Day 1 8/4/06 – 8/5/06
Wow, first traveling vacation in almost 3 years!
Following past proven practice, Dave worked at home for BNY until we left for the drive to Bob & Joyce’s on Staten Island about 3:00.
Checked our bags, sped through security, and boarded our brand new 767, bulkhead row, for a very comfortable and totally civilized trip to Geneva, nonstop. Dave got about 3 hours sleep, Jill 2, Kristen 1, because she stayed up all night watching movies and playing video games on the personal TV. We all got a kick out of “Over the Hedge”, though.
Following past proven practice, Dave worked at home for BNY until we left for the drive to Bob & Joyce’s on Staten Island about 3:00.
Checked our bags, sped through security, and boarded our brand new 767, bulkhead row, for a very comfortable and totally civilized trip to Geneva, nonstop. Dave got about 3 hours sleep, Jill 2, Kristen 1, because she stayed up all night watching movies and playing video games on the personal TV. We all got a kick out of “Over the Hedge”, though.
Picked up the bags after a cursory passport check, then our Hertz rental – a Toyota Corolla Verso, which is just like the Renault Scenic – a nice, new, mini-minivan. I went to the counter, said “Reservation pour Siebenheller, “ess-ee-uh-bay”, which is the French pronunciation of the first 4 letters.
The woman looked at my passport and said in English “Oh, you’re pronouncing it in French”. Then a glance at the driver’s license – “Oh, you’re from Colts Neck. I’m from Point Pleasant. I’m going there in a few weeks; I have a sister and a house there.” Small world.
Picked up some cash from an ATM, some sodas, and hit the road for our 1.5 hour drive, in 60 degree drizzle, to Chateau D’Oex.
The woman looked at my passport and said in English “Oh, you’re pronouncing it in French”. Then a glance at the driver’s license – “Oh, you’re from Colts Neck. I’m from Point Pleasant. I’m going there in a few weeks; I have a sister and a house there.” Small world.
Picked up some cash from an ATM, some sodas, and hit the road for our 1.5 hour drive, in 60 degree drizzle, to Chateau D’Oex.
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First stop, the Co-Op supermarket. First purchase, some L’Etivaz cheese, then about $80 worth of other groceries.
Next stop, the Tourist Office, where I met our house hostess Estelle Martin after a 10-minute wait. Picked up a couple of brochures, then followed her up the steep hill, past David Niven’s former home, to our chalet. |
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The chalet is on two floors, with 4 bedrooms up, and an open living-dining with small but functional kitchen down. You’d better like knotty pine, because you’re surrounded by it!
It’s not huge, like some of our prior rentals; it feels “just right”. The appliances are modern, and there are plenty of electrical outlets and 2 modern baths, one with skylight. The heating system is barely functional downstairs, and we need it since it’s 50 degrees in August! And the hot water is hot, hot, hot. But the highlight, and our reason for choosing the chalet, is the spectacular view across Chateau D’Oex to the rocky, jagged mountains across the valley. Even in the mist and rain it looks great. You can almost touch the mountains, which are covered in pines and large sloping fields, dotted with chalets and cows. With the clouds floating by at our level, it makes a spectacular vista, even in the rain. We decided to take a walk around Chateau D’Oex in the rain, and bought some bread and cheese for dinner. See the “Cheese Log” at the end of the diary. |
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By the time we got home, wet and exhausted, it was time for dinner. Jill made a very nice meal of Cat’s Eyes, string beans, and roasted fingerling potatoes with rosemary, Cat’s Eyes?!?!? Yes Cat’s Eyes. They looked really interesting at the butcher’s counter, but not what you think. They make Cat’s Eyes by taking a pork loin, cutting a slice in it, stuffing the slice with beef, leeks, and bacon, covering the whole with bacon, tying with string and cutting into cutlets. I asked the woman at the counter and they are best fried. They were great, and the bacon was real smokehouse stuff, not flavored artificially. Delicious!
Some Toblerone (which we now know is owned by Kraft), a little more wine (not as cheap as France), and we were in bed by 8:00. Kristen and I had had ½ hour naps earlier, Jill had not. Our bed is a very comfortable firm Queen, with view and balcony. Kristen has a twin with the same view and balcony. We passed out within minutes of hitting the pillow, under the fluffy duvets. Day 2 >>> |
