Stage 1 of the vacation is over, stage 2 has begun. We got up early this morning at our apartment by Lago di Garda on what promised to be another stinking hot day, and we were ready and on the road by 10:30, after a brief panic over a couple of missing keys.
The fountain in Sembrancher. They say the water is very healthy
Driving in Italy is expensive, and Switzerland looks like it might be even worse. We had to pay tolls twice in Italy, for a total of about 30 euros, and then the Saint Bernard tunnel into Switzerland was 23 euros, or 30 francs. I wonder how they choose which currency to use when it’s on a credit card? We also needed to buy a road tax sticker for Switzerland, but a kindly and resourceful person solved that problem for us quite neatly.
It was mostly a clear day, with light traffic, except for the most sudden rainstorm I’d ever seen. We were going through a mountain pass and you could see the big, black cloud moving toward us, swooping through the canyon like a flying phantom beast and suddenly the air was filled with water. It was like driving through a car wash. Traffic slowed immediately and we had to slam on the brakes. Several drivers just pulled over and stopped. Then we went into a tunnel and when we came out the other side the road was bone dry. It was a bizarre moment.
We made a stop in the picturesque mountain village of Sembrancher, where my sister-in-law is from, and filled up our water bottles at their famous fountain. They told us that Sembrancher water can sell for as much as 40 francs a bottle in the fancier restaurants.
As we walked up the street I could hear the clip-clop of horse’s hooves approaching and a moment later, around the corner they came. Two beautiful brown horses pulling a cart, sort of like a covered wagon thing. In the back people were sitting at a table, eating and drinking wine. They waved and said “Salud!”
We found out later that the wagon could be hired for an evening, it took a few hours and toured several villages in that beautiful, mountainous area, while they served fondue and wine. I don’t remember exactly how much they told us it cost, but it was a heck of a lot less than a gondola ride in Venice…and you got dinner.
Now we are in Geneva, and I’ve got better internet access, even had a chance to glance at the news. Haven’t missed much, have I?
www.gurukalehuru.com 