In Switzerland from Big Zurich and Chagall to Picturesqe Pontresina, horse and carriage, and back

I am planning a trip to Switzerland and a friend wants a group of us to stay at Pontresina, which is in the region of Zurich. Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland, although the government is in Bern which is called the capital.

I asked Gemini

 How far is it from Pontresina to St Moritz? Would anybody go the other way, from St Moritz to Ponstresina? 

Gemini told me:

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 The distance between Pontresina and St. Moritz is around 7 to 8 kilometers (about 4.5 to 5 miles). 

 By Car or Taxi: About a 10-minute drive. 

 By Train / Bus: Around 10–15 minutes on local public transit (or aboard the Bernina Express network). 

 On Foot: A scenic walk through the larch forests takes about 1.5 to 2 hours. People absolutely travel the other direction from St. Moritz to Pontresina.

 St. Moritz is a famous, glitzy resort town, while Pontresina is known as a quieter, traditional mountain village right at the base of the glaciers. 

 Why People Day-Trip from St. Moritz to Pontresina: 

1 Glacier Access: Pontresina is the gateway to the Morteratsch Glacier and the Diavolezza cable car, offering iconic alpine views and high-altitude glacier hiking. 

2 Hiking & Nature: Popular trails start near Pontresina, such as the panoramic hike from Muottas Muragl or walks into the car-free Val Roseg valley via horse-drawn carriage. 

3  Cultural Highlights: Visitors travel to see 

the Museum Alpin and 

the Alpine Dairy of Morteratsch to see traditional cheese-making in action. 

4  Atmosphere & Dining: People staying in high-end St. Moritz hotels often head into Pontresina for a more relaxed, rustic dinner or a quieter day away from the resort crowds.

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Picturesque Pontresina

Pontresina's main street has cobble-stoned pavements and patterned roads. The street is bordered by historical hotels and buildings with arched doorways, shuttered windows and high triangular gabled rooftops.

The Pontresina Tourist Board website sells, in addition to books and pictures, a key ring, mug, towel, deck chair, ski strap.

Val Roseg

The name Roseg has nothing to do with rose but is connected to the old word for a peak.

From the station you can take the scheduled hose drawn carriage shuttle up the car-free Val Roseg to the hotel at the end. 

Hotel Restaurant Roseg Gletscher

There is a once a morning bus to the hotel, and an afternoon return at 5 pm on request.

Look out for Swiss nut tart (made with walnuts) and Engaldiner tart.

Ruhezone (Quiet Zone)The Swiss law preserving quite places restricts traffic to the horse drawn shuttle and emergency vehicles and farmers. to keep the quiet atmosphere and protect wildlife and plants.

What about Zurich?

Zurich has an international airport. However, my husband and I are thinking of driving across Europe to meet up with a group of friends who go hiking in summer.

St Mortitz

Expensive and exclusive ski village. 

St Moritz Events

Snow polo takes place Jan 22-24 2027 on the frozen lake. Horses wear special shoes to stop them slipping and give good grip.

St Moritz Souvenirs

Candles, bottle, cap, clutches, prints, scarves, swim shorts, tee-shirts, towel, travel bottle, mug, vodka with snow polo label. If you like vodka, this one is made from local water. Whether or not you like vodka, the picture of snow polo on the label is a conversation opener.

Zurich

From the station go to the riverside promenade. At the far end is the uphill art museum. Famous classic and modern artists.

Cross the bridge to the other side for the church, big as a cathedral, containing the three tall colourful Chagall windows with biblical themes. Read Chagall's account of how he planned them.

South of Zurich, if you are driving that way is Lucerne. You could see its famous covered bridge with interior frescoes and chapel, driving to or from Zurich and Pontresina..

You can see from this map why the west of Switzerland bordering France is the French speaking region. To the south east  are Italy and the Italian speaking region. To the north East are Germany and Austria and the German speaking parts of Switzerland.

You can see from this map how St Moritz and Pontresina are near each other in the Engadin region, the eastern part of Graubunden (there should be a double dot above the second letter u).

