Rio Grande Car
Posted in Uncategorized on 05/13/2007 09:24 am by admin
Rio Grande Car
![]() |
Chocolate, Cowbells & Cable Cars Swizerland and Italy
Planes, trains, motorcoaches, boats, cable cars, gondolas, lake steamer, funicular, cog wheel train and ferry were our modes of transport. We were 60 singles with 124 bags who came, who saw, who conquered Switzerland & Italy. Aside from the traffic delays of high holiday season, it went without a hitch. No lost passports and no one lost. It was a whirlwind vacation but my theory has always been carpe diem per dollar, that is to squeeze in all experiences possible enroute of any journey. After all, travel is intensified living as we attempt to absorb the maximum thrills per minute. (When I compare this to my Suzy's Taste of Europe trip 11 years ago, this was easy. We then did 6 countries in 7 days, like The Amazing Race.)
In charming Lucerne, we were led on a walking tour of Old Town followed by a welcome dinner of Swiss fondue. There was a folklore show which provided us the opportunity to blow an alpine horn. At the end of the evening was a yodeling contest where the bold wailed out like dying cows into the mic. We enjoyed a real alpine adventure up to and over the 7000 ft. Mt. Pilatus which legend says is infested with dragons. From here we boarded a paddle steamer and sailed across a crystal lake to meet our motorcoach in Fluelen.
Our driver, Peter was super-human as he transported us 7 days over narrow mountain roads in our Super-Size-It double-decker bus with a luggage trailer hitched in tow! At times local farmers would peer out chalet windows in awe of such a feat. We stopped to visit the Merlot Del Ticino Winery set in cliff-side vineyards. So simple, so pure. The family owners stated we were their largest group ever. As we imbibed on 3 fine vintages, Peter spends a half hour trying to turn the coach around with help from dozen locals. Finally we arrive in Lugano. Is it Switzerland or Italy? You Google it. We unpack for 3 glorious nights at Hotel De La Paix.
If it is Tuesday, must be Italy. We set out to tour the lush Lake District which sprawls dreamlike as a watercolor painting. This is the Rio of the Old Continent. In Tremezzo we view the famous Villa Carlotta Gardens and water taxi over to elegant Bellagio. The town has fallen asleep for its 3 hour siesta. Nothing to do but manga so I amble up the cobbled streets for my third pistachio gelato of the day. A shopping stop is scheduled in Como. Some women do not even glance at the mirrored lake lined with palm trees. As if on steroids, they march forward armed with Euros, Swiss francs and a MasterCard. Their motto on this 2 hour marathon is if the shoe fits, charge it. Our day ends with a visit to Alprose Chocolate Factory. The tour is disappointing, but offers good buys on sweets.
Our evenings are totally free and we disperse in mini-groups to discover the best local cafes. Seafood is ultra fresh here but on my budget in this land of a weak dollar, I settle each night for Pizza Margarita, paper thin with slabs of buffalo mozzarella. On Wednesday, half the group defects to explore the region on their own. Some do nature trails, boating, Mt. Bre, the fishing villages and even Milan in a day. A few others lounge poolside at our hotel sunning like lizards. We are graced with perfect weather up to departure. The other half of the group joined me with our wonderful guide Isabelle. (She has an obsession with George Clooney whose villa faces Lake Como.) We begin at the Ponte Tressa market where Europeans flock for bargains, but depart early as it resembles a giant garage sale. We ferry from Lavino along with our monster bus across Lake Maggiore to Intra and then drive to Stressa. Now heres a place I would like to linger for its Mediterranean feel. From here, some visit the Borromean Islands.
