Well our humans, 22 year friendship, and we still catch up from the other side of the world – the Kiwi/Swiss connection

Verena, Benjamin and Sue – first night Dinner date!

The boys, Florian and Benjamin in the forest!

Florian, Russ and Verena at Zurich street party…

A view from a bridge, the three again sporting the wet weather gear in Lucerne

And again, sheltering from the storm…(Lucerne flash thunderstorm)….not looking too perturbed, so long as Beer in hand!

Three and a half days of busy, Swiss fun with great people, we highly recommend this restaurant (of Verena) , and coffee making skills….and after a quieter more relaxed day, packed again, the kiwis fly out this evening.

We begin today with a round up of last night and our big night out! Certainly big for two old kiwis!

Zurich Party, where all of downtown Zurich is “Eingang” (entry by foot) only….practicing my German. A tram and a train to get as close as we could get…before footing it.

The early evening twilight portrait, with Zurich lake behind….

While all around us, half of Switzerlands population enjoyed the sights and sounds (a slight exaggeration – but huge crowds)

Fairground rides for about 5 kilometres around the lakefront.

Freefalling, one way to escape the crowds!

Airshow over the lake, the Swiss Army, performed amazing manoeuvres overhead!

Florian having a small snack on the 6km walk to our prebooked table on the other lake front in the swimming beach grounds!

Did I say it was very hot! So the walk, noise, crowds and heat were all a little overwhelming..we were now six, with Florian and Verenas’ Finnish friends joining us for their first time Zurich party too.

As the sun set, we arrived at our prime (lakefront) position (organised by our wonderful hosts) in readiness for an evening of sights and sounds!

The kiwi, Austrian, Swiss and Finnish team (with a couple of Americans sharing our table) relaxing, beer in hand, fireworks about to start!

Rock music accompaniment and a perfect position under a speaker, performed with precision timing and display….

And to share a taste of the amazingness – an iPhone 8 amateur video…Ground control to Major Tom, a David Bowie classic…

But wait there was more, after a breathtaking 30 minutes, we had the first time, 150 drone light show to come

Again with Swiss precision, this was an entertaining and very clever work of art across the lake!

Around 12.30 pm, it was time to head for home…opting to avoid the crowds and another 6km walk to the train, Verena took us straight up a couple of blocks, hailed a taxi, and had us tucked up in bed by 1.30am!!! What a fantastic experience.

So that was last night, another fun day planned for today, with a trip to Lucerne, just a bit over an hour away…clouds deciding that probably best to explore the city rather than venture into the mountains..

First glimpse of Lake Vierwaldstättersee, on which the city of Lucerne sits on.

Florian was hungry and I needed a loo…

Very clear instructions for my 1 franc toilet stop!

And a coffee and snack stop at “Bachmann” a food stop for every taste..

A wall of dripping chocolate above a vast selection of specialty chocolates! Also coffee and sandwiches.

Upon “Ausgang” (exiting by foot) A slight raindrop saw us Don our free ponchos (handed to us last night and not needed)

As we explored the streets of this beautiful old city.

Picture perfect architecture and fountains graced our walk…then I spied an antique market, the flea type, along the lake edge.

Not a boys thing, but fun for a Kiwi op-shop fan.

It was back across another bridge, destination craft beer pub! The calm before the storm (literally) and an eerie light on the water.

Of course no European city (or story) is complete without a picture of a Kirche (church – deep into learning my new language now)

This one sporting a colourful Big Ben on its spire.

Managing to secure a waterfront position (At pub) with a view of the famous Chapel Bridge built in the 1400’s

Beer and snacks and coffee (again) happily relaxing, the darkness was rolling down the mountains in the distance! And within about 2 minutes it hit, torrential rain and gale force winds, punters diving for inside shelter and staff grabbing flying chairs, plates cups and glasses before they all ended up in the lake!

This lasted for about 30 minutes, and changed the landscape and ambience very rapidly, in other places in the city, it downed trees and blew over lines of parked bikes…was kind of fun (not for the poor staff trying to secure their outside dining possessions and getting drenched in the process)

Ponchos still earning their keep, after about half an hour it was safe to head outside and back to the car for the journey home…

Another great adventure and day in the wandering kiwis life.

