View from Mont Jura

Jura valley and farmland

This was the view from Faucille on Mont Jura. We enjoyed this view from a picnic table off the parking lot as we ate a lunch of cheese, bread, and fresh berries.

Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 07/09

Jura Flora

Flora in the Jura Mountains

We went to Col de la Faucille just to get out and enjoy the beautiful weather this past weekend. After enjoying views of Geneva, we went for a little bit of a hike in Faucille. There were a lot of very pretty little mountain flowers and these are just a few pictures.

Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 07/09

Jura View

The view of Geneva from near the top of the Jura Mountains in France

The Jura Mountains run along the west side of the basin in which Geneva lies. These photos are of the view from just below Col de la Faucille. In the distance, at the foot of the lake, is Geneva. Note that you can see the Jet d'eau from this point--about 15 miles from Geneva.

The Jet d'eau can be seen from nearly 15 miles away
(on the right; click image to enlarge.)

Our ultimate goal was Col de la Faucille, on the other side of the radio tower at the top of the mountain in the bottom photo.

View of the Jura and our goal: that radio tower!

Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 07/09

Fêtes de Genève

Ferris wheel at the opening of Fêtes de Genève : Geneva, CH

As a run up to Swiss Confederation Day (August 8), Geneva hosts a party called Fêtes de Genève. Walking back to the carpark the other evening, there was this ferris wheel set up at the foot of the Pont du Mont Blanc. The light was perfect and I snapped a few pictures.

Ferris wheel fun : Geneva, CH

And now, for the first time in months, I'm caught up on my blog! Can't say that will last long, though. I'm going to Paris this weekend and leaving the laptop home. Oh well.

Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 07/09

Sunset Years

Sunset Years : Geneva, CH

The other evening, we had dinner at a restaurant on the east side of the lake in Geneva. The sun was setting and we had seats with a view of the crosswalk. This couple caught my eye. I thought they looked quite lovely in the early evening light.

Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 07/09

Cinnamon

Cinnamon romps through the garden

This is Dr Lala's cat, Cinnamon. I caught this snap of her the other evening when she followed me in the garden. Almost like a puppy dog. She's a sweet cat.*

* My use of the words "sweet" and "cat" in the same sentence should not be construed as an indication that I am becoming an ardent cat lover. I am not.

Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 07/09

100 Strangers : Bruno u. Johann

Bruno Schneeberger and Johann Nestau : Aarberg, CH

While we were in Aarberg, we happened to meet these two gentlemen--Bruno Schneeberger and Johann Nestau. Hr. Schneeberger was quite friendly and insisted we sit and have an espresso. (Nein, danke!) Hr. Nestau was the character of the two. He kept going on and on about the silly Americans and their silliness.

Bruno tries to reason with Johann. Good luck! : Aarberg, CH

Then, he grouped the Australians in with us and ranted a bit about their silliness. Frankly, between his Schweizer-Deutsch and the beer he'd been drinking, I'm not sure where he was going with all of that. Either way, it was fun to meet some of the locals. At the very least, it was colorful! Anyway--Hr. Schneeberger and Hr. Nestau are this week's 100 Strangers.

Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 07/09

LABELS: 100 Strangers, Europe, Locale-Aarberg, Meeting the Locals, Switzerland

Aarberg

Hotel zum Goldene Krone : Aarberg, CH

Getting back to last weekend and dinner with my cousin in Biel: After we dropped him off at the train station for his trip back to Zurich, we decided to skip the autobahn and take some of the back roads of Switzerland.

Blacksmith Shop : Aarberg, CH

This resulted in a visit to the town of Aarberg. Had I not wanted to drive across the old wooden bridge we saw, we wouldn't have discovered this lovely little medieval town. These are just a few pictures. Tomorrow, I'll feature two of the liveliest characters I've met in Switzerland.

Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 07/09

Black and White in Black and White

Black and White : On the road to Aarberg, CH

Hee hee...

Moo! Cow. Vache. Kuh. Vaca.

Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 07/09

Rüstung u. Robe

Rüstung u. Robe : Museum Tinguely : Basel, CH

The real reason for visiting the Museum Tinguely (and spending CHF 15 on a ticket!) was to see the special exhibit, Rüstung und Robe (Armour and Evening Dress). The armor is from the Imperial War Museum in Graz, Austria, and the evening gowns were designed by Roberto Capucci of Italy.

Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 07/09

Museum Tinguely : Tinguely's Stuff

Push a foot pedal and this hand waves :
Museum Tinguely : Basel, CH

The Museum Jean Tinguely is named for Baseler Jean Tinguely. Apparently his art is about rusty junk and Christmas light bulbs and lots of banging and clanging. Can't say I was overly awed by his work, but it was fun for something different.

The rest of the Shiny face : Museum Tingeuly : Basel, CH

Attention Cele: Here's the rest of what was just a slice in Sunday's Two Things Challenge. (See above and see below for more of Tinguely's work.)

Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 07/09

Museum Tinguely : Sculpture Garden

Macro Rust : Artist Unknown : Museum Tinguely : Basel, CH

Returning to Basel: we went to the Museum Jean Tinguely. The sculpture garden featured several pieces, most created by Tinguely and others by his second wife and artist, Niki de Saint Phalle.

Busty Rainbow :  Niki de Saint Phalle : Museum Tinguely : Basel, CH

Anyway--here are pictures from the sculpture garden on the west side of the Tinguely. The slideshow below features a few more pictures from the outside.

Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 07/09

Two Things Challeng: Rusty/Shiny

Shiny : At the Museum Tinguely : Basel, CH

This week's Two Things Photo Challenge was Rusty / Shiny. Here are my interpretations, as photographed at the Museum Tinguely in Basel, Switzerland. I'll be doing one or two more posts about this museum tomorrow and Tuesday.

Rusty : At the Museum Tinguely : Basel, CH

To see how others interpreted this challenge or to join in the fun, go here. Next week's challenge is Yellow / Brick.

Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 07/09

Family in Town

Me and my cousin, John Rimmasch, in Biel, CH

My cousin John (my mother's nephew) was in Switzerland this past week working on a project his company has just north of Zurich in Schaffhausen. We met up in Biel this evening for dinner at a restaurant called Restaurant Räblus by Lac de Neuchâtel (in French. In German, it's Neuenburgersee.) It's been more than four years since I've seen John. The last time we saw each other was at our grandfather's funeral in Utah. It was fun to see him and spend a couple of hours together catching up.

Hey JohnE: Hope your presentation was successful! Wooooooooo woo.

P.S. Restaurant Räblus was probably the finest eating I've had in Switzerland since I've been here. If you're up around Lac de Neuchâtel, check it out. It's right on the northern end of the lake. The address is Neuenburgstrasse 90, Biel-Vingetz. Tel: +41 (32) 322 40 51.

Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 07/09. Photo of Janet and John taken by Maya Lucchitta.

River View

Sunset on the Rhein River : Basel, CH

Just a sunset view of Basel on the Rhein. That's the ferry that shuttles you from Gross Basel to Klein Basel and back again. And all for less than CHF 2.00 (about US$1.75). Happy Friday!

Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 07/09

Gibby

Gibby, contemplating his next move : On the Rhein : Basel, CH

My friends Scott and Diana have rat terriers. They're a little like Jack Russells, but a whole lot calmer and with longer legs. This is a picture I snapped of Gibby as we were on the ferry crossing the Rhein River from Grossbasel over to Kleinbasel. I think if Scott hadn't had a hold of him, Gibby would have taken a gleeful dive right into the drink.

Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 07/09

Parking

Bike Parking under the Bahnhof : Basel, CH

Under the streets surrounding Basel's Hauptbahnhof (train station) is this bike parking lot. My friend Scott warned me I was in for a surprise, but I wasn't expecting this! And this is only one of several lots for bike parking under the tram tracks. Why can't we find stuff like this in the States?

Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 07/09

Viva la France!

