Our mate John ex Wellington who's now at the WHO in Geneva put us up - at right is the view from his 2nd storey apartment, old and spacey, in the old part of steep-streeted Gex, 20 minutes northwest of Geneva on the French side.
The Fri night we arrive it turns out to be the town's big 'Bird' festival with fair rides and candles in paper lanterns (left) and fireworks - we never did figure out what it was about the big model bird being paraded round (but not burnt at the climax, to our disappointment)Sam "The flight over was olny 1 and a half hours long, it takes twice as long to get to the Airport from our house. The airport is half in france and half in swissterland. We got off the Swiss side and went to get our rental car. It turned out that we had to go to the french half with the same company because it was cheaper. "
and ..."john's flat consisted of three rather lagre and there were plenty of air bed to sleep on. he had his own secret garden where we ate breakfast."
The carousel in Geneva Botanic Gardens boasts the best animal carriages in the world.
Swimming in Lake Geneva - it had to be done though the weather had only just warmed up before we got there and it was on the cool side. Fancied I saw Team NZ and Oracle workiing hard and sipping champers 
out on the lake.
The path to the caves at Vallorbe, through which flows the largest underground river in southern Europe (the Orbe).
Distances are thankfully small in Switzerland so it was an easy drive to the capital Bern, stopping at Chateau de Chillon, left, the most-visited building in the country. Big, old and lots of gruesome stories...
out on the lake.
The path to the caves at Vallorbe, through which flows the largest underground river in southern Europe (the Orbe).
Distances are thankfully small in Switzerland so it was an easy drive to the capital Bern, stopping at Chateau de Chillon, left, the most-visited building in the country. Big, old and lots of gruesome stories...
... such as here
is Ellie in the (very) spot where some poor sod of a Count was kept
chained to this pillar for six YEARS, prompting Byron who had a thing about this chateau, to write a poem about him. Probably he'd have preferred the key.
is Ellie in the (very) spot where some poor sod of a Count was keptchained to this pillar for six YEARS, prompting Byron who had a thing about this chateau, to write a poem about him. Probably he'd have preferred the key.
A not so secret passage in the chateau, Lara at the latrines, and up in the very top of the Keep.
Cheese making at the main Gruyere factory at the bottom of the wee but steep hill leading to the town of Gruyeres, complete with fairytale (or so guidebooks said, slightly exagerratedely) castle. We didn't attempt a 2nd chateau - one a day is the limit.
Plus the kids' fave place of all was calling - and here's the only pic we have of it cos we left the camera in the car - the Cailler chocolatfabrik in Broc halfway between Montreux and Bern.
Art class at the Paul Klee gallery - we chose that over trawling them round Klee's pictures themselves (art's a bit like tourism, you can't always believe the hype).
Bern bridge, with the bear park at one end.
As promised, the bear park.
Rosa: "I liked Bern zoo and at the bridge we saw the bears, 2 cubs and a mum and a dad bear."
With pub-going strictly rationed, we like to choose our spots - here a combo of Bern's version of Big Ben and the local roadworks.
Barbie by the Aare - BUT they don't have marshmallows! Call these guys civilised? Seems it's an NZed thing.
From Bern we headed to the Alps, and lucked into the fab Valley Hostel in the even fabber Lauterbrunner valley ("the most fabulous valley in Switzerland" a guidebook says). 1000m of sheer rock either side, with 72 waterfalls (we counted about a dozen), gondolas, one of the steepest ever cog railways to Jungfraujoch, Europe's highest railway station (with prices as steep - would've cost at least 314 swiss francs for 2 of us to go - but under 6s free and under 12s only need a 20 franc junior card to travel for a whole year on Swiss trains [1 france equals about NZ$1.10 or 20])
Rosa: "I climbed up the waterfall."
10 out of 10 for picturesque playgrounds, this one with that highest waterfall in behind.
On the cog train, first stop Wenger 1000 m above Lauterbrunner virtually straight up, and no cars there.
Inside the water-carved tunnels of Trammelbach falls, 10 chutes corkscrewing through the rock 2km north of Lauterbrunner.
Sound of Music stuff.
The gondola starts its trip from Schetelberg (sp?) up to Gimmelwald, then Murren, then Birg, then Schilthorn at almost 3000m high (the poor tourist's Jungfraujoch - just 110 francs for 2 adults).
Look closely and you'll find this phonebox is actually a showerstall, in Gimmelwald (a few score people in some lovely chalets, and another playground with a view to die for).
Remember the 'Eiger Sanction' or whatever it was - that's it behind Lara, in Murren.
Lunch with Jungfrau behind, the highest of the Three Big Ones (the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau).
Up and up in the gondola, Eiger behind. After a while, you get a bit viewed out, so it's time for a snowfight.
Cheese making at the main Gruyere factory at the bottom of the wee but steep hill leading to the town of Gruyeres, complete with fairytale (or so guidebooks said, slightly exagerratedely) castle. We didn't attempt a 2nd chateau - one a day is the limit.