Time to check out and head to Switzerland on one of the worlds most diverse rail journeys. The Bernina Express corkscrews its way up and over the Alps with a Kodak moment at every turn. We pass 3 glaciers and Lake Bianco named for its glacial milk. In 3 hours we arrive at top of the world to glitzy St. Moritz. Our hotel was upgraded to the 5 star Hotel Kempenski Grand, according to our driver the finest hotel in Switzerland. We quietly enter the chandeliered lobby in T-shirts and denim shorts as if we too are part of the rich and famous. This is as elegant as it gets. I do not want to leave my suite with its marbled tub and feathered duvet. The designer boutiques in town are closed now. We scatter on nature trails towards the lake. For dinner, some splurge at the hotels world class restaurant on fresh lamb enveloped in herbed crepes and deserts of spun sugar. Twenty of us enjoy an outdoor BBQ of organic local products. Later I take advantage of the complimentary spa with a swim and 4 treatment rooms.
I have always said that if I was forced to trade my passport with another country, I would choose Switzerland. Even the cows with their bells are happy here. It is the purest air and purest food. It is the efficiency. Like the Boy Scouts, Swiss count neatness, punctuality, cleanliness and hard work as virtues. It is the serenity in the verdant hills where one feels safe. And it is the beauty in the rugged geography of rocks, bubbling brooks, clean lakes and snow capped mountains.
The highlight for me was our morning excursion by 2 gondolas ascending to a lone restaurant 9000 ft high. Here we are greeted with a private champagne toast on a sun drenched terrace. Some of us hiked down through the Ice Palace, a grotto-like cave in sheer ice. The majesty of this mountain humbled me.
Peter must drive us to Zurich over a seemingly insurmountable mountain pass before reaching the highway. In 27 years, he is driven tour buses over 3 million kilometers and tells me he hates driving this road. We pass cows mating and villages with populations of 12. After a lunch stop in Heidiland, we arrive safely in Zurich. It is raining now as if Mother Nature mimics the sadness of our departure. I overnight here with a solid 9 hours sleep and reminisce of another journey well done.
About the Author
Former Miss Wisconsin Suzy Davis has traveled the world for nearly 30 years,
initially as a flight attendant and now with her company
http://www.AdventuresForSingles.com
|
|
Rio Grande $5.99 Rio Grande |
|
|
Rio Grande Blood $14.49 Rio Grande Blood |
|
|
Rio Grande Dub-Ya $14.49 Rio Grande Dub-Ya |
|
|
The Quiet Man/Rio Grande $12.79 The Quiet Man/Rio Grande |
|
|
Estampa Do Rio Grande $24.99 Estampa Do Rio Grande |
|
|
Law Of The Rio Grande - B&W $5.99 Law Of The Rio Grande - B&W |
|
|
S P Whistle Stop 98142 Stock Car Rio Grande Southern $75.11 This is the Rio Grande Southern Stock Car Big Haulers Model Car by Bachmann. Suitable for Ages 14 and Older. Runs on standard Large Scale track. Metal wheels. Intricately scribed wood grain detail. Operating knuckle couplers. An additional set of loop style couplers are provided as an added accessory. Includes: One Rio Grande Southern Stock Car. Scale: G 91:20.3. |
|
|
Mexico Rio Grande $39.99 Mexico Rio Grande - Giclee Print |
|
|
Rio Grande, 1950 $34.99 Rio Grande, 1950 - Giclee Print |
|
|
Texas - Sunset on the Rio Grande $19.99 Texas - Sunset on the Rio Grande - Premium Poster |
|
|
Rio Grande Express $49.99 James Lee Rio Grande Express - Giclee Print |
|
|
Along the Rio Grande $19.99 Walter Ufer Along the Rio Grande - Art Print |
|
|
Rio Grande Turkey $24.99 Robert Franz Rio Grande Turkey - Photographic Print |
