21.8.15 - Appenzeller

The Appenzeller region is the heart of the Switzerland, land of cheese, beer, mountains and mountaineering. Very typical!The National Geographic cover photo is of the region and, therefore, nothing better than coming to see it before the mass influx of tourists.So, I carried the Monte Campo with water, sandwiches and fruit, prepared bats and leggings and made me the way, having as target the mythical Wildkirchli. 
To get there, first by car, I drove one of those roads that I love the Alps, in the middle of the green, going up the mountain between hills and cliffs, curve against curve. Those roads which, if it were a race car was able to ear the echo of the engine, gearbox, tires, for kilometers and kilometers.
 Passing the village of Appenzeller, access to Wildkirchli is where the road ends, where it ends, also, the railroad and has the teleski station. From that point, for me, was always walking. 
Among the many routes to choose, after some time chating with a lady who took Mary, who shouldn`t have more than 3 years, touring the mountain, I chose what seemed to me more beautiful and easy. 
Crossing a river with several cows for company, even with asphalt road but prohibited the car, I started to rise, and rise and rise. So much so that he had only been half a dozen meters and was already stretching bats to help me them; so much so that even a small fork that was less than 600 meters from where I started walking had stopped three times. 
That fork had two possibilities: either moved on to the lake and towards Santis - four hours walk - or, turn right towards Ascher and Wildkirchli. I opted for the second.At this point the asphalt disappeared and the walk was along a narrow path, where only fit a person and as a constant ascent. Stone by stone, meter by meter, in effort and without having a small resting point. Imagine climbing a ski slope without the seats. Imagine climb those remote sites where the teleski the poles are installed. That's about it without poles.As I climbed the landscape was becoming different: what began as the base of trees, "quickly" became a sight for them, the cows have only heard in the distance and the birds of prey is to be felt.On the way in the opposite direction, down, many people, many highly equipped walkers, alone or in family, with infants - or backpack childs - and conveying the idea that for the Swiss contact with nature, seeing her, exploit it, it is a national sport.Toward the top of the mountain, where there is no vegetation and the yellow of the stone takes place, I hear the bleating of a sheep. I look ahead, and inside a small fence, there they were. Later the same with rabbits. Beautiful, fat.A few meters ahead, Ascher and characteristic restaurant / mountain retreat built into the rock.It was crowded and it was difficult to find a place to sit. First five minutes I shared table with a beautiful Estonian who told me that the food at that place was very good.Thus, besides the traditional beer Appenzeller wheat, I asked no less traditional cheese Routti: fried potato sticks with melted cheese, herbs and pepper. 
However the Estonian went away and gave place to Luana, to Nadine and Deniz. Three Swiss youths, very very nice - we have the promise we find ourselves in the near future - who, like me, decided to come see Wildkirchli before the demand of tourists approaching.
 Lunch was lively with conversations about travel and Appenzeller history. Either we proceed together the rest of the afternoon.Before going down even I went to see a cave which has an altar and celebrate Mass: Wildkirchli.
 On the descent I bumped me with more people going up and visited homes of farmers who sold cheese produced by its imposing cows.With my new friends, before reaching the mountain's base, stick up a Swiss tradition: drink a wine and eat a pie made with macerated pear. Well good, those moments for later recall because instead of glasses, drank wine in coffee cups with saucers and everything. 
On the way back, a short stop in Appenzeller brewery to sample the local flavors.

