Monday 18th March- A day out in Nice

We left the ship in the light rain and took the train down to Nice, about half hour ride. There we walked around the main town and had a coffee in a wayside cafe and then found a nice flee market and finally bought some tuna buns which we ate on the sea front as the weather was slowly improving. We continued walking around town but as we did not want to miss the ship sailing without us we headed back and boarded at around 4pm.  We both fancied a coffee and went to the observation deck where it is said they serve coffee, only they don’t serve it but leave it for several hours in a pump pot and it tasted revolting, and so we headed for the aft lounge. We ordered our coffee and there was obviously insufficient staff to serve everybody(two waiters for 35 guests) and then the waiter forgot our order and eventually after 30 minutes one, not two, coffees arrived and guess what, it was cold. So this time we made another complaint this time to reception desk. In the cabin we had brought our own small electric kettle and settled down for home made tea. Tonight we thought we would try the Italian Restaurant and went to book a table only to be told in a rather strange way that the room was fully booked as the Captain had taken over the restaurant for the night to invite some special guests (most likely seasoned Silversea Travellers) who were on board. The way which it was presented to us made us feel a little second class. If he had just said , sorry sir we are fully booked tonight I would have understood but his reply lacked respect.

Oh well back to the main restaurant and now they appeared to be aware that I was a dangerous passenger as the plate was extremely hot and food good but our neighbours to whom we had been appraising of or views then said well their food was cool tonight as well. It therefore pays to complain.

Tonight we sail overnight for Livorno and the weather was forecast was set to be bad.

Sunday 17th March To Monte Carlo

In the morning we wandered around the ship and had a late'ish breakfast and noticed that the plate warmer in the buffet area was not on and so if you had a hot breakfast collecting your scrambled eggs etc they got cold pretty quickly. Went back in the cabin and there was a message to call the Executive Chef and although I called about four or five times during the day we could not reach him.

We arrived in Monaco just before lunch with the weather being poor with grey clouds and light rain but in the afternoon we walked around the town, which was closed as it was a Sunday but did find the railways station and checked on trains to Nice as we planned to spend the day there tomorrow.

Back on board the ship there was planned to be a BBQ on deck that night which had to be called off due to the inclement weather and so they had arranged what they called a 'Galley Dinner' which is a basically a large buffet where all the dishes are laid out in the kitchen. No problems with that except all the hot dishes were warm and not hot and the carving pig was quite cool.

Part the way through the dinner the Executive Chef appeared on the scene glowing with pleasure with what had been arranged and talking to arriving guests and so I approached him and introduced myself and he started to apologise for the cold food etc from the previous night and I said fine, but tonight’s food is also just as cool. He looked surprised at my comments about the rice and curry's  etc with a low temp and he said he would check on it. I watched him for about the next forty five minutes and there was no obvious action and so I tackled him again when leaving the restaurant. He said he had been away to make some changes and I said he had not left the restaurant in the last forty minutes and nothing had changed. I then said, just try the temperature of this pork and picked up a bit which was ready for serving in my fingers and it was cool, he looked at the Chinese staff and asked him for a bit from the very top of the joint which was near the hot light to keep it warm, and yes it was hot only they were cutting the meat in advance and it would then get cold before being served. I was very pissed off with him and let him know it and then stormed off.

Not a good way to end the evening

Sat 16th March- Barcelona Town and Boarding ship

Breakfast prices at the Hotel were outrageous and so we found a little cafe serving croissants and a  ‘cuppa’ before joining one of the open top tour buses which ply around Barcelona. After about twenty minutes we got off and walked around the old part of town shopping area and stopped for a coffee in a place which was most interesting.

We walked for about an hour then headed back to the bus and continued the trip around town and getting back to the Hotel area about 1300hrs. We then went back to the Las Ramblas de Mer for a light sandwich lunch and then back to the Hotel to collect our bags from the Hotel.

The two minute walk to the Cruise check complete we were checked in and an on board the Silverwing Silver Wind within ten minutes and our baggage arrived soon after. The ship is not large and holds about 285 passengers and it had the usual complement of bars and restaurants etc. We wandered around the ship for a while and then a mid afternoon snack before heading back to the room to meet ‘The Butler?

The Butler in his nice black tie explained the contents of the cabin (oops suite) and the choices for dinner and anything we want he could arrange. He had explained that there was one restaurant which provided a hot rock where you could cook steak and fish yourself for a little fun and we said then please book a table for two at 1900 hrs. We had also discovered the cost of internet access is very high and so we decided to go incommunicado for a while unless we can get free wifi on shore somewhere

By now we had read the additional information left in the cabin about dressing for dinner, in the documents sent to us in advance it stated that if you were on a four night cruise that one night would be a formal night and so we had brought our best bib and tucker. The paperwork in the cabin mentioned nothing of a formal night only informal and casual nights. Well that was a waste of time bringing a suit and all the other bits.

We did not get any news from the Butler about the restaurant booking and so at 1830 I chased to see what was happening and was told that the restaurant in question would not be open tonight as it was being cleaned???, gee thanks. Didn't they have all day to clean it?

So after a drink in the bar we headed for the main restaurant and proceeded to order. Noel had a New York cut steak which arrived on a cold plate with the meat luke warm and the accompanying vegetables even colder. So a complaint took place and soon after they brought a new steak with a hot plate with a steak which was pretty tasteless and tough to eat. Not what I expect from a so called good restaurant and so another complaint which they said they would notify the Executive Chef of my complaints and comments and that he would contact me.

 And so to bed whilst we sailed overnight to Monaco.

Friday 15th March- En route to Barcalona

Packed our bags and took the Monarch flight to Barcelona where we landed ahead of schedules which was good. The taxi from the Airport to the Hotel took only fifteen minutes and we checked in to the Eurostars Hotel in Barcelona. (This turned out to be a good choice as we knew it was close to where the cruise ships often docked but this time it was two minutes from the Hotel to the Cruise check in.)

In the evening we wandered around the Marina area and had a light Tapas’ dinner and then headed back to the Hotel for a sleep.

A short trip this time

The weather is getting us down so we have arranged a short four night trip on a ship from Barcelona to Rome. Not sure if we will arrive in Rome to take part in the Pope elections or even if we can participate in the selection process but who knows.
We plan to fly to Barcelona on Friday and overnight there and catch the Silversea Wind ship and we stop off at Monte Carlo for the night and also at Livorno where we have decided to go to Pisa instead on Florence as we have been to Florence before.
Should be nice and getting the best rags out for packing.
Its not cheap but better than leave for the government to get their hands on.
Watch this space for the full report in due course.

17th Jan- Time to leave

Rather than pay 30 francs for a breakfast in the Hotel we used our free bus pass and found a little cafe for a continental breakfast costing all of 14 francs before touring the town in the bitter cold of around minus 5 C.
We visited a small shopping mall to warm up and then continued walking before stopping again for a another warm up and a cup of coffee. The bitter cold was playing havoc with Noels knees and so we got back to the Hotel just before 11.45 so as to get our stuff together and meet the train at 1253.
The train arrived on time and as we got on, Jennifer was allowed to get on board and then somebody jumped rudely in front of me and then went in to the the compartment and then changed his mind and then staring trying to move my case and at the same time somebody else was pushing to get in and I realised that the guy behind pushing was trying to get my wallet. I quickly tuned away and was about to hit him when they both quickly dissapeared out the door also before I could shout at them. Needless to say they did not get my wallet at is was not where they expected it to be. This is not the first time this has happened to us, the last time was in in Paris in the Metro some years ago, Oh well.
We arrived at Geneva Airport and caught our BA flight back to London and arrived home at around 5pm just in time to order a pizza for dinner and an evening of British TV.
It was a good week using the Swiss trains which run without any delay in the thick snow unlike UK where the snow has just about stopped everything in its tracks. Luckily we cam back on the Thursday as we could have been stuck in Geneva
Well thats all our travel for a little while and now to get on with sorting out the upgrade of the two bathrooms.

16th Jan- To Montreaux

A very early start today and we departed the house around 0750 for Zurich main station where we caught three different train en route to Montreaux. We had to change in Lucerne, Interlaken and Zweisseman and in all cases the arriving train was a few minutes late and we had to charge through the stations to get our next train only to find once we were boarded that they were running late as well.

At Zweissimman  we joined the Golden Pass Panoroma train and the journey from there to Montreaux was really rather excellent with fantastic views over the mountains whilst travelling very close to the hillsides with some nasty drops. We arrived in Montreaux at 1615 and walked up the hill to the Hotel which was overlooking the lake and so quite nice really. We decided to have dinner in the Hotel and that was very good but the Hotel seemed a little empty really.
The beds were very comfortable and we slept well no doubt also due to a nice bottle of Bordeaux washed down at dinner.

Freddie Mercury Statue in Montreaux

An easy day tomorrow is planned

15th Jan- A day out in Zurich

We caught the bus to down town Zurich and walked around for several hours but it was rather cold and so odd stops in the warm were quite necessary.

We took some photos around the old town and then stopped for a quick snack before meeting up with Otto and Katherine and we then visited another part of the city and stopped by in a a very old coffee bar for a warming cup before heading back home and sort out our train times for tomorrow.
In the evening we had dinner with some other friends in a very nice restaurant in Zurich where the food was excellent and the company even better. A great day for us.

14th Jan- To Gornergrat and then to Zurich

After the Hotel Breakfast we walked around town for a short while and discovered that the special train up the steep mountain to Gornergrat was leaving in then minutes and so splashed on two return tickets at no small cost.
The train journey takes about half an hour and takes you quite high up to about 10000 feet and there were many skiers in the train waiting for their chance to break a leg or something. We arrived at the top and found a that there was a big hotel there and so had a cup of coffee overlooking the mountains before then getting back to the train station and the return journey  to Zermatt.
We collected our suitcases an following a misunderstanding between the porter and Jennifer, our lift to the station cleared off and so we had to drag our cases though the snow for about 15 minutes, just what my gamy leg needed and its a pity that I did not have any rum to rub in. The train jounrey to Zurich meants a change in Visp which was a thing charging from one platform to another and we arrived in Zurich and met by our host Otto who took back to his very nice house outside of Zurich with great views from the large lounge windows.

Ween joyed a very nice light Raclet dinner and chatted away until quite late and then off to bed.

13th Jan- The Glacier Express to Zermatt

This time the train did not leave until about 11.15 which gave us a bit more time to pack our bags and pop down stairs to the McDonalds, McCafe part and have a goodish continental breakfast before catching the bus to the station.
Its a bit colder this morning and so waiting for the train was a little on the chilly side unbtil we found somewhere a bit warmer in this large station. We jumped on the train and found our seats with the table ready for lunch we delayed until 1pm as we had only just finished breakfast a short while ago. The train left Chur and passed through a a number of smaller towns and also  two larger towns called Brig and Visp and then the engine was changed for a cogwheel driven train to enable us to climb the very steep hills, steep for a train that is. The journey was fascinating with amazing views of mountains covered in snow with people skiing and snowboarding and also on the toboggan runs risking life and limb?
I thinks it must be much safer sitting in a bar watching all this activity then actually doing it, but that is my private opinion.
We arrived in Zermatt at around 5pm and was met by the Hotel electric cart, no cars allowed here, and then checked in the. The Hotel was only a 3 star, but what do you expect for about £120 per night, Uggh..

We walked around town to find somewhere to eat and ended up in a pub place and had a hot dog and chips as we had already eaten a three course meal at lunchtime.
On our table was an Australian woman and her teenage daughter along with the daughters boyfriends and we chatted to them for a while. This lot must have some cash based on their travel tails.

Back to the Hotel in the freezing bloody cold and put our sleeping socks on, boy is this place cold and certainly not my style as I like heat although Jennifer does like the cold and snow.

12th Jan The Bernina Express

This is going to be a full day retrun trip on the special train from Chur to Tirano in Italy which was leaving Chur Station at about 0915 in the morning thereby requiring an early start to the day.
We caught the bus from outside the Hotel to the Station and found a very good cafe where we could enjoy some croissants and coffee before boarding the train.

My Hero!!!!

The train had a semi glass roof and the carriage we were in was not to full, two sets of Australian tourists and a old chap with his son, perhaps. The train left Chur and headed up to the hills and as it had started snowing overnight there was quite a bit of snow on the mountains. About an hour after we left Chur we discovered that ther had been a landslide on the very last bit of track and therefore if we wanted to end up in Tirana we would need to join the coach for about 35 mins each way which would then only leave less than 30 mins to see Tirano and so we opted to stay for about 90 minutes in a small town called Poschiavo.
The town was quite small and very quiet with most of the shops closed but we did find a cafe where we enjoyed an expensive glass of Irish Coffee, in UK you could have a bought a very good bottle of whisky at the same price.
We walked around the town for a while and took some photos and then headed back to the station for our train back to Chur where we arrived about 7pm.

Many of the main restaurants seemed to be closed even though it was a Saturday but eventually we found a bustling little place where the food was good.

11th Jan- Roland Bischoff RIP

Today we are attending the  memorial service of a good friend and ex business colleague who died tragically in a skiing accident in Zermatt just before Christmas. As the actual funeral was in a place called Parpan near Chur on the afternoon of 24th December many people were unable to make the trip.
This memorial event was also scheduled for Parpan but when they discovered how many people would attend the location was changed to near the Global HQ in Schindelleggi which meant a 90 minute train ride.
The memorial service was very moving with well over 100 people from all over the world attending and the two teenage boys of Roland made such brilliant tributes to their dad it was quite heartbreaking. The words from many other business colleagues and family members will be remembered by us for quite some while.

Roland Rest in Peace

A week in Switzerland

We sett off from home and departed on the BA flight to Zurich en route y train from Zurich Airport to Chur in the Eastern part of Switzerland.
The flight arrived on time and we were able to catch our planned trains and we left the Station at about 14.45 and arrived after one change at Chur Station at about 17.00 hrs. A short taxi ride to the Ibis Hotel and we were settled in by 1745. The Hotel is only a short distance from down town, actually only a ten minute bus ride but as we were a little tired we opted for the local Italian Restaurant for our evening meal and it was pretty good but of course expensive.
The Ibis is a newish one and the rooms are of the usual standard but the only negative turned out to be that it was over a McDonald's restaurant  where the drive in and take away meant that you heard quite a few cars in the evening. Oh well kept the window closed until after McDonald's closed at midnight and then only to be disturbed by the trucks laying down salt and grit for the forecasted snow. And so to bed for an early start tomorrow.