No I haven’t spelt Sea wrong, “See” is the word for Lake!

A quiet start to a Friday morning, catching up on work before the weekend!

Benjamin out the door at 8am and taking himself off to kindy (at five)..they teach them independence early here and live in a safe city! He walks home again at midday!

The adults took a walk to the shops.

Through another park with a swimming pool complex (puts Waiwera hot pools to shame) gardens, pools and fountains..

To the bank, to withdraw some of the local currency, Swiss francs, supermarket to replace Florian’s beer and buy transport pass ready to hit the Zurich Party tonight!

Home for a Russ rest, lunch and wait for Benjamin before the afternoon excursion to the “See” (lake).

Through another forest, around the edge of the lake to the swimming hole.

The parking lot – bikes galore! Popular summer mode of transport!

To our patch in the shade at the lakes edge.

Florian, Verena, Benjamin and Russ jumped in!

Sue amused herself watching the confident ducks(?) make themselves at home on our blanket. These guys have the biggest feet I have ever seen on a bird, it looks like they are wearing flippers.

They kinda look like short, fat “Pukekos” our kiwi swamp bird.

“The Jetty” reminds me of a Sam Hunt competition winning poem, Jaxon and Dan!

And the Swiss all relaxing at the beach! And a Kiwi in the middle, sitting in the shade….

Benjamin and big people needed enjoyed the swims, icecream, coffee and a nap!

Time to leave, as the after work people were heading in…a 30 degree day (celcius) warrants a swim wherever you are in the world.

Time to wake up and get ready for the biggest party in Zurich, which happens once every three years!

Goodbye Vienna, but a taste of your world and hospitality! One (actually two) last coffees at our new favourite coffee bar!

Bolt is the new Uber, and our taxi to the airport arrived in one minute!

Everyone in Vienna is so helpful and checking in was a breeze, and we were off on to our next destination!

Austrian airlines you rock, wine, coffee snack and leg room to die for (in economy) – all on a one hour, ten minute flight!

Before we knew it we were touching down in the banking capital of the world….Zurich!

And with our friends Florian and Verena and young Benjamin (who I’m sure thinks Russ and I are strange, as we don’t under stand a word he says and just grin and look stupid)

Dinner booked a short (30 minute) walk from the city to the county!

Benjamin riding and Florian on the scooter trying to keep up (with a 5 year old) Russ and I coming up the rear and Verena keeping us company

Through a forest – and

Farmland to a very popular farm restaurant for dinner.

The boys and their wheat beer and..

The girls and Benjamin enjoying a nice warm Swiss evening and delicious pork snitzel!

Then it was back home along the river…and the five year old keeping us on our toes.

Sues turn to try and keep up on the scooter!

And we got there in the end – still in one peace – a 58 year old on a scooter is no match for a five year old on a bike!

Feeling a few side effects from the cycling day, the wandering kiwis chose to catch a train straight to Schönborn Palace, number one on the must sees in Vienna. The train ride became a train 🚞 walking 🚶‍♀️ bus 🚌 walking 🚶‍♂️ train 🚞 ride, due to remodelling of the train line on our chosen route. Upon arrival, finally, at the Palace, it appeared that every other visitor to Vienna today had this must see on their must do list!

We joined the procession into the main gates.

The garden front of the Palace was fenced off and sporting a huge stage, tents, seating and stands…summer evening music concerts at the Palace are happening evidently.

A little closer to the front entrance podium.

The organised Kiwis had purchased a sandwich and packed some water, and decided to look for a more peaceful place and a park bench…hunger and thirst sated, and wandering deeper into the gardens, we soon realised there were acres of Park to hide in (500 acres to be exact)

We chanced upon the “Palm House” a structure built in 1883 at which time, it was the largest greenhouse in Europe, housing exotic plants (1500 species of orchids to name a few) and hundreds of butterfly species.

Having strolled around for an hour or more, choosing not to enter the zoo (which is also in this park), we arrived at the back side of the castle…

Looking back at the Palace and in the other direction to the “Neptune Fountain” and the second building on the hill (one we didn’t climb)

The reverse side of the in full panorama, picking the moment when humans were scarce.