20.8.15 - St Gallen | Konstanz | Bregenz | Feldkirch | Eschen | St Gallen

Arrived from Australia two days ago, life goes on.Yesterday Ana and João went to their jobs, Carmen went to London and I went to Zurich with Zio. At this time the Zio is already home and I'm still in Switzerland.Life goes on and adventures as well. After being in a country where, to see a third, would have to travel more than 8000 kilometers; now I only need only 30 minutes to be in 4 different countries.So the day started to go to St Gallen to the shores of Lake Bodensee. A mass of peaceful water, light blue, huge, touching three countries: Switzerland, Germany and Austria.In the distance, looked at the lake, I could see sails, many, most white and some colored. Sailboats and other recreational regatta, fast, able to tear up the water and make the union of the three states in seconds.The road to Konstanz in Germany, came with scalloped margins and crosses some fancy places. Rolls Royce and Ferraris crossed me, I passed a stand that had a Alfa Romeo 155 DTM and more eccentric, a tank; it is a joke, it was a tank but led by Swiss troops.Reached Konstanz I came across a typical German city - or Austria or Northern Italy - which in addition to traditional buildings, the city center is experienced by people with high street shopping and proximity, not seeing large surfaces. Note that in addition to the beauty of the city that enters the water, there is economic and nature sustainability .Konstanz follow to Bregenz, across the lake in Austria. Halfway I stopped at a Lidl to buy bread, sausage and drinks for lunch: I felt at home.Bregenz is smaller than Konstanz but also beautiful and focusing capability that gives you the Bodensee, the economic and tourism level. I went through the city, went to see the sales in designer shops and author of clothes.In the afternoon I went to Feldkirch.A very cozy village, much dolls style houses, entrenched between mountains, crossed by a river.With the sun lie on the horizon was time to go to Eschen, in Lichenstein, get the car owner to get back to St Gallen.In a few minutes, four countries. I love Europe!

30.7.15 - Zurich | Doha

Compress bags and, with the whole group together - I came from Portugal, Zio from Spain, the Carmen from England and Ana and João were already in Switzerland - started the trip.First destination: Doha.Doha is halfway to Singapore and had to make scale in the Qatari capital.Until then, a "global" plane, full of Indians, bearded Arabs, women's burqa and Western tourists, spent hours watching movies, eating and drinking.I started with Sean Penn and Javier Barden in The Gun Man, then reviewed the Grand Budapest Hotel and the Simpsons. Among gin, red wine, brandy and beer, ate a steamed beef and rice pine nuts, plus a considerable amount of chocolate that Qatar Airlines was offering.Doha at night and air view, is a city of skyscrapers lit skies, the best city-state style. Also, I'm in the land of them! Eight hours at the airport, after strolling through Bentley, McLaren and MV Agusta, have gone to some fancy stores and loung of Oneworld, already find myself in flight boarding gate bound for Singapore.See you!

29.7.15 - Porto | Zurich

Sleep deprivation, work hard: get everything ready in Loba to 25 days of absence from the country not to be felt.Pack, push the clothes inside. Let the fins but I put enough t-shirts for so long. Half of the trip is with harsh winter. The other half is hot summer.Liquid Image cameras and Hama accessories, are in Monte Campo. All conditioning. All compartmentalized.Domingos took me to the airport and Agência Paraíso, as always, did a fantastic job. After a few minutes I was on the plane, without having bought a book by Tolstoy - Death of Ivan Ilyich, I Le Carré latest in Le Carré book but they don´t have it - and a green Moleskine that will be the travel diary.The TAP flight to Zurich ran normally. As queue companions had a very fine and fancy couple, very nice: she was blonde with blue eyes, from switzerland; he Azorean, from Flores, son of Angola and with a great hair like a reggea artist.At this time the Aussie Connection is gathered in St. Gallen: barbecue, Super Bock and Gazela.My suitcase must be reduced and I`ll have to wash clothes in the middle of the trip, I have to buy some stick for trekking and forgot my pajamas - yes Mother! a drama that I have since the mid 90`s, with pajamas bought in all over the place.The great adventure has began: Australia here we go!

Time to plan

It's Friday and I´m leaving Loba office.
A few days ago I returned from tour in Germany, Denmark and Sweden, and barely made it, I felt like packing up and leaving for another adventure.
Yes, I know that may not be so, no time or money for everything but if I could ...
With everything set up for August: Singapore, Australia and a few days in Switzerland, we must consider what to do before and after.
At weekend I`ll see maps, analyze hostels, airline and motorcycle rental prices.
I`ll brood, or consider to be more correct for, in principle, take the wisest decision.
On discussion are two ways: Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary and Slovenia, on motorbike, alone. Jumping cities, knowing what we have to know in a breakneck pace.
Or part of  Camiño de Santiago, Via del Plata. Several days walking by Spain, knowing who passes thought in life, the way forward in Camiño. Here in group. But what group?
If it were you, what would you prefer?