Plus the kids' fave place of all was calling - and here's the only pic we have of it cos we left the camera in the car - the Cailler chocolatfabrik in Broc halfway between Montreux and Bern.Ellie: "My fab parts were going to the zoo and the chocolate factory. We listened to the story of chocolate and how it was made [with spotlights, dry ice and working models - cool]. Then we came to a room where you could watch the people making the chocolate and after we tryed lots of diffrent tipes."
Lara: "We took lots of bars but then found lots of chocolate in the trying room."
By our camp beside the river Aare in Bern. Notions we'd be swimming nixed by its extremely high flow (it doubled the day before we got there to 300 cumes) and cool temps (10 degrees in the water), and not quite warm enough in the otherwise brilliant Mizali pools, essentially an extension of the river tucked in under the old city which is perched up on a promontory.
By our camp beside the river Aare in Bern. Notions we'd be swimming nixed by its extremely high flow (it doubled the day before we got there to 300 cumes) and cool temps (10 degrees in the water), and not quite warm enough in the otherwise brilliant Mizali pools, essentially an extension of the river tucked in under the old city which is perched up on a promontory.
Art class at the Paul Klee gallery - we chose that over trawling them round Klee's pictures themselves (art's a bit like tourism, you can't always believe the hype).
Bern bridge, with the bear park at one end.
As promised, the bear park.
Rosa: "I liked Bern zoo and at the bridge we saw the bears, 2 cubs and a mum and a dad bear."
With pub-going strictly rationed, we like to choose our spots - here a combo of Bern's version of Big Ben and the local roadworks.
Barbie by the Aare - BUT they don't have marshmallows! Call these guys civilised? Seems it's an NZed thing.
From Bern we headed to the Alps, and lucked into the fab Valley Hostel in the even fabber Lauterbrunner valley ("the most fabulous valley in Switzerland" a guidebook says). 1000m of sheer rock either side, with 72 waterfalls (we counted about a dozen), gondolas, one of the steepest ever cog railways to Jungfraujoch, Europe's highest railway station (with prices as steep - would've cost at least 314 swiss francs for 2 of us to go - but under 6s free and under 12s only need a 20 franc junior card to travel for a whole year on Swiss trains [1 france equals about NZ$1.10 or 20])
Rosa: "I climbed up the waterfall."
Above, a path cut into solid rock going in behind the Staubbach falls (once you've been through the tunnel, below), Switzerland's highest and just 5 mins walk from the town (and free).
10 out of 10 for picturesque playgrounds, this one with that highest waterfall in behind.
On the cog train, first stop Wenger 1000 m above Lauterbrunner virtually straight up, and no cars there.
Inside the water-carved tunnels of Trammelbach falls, 10 chutes corkscrewing through the rock 2km north of Lauterbrunner.
Sound of Music stuff.
The gondola starts its trip from Schetelberg (sp?) up to Gimmelwald, then Murren, then Birg, then Schilthorn at almost 3000m high (the poor tourist's Jungfraujoch - just 110 francs for 2 adults).
Look closely and you'll find this phonebox is actually a showerstall, in Gimmelwald (a few score people in some lovely chalets, and another playground with a view to die for).
Remember the 'Eiger Sanction' or whatever it was - that's it behind Lara, in Murren.
Lunch with Jungfrau behind, the highest of the Three Big Ones (the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau).
Up and up in the gondola, Eiger behind. After a while, you get a bit viewed out, so it's time for a snowfight.
or a movie - Schilthorn was where 007 on His Majesty's Secret Service was filmed in the late 60s, a fact they never let you forget, featuring it large once you get to the restaurant/viewing platform at the top.
The actual view at the top is worth it though.
The actual view at the top is worth it though.
Which is more than 
can be said for the icecreams in the revolving restaurant (though that's what they'll remember....)
Lara: "We went on the gondola to the top of the tallest mountain in Switzerland [2970m, bit higher than Mt Ruapehu but NOT as high as next door Jungfrau at 4500m) and had an ice cream. There was lots of snow."
007 look out.
Our final night out, and fondue, long horns, accordions and "When the Saints" on the cowbells at the Edelweiss restaurant in central Geneva.
Just call us cultural ambassadors.
The queue at what John calls "Geneva's best ice cream bar" after the fondue. Was pretty good sorbet (pineapple and basil one odd combo).
Saying farewell to the lighthouse in Lake Geneva.
can be said for the icecreams in the revolving restaurant (though that's what they'll remember....)Lara: "We went on the gondola to the top of the tallest mountain in Switzerland [2970m, bit higher than Mt Ruapehu but NOT as high as next door Jungfrau at 4500m) and had an ice cream. There was lots of snow."
007 look out.
Our final night out, and fondue, long horns, accordions and "When the Saints" on the cowbells at the Edelweiss restaurant in central Geneva.
Just call us cultural ambassadors.
The queue at what John calls "Geneva's best ice cream bar" after the fondue. Was pretty good sorbet (pineapple and basil one odd combo).
Saying farewell to the lighthouse in Lake Geneva.
