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Thoughts and threads of passion and experience that have woven the fabric I call my life. Sharing experiences, memories and ideas so that they are out in the world for you to find when the time is right.
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 Statue of Freddie Mercury, Montreux, Switzerland Our next stop was Montreux. Because of the exceptionally mild climate Montreux is called the capital of the Vaud Riviera. Plants associated with the Mediterranean, such as pines, cypresses and palm trees grow here. Charlie Chaplin, Freddie Mercury and several other famous people of world-renown lived and continue to live on the Vaud Riviera. It is also where the song "Smoke on the Water" was written about. Who among we 70s kids doesn't remember that one! The tune played in my head the entire time we were there! We toured the city, exploring the busts of the Jazz icons who have performed there over the years at the annual Jazz Festival, taking pictures of Freddie Mercury's statue and eventually stopping by Harry's, a famous bar in the Montreux palace hotel for a drink. Two beer and a white wine cost 30 Swiss francs, although they did serve the most amazing olives Cec and I have ever eaten! Based on the looks we received from other patron, it was clear they were of the opinion we didn't really belong there, as we were all dressed very casually in our touring clothes. Still, we enjoyed our selves none the less, and it was great to have had the opportunity to stop in! And reliving these memories here, is almost as sweet as the experience was!
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 Mountain scenery in Valais, Switzerland Meandering our way down from the dam on our second day in Switzerland, we were blessed o see so many of natures wonders. This was just one of the mountains that caught my eye. Breathtaking, whether or not the pictures capture their essence. One of our next stops was at La colline aux oiseaux above Chamoson. It was enroute from our day at the Dixience Dam to our evening at Montreaux and a favorite pit stop for our host. The huge man-made pool housed a number of trout, and for a fee, you could catch your own trout, then have the house chef cook it up for you. Along with the trout that could potentially could be caught, the pool had a collection of ducks that seemed to have made their lives there. The energy there was magnificent. We watched the dancers in the clubhouse kicking up a storm, wishing we had the kind of energy and love of life they exhibited in their senior years. It was a great little stop,and really, how many places can you fish for your own dinner????  Chapel Saint Jean, Dixience Dam, Switzerland Two thirds of the way back down from the top of the Dixience Dam, we came across Chapel Saint Jean. The small stone chapel was built in 1930 by workers during the first stage of construction of the dam. It was built to accommodate the deeply faithful Italian workers who dedicated years of their lives on construction of the dam. The chapel was small but beautiful with detailed craftsmanship inside and out. The benches inside would only accommodate a very few men at any given time, but in sitting in the quiet of the tiny sanctuary, one could gather a sense of the peace that those who sat in prayer must have embraced. Where are the places that you go to find that same sense of peace in your life? Is it in the sanctuary of a church? In the quiet of the space you where you meditate? Or is it walking in nature? For me, its either overlooking the view I have of the Assiniboine Valley here at home, or being close to a body of water. But on that day, peace found me in the mountains of Switzerland, and the quiet of that little church. We continued our journey down the mountain, and continued the adventure of exploration, grateful for all the magic we've been allowed to experience! |
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