14.2.15 - Glacier 3000

Postcard: a cozy village with cottages, caricatured shops, friendly people and a train that breaks slowly up the mountain. This is Villars, one of the locations hosting the resort that we chose to "attack" the Glacier 3000.
Unfortunately the Glacier 3000, due to heavy fog and snow, was closed. So I, Pi and Luca - an Italian friend -, to this resort with over 100 km of area, established as a strategy passing the maximum possible clues linking the three villages: Villars, Gryon and Les Diablerés.

With the sun peeking through the clouds and a deep snow, skied by excellent tracks, drawn through the various hills and valleys that make up the domain. We walked for wide and narrow lanes, more or less inclined.
Villars, went down by high speed slalom track that was mounted to a championship.
DeVillars for Les Diablerés, crosses a huge valley in teleski to then delicious clues for its curves and slopes take us to the village.
Access to Gryon was out for a sly track, very narrow and rough, I lost a stick and forced a walk that was not in the plans.
I saw many blind skiing with a guide. Heard the voice of command and there followed him down the mountain, at an average and not bother anyone speed. I noticed they had practice and, above all, attitude.
The final descent to the car, was to follow the line walks iron, crossing the tunnels and bridges, relaxing and enjoying the scenery.

13.2.15 - Bugnenets-Savagnières

Just 30 minutes from Neuchatel, at the Jura mountains in the Swiss Alps, I found the resort  which the Swiss champion Didier Cuche trained.
It isn`t a typical Swiss fancy resort and is far from comfortable. It has a restaurant and a coffee lost in the middle of a track. Could hardly find a place to rent skis and as mechanical, contain only teleski without chair. In the middle of the tracks, one barn and its friendly inhabitants: cows.
The man who rented skis, typical local, said the snow was hard, not being the best. I agree; but here we see that he was born to skiing and did not have to go to icy slopes and shaved tracks in Spain or, much less, go with a plastic bag for Serra da Estrela!
Bugnenets-Savagnières is a resort of pure downhill, with very very very fast tracks, of medium width, and with many bumps and tight corners, testing all the skier expertise. To get an idea, is only 30 km skiable but these, 20 km were of black and red slopes!
Cuche posters are all over the place, noting that the hill produces champions; and saw several kids to train for, maybe one day, be the Swiss representatives in the world downhill.
There is no aprés-ski but a bifurcation between a black track and two red enjoyed, a terrace, a reinvigorating sun, a vegetable soup, fries and a beer. A snack that cost only 17 euros!
A resort for those who like to ski, move quickly, without looking at the luxuries. A beautiful resort with a fantastic view at the top.

19.1.15 - Vaduz | Rapperswil | Zürich

Cold and sun at Lichtenstein to beginning a journey that, in a short space and time, would make me cross two countries, linking Vaduz - Lichenstein capital - to Zürich, Switzerland.
Some say that Vaduz is the most uninteresting capital of Europe. I fully agree. In the country - and in the capital, confusing one thing to another - breathes well-being and economic strength but it's all very grey. There is nothing apart from good homes and cars of the upper middle class.
Hill climbing to the castle by a dizzying road, close and felt like doing at high speed. "If it was Porsche," I thought ... And is not that past ten seconds had a roar of a boxer engine behind me ?! Shame not go at that Stuttgart wheel.
Then I headed to Zürich, choosing a national road: what wonder, what joy to view and mind.
The road followed the whole mountain, an up and down through icy hills, trees with ice stalactites, streams, people using the horse as a means of transportation and other with ski-background. A landscape of the more bucolic and endearing that may exist. How would say my Brazilian friends, amei.
Until Rapperswil stopped in several villages to take pictures because I wanted to keep track of everything of this.
After that the landscape has changed and came the big lake. What a feeling! All so clear, body & soul purifier.
In Rapperswil stopped the car and walked across the lake. I saw ducks, herons and woodcocks. Nature is present in the cities, not leaving invade, creating a perfect set.
The reach Zürich, the banks of the lake, I began to realize how fancy the city would be: dream homes, Ferrari stands, Porsche, Bentley, Jaguar, Aston Martin.
The town itself, after this cold and European California bath



, showed up in all its magnitude.
Zürich is a fantastic city, a bastion of European traditions in the financial world and this is reflected in the buildings, in culture, in stores, in people.
I walked by the lake and the old town. I went up to the uptown and down saw Wasserkiche.
I hope to return!