Switzerland For The Weekend

As you do!!! Lets just pop over the boarder to Switzerland for the weekend from the Villa Crespi at Lake d' Orta it was only north about 60 km till the boarder.

We had some guests at The Retreat over the last couple of years and we have clicked a bit,  they are pretty alternate and are building a hemp house in Byron Bay and also have a 350 year old converted stable on the hills over looking Sion in Switzerland as you do...When they found out we were to be in northern Italy around mid June they invited us to come up and have a few day with them so they could show us a bit of the world that they live in for the Swiss summer. Not something that we felt comfortable with at first but they insisted so how could we refuse.

Patricia is Swiss with a french mother and a German father and Graham a Papua New Guinean Australian and are foodies and love to drink wine, so its a no brainier then....

We left the lake and headed north, it was a raining morning and the roads were the usual " interesting " but now wet and slippery just what I need.... 

But we manage the first 20 km and as we start to enter into the Italian / Swiss alps the sun comes out, it was the most spectacular drive and the scenery was incredible. 

It was amazing how quick it all changed from the lakes to the alpine vegetation.

It was like driving in a large Christmas tree forrest with huge mountains each side and in front of us. We were heading to the Simplon Pass to get through the Mountains to get to Switzerland  on the other side. The roads are cut through the mountains and many a tunnel we experienced.  Some were completely under ground but most just hung onto the edge of the mountain and had a openings to the lower side, sort of like a huge concrete lean-too that would keep the snow drifts and the melting water from the road and these went for km,s long. 

There is snow here above us for 12 months a year so the water falls that went over the concrete lean-toos were amazing, in places the sound of cracking and moving ice and water was deafening as it slid over the top of us.

We make it to the boarded crossing and I was all keyed up with passports ready only to be just waved through. Well that was easy, now it is all the EU boarder crossing are simple.

The Simplon Pass was amazing and rugged and we weave our way and come down over the highest bridge that spanned from one side to the other and you couldn't see where the pillion meet the ground. Stopped at a small Swiss village  with one cafe place for a bit of lunch. The whole architectural  has change into chalet and sloping slate roves  ready  for the winter months  snowed in.

The fields of summer grasses and herbs with the cows grazing wearing those amazingly huge and ornate bells that you can hear ringing throughout the hills and valleys, the small veggie gardens at every house all laid out for us to see on the side of the hill in front of where we park the car.

We arrive a day early for a bit of a look around Brig prior to heading the next 50km to the guys in the hills above Sion.

We road sign changed straight from Italian to Swiss.... hmmmm I was getting used to the Italian ones now its a whole new ball game. We fine a little accommodation on top of a hill and I walk in to do the usual inspection and thank goodness I did. It was truly hidious ... the sweet girl at the counter proudly gave me 3 keys and told me to check out the wonderful suites and make my decision. Oh and you have use of the Relaxa Zona that is free with any of the suites.

Well you would need the Relaxa Zona, to first get over the ugliest so called 4 star " suites " that I have ever seen !!!!! And second the price.... I asked the girl had she made a mistake with the price as I had stayed in the most amazing Villa by the lake for the last few nights and her place was some much dearer. 

My loverly man you are now in Switzerland and that is the prices here, 

I may be a tourist but not an idiot ( no comments from the peanut gallery on that one OK )  So we agreed to disagree and I left letting her know that I was not going to waste one of my nights living on this planet staying in her hideous suites...Relaxa Zona or not. She smiled and said well sir it is 7pm so do enjoy your time trying to find somewhere better....... I smiled back and said " better my gorgeous lady truly won't be the problem ".....

I jump back in the car an make my way over the next hill and down into the valley. So 15 minuets later we booking into a great funky converted hotel in the Main Street of Brig with its whole night life and restaurants laid out and ready for us to explore. It wasn't cheep... but apparently cheep on Swiss terms. But it was cheaper than that hideous creation up the hill ....

Our funky little 2 room apartment had the European bed thing going so 2 beds next to each other and our own doña ... how single-ul-a !!! for a double room.

The biggest TV just to " tease " as it was all non english channel's.

We are on the 4th floor with a balcony overlooking the main walking streets below and a great view of the snow caped mountains in the distance.

Out to dinner and we have a great steak, not as good as Lake Como but still pretty good. All steaks now will be graded to the COMO STEAK the new benchmark!!!!!

The Swiss bill arrives and it is in Swiss franks ( and yes I know that's not how to spell franks ) Hmmmm but I thought Switzerland was in in euros...

Not having my credit card and only euro cash the dear lady did the conversion tiped her way big time and gave me change from 150 € of 30 frankly dollars things.

Hmmmm just been diddled so a couple of steaks in Switzerland and a crass bottle of wine cost about $160. But the view and atmosphere was fantastic and after all we are in Switzerland which is dearer much dearer than Venice