AU REVOIR FRANCE

Au revoir France.....a bientot (til next time) you have certainly been a wonderful and stimulating place to visit these last five weeks. We have loved each and every town we have been to. We have learned so much and there is a lot of further reading to be done.

Eli, the owner of La Provence, offered to drive us with our luggage to the Colmar station where we were to go on the Flixbus to Zurich at 11.25am. This was a real bonus as it is about a 25 minute walk and we had a very long way to go today.

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The Flixbus was a little late in coming and I was a little nervous as this the first time we only had an on-line booking and had to show the QR tag (I think that is what it is called) but not to worry, the driver hopped down and saw the reservation, said 'Zurich' hop on. I think he was trying to catch up on time. We scrambled to the back seat so Phil could stretch his legs out on the 4 hr drive from Colmar to Zurich. He wasn't feeling that flash today probably because of the cycle yesterday and we didn't want him to have any cramping. It was a very pleasant drive through cropped areas; into Mulhouse where we had stayed on a previous bike ride. It is a funny feeling to see the path where we have ridden, the river we followed and in Mulhouse the most informative Textile museum I have ever been to. I shouldn't underplay the extensive agriculture. The fields are big acreages and large irrigation arms of water spraying all the time, vast amounts of maize, beet and small grain wheat, legume and some rolled hay bails. There is no stock and no apparent barn houses to house the stock indoors. On the opposite inclining slopes, rows and riws of vines are planted.

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Soon we were waved through the customs area and were in Switzerland. The bus station at Zurich had buses coming and going all the time. They seem to be going everywhere - Munch, Friedberg, Metz, Bern and many more. The bus station is behind the Zurich train station but we didn't think it was worth lugging our cases into Zurich proper although we had a 2 hr wait til the next bus. So we went to the Walhalla Hotel and read our books with a cappucino and cup of tea. It is so expensive to eat in Switzerland. Guess how much the tea and coffee cost..
$A16.40....we sipped slowly and ate our last pomme chassure (apple pie) from France.

The black clouds were gathering even though it was still very warn. We got our coats ready as we didn't want to get soaked getting our bags into the next bus going from Zurich to Como, another four hours. We moved to the scanty bus shelter and waited another half an hour as the bus was late. The rsin didn't eventuate. There were a lot of agitated Italians also waiting. The bus duly came and the driver and assistant were very efficient. His scan of my QR tag co-ordinated with our names worked and our luggage was put in the area for passengers getting off at Como and not Milan, the bus' final destination. I might seem as if I am labouring this use of technology but it is really a big change in the way you travel and book transport since the last time we were travelling in Europe 2 years ago.

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Climbing up on the high steps of this double decker bus and based on experience from the last bus, we went to the back seat where the middle seat was ok for Phil and I sat in front of him with a young girl who I later learned was Monica.

Heading out of Zurich with its flyovers we were soon into the intensely green meadows of the sub-alpine in Switzerland. We soon came across the little chocolate box houses, as I call them) climbing quickly all the time. Huge mountains came into view some still with patched snow. Beautiful lakes and forests. This country is too hard for me to describe. We saw signs to Olberap pass and the Furka pass, both of which Phil has previously ridden. We were headed for the Gotthard pass. Here are a few photos I took travelling along hence not always the best quality.

Then things started to happen on a sharp turn my seat gave way and suddenly I found myself sliding over the alleyway and next to the seat across the aisle!! Wow!! No worries though nothing hurt just a shock to those around and particularly to Phil from behind. We pushed it back and it seemingly locked and I happily went in talking to Monica who had reasonable English. She lived near Como and recommended many places we should visit by ferry. She had been to Zurich to a Jazz festival. However when the seat gave way again Monica offered to change places, she went to the aisle seat opposite and I went to the window seat and enjoyed the magnificent views. It sent a thrill down my back thinking of the feeling of actually previously riding down these slopes past the acquamarine water hurrying down from the mountains, pondering at the beauty of the powerful waterfalls.

When we stopped for a toilet stop and I was all full of it. However Phil looked shattered. He was still feeling the effects following riding yesterday and on top of that a pushy Italian woman talked loudly on her phone for a solid two hours gesticulating and lots of 'mummamias'. Poor Phil - not happy Jan!! So we swapped places for the last hour of the drive.

Just after Lugano we crossed through the customs point at the border of Italy.

Monica who was now in front of me turned to ask where were staying and if anyone was meeting us as we were approaching Como and it was just on 9pm. She said her mother was picking her up and could drive us to our apartment. This could not have been better as it turned out as Phil had traced a smaller station and not San Giovanni on his mud map. There are 3 stations here and difficult to know the name of the main one. It would have taken us a fair time to find the apartment, it was getting dark and we had to contact another person for after hours check in as reception closes at 7pm. Pamela, the receptionist had telephoned me on the bus to confirm all that. So you can see Como could have had its challenges. But...lady luck continues to travel with us and Marie-Therese (Monica's mother) pulled up in a white Alpha-Romeo coupe. What are the chances. It was like George Clooney picking us up. It turned out that the owner of the apartments Barbara, was a colleague to Marie-Therese. We thanked them profusely for their kindness through Monica as she only had English. Monica walked us past the Duomo, rang the number and Rachelle (a Phillopine) met us, did the check in and walked us down a few streets to the newly renovated apartment. Como was buzzing and it was 10pm at night. People lined up at the favourite ice cream shop as it is still very warm.

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Still more of that to explore tomorrow. Phil just keeps producing these gem apartments through bookings.com. This one is huge, air conditioned, with a lift - we are on the 2nd floor and close to everything we need.

A small cafe was still open at 10.15pm for us to have a spaghetti dinner and as my treat - homemade Italian Tiramisu. Yum yum. What a big day!!