This map shows you that Geneva and Lausanne are in the South West, Driving in an arc  clockwise you come to Bern, the 'capital', admin centre.Basel is the north west. Lucerne or Luzern in the middle, with Zurich to the north. Lugarno far south east near Italy.

Useful Websites (alphabetically by place name)

Covered bridge, Lucerne

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?search=luzern+covered+bridge&title=Special%3AMediaSearch&type=image

Pontresina

https://www.pontresina.ch/en/guide/accommodation/hotels/hotel-restaurant-roseg-gletscher

Pontresina/Engadin Accessories, clothing, prints.

https://booking.engadin.ch/en/souvenirs?merchant=131&page=5

St Moritz events

https://www.snowpolo-stmoritz.com/

St Moritz Souvenirs

https://booking.stmoritz.com/en/souvenirs?page=12Switzerland

https://cakieshq.com/recipe/engadiner-nusstorte-swiss-nu

Zurich

https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Zurich

https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-gb/accommodations/best-of-swiss-hotels/wine-hotels/

Heated Poncho

'Wearable blanket' heated poncho blanket, looks interesting. Variations are the colours which include beige, green or burgundy, and hooded versions.

https://modsluxe.com/products/wearable-electric-blanket-wrap-yourself-in-cozy-warmth?

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See the sketches of train passengers, Beauty World MRT

Singapore flag.

MRT near the Art Museum of Singapore.

Beauty World

See the sketches of train and bus passengers at Beauty World MRT station. They are on the wall of the long corridor from the ticket office concourse to the escalator up to the buses.

My drawing of a train passenger. I was able to do this fearlessly because his eyes were shut. Many people in Singapore shut their eyes on trains. An opportunity for you to draw them,

How appropriate, that a panel of artwork should be at Beauty World.

Travel Tips

Art shop in Singapore:  Overjoyed

https://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com/2018/11/overjoyed-at-overjoyed-art-supplies-shop.html

https://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com/2018/11/overjoyed-art-shop.html

National Art Gallery

https://www.nationalgallery.sg/visit

$20 for adults from overseas. Concessions. PR (Permanent Residents with NRIC identity card and citizens free.

Urban Sketchers of Singapore on Facebook

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/from-doodles-during-their-commute-to-artworks-at-train-stations-and-bus-interchanges

https://www.facebook.com/usksg/

https://www.lta.gov.sg/content/ltaweb/en/public-transport/mrt-and-lrt-trains/art-and-architecture/art-in-transit/gallery/dtl.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_MRT_(Singapore)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beauty_World_MRT_station

https://landtransportguru.net/beauty-world-station-art/

visitsingapore.com

Singapore Airlines: 

singaporeair.com

Author

Travel writer and photographer, Angela Lansbury 

Illustrator and caricaturist name shortened to Angella.

See my posts about artists on the train, artwork displayed at Beauty World MRT, Singapore.

Please bookmark and share your favourite posts.

Walk Along Wonderful Waterloo Street - Campers, Catholics, Cyclists, Dancers, Jews, and Cheap Chinese Food

So much to see and do here, something to interest everyone. 

Start from Bras Basah MRT station. A glass roof lets in light.

Upstairs, across the street is the Singapore Art Museum.

Even without going inside, you are treated to the view of a large sculpture.

A little further along the street is the wonderful old synagogue building.

High security here. But plenty to admire from outside.

Should you want kosher food, an Orthodox Sabbath or festival meal or to attend a service, phone them or write in advance. Security is tight.

Singapore has a second synagogue. The story goes that, like the Disraeli family in London, the VIP Jewish member had a difference of opinion. He built himself another synagogue next to his house around the corner and up the hill. (I first heard about this in the History Museum. I was also involved with  Friends of the Museum who had a research group, so I researched the Jewish community and went on a tour of the synagogues and saw the mikvah or ritual bath which has to have access to running water. if you are interested read up the history.

If you are just passing by admiring the building, notice the six-point star, known to Jews as the star of David and to Moslems as the shield of Solomon. If you want to brush up your Hebrew, use Duolingo. 

