Ticino, the Italian region of Switzerland.
As we were registering at the hotel, I picked up a brochure for the local music festival. Right then, a brass quintet concert was about to begin - and it was free! We dropped off our bags and headed there.
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| never saw a tuba with 6 valves before |
The
venue was hot, the seats were uncomfortable and rows too close together
for long legs. Luckily, the music was very enjoyable and the price was right.
Ticino is in southern Switzerland and has warmer temperatures than the Zurich area and even some palm trees.
We had a yummy lunch break in the shade, thankfully, under the cafe's awning.
Salad
duet - Italian on left and Greek on right. Greek was better, but
Italian gave me ideas. I've improved upon theirs by
adding basil and mozzarella!
Sights along the shores of Lake Lugano.
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| strong winds push large plastic snails into the lake! |
Underground crosswalk had a vending machine for chalk and blackboards installed. What fun! Glad we saw it because later in the day, they were taking it down.
Why is George Washington in Lugano? No idea.
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| frescoes inside one of the churches |
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| they're serious about salami here |
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| they also had parking for electric cars |
We rode up the cog train for views of Lake Lugano from above.
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| didn't see any of this |
Italian is the language of the locals.
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| free daily paper - 20 minuten auf Deutsch |
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| vote yes to legalize bratwurst! |
I've seen the sign encouraging voting for this referendum in the German region as well. What is it really about? Sorry to admit again, I have no idea.
We took a boat trip on the lake and guess what? We've been to Paradise!
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| Italian language, but still Switzerland |
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| looking back on Lugano |
We got off at Gandria to walk around. Very quiet little village.
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| there should be a cafe here |
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| leaving Gandria |
On the way back to Zurich, we stopped off in Bellinzona. It's known for being a UNESCO world heritage site because of its three castles.
The lowest of the three castles as seen from the town.
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| view of two of the castles while touring the other |
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| castles behind the tourists |
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| gelato on the piazza - a must |
For the second part of our vacation week, we opted to head towards Edinburgh. We'd never been anywhere in the UK besides London. Sadly, there aren't direct flights from Zurich to Edinburgh so the transportation took longer than to many other European capitals. It was worth it - there is a lot to see and do along the "Royal Mile" and the bonus is they speak English (well, sort of).
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| Royal Mile so named because there is a castle at either end. |
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| St. Giles Cathedral |
We were not in Edinburgh for the Military Tattoo, but we did hear pipers on the street trying to earn some money. Notice how they are each wearing different tartans.
Even angels play bagpipes in Scotland - she's playing in a side chapel inside the cathedral.
There were countless places to order a custom-made kilt, but Tom wasn't interested.
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| what's your clan tartan? |
Vocabulary lesson from Scotland: wee means small; proper means large
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| The Scotch Whisky Experience |
Since we were in the home of Scotch whisky, it seemed appropriate to have a whisky experience.
There was a huge collection - each bottle is unique.
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| bagpiper whisky bottles - why not? |
We're purchased chess sets on various trips, but this one was not for sale.
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| lots of choices for sale |
Of course, the experience included a tasting and an opportunity to buy. End result: I still think whisky is nasty. I managed two tiny sips to be fair, but no more. It's gross.
The most famous landmark in Edinburgh is probably Edinburgh Castle, which is really a complex of buildings.
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| Are castles always on hills? |
Views of Edinburgh from the castle:
At the opposite end of the Royal Mile stands Holyrood Palace, the summer home of Queen Elizabeth (at least for one week).
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| ruins of Holyrood Abbey |
Looking for a job in Scotland? You may want to check out the wardrobe requirements first.
On our last day in Scotland, we opted to take a bus tour out into the countryside. We didn't have to face the stress and fatigue of driving in unknown territory or on the WRONG side of the road.
We got to see three castles along the way. The first was made famous by Monty Python.
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| interior |
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| our driver and guide |
Scotland really does have long haired cows and plenty of sheep.
The countryside provided many beautiful views along our ride -sharing a few.
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| ruins of another castle |
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| can you find the train and plane? |
Inverary Castle - this one is occupied - can you imagine living here?
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| beautiful ship centerpiece |
As a fan of the BBC series, Downton Abbey, I was thrilled to be "on the set" of the episodes set in the Scottish Highlands. Shockingly, the gift shop did not capitalize on that, but there were a few posters hanging.
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| we were there! |
We had a lot of fun. Ticino, Edinburgh and the Scottish Highlands are all worth a visit.