Perfect Timing : Bastille Day Fireworks : Prevessin-Moens, FR

Today is Bastille Day in France. The holiday is to France what Independence Day is to the United States. Yesterday evening, the Village of Prevessin-Moëns held its Bastille Day fete which included fireworks around 10:00 at night on the grounds of a chateau in a park just across the street from my apartment complex.

Finale : Bastille Day Fireworks : Prevessin-Moens, FR

These aren't the fireworks in Paris,* by any means, nor are they as good as the ones I took last year on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., but they were fun nonetheless.** I'm told that in a few weeks, the Swiss will celebrate the creation of the Swiss Confederation and will put on a fireworks exhibit on the lake unlike any I've ever seen. I can't wait!

Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 07/09

* Taken by my friend, Virginia Jones, who is in Paris this summer. Be sure to check out her Paris blog. It's fabulous!
** I am sans tripod and was trying to shoot timed exposures while holding the camera. Eventually, I remembered I have a "fireworks" setting on my camera and used that. The quality improved a bit once I switched over. Still, not my best work.

Miniskirts are Back...

Miniskirts Are Back : Private Gallery : Basel, CH

Walking home from dinner the other night, we walked past this gallery just below Diana and Scott's apartment. These two pieces were being featured. I thought they were fun!

LOVE YOU : Private Gallery : Basel, CH

Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 07/09

Rathaus Basel

Rathaus Baselstadt : Basel, CH

I know I've featured this building before, but it is literally one of the most beautiful municipal buildings I've seen out of the nine or ten similar-functioning buildings I've seen in Switzerland, France, or Italy. (The Hotel de Ville in Aosta was pretty, but nothing compared to this.) Here are a few more photos from the Rathaus in Basel, Switzerland.

Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 07/09

Bad Säckingen

View from Säckingenbrücke : Swiss-German Border

Took another trip to Basel to visit my friends, Di and Scott. We went to Bad Säckingen in Germany. To get there, we parked in Stein, Switzerland, and then walked across a wooden bridge built in 1272. The bridge is over the Rhine (Rhein) River. About half way across, there's a line painted across the width of the bridge signifying the border.

St. Fridolinsmünster : Bad Säckingen, DE

Bad Säckingen's loveliest feature is its baroque cathedral, St. Fridolinsmünster. Here are just a few pictures from this lovely city on the southernmost edge of the Schwarzwald (Black Forest).

Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 07/09

Geneva on the Lake

Enjoying the cool air by the lake : Lake Geneva : Geneva, CH

Geneva is situated on Lac Leman (Lake Geneva), the largest fresh water lake in Europe. This evening, we went walking along the harbor after dinner. This is one of the many pictures I took and is my favorite from the batch. Note the Jet d'eau.

Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 07/09

Jet d'Eau

Jet d'eau : Quai du Général-Guisan : Geneva, CH

Jet d'eau. An original name, no? Means "Water Fountain." This particular fountain is Geneva's landmark extraordinaire. According to Geneva's tourism site, the fountain was "originally a simple security valve at the Coulouvrenière hydraulic factory... In 1891, it was transferred to the 'Rade', to become a major tourist attraction. However, it was not until 1951 that it was provided with an autonomous pumping station, propelling 500 litres of water per second to a height of 140 metres at a speed of 200 km per hour (124 miles/h). Eight 9,000-watt projectors light the fountain’s majestic column in the evening as it soars skywards."

Jet d'eau : Quai du Général-Guisan : Geneva, CH

The Jet d'eau is located on the Quai du Général-Guisan and, on a clear day, can be seen for miles. When I flew into Geneva, we approached from the northern end of Lake Geneva and I could see it for several nautical miles. I'll feature an evening photo of this fountain tomorrow.

Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 07/09

At the Foot of the Pont du Mont Blanc

The Flower Clock : Geneva, CH

At the foot of the Pont du Mont Blanc (the Mont Blanc Bridge) are two sights that signal you've entered the center of Geneva: The Flower Clock and the National Monument. The former pays homage to the Swiss clock making industry. Some of the finest watchmakers in world are found in this little Alpine nation--Tag Heuer, Rolex, Omega, Swatch. You can get a Tag Heuer for as much as CHF 6900 or a Swatch for as little as CHF 100.

National Monument : Geneva, CH

The second photo commemorates Geneva joining the rest of Switzerland in 1815. The Flower Clock and the National Monument are next to each other and are a great point for starting your tour of Geneva.

Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 07/09

Extreme Talent

Benjamin David, Accordion Artist Extraordinaire : Altstadt Genf : Geneva, CH

I finally have a new addition to my 100 Strangers series. While Kara and I were wandering over to Saint Peter's Cathedral and Square in Old Town, we could hear this beautiful music that we thought was organ music coming from the church. Imagine our surprise to find this young man, Benjamin David, playing an accordion! His musical skill and talent were amazing and you could see the connection between Benjamin, his music, and his instrument in his face and the way he played. It was sublime! If you're ever in the Alstadt and you stumble across this guy, throw a five franc piece his way. Worth every centime and more!

Benjamin was very obviously a part of the music and instrument he was playing.
Click on the images to enlarge and enjoy his facial expressions.

Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 07/09

Doors and Other Details

Neptune on a Carved Door : Altstadt Genf : Geneva, CH

One of the things I enjoy about my wanderings around the cities of Europe are all of the doors. Alstadt Genf is no different in the number of carved, wooden doors you'll find and delight in. My favorite was the Neptune door.

We also stumbled across some lovely mosaics. We couldn't find any information on the mosaics themselves, which are across from City Hall, but we did find information about the cannons. Odd, no?

Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 07/09

Altstadt Genf

On the corner of St. Peter's Square : Altstadt Genf : Geneva, CH

I don't know how you say "Old Town Geneva" in French, so I'm going with the German. (And by the way, why the heck can't my job be in the 2/3 of Switzerland that speaks German? Sheesh. Sorry. Side rant there.) Anyway--the other day I hung out with my friend Diana's friend, Kara. We wandered all over the Altstadt, enjoying the old architecture, eating crepes, listening to an accordion player, checking the insides of old churches, and stumbling on hidden mosaics. Here are just a few pictures.

Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 07/09

Swans

Swan at dusk : Geneva Harbor : Geneva, CH

In North America, we have Canadian geese. No offense to the Canadians or geese, but they're not very pretty.

Sunset Swan : Geneva Harbor : Geneva, CH

Over here, they have swans. They're quite pretty. Here are a few examples taken over the last two weeks. (And no, I don't know why the swan has its leg tucked up out of the water and on his/her back like that. But if you know, I'd like to know. Please share.)

Tranquil : Geneva Harbor : Geneva, CH

Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 06/09 and 07/09

Echte Edelweiss

Edelweiss: Blossom of snow

The other day, my friend JaneAnne commented on this picture and asked me if this was edelweiss. It is not. But the photo above is. Edelweiss is generally found in high Alpine regions in Switzerland, Austria, and Italy. The flower is white, five-pointed, and velvety soft. Somehow, they've managed to cultivate a lower altitude variety. The blossoms are larger than normal, but the effect is still the same. I shot these outside a florist's shop in Zurich after the rain.

And for those who are wondering, yes, edelweiss is the national flower of Austria, but the song Edelweiss, made famous in the American musical The Sound of Music is not the national anthem of Austria. That would be Land der Berge, Land am Strome.

Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 06/09

Couples

Thoughtful Waiting : Starbucks : Zurich, CH

Just a couple more shots of various people I saw in Zurich. I'd add them to my 100 Strangers, but I didn't introduce myself or get names. In the next day or two, I'll feature a young man whose picture I took and name I got while wandering around Old Town Geneva. Stay tuned...

United/Divided : Zurich, CH

Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 06/09

Gestorben

Micheal Jackson ist gestorben : Alleyway : Zurich, CH

While wandering the streets and alleyways of Zurich, Z and I stumble across this waitress having a smoke break and reading about the death of Michael Jackson on Friday.

Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 06/09