Been a little while since the last post and again there has, as always, been plenty going on over here in Zurich. Ness and I are both keeping well, one of us still working hard as usual, and have had a few interesting weekends as well as our usual style of misadventure.
Last Saturday we made our way out to the town of Baden not more than 20 minutes out of Zurich by train. It is definitely a sleepy little town but has a big community of international business and such in and around the area. Baden also boasts a fairly well known Casino, The Grand Casino Baden - a very fine, but very upmarket establishment with everything you would imagine a casino to offer. The strasse around town are much the same as what we have become used to in Europe; cobblestones, small winding strasse and very very old architecture. We also found ourselves, and maybe just a little bit lost ourselves, at an 'English' pub by the name of Pickwick's (cue the situational joke: 2 Aussies, an American named Gary and a Swiss born Italian named after his Russian grandfather - Igor, walk into a bar...... guess you had to be there) - a chain that has other venues in both Zurich and Zug. On Sunday we had a nice easy day, found ourselves yet another 'English' pub here in Zurich, Admiral Nelsons', then headed off to the movies to see the 3rd installment of Pirates of The Caribbean (for those of you who haven't seen it, it is worth it just for the fantastic cameo appearance by none other than the great Keith Richards).
This weekend we had a very quiet Saturday as 2 very sore heads were rested after a rather riotous Friday evening, gruesome details shall be omitted. Sunday we headed out to find Hollgrotten, a subterranean cave much like Aus's Jenolan Caves, just outside of Zug. It was eventually found, after some confusing directions, and definitely worth the trip. Found in the mid 1800's the name Hollgrotten translates literally to Hell Grottoes. In the vicinity of 30,000 some years old, the natural formations of strange stalactites and stalagmites creates a feel of a Geigeresque landscape. Bizarre shapes and figures jut from the walls and ceilings, often giving to the names of the certain areas within such as the Nymphs Source and the Magic Lock (the German versions of these names have around twenty syllables more than the translation). Every now and then you get a glimpse that reminds you of the true beauty and power of nature and the world we live in, this was definitely one of those moments. Here come the photos...
A little bit of Baden
Why getting lost is easy (if you can't make it out Hollgrotten is apparently in both directions, another sign had it in 3 directions... Hmmmm, signposts)
In the Hell Grottoes (cue Grieg's "Hall of The Mountain King" - it was a Peer Gynt moment, my slow careful footsteps after smacking my head once or twice)
'Tites grow down 'mites grow up (or at least I think they do...)
What in just the right light and shade looked like a strange Gnome or Orc (Hail to all WoW and LOTR fans [who yelled NERD from the background?])
That brings you up to date with our follies over here, for the moment at least, but there is plenty more to come for us yet. We hope that everyone back home is doing well, while you all freeze in abnormally cold weather we are right in the middle of summer and the temperature keeps creeping up and up. The time for us to head home is every so quickly creeping up on us but there is still much more travel and sights to come.
For now we bid you all a fond farewell, until next time,
Peace and regards,
Jim and Ness
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