One of the many statues, a man and his dog, unconditional love!

And a collage of Russ in the guardhouse and in front of one of the many garden gazebos and Sue in front of the fountain.

An opulent Baroque building and parklands in the middle of the city of Vienna and well worth the visit. (It is after all – number one attraction)

It was then back to train-bus-train for the journey home, hopping off the bus at “Naschmarkt” a streetmarket with mainly food, cafes and more food and dresses from what appeared mainly Turkish origin (at a guess).

Lots of stuffed things and dried things and fruit and cakes, with a distinctive aroma of herbs and curry!

Another 2km walk before getting back on the train to town and closer to home. In desperate need of a bathroom, which it seems are few and far between when needed, Russ just had to buy an ice cream, at a cafe, to relieve my stress!

Getting a bit weary we headed towards our room…and en route happened on this gothic style church.

Door open, so took a peep inside.

Beautiful leadlights and gold at the front…

And an enormous organ raised above the back entrance doors. Carvings and sculptures quite gothic and scary.

Out the back door and down a flight of steps and we were back. Visiting the supermarket on the way, dinner sorted, repacking to do and checking out of Vienna in the morning heading to Zurich!

I’m in love….with electric bikes. (Denise and Amber – you’ll be proud of us, five hours in the saddle)

After a tiring hot arrival in Vienna yesterday, cooled down by overnight thunderstorms and rain, and an early night, we awoke to a cool fresh morning.

Set up my work station in my tiny space and worked for a few hours, then off to find coffee.

Russ enjoying a large hot cup, but we spied the afternoon activities while there. Even in German this makes sense!

Happy hour pints for €2.90 from 4pm….but we had to earn this. Around the corner we rented E bikes (the ones with the electric motor – that help old people up hills)…and off we went towards the Danube river.

Our first glimpse having cruised up this circular on-ramp to the bridge with ease(and assistance of the high setting motor on our bikes)

Across this bridge (Russ in the lead) and one more to the other side….saving the the island in the middle (donauinsel island) for our return.

Vienna’s Sky tower…

And a view from the bridge. We cycled around residential streets and decided that we would return to the island for more country cycling.

Houseboats and big boats moored at the waters edge – average speed (fairly unaided) 20kms! The clouds were lifting and heading back to our side….

This glass tower reflecting in the Danube, as a riverboat debarked on it’s next leg…next stop for the free wheeling kiwis…lunch.

A very delicious and cheap kebab, I won’t need dinner.

Mine came first and Russ waiting patiently on the park bench, backdropped with a mass of white hydrangeas. We were heading towards and almost to the Hundertwasser museum and village, (J9 this next lot of pictures I especially want to share with you)

Just enjoying the moment! (While resting the legs). The Museum cafe for a coffee break and toilet stop.

Not a patch on the Kawakawa ones that he build when he settled, in his later years, in New Zealand.

However his other architecture was spectacular!

And a collage of the cafe and Museum, his trademark the uneven tiled floors and his reason for this…

For humans to experience, touch and feel and senses. Then to the village (J9 are you holding your breath)

Tiling and shapes and colour in every nook and cranny! So unique in the large ornate, cream gothic style of a lot of Vienna.

And one more….

The street view of the village (actually there are more but I still have some ground to cycle before happy hour) ok one more inside the shopping mall…

Moving along, having avoided the one rain shower of the day with Mr Hundertwasser…clouds gone and afternoon warming up considerably, it was off to the Belvedere palace and gardens…home now to a massive art gallery. We were now in city traffic, and cycling became a little more stressful avoiding trams, one way streets, tour buses and lots of people! But we made it, locked up bikes at gate and entered!

In the distance…

And inside, beautiful gardens, lake and palace (do not walk on the grass)

Mushrooms growing after the heat and thunderstorms – no picking as we could not walk on the grass!

And behind, even bigger gardens and statues – female lions, angels dragons or something of that combination, en guard!

Getting near to happy hour time, and a few bits getting saddle sore, it was navigate the city and drop bikes off.

