Month: October 2011
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Crossing the Rhine near Marckolsheim
On our way to Europa Park (see earlier post) in Germany, we went up the Rhine on the French side so that we could see Colmar (see earlier post). We used D424 near Marckolsheim to cross the Rhine which is the border between France and Germany. On the map, we saw a little island where…
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Lunch at Colmar in Alsace
On our way to Europa Park (see earlier post), we stopped by Colmar in Alsace for lunch. We exited Switzerland via Basel and chose to drive on the French side of the Rhine – Colmar was a little less than three hours drive from Lausanne. It is the Alsatian wine capital and with the Vosges mountains…
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Europa Park, Germany
Summer was almost over. J and Sue decided to drag their respective spouses to an amusement park – Europa Park. I am not a fan of Six Flags or Disney’s because of the long lines and short thrills. While the rides are fun, it is never worth the time standing in the sun surrounded by…
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Mine de Sel, Bex
Never thought I will visit a salt mine – let alone one that started in 1600’s and is still producing the product – sodium chloride. This mine is located in the Swiss vallée du Rhône about 75 minutes drive from Lausanne. Apparently, they have been welcoming tourists for many years – hence, this very informative…
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Fête Désalpe at Saint-Cergue
We had a thorough appreciation of the saying “Until the cows come home” at the annual Fête Désalpe. Désalpe is a unique tradition of Switzerland (and parts of France) when the herds of cows that spent summer on the alpine pasture return to the valley for winter. The word Désalpe is a contraction of “Déscente…
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A short stay at Lucerne
Lucerne (or Luzern in German) is located in the middle of Switzerland and acted as a transport gateway between the Swiss plateau on the north and the Alps in the south. When I told people I was moving to Lausanne, many were confusing Lausanne with this city – as it is better known outside of Europe. Indeed, for…