I LOVE YOU FOREVER maribor
I LOVE YOU FOREVER maribor
  • Swiss Rolling
    • 15/06/2022
Well Switzerland is pretty isn't it? Leaving Basel behind, and climbing through rolling hills and villages full of water troughs.
Having the backdrop of snow capped peaks is always nice, then throw in the inviting clear blue lakes, meadows of alpine flowers, farmers making hay, locals playing beach volleyball, quaint old buildings with painted frescos, quite the antidote to the monotonous canals.

Luzern is tourist paradise, with its covered wooden bridges, big lion carving, and panoramic painting of refugee French troops from the Prussian war being the highlights I had time for before taking a ferry part way across the lake. Very pleasant, but mixed feelings as it hard to say it isn't cheating, but I need to save some time for what comes next - well initially skirting the remainder of lake, with a procession of Sunday drivers in porches, Ferraris, classic BMW and Mercedes, a tvr, even a Morgan?
And then the main event, a gruelling 1000m climb over "Prapelpass". Strictly speaking, after the initial foothills, an 885m climb in 11km to reach 1550m. So minimum 8%, but in actuality, much steeper for long sections. I had to stop several times on the way up (2hrs 30) to get my breath back, but all the way had the encouraging ringing of cow bells spurring me on.
At the top, massive relief, but slightly disappointed with the views, and lack of signs with the altitude to pose next to, just "camping ist verboten", so down the other side it is, glorious empty tarmac, and then views do appear, with the last rays of the sun highlighting the cliffs above a deep blue lake, series of waterfalls cascading down. And a campsite, relief. Collapse, eat packets of salt. Leave sweat drenched clothes out on bike overnight. Thunderstorms. In the night, and now in the morning as I write this.
Good test for the tent, which has a somewhat flimsy appearance, but I'm still dry.

Vaduz
Lichtenstein, population 38,000. Highest GDP per person in the world. Fields of cows within its capital "city", where on one street you pass its hardly justifiable FA and Olympic Committee buildings. Essentially it seems to be a family estate that although subject to various vassalages over the centuries, has emerged independent.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Liechtenstein
Anyway, got there just in time to buy a postcard and a loaf of bread before continuing to camp in Austria.


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