Past Mozart’s museum by pure chance!

Easier said than done…one of the many stops, and many circles around the city, Russ resetting the google tracking. We got told by a policeman not to ride on footpaths, so risked our lives and bikes with the trams, horses, buses and cobblestones. At one point we decided to follow a local who appeared to be going our way, only to have to backtrack and start again. An extra hour on the wheels, getting rather warm now….but finally here we are….

Happy hour and happy after a great day of exploring on our E Bikes!

5.30am sunrise in Malta farewelled the two Kiwis for the next six weeks. 7am madness at the airport, it seemed half the island population was on the move.

Whizz Air flight to Vienna, cattle class, there was no moving to the emergency exit seats, all of which were free, anyone who attempted this was promptly told to return to their seat or pay up! Not much empathy, even for the very pregnant woman behind me with a screaming two year old on her knee, kicking my seat for the full two hours! I almost offered to pay the extra for her to move…but no, they remained empty for the entire flight. We definitely had the seat police on, and that is all they did, no smiles, no cup of tea….trained to be cold and nasty!

Two bags, an already weary Russ, the easy option , of a taxi to accommodation, was the only one (after a bit of shopping around and securing a set price)

Checked in, dropped bags, donned shorts and set of to explore the neighbourhood until we could have our room at 3pm.

So we left a heatwave in Malta and dived into an inferno in Vienna 36 degrees celcius in the shade at 3-4pm!

We headed towards a church or two, this one is St Peters, purported to be the oldest church ( or what it is rebuilt on) in Vienna.

Jumping into any bit of shade, it was time to seek out a cold beer and lunch – silly me all menus were in German! So I finally downloaded the google translator app. Still didn’t make a lot of sense, so I nipped inside and pointed to a couple of sandwiches!

Watered and fed and having filled in a bit of the afternoon we oohed and aahed and sweated our way around historic Vienna city.

St Stephens Cathedral, the seat of the archbishop of Vienna, very gothic and remarkable with its multi tiled roof.

Getting hot and bothered, temperatures rose, we wandered past statues..

Through anywhere air conditioned – this was a jewellery and Art auction arcade.

Flower and plant shops, heading for a supermarket to buy Russell’s breakfast supplies (so the routine is not broken).

Then a beeline (Russ driving the google maps) back to the unit, which by now we could get in. Googles great until it tells you to turn right into a street that actually runs under the bridge you are walking over.

Crisis averted however as 50 meters up the road we found an internal flight of stairs delivering us to the correct street and right at a cafe and our entry! 2nd cold beer for the afternoon, and finally footsore and on fire we were able to take ownership of our room.

Entrance to air conditioning, which was the first thing we turned on. Russ crashed on the bed and I went back to the supermarket to buy milk and coffee! My needs met.

Time for a nap – until the sun goes down and we can venture out…

Packing up from our home in Birgu, and ready for the next adventure to Vienna, leaving early tomorrow morning.

Russ and I packed and cleaned and washed and left the apartments clean, as we are returning in 6 weeks, it’s worth the effort.

Kev met us with the van and we loaded all luggage and supplies into it, and headed to Paola where we are staying with Kev and Rols tonight ready for our early Monday morning start.

Lunch with Dave and Lizet lounging in the senglea waterfront for one last time, then it was back to repack into one bag…good suggestion from Roland.

However upon our return, I ran over a glass bottle which exploded into a million shards! Kev and I decided to deposit the rental car to the airport sooner rather than later. Went to the petrol station to fill up and after 10 euros the machines malfunctioned! My car was nearly full so thought we’d leave it at that. (Still praying I didn’t get a flat tyre from the glass). Met the rental guys at the airport who said I needed to put another 10 euros in, probably best to do myself as if they had to do it, it would be 70!

So another few miles and roundabouts to find an open petrol station on a Sunday! Back to the airport, and an argument over a tiny little paint chip – under the bumper- I won! The rest of the car was rather scratched anyway, and had been showing the need for a service symbol since day one!

Now it was 3.30pm, hope they get a flat tyre!, and I still haven’t repacked. Russ had had a rest so 2nd round of packing began….

