Switzerland

Here I am once again stealing the Internet. I am sitting on the ground behind an apartment building a few yards away from the concert tent where they are performing tonight in Crans-Montana Switzerland. I think Park City/midway area were inspired by the resorts in Switzerland. The choir goes first and then the band for a 2 hour concert.

Today was a free morning. We got up and walked to a ski lift where we rode the tram up the mountain, figured out where we could take a 40 minute hike. I timed us and we were 55 with stops for pictures. The hike was a very narrow trail across the alps to another tram stop where we were trammed to the top, at the very top of the ski resort we played in the glacier and took two trams back to town, and walked 20 minutes to out hotel. We were the only ones to go on the whole adventure. I was the one to pick up the hiking map and ask 3 different workers... painters if we were going the right way. Janell, Nicole, Megan and I went. On the trail we met a couple coming from our destination. I asked how long... he said 2 hours. I said what?! It should be 10 minutes. He said for him it was but for Americans (He was from Zermot- tomorrow's destination)it was 2 hours, it was just around the bend. There was one spot we had to descend that had a lovely rope for us to use and it was much needed. We felt like we had the true adventure. Our group had 4 and a group of 8 followed us but their bus left earlier than ours so they had to skip the glacier.

We then went to a medieval castle along Lake Geneva where Lord Chillton wrote his famous castle dungeon poem. Truly cool to hear and see medieval traditions.... did you know that clinking glasses started in medieval times? They had metal cups and the liquid was supposed to spill into others cups so you knew the drink was safe, you wouldn't be poisoned. The fork was invented later so the fancy collars could get bigger and you could still eat. Hands are to be seen at all times in Europe while eating so your enemies can keep an eye on you and when you traveled you brought your own trunk which was your own chair so you literally sat on your jewels. Cool stuff. We then walked along Lake Geneva and had 1.5 hours to walk 40 min so Janell and I took our shoes off and sat at the lakes edge watching people swim.....We had our Switzerland concert in the evening with a fondue party. Here they invented fondue and it is just cheese and bread. Americans have made it fancy fyi.

Paris

Janell and Megan at the Paris Opera house- the inspiration for Phantom of the Opera.

Louvre headset tour at the Mona Lisa

Guess how many steps to the second landing about an inch over hour heads? about 42 stories tall. We climbed it and took an elevator the rest of the way to the top. We were told we had just enough time to go to the top, then right after I bought my tickets we were told we didn't have time. We noticed a staff member going so we went with them and guess who was on top with us? the one that told us we couldn't go........

Arc de Truimph, Notre Damme

At the Luxembourg park Janell is shoveling down a chocolate crepe before the concert. A record crowd attended the concert about 300 people.

Janae and Janell in Europe

Here we are in Europe. Janell is on a music trip with Utah Ambassadors of Music. I am a chaperon.

We flew on Delta and they had free Internet so I used my lap top and sent a few emails before my battery went low. In England we saw the usuals... Tower of London, British Museum, Victoria and Albert, etc. They had a concert at Embankment Park and had a outdoor packed crowd. Apparently this is the same core that went to Caleb's concert including a guy in red boxer shorts and mostly old English gentlemen. Passers by stopped and stayed for the concert. Some danced in the isles. One English Gentleman got out of his seat and parked himself right in front of me in the isle. He took out a black tape recorder in it's original box and was recording the concert. Then he got out his old vivitar camera from it's original box and took some pictures and went back to his place.

After the concert I spoke to him. He had a sheet of paper he had copied off from the Internet about Utah facts so he went over why do we have a trash bird for our state bird and do Mormon's believe in war? It was good.

We have taken Lauren's advice and bought Crepes everywhere they are found.....ummmmm

We took a ferry across the English Channel to Paris and went to the Louvre, Paris opera house(the site that inspired Phantom), a small village and took a boat ride down the seine river. Tomorrow we have another concert in a park. At the Louvre I stepped out of line and bought headset tours for Janell and her friends so we could zip around to the important stuff. It was perfect. Who knows if we will have Internet at our other destinations. We do London, Paris, Switzerland, Austria, Venice, Germany. I can't work the spell checker... sorry

The Mothers day awning brought to you by Amazon Women

For Mothers day 2007 Kay started an awning for me. He came home from Omaha this week (2009) and got all enthused so he built it. He put it together, we painted it, then he assured us women of the house we could help him put it up. Just as we were moving the heavy wooden frame, Janell got a birthday visit from her YW leaders and some house guests of one. The bishop's wife was the true Amazon woman offering to get up on the roof. (picture l-r Erin, Lauren,Karen, Kay).

Janell at the ladder moving her part of the awning over.

We were so happy to be rescued and helped. Just in time.... tender Mercy? I think so... Karen Wynn and I decided if we ever have to evacuate we need to be on the same team. Her husband can fix people (physician) and mine can fix things (engineer).

College world Series in Omaha (CWS)

For fun I bought Kay some College World Series tickets. They are pretty cheap and the College World series (CWS) is in Omaha every June. He went to one game with Rachael's family (see Rachael's blog) without me and we went to the final three games where Texas (we were rooting for) and Louisiana State University (LSU) were playing. Two games were in sweltering heat with the heat index reaching 107 degrees F. and one of the games was delayed for 2 hours while we waited for a torrential rain storm to pass.

The funnest was the one that Texas won after the storm. Lauren and I were there an hour and a half early to save some seats in the general admission section. The tickets were sold in books of 10 for 70 dollars. There were huge lines but it seemed everyone got in. It started raining and the torrential rain started when Kay arrived at 5:15. He told me to get cover and he was going to get front row seats. The stadium looked like the game was hours away instead of minutes. There were a few die hards saving their seats. Kay and Lauren sat through the wind gusts of 60 MPH and the pelting rain the whole time while I was in the limited shelter of the eating area surrounded by all the other fans. We were shivering and wind whipped under cover. The game started at 7:45, delayed just under 2 hours.

When the rain stopped. Soaking wet Lauren and Kay had held the front row seats in center left field, right with the rowdy student Texas section. We had a great time with them in the family friendly venue. Any swearing and you were warned and kicked out. No alcohol... , this was great family fun. Lots of families go and don't follow teams, they just like the family friendly environment. Kay and Lauren never did dry out and I kept getting the sides of me wet during the game when I brushed up next to them. Good thing is was summer. Our team lost but oh well. As the vendors came up and down the isles during the game it seemed funny how cold things look so good on one day and hot things the next. Kay brought a garbage bag for our cameras and purses. That was a smart thing to do!

I guess I should say Janell is at EFY- camp for the week

Grandpa Kay and the twins

Kay was home for a week and got aquainted with the twins.

Alice on the left and Claire on the right almost 9 months old