Azores

In August, Doc and I went to Sao Miguel for a week. It is one of the islands that comprise the Azores, which are part of Portugal. Even at the peak of their tourist season, there really weren't many folks vacationing on the island. I left wondering if all of the European Union's investment in infrastructure in the Azores would make the islands a much more popular place to visit in a few years.

We'll be posting some photos from some of the towns we visited and things we saw.

Stanserhorn

Overall, it has been a pretty rainy and cool summer in Zürich. Last weekend, however, we had some nice weather, so Doc and I decided to go to a mountain called Stanserhorn.

Stanserhorn has a really neat, old-timer funicular from the 1890s that you take part way up the mountain, before continuing up to the top with a cable car.


The funicular

At the spot on the mountain where the cable car ended and the restaurant was, cloud after cloud kept passing by. Since it was a warm day, it was quite refreshing to feel the cool air come up the side of the mountain and over us. I never felt the clouds like that before. Interestingly enough, only a short walk away at the peak, it was sunny. The views were really cool. Here are a few of the photos we took.


Clouds coming over the mountain near the restaurant and cable car


A cool view of the valley with some clouds


Looking toward the Jungfrau (the highest mountain in Switzerland)


View of Titlis (We went there last year with my parents.)


Luzern and Laken Luzern

Hamburg

This past week I was in Hamburg, Germany for some work meetings. I got to see a little bit of the city and brought my camera on a walk I took near Lake Alster.

Schifferstechen

A few weeks ago an event called Schifferstechen took place on the Limmat River in Zurich. Schifferstechen is a contest between guild members that occurs once every three years. A team of rowers is on each boat, and one person stands on a platform at the back of the boat with a long pole. The teams row as quickly as they can at each other and the persons on the platform aim these long poles at the shoulder of their opponent, trying to knock him off the platform and into the water. Once a contestant falls, he is out of the contest. Since a picture is worth a thousand words ....

First Hike of the Summer

Doc and I took a train to the mountains last weekend and we went on a hike. We took a cable car up to the top of the Weisshorn and walked back down to the town of Arosa. I was surprised that we encountered a little snow left from the winter. The views, as always, were amazing. Here are a few of the photos we took along the way.


View of Arosa from the top of the Weisshorn


On top of the Weisshorn


In the clouds


Doc enjoying the snow


D with some goats

Prague

Last weekend we had a visitor! As the weather was really cold and rainy here, it was a good thing that we planned to only briefly stay in Zurich. We lucked out and it did not rain on the first evening my friend was here, so we went to the Fan Zone in Zurich to watch a football game, but I didn't bring my camera.

The next day my friend and I went to Prague for a short weekend trip. We had a great time seeing the city. It is just as beautiful as everyone says it is. While there, we tried to see as many sights as we could; we watched part of the Czech Republic - Turkey game in the Old Town Square; and we enjoyed some Czech food. I was excited to finally try goulash. Here are a few of my photos:


Prague Castle in the background


St. Vitus Cathedral


The sun shining through the stained glass windows inside St. Vitus Cathedral


View of the Charles Bridge from Prague Castle


Rainbow and view of Prague from Prague Castle


On the Charles Bridge


The Spanish Synagogue


The Astronomical Clock


The crowd celebrating a Czech goal in the Old Town Square

European Championship

Yesterday the European Championship began here in Switzerland. For the next month, the national football teams for 16 European countries will be playing here and in Austria. In the Hauptbahnhof, there are gigantic figurines of eight of the national teams playing in the tournament. I saw them being built earlier in the week and couldn't believe how huge they were.


A Swiss national team player


Figurines from eight national teams playing inthe European Championship

Also, not too far from our home, we saw something that I thought was just so cute. There were kids playing foosball--but not the usual table version. They were the foosball players!


Human foosball in Oerlikon