I bought a Cuckoo Clock!!  And all the Germans laughed at me until I pointed out that the walls of their home are lined with lovely wooden masks from Africa and their shelves are covered in knickknacks bought in Thailand and Australia.  That shut'em up.  So we are back from our 4 day trip to Germany.  It was a lot of fun but I'm glad to be home where occasionally the sun shines.  Damn is the Rhine Valley a damp, mossy, gray part of the world!  It's the land of Gnomes and Riesling and automobiles.

Part 1:  We left by car on Tuesday, an eight hour drive, and stopped in Vevey, Switzerland to lunch with Bette who worked with me in the library last year.  Let me just say that she made the right decision to move there.  It is GORGEOUS!  It's a small city, not far from Lucerne, on lake Genevra.  It was sunny and warm and it's so clean you could eat off the sidewalks.  Ok, maybe not, but almost!.  The long lakefront walk is lined with trees, including palms because of it's micro-climate that keeps it temperate all year.  Across the lake stand "the Alps in all their majesty" and Evian, France where the overpriced spring water comes from.  Bette's apartment is big and airy with views out every window.  (Of course being Switzerland it also costs over $3,000 bucks a month but salaries are quite high.)  There is public art in every park and along the lakefront and seating built into the stones along the waterfront for picnickers.  I loved it and I'll definitely go back when I can spend some more time and have saved a lot of money....

Giant Fork in the lake

Statue of Charlie Chaplin, a local boy

The lakeside goes on for miles

Grace and Paula on Bette's balcony.

More later.  xxoo me