Where will life lead me?: 9/17/11 Swiss Border

Believe it or not, I actually did wake up on time despite only 3 and a half hours of sleep. This was not good planning on my part, but I did it. So, I woke up at 4 am rushed to get ready and walk my happy butt over to the other side of base. I knew I wasn't going to be able to take the short cut since it would be locked up, but wasn't sure how long it would take me the other way, so I had to leave no later than 4:15. Ok, that part, I messed up because I didn't get out of the room until 4:20. Luckily, I could cut through my schools campus which cut off a little of the distance, but I was still worried I would take too long. How silly of me. I was rushing along trying to make sure I would get there in time and I ended up being 20 minutes early. I swear sometimes I am such a dork!

So, needless to say, once we got on the bus, I went back to sleep. Not like there was anything to see at 5 am anyway. It wasn't the most comfy nap I have ever taken, but it could have been much worse. I knew I had about two hours before we would be stopping for a traditional German breakfast, as the tour guide put it...so I just hope I didn't snore any (seems even if you don't normally snore, if you are exhausted you just might...I don't think I did though, because I didn't wake myself up LOL) Anyway, I was deep in sleep when the tour guides New Hampshire accent comes through loud and clear saying we needed to wake up. We pull into this rest stop restaurant that was completely different than the ones we had stopped at for other tours. This one seemed to be really clean (not that the others weren't) and had all sorts of items. We of course had a specific breakfast (it was part of the tour)...typical German breakfast; a croissant, a roll, some jelly, some meat, some cheese, coffee, tea, or hot chocolate.

After breakfast, we got back on the bus to complete our first leg of our trip; to the Island Mainau (pronounced My Now). I of course snoozed a bit more, but once did take a few pictures on the way once I woke up.

By about 10 am (I think that is when we got there) we made it to Lake Constance (known as Bodensee). This is Central Europe's second largest freshwater lake and is bordered by Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. It also happens to be the home of the Island of Mainau (the flower island). The island has a palace, a beautiful chapel, a greenhouse that keeps being expanded upward to make room for the trees growing in it, beautiful flowers, and the largest butterfly house in Europe (among other things).I know this is one spot that at least a few people will want to see when they come to visit.

A Swiss cross. Looters during the 1500's attempted to steal it off the island but it was so heavy that they gave up and it has been in place in the lake since then.

This was our tour guide, Susanne

the Italian fountain

Looking down from the top of the Italian fountain.

The Palace residents used to like to use this patio area for sunbathing...au natural

side view of the palace and that green house that keeps getting a new roof to make it taller to meet the needs of the trees growing within it.

the ceiling in the chapel

this is one of the door handles on the doors for the chapel

the front of the palace. Although most people would never have a chance to stay in this palace, those that win the Nobel Prize do get to stay for a few nights. Hmmm wonder what I can do to get a Nobel Prize. Obviously, looking at the recent history of the prize, it can't be that difficult (considering some who have gotten it and for what?)

a peacock strolling around the grounds.

Talk about craziness...they have cigarette machines out in public...ok, it's the individual persons choice if they smoke or not, but they have these machines out on the streets in Germany too. I was surprised to see one here, but I guess they are ok with it.

These tables are so cool...down the center of the table is a planter filled with flowers.

when you put all the tables together on a patio, with all that planter area on the tops, its like a see of flowers while you eat.

part of what is left of the city wall on the island

a carriage carrying a bride and her father on their way to the wedding.

This would be a lovely place to have a wedding. It is a beautiful island. The Island of Flowers...the Island of Mainau

The butterfly house on Mainau. There are approximately 80 species of butterflies in the house from all over the world. The butterfly house is kept at 90% humidity and temperatures between 25°C and 30°C. All of the butterflies are real and alive and quite often will land on you.Along with the butterflies, there are all sorts of lovely flowers, especially orchids, and other tropical, lush plants. It is definitely humid in the building though...but the sights inside the building make the dewiness on your skin well worth it.

Look at the wings on this butterfly...other than the white and brown areas, they are translucent.

This butterfly is somewhat deceptive...or the picture is at least. This butterfly was clear up on the roof of the butterfly house. This picture was taken with zoom. So if you look at the picture below, you can see how far apart the beams on the ceiling are...then look at the picture above, again, and you will start to see how large this butterfly is. I would guess it was at least a foot wide.

Yummy afternoon snack at the butterfly house. Orange Kuchen

part of the kids play area (its a huge and fun play area)

back of the swiss cross (the front is below)

Beer on the bus...this one was a grapefruit beer. Interesting...not quite like the orange beers from Old Chicago, but interesting. And tasty after a walk around the island on a hot day.

This is going into Switzerland.

interesting little bus, I would guess its a tour bus of some kind

Stein am Rhein. This is a neat little town where they have created historical tales in the form of murals on many of the buildings.

These manhole covers are St. George and the dragon.

This was on a church in town. Each of the four corners of the church tower has a dragons head.

As with most of these little villages, their fountains aren't just for looking at, people use them to get a drink.

I am not sure you can see what all is going on in these windows. but there is a bird in the house in a birdcage, but there are birds on the window sill as well and there is a cat in the window too...quite the lively house I have a feeling.

This is castle Hohenklingen, it is on a hill above Stein am Rhein

Then it was off to Schaffhausen to go to the the most powerful waterfalls in Europe. Above the fall, the river is more than 500 feet wide. The then rounds a curve and narrows as it passes by some huge rocks and then plunges 70 feet into the river basin.

If you click on the picture it should enlarge enough to see the stairs that go from the base of the rock to the very top (flag is there)...this is the observation deck.