Swiss McDonalds

I haven't yet visited a Swiss McDonalds, so I don't know their prices. 

I can report that unleaded gas is CHF 1.58/liter, which corresponds to $7.32/gallon.

Home construction

This new building is going up on the hill by our grocery store. This is typical Swiss construction: the exterior 

and interior walls are made of orange ceramic-y brick, which explains why we had such a hard time

hanging art in our apartment.

Bulgari bus stop

One of the goofier examples of these posters at the bus stop in front of the Bulgari building.

Stop à la bureaucratie absurde!

"Stop the absurd bureaucracy for the love of Switzerland."

I photographed this sign in the Val-de-Ruz, but now I've seen it around Neuchâtel as well. It's sponsored
by the PLR, the fourth largest party in the Federal Assembly.

Holsteins

A day in the Swiss countryside is a day spent near cows. The lady on the right was having a tough time with flies.

Llama

We met an inquisitive llama on our ride in the Val-de-Ruz.

Fancy house

We both admired the decorative woodwork on this house in the Val-de-Ruz.

Val-de-Ruz

A view of the valley. Each of the little clusters of homes is a separate town.

Self-serve potatoes

A self-service potato dispenser in the Val-de-Ruz. 5 kilos of new potatoes for 5 Swiss francs.

Euphoria

Back to Switzerland.
Zak and I encountered this unusual art installation "Euphoria" while riding bikes around the Val-de-Ruz,
which is the valley just over the hills behind Neuchâtel. There were 20+ mannequins painted black or gold
in a field of poppies and other wildflowers.

Breakfast in Nikko

A traditional breakfast at our ryokan in Nikko consisted of rice, miso soup, fish, an egg, and various pickled vegetables and fruits.

Nikko

An elaborately carved wooden wall which part of the shrine and mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieyasu in Nikko.

Maiko

Maiko are apprentice geishas. My friend Shuku and I encountered these two in Kyoto near Kiyomizu-dera.

Shinto prayers

Wooden prayer plaques at Kiyomizu-dera in Kyoto.

Kyoto garden

The sculpted-sand garden of Kyoto's Ginkaku-ji.

Kanazawa garden

Kenroku-en in Kanazawa is considered to be one of the three great gardens of Japan.

Nagoya dawn

The view from our hotel room around 5 a.m., our first morning in Nagoya.

Tsumago

A view over rice fields of Tsumago from near our lodgings.

Japan again: Matsumoto

It's that time of year, and I'm ready to be back in Japan. This week, a few photos from our trip in August, 2007.
I took lots of photos of beautiful manhole covers that year. This one is in Matsumoto, and represents one of
their local crafts: decorative balls covered with silk thread.
Matsumoto is near Nagano, where the Winter Olympics were held in 1998.

Stopper l'immigration massive!

This billboard went up in the place of last week's signs encouraging political participation. 

It's sponsored by the UDC, a conservative party with the most seats in Switzerland's Federal Assembly.

Lake view

A view of the landscape and Lake Neuchâtel from Bevaix, at the end of the Creux du Van hike.

Cow bells

The sounds of two fields of cows (and a little wind):

Cow

 

This cow licked Zak while he was photographing her.

Creux du Van

 

At the top of the hike.

Jurassic wildflower

Zak went for a hike with our friend, Paul, last Monday (Swiss National Day) to the Creux du Van.
He photographed these flowers along the way, which my Aunt Jeane has identified as Masterwort (Astrantia).

Swiss tacos

The menu at the only Mexican restaurant in town.

Vegetarian burrito: CHF 23.20

Soft corn tacos with beef: CHF 29.10

Shrimp fajitas: CHF 35.20 (about $46 at today's exchange rate)

Outrageous.

Elections posters

"Define the face of Switzerland."
These signs encouraging political participation are currently all over town.

Grapes (part three)

They're not fully sweet yet.

Saturday veggies

These veggies came from Vully, on Lake Morat/Murten.

Swiss National Day

Yesterday there was a large fireworks show over the lake in celebration of Swiss National Day.

Coco and friend

This man lives down the hill from us, and we often see him out walking his cat, Coco. We stopped and talked

with him on Saturday. He's 91 and Coco is 11.