|
|
Viva O Rio Grande [Import] $17.99 Viva O Rio Grande [Import] |
|
|
Rio Grande River I $59.99 Judith D'Agostino Rio Grande River I - Stretched Canvas Print |
|
|
Denver and Rio Grande Western's $27.99 Mel Patrick Denver and Rio Grande Western's - Art Print |
|
|
Rio Grande Weaving II $17.99 Chariklia Zarris Rio Grande Weaving II - Art Print |
|
|
View of the Headwaters of the Rio Grande $39.99 Luis Marden View of the Headwaters of the Rio Grande - Photographic Print |
|
|
Burros Carrying Wood, Rio Grande $39.99 Burros Carrying Wood, Rio Grande - Giclee Print |
|
|
Political Map of Rio Grande, NJ $19.99 Political Map of Rio Grande, NJ - Premium Poster |
|
|
The Grand Canyon of Texas, Rio Grande $39.99 The Grand Canyon of Texas, Rio Grande - Giclee Print |
|
|
Bridge across a River, Rio Grande Gorge Bridge, Rio Grande, Rio Grande Gorge, New Mexico, USA $29.99 Panoramic Images Bridge across a River, Rio Grande Gorge Bridge, Rio Grande, Rio Grande Gorge, New Mexico, USA - Photographic Print |
|
|
Rio Grande Plaza Hotel $66 The Rio Grande Plaza is a round 15 story tower, full service hotel with the largest guest rooms in Laredo |
|
|
Rio Grande Grade $39 Download the Rio Grande Grade font for Mac or Windows in OpenType, TrueType or PostScript format. |
|
|
Rio Grande WBW Regular $20 Download the Rio Grande WBW Regular font for Mac or Windows in OpenType, TrueType or PostScript format. |
|
|
S P Whistle Stop 98118 Stock Car Denver Rio Grande Western $75.11 This Denver and Rio Grande Western (#342) L Stock Car is a Large Scale Model Freight Car from The Original Bachmann Big Haulers. Authentic G scalecompatible with all popular brands. Detailed freight trucks with metal wheels. Seethrough stock car body with accurate wood grain and rivet detail. Detailed brakewheel with shaft. Planked roofwalk with wood grain detail. Molded grab irons and stirrup steps. Single side doors slide open. Plankengraved interior floor. Detailed underframe with truss rods and brake details. Truck mounted knuckle couplers and an additional set of loop style couplers as an added accessory. Accurately molded plastic body painted black with white print: Denver and Rio Grande Western 342 DRGWRR Royal Gorge Route Scenic Line emblem data. Includes: 1 L Stock Car. Scale: G. Length: 151/4 (387mm). Width: 4 (101mm). Height: 55/8 (143mm). |
|
|
Rio Grande, Puerto Rico $68.51 High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles Rio Grande (Spanish pronunciation: ri.o ande]) is a municipality of Puerto Rico located in the Northern Coastal Valley, North of Las Piedras, Naguabo and Ceiba; east of Loiza and Canovanas and west of Luquillo. Rio Grande is spread over 8 wards and Rio Grande Pueblo (The downtown area and the administrative center of the city). It is part of the San JuanCaguasGuaynabo Metropolitan Statistical Area. Rio Grande was founded on July 25, 1840 by Desiderio and Quilimaco Escobar, with the approbation of governor Miguel Lopez. The town is named after the Rio Grande and is located where the Rio Grande and the Rio Espiritu Santo (Holy Spirit) join. Author: Surhone, Lambert M./ Tennoe, Mariam T./ Henssonow, Susan F. Binding Type: Paperback Number of Pages: 76 Publication Date: 2010/08/23 Language: English Dimensions: 6.00 x 9.02 x 0.18 inches |
|
|
Dried Mud Along the Rio Grande $39.99 Raul Touzon Dried Mud Along the Rio Grande - Photographic Print |
|
|
Rio Grande, Roma, Texas, USA $29.99 Larry Ditto Rio Grande, Roma, Texas, USA - Photographic Print |
|
|
Rio Grande Dub (Bonus Track) (Japan) $47.99 Rio Grande Dub (Bonus Track) (Japan) |


US $11.00






























































































