Day 11: Up From Ottovan/Taschalp

 The path up from Ottovan/Taschalp goes through a meadow as it climbs out of the Taschbach valley back to the main Mattertal valley.

The Taschbach valley looking west to the Mattertal.

Rock Slide Area of the Europaweg

The Europaweg is a high trail along the east side of the Mattertal Valley, 2,000 - 2,200 meters.  The whole area is unstable and prone to rock slides.  Portions are closed and rerouted.  Here is a Swiss website for the Europweg:  http://www.europaweg.ch

Below, Alan stands under a rockfall protection ledge.  

Looking west across the Mattertal valley above.

Below, a natural garden has formed under one of the log steps of the trail.

People on Europaweg Trail; Last Two Days

 Ursula, present owner of the Europaweghut in Ottovan/Taschalp above the Mattertal.

American and Norwegian hiking team, above.
To the right, Alan, Svetlana from Israel  and Cyane.

Alphorn practise as we came into Graechen in the Mattertal, last stop.

Zurich Sights

Looking south out of the loft where we stayed.
Building cranes are frequent.

Interior of the loft.

Cafe Odeon in downtown Zurich just celebrated 100 years of business.  Zurich never got rid of the streetcars that many cities had early in the 1900's; they are an important part of the public transit system today.  Overhead wires visible in the photo to left.  
 Switzerland has a history of great poster art and graphic design.  Below is a 1920 poster from the Cafe Odeon.

Zurich Meals

 Dahlias and pizza.

Brie, Proscuitto and Melon.

 Quiche and salad, above.

Fried things at Cafe Odeon.

Ufenau, Sacred Island in the Sea of Zurich

Ufenau was settled very early, with a church already in Roman times.  Website http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ufenau
Christian missionaries came from Ireland to convert the area.
The island was owned by Regenlinda, wife of the Duke of Swabia until her death in 958.  She and her son, the monk Adelrich are buried there.  
Ufenau was given by Emporer Otto in 965 to the Abbey of Eisedeln.
Below, the church of St Peter and Paul and the Chapel of St Martin.

The only way to get to Ufenau is by boat.  Ferries service both shores of the Lake of Zurich and come often.

Einseideln still owns the island.
Development plans were thwarted and the island is, at least for now, under conservation easements.

Schaffhausen Switzerland Museum zu Allerheiligen, Swiss Artists

Schaffhausen Switzerland is on the Rhine River, surrounded by Germany.
The Museum zu Allerheiligen there is in a former Benedictine monastery founded in 1049.
Images below of some displayed Swiss artists; these particular ones tend toward Realism.

Albert Anker:  1831 - 1910
Swiss artist who trained and spent much of his life in Paris.
A romantic realist with excellent technical skills, he specialized in portraits and children.

1865:  The Writing Lesson

 1901:  Self Portrait      This is the last oil painting that Anker was able to do.  A stroke in 1901 partially paralyzed his hands, and after that he was only able to do watercolors.

Ferdnand Hodler:  1853 - 1918  The Woodcutter, 1910
One of the great Swiss artists.

Felix Valloton:  1865 - 1925  Oranges and Myosotis, 1914

Adolph Dietrich:  1877 - 1957
A self-taught primitive, Adolph Dietrich stood outside of the mainstream and did his own work. In the image below of oil on wood, Dietrich uses the grain of the wood in the design.

 1941 Untersee bei Berlingen

1936  Still Life with Radish

Flight Home: Clouds,Smog, Ice Sheet

 Clouds (and brown haze) over Zurich Switzerland

 The coast of Iceland near Reykavik is actually tinged green from moss and plants.

The three shot series below shows the Greenland ice sheet.  First is an approach from the east, with drainage into fjords that flow southeast - and still have icebergs floating in them.  The middle picture depicts the central part of the Greenland ice sheet, with mountaintops sticking up above the massive glacier.  The last shot is heading off the coast of Greenland, where drainage fjords are now flowing southwest from the ice sheet toward the sea.

Approach to New York along the south shore of Long Island, the sunset and pollution combine to create a yellow-brown glow.

Evening Sky Rose and Blue with Storm Clouds Forming

The clouds above form when tornado, storm or extreme weather conditions are present.
They are named Mammatus or Breast Clouds but I call them Baby Bottom Clouds.
To find out more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mammatus_cloud

Full Moon in June