Now nearly 5pm and relaxing in the coolness of Kev and Rols rooftop garden….me beer in hand, Russ water!

One more catch up with our friends tonight here, before we head out to the Northern European summer.

Again we begin with last night and the international wine festival in Bormla….

Lizet and Dave has secured our table in prime position on the waters edge in good hearing distance from the live band, and close enough to our friends at Cafe Rouge, to use the loo, buy beer (for the non wine drinkers) and order pizza when food was needed

Our table with a view down the Bormla inlet, glowing in the evening lights.

Three quarters of the team enjoying the evening ambiance, music, wine, beer, fireworks and pizza! Then they brought on the headlining band around 10.30pm …..not flash and not relaxing and as we had already enjoyed an evening of good times and fun we decided it was time to head back to our respective abodes before we got cross (and headaches from the cacophony now belting out from the raft in the middle of the sea)

It was a little sleep in for Sue (being a Saturday) then off to the Irish Pub to watch the super rugby semifinal between the hurricanes and crusaders.

Two TVs, a yummy cooked breakky, coffee and water!

Great game, outcome….well someone had to win; Crusaders lucky day!

We backed up a great morning with a dip at St Thomas bay, Lizet found diving in with sunglasses meant the sink to the bottom of the very deep swimming hole, local Maltese man to the rescue!

An afternoon of packing/sorting for Sue and Russ as moving out, of what has become our home, tomorrow.

Too much for a hot afternoon, off to Senglea, to visit the old hood (in the shade) and a cool beer on the square by the church.

Just in time to witness a newly married couple emerge from said church and wedding party zoom off in stretch limo and bride and groom depart (actually roar off too) in a classic vintage!

Wine festival in full swing again tonight and everyone out and about in a balmy Mediterranean evening, however, after eating, Russ and Sue headed home to Birgu for our last night, Lizet and Dave….who knows; they may be once again enjoying the craziness of a Maltese Saturday night!

It seems that every story begins with the night before….and this one certainly does. A quiet little cocktail hour at, you guessed it, Cafe Rouge, Russ, Dave, Sue and Lizet, precluded what turned out to quite a big one for Russ. At the end of the night a somewhat over friendly local, sporting a Bormla rowing t-shirt, got into a discussion with Russ about Bormla being the reigning champs.

New best friends and Russ sporting his Bormla rowing t-shirt, which meant another round of drinks! Needless to say it was a long walk home and Russ slept in his new T-shirt which had little to do with him being in love with it..

However, during the evening, the plan was hatched to rent a boat from Marfa, Dave had a boat licence, and take an afternoon on the sea around the island of Comino.

So here we were at 1pm, non alcoholic drinks and a sandwich packed in the chilly bin, ready for some boat and sea time.

Captain Dave and co-captain Russell having a little lesson with the 18 foot walk around and we were off.

First close up of Comino; the fort on the south side and we then cruised up the east coast in and out of bays and caves

Shades of blue and pink, toes in very warm water!

Turquoise, deep blue, aqua and every other blue you can think of. Around the next corner the blue lagoon. Tourist city, boats people and standing room only.

Still great colours, but anchoring up was going to be tedious….

We took another wide berth and went into the back side of the blue lagoon, boats only and anchored up beside a couple of large yachts…

Lunch and swim, into the deep blue sea…the water now is so warm, however we were moved on by a yacht up anchoring, with very rudely, had his anchor under our little boat.

Not to be outdone, we motored to the next bay, which was even more beautiful, with caves and colours even bigger and brighter.

Sue and Lizet could not resist another swim…

If you look closely you can see Sue standing on the rock, not sure who the man in the water is…then, as a day cannot always be perfect, Lizet swimming towards Sue she got bitten by something in the water, realising it was a jellyfish and right arm very painful, she headed back to the boat.

They say forewarned is forearmed, not so. Sue scanned the sea, seemingly clear, made a beeline for the boat, from her rock haven, only to be stung as she hit the water. Ouch, one arm over arm back to boat…..

Back on the shore, a cool beer, vinegar on jellyfish stings and all is well.

Now back home, and about to have a shower and head to the international wine festival at Bormla…no wine for me.