SWITZERLAND 2010 - FIRST WEEKEND

                    It is Friday, Sept. 17th, 2 days after our arrival and I adjusted well to the time difference. Up at 6am I am spending my time sitting on the balcony drinking delicious coffee, smoking one of the most famous Swiss cigar, called Krumme, watching the sunrise and admire all the international plane coming in for landing.

Few minutes before Sunrise

Every morning at 8:45 am, this Airbus 380 arrives from Singapore





                    Later today, Toni drove me to Avis to get my rental car for the next 17 days. I opted on a BMW and was all excited about cruising around Switzerland with that baby, but car rental companies in Switzerland are not better as anywhere else. No BMW was available at the time and there gave me an European style Ford focus with a smelly interior lasting the full 17 days for the same cost!  Oh well !

Only Picture of the stinky Avis rent a car

                    At 5:30 pm Toni, Andrea, Donna and myself drove to a fancy 4 star Restaurant about one hour  from home to have our first Family reunion since 5 years. It was exciting to see everybody again and meet Livia, our new addition to our family. Only my brother Heinz and his wife Lilian was absent. It was a great time, lots of laughter's, reminiscing old memories, good food and drinks.

LIVIA with her Papi Fabian

Fabian & Fabia

Mark & Corinne



Toni & Andrea

Donna had to sit by her self, at least she was across from me

The Ackermann Clan



Donna attending to Livia

                      Saturday another relaxing day at home, we watched Toni playing tennis and later Donna and I walked down to a local restaurant for some Swiss beverages. Toni prepared us hot chicken wings on the grill, there were delicious, and we indulged them with noodles and salad.

Toni impressing the crowd, Agassi style

                       Sunday, last day before leaving for Grindelwald, Donna and I decided to travel with the train  to Zurich and venture on a Boat ride. First we checked out the old town, the Limmatquai and some historic buildings. It was like 12:30 and Donna was hungry craving a good old fashion Cheeseburger. Walking along the famous quarters of the Niederdorf I located a snack bar with a beautiful oversize  picture of a hamburger on the window. Big mistake!! Worst food ever we had in Switzerland, we could not eat this concoction. How is this possible? Never, never have we had bad food in Switzerland no matter what Restaurant. Come to find out, this snack bar is run by some Chinese people.

Famous street for abundant night life

                        We did not let this bother us and went on to a beautiful 2 hour boat ride with some Swiss white wine. After window shopping on the Bahnhof strasse and visiting some shops in the Hauptbahnhof, we enjoyed the ride back home to Neerach. Toni and Andrea awaited us with a traditional cheese fondue for dinner. Afterward, to the annoyance of Toni we had the pleasure to watch a 2 hour Swiss Country Music special on TV.

Notice, I am below water level

Great weather brought a huge crowd to the waterfront

The lake of Zurich

Swans are never missing on a nice lake

Notice the river boat in the background, it is flat to pass under bridges.

Before bed time we had to pack again, because the Eiger, Grindelwald and the whole

BERNER OBERLAND
is awaiting us tomorrow.