Look at this colourful building with its yellow, red, green and white and the exquisite rooftops. Plus some restful arches. You are now in the dance and drama area.

. . The sign at 51 Waterloo Street tells you that you can contact the Ballet Academy. How about the EV Dance or the Musicademy? If you don't have a guitar or never learned to play, there a A Cappella Society (singing without musical accompaniment). The Curious Thoughts Academy, or the Serendipity Centre. The Private Museum Ltd. The Campers' Corner Outdoor - outfitters  a regular shop.

If you want a quick way to recognize a Catholic church, they have the traditional, elaborate crucifixion with the body on the cross. Protestants simplify, with a bare cross.

Beside the church is the Catholic Centre containing an eating place.

Buildings alongside house the theatre and dance schools.

Next a camping shop. Backpacks, waist packs, hats, everything you need for your trip. 

If you are out of cash there's a pawn shop.

Then upstairs in an old-fashioned shopping centre with galleries, bicycle rental.

 Beyond this is a large hawker centre, outdoor and open to the air at the sides food court. The chicken rice stall has a good reputation and had a long queue. However, I wanted to eat with friends, so instead I ordered chicken with Indian bread, a paratha. My friend Susan told me that if I wanted to eat chicken rice, with less of a queue (Americans say line-up) I should come back midweek, not at a weekend.

Getting There
My route map on my phone tried to send me to another Waterloo street in east Singapore. Make sure you look for a specific building with a postcode, or the nearby MRT station.

Useful Websites
hellobicycle.com.sg
camperscorner.com.sg
visitsingapore.com
singaporeair.com

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

Gehry in Paris and Prague

Problem
Frank Gehry is a world-famous architect. I was first impressed by his waterside building in Bilboa, wave shape, or sail shape.
I thought about curves in architecture. Nineteen Fifties architecture worldwide, both UK and China was oblong blocks. I like curves, curved walls, curved balconies, curved rooftops. Curves have appeared in different forms through the centuries: gothic arches in cathedrals; domes; art deco in the nineteen thirties; Italic script; mosques.
Where can I see a Gehry Building? What else has he done?

Answer
Bilbao - Guggenheim Museum on the waterfront
Paris - Louis Vuitton Foundation for Creation - with art exhibition until February 2017.
Prague - Dancing House containing restaurant and hotel overlooking river and hilltop castle on the other side.
Spain - hotel in the north in the Rioja region
Others in France, (Disneyland, Paris), Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, Hong, Kong, Australia. Many more buildings in the USA.

Story
A friend told me about her birthday trip to Paris when she visited a new Gehry building. When I saw the picture of it my interest increased a hundred fold. I thought of the old saying, a picture is worth a thousand words.



My friend put her picture of the museum she visited in a book celebrating her birthday trip to Paris.

Here's my picture of the Dancing House. See also my previous post on the Dancing House.


Tips
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_works_by_Frank_G…

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
Please share my posts.

2016 - Summer Olympics in Rio

What's New In Rio?
If you've ever wanted to visit Rio,  in Brazil, 2016 is the year to go. The city is preparing for the summer Olympics. The Museum of Tomorrow is already in place. You can see the outside and the inside. If you can't get there, yet, look at the BBC video.

Another attraction is the Arts Museum. Not to be confused with several other arts museums, such as the museum of modern art. The site comes up in Spanish but there's an icon which says ENGLISH.

New Attractions for 2015-2016
1 Museum of Tomorrow
2 Art Museum

Traditional Attractions
1 Christ The Redeemer Statue

Background
Rio de janeiro means river of January.

Museum of Tomorrow websites
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-35119145
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/dec/17/museum-of-tomorrow-rio-de-janeiro-brazil-sustainability

Art Museum
http://www.museudeartedorio.org.br/en

Rio Tourism websites
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attractions-g303506-Activities-Rio_de_Janeiro_State_of_Rio_de_Janeiro.html

(Post being researched. Come back later.)

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer.