Day 10

Guten morgen, we're here in Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland today. We arrvived last night about 7.30pm and had burgers and fries for dinner. Reallz authentic cuisine:) This morning we got to sleep in as breakfast wasn't until 8.00. Definitely not what I would call a sleep in at home, but it is on this trip. After a much more traditional breakfast... well, at least it included Muesli, I don't know how traditional pancakes with 'maple' syrup and bread with peanut butter are... Steph and Laura went back to bed and I went to wander the campsite. It's really beautiful here. While our room is pretty basic: bunkbeds, lockers, desk, and sink, the view out the window is stunning. We can sit at the desk and look at the cold, quickrunning river that runs between our chalet and the rest of the campground, the cute little cabins in the rest of the campground, and the mountain and its waterfall in the background. Supposedly they turn off the waterfall at about 10.00 each night to divert the water to a hydro dam, but it certainly didn't stop suddenlz at 10.00 last night, and we didn't stay up to watch it end. The 'optional' trip for todaz was to take a cog train up to Jungfraujoch, basicallz a 4Km mountin, but it was expensive (125SF), it's slightly overcast so you probably can't see much, and we have mountains and snow at home. The weather here is great, much better than in Italy. It was 30+ there, but here I actually used mz fleece sleeping bag, wore my jacket, and dug out my jeans. I think I will definitely have to come back to Switzerland.

Yesterday we were in Florence. It's a very beautiful city. While we didn't get into the Uffizi museum or get to see the real statue of 'David', we did see the outside of the museum and a couple replicas of the statue. When we arrived in town yesterday afternoon, we walked from the bus up to Piazza Santa Croce and looked at the church. It's really neat. After being in Rom where everything is made out of white (or dark polluted) Travertine, it was a real shock to see the white, pink, and green exterior on the churches here. Then we had some free time so a group of us wandered through the market stalls, went to the 'piglet' market... and had more gelati. I think I will have to visit Mario's when I get back home, as the gelati there was so good that I don't think ice cream will quite cut it anymore:) Then we all met in Piazza della Signoria and went on a walking tour of the city sights. Simona, our guide looked familiar. I think she was maybe on the David Rocco cooking show once as that's based in Florence too. She told us about the town hall first. It has a replica of the David statue in front as thez moved the original into the museum. The statue was first put there after the Florentines got rid of the Medicis to represent their 'liberation', then when one of them came back into power he erected a statue right next to it to represent how they had returned to power. We also saw the statues outside the Uffizi, so I have some pictures of famous dead Italians:) We saw the bridge of Sighs too, before heading to see the Baptistry and the the big church beside it. More coloured marble.

The day before in Rome, we also went on a walking tour around the Colosseum and through the Forum. I got way too many pictures, but I figure I can use them when I teach 'Julius Caesar':)

Tomorrow, we are off again. This time to Paris. Finally a country where I'll be able to understand people again:) I may go walk to see Strangbach falls as they're not far away, so I'll have even more pictures to show you all when I return. Love to all. Ciao.