Maxima Park run, Utrecht, South Holland

After returning from Zurich yesterday there was no time to rest! Our second race this month was happening with or without us and of course we wanted to be there! 

Maxima Park, Utrecht

So Sunday morning rolled around and we figured out directions to Maxima Park in the heart of Leische Rijin, a small reasonably new settlement west of Utrecht city, but still within the Utrecht province. 

We had signed up to this race quite a few weeks back, enticed by their beautifully coloured website. In fact there were two races in the programme that Kara really wanted to do but in the end we chose the longer 15km - the race of the Romans! 

Well we thought we would have been ready by the end of May when we initially signed up but as of that morning neither of us had yet run 15km; so keeping things light and fun we were aiming to just finish. 

A cherry coloured band playing in the ran for the racers

As Utrecht isn't far out of Amsterdam we were able to have a little sleep in, but not much. We traced out our route and arrived two hours ahead of the scheduled start time. This gave us ample opportunity to pick up our racing bibs and check out a little section of the huge 45 hectare park. 

It was relatively recently (just in 2002 in fact) that when preparing land for new subdivisions and housing that surveyors discovered an ancient military road and Roman watch towers which date back to the mid-first century. It's believed that the paths were reconstructed from stone in the second half of the second or first half of the third century based on archeological evidence. The original wooden towers may have been part of a large building project of the Roman general who around that time held the ancient Roman fort, Traiectum (now the city of Utrecht). 

Two women setting up camp

Some Romans leaving their stuff lying about

John checking out the Roman camps

Among the other recent discoveries are two large barges, which were strangely very well preserved. The first one, 25 meters long, was made of local wood. The second ship is even larger (35 meters) but has not been excavated yet. Yet it seems that it was deliberately sunk to fortify the riverbank that runs through the big park, a not uncommon practice, and although they weren't by the starting line we hoped that we might race by them. As we gathered our bearings it seemed that even the looming thunderstorm and dark clouds couldn't dampen the festival-like spirit.

There were kids and families everywhere, Roman-themed warriors mingled between runners and a brightly coloured band beat their music at a deafening racket. Everyone felt excited, it's hard to beat the atmosphere at a race event. Especially one that had gone to so much effort to make the emphasis the significance of the park!

Race stage

Pre-race faces

Soon enough we were lining up and getting ready to start, boom we were off! Through the park we ran, and ran, and ran. Then we ran some more! And then ran more! Past baby swans looking around in the grass for grubs, past lakes and open green grasslands, past villas with black and red shutters over their windows. We really pounded out the run while the skies opened every ten minutes to cool us down.

Getting a sneak peak at the medals

AND first one finished!

Kara making a great finish! 

Kara with her medal

By the time we finished we were sore all over and hobbled to the car, with our heavy gold medals dangling from our necks. Visiting Maxima park was a great little outing and when the sun shines we would love to go back for a picnic one time.

Tot siens,

John and Kara

Zurich, Switzerland

Exploring old town, Zurich

Swiss flags along the streets

We quickly raced from our business hotel in Kloten to the train station a mere hundred meters from the door. We didn't want to be late and miss our dinner reservation at Raclette Stube one of Zurich's famed fondue restaurants. 

Zurich central station

With the city's reputation of being so clean and efficient we doubted that the train would be late. 

John had been attending a work training in the Swiss city and after several warm and sunny days inside he was ready to get exploring! 

Kara had been spending the last few days leisuring about lake Zurich soaking in the sights, climbing mountains, wandering through forests and the like.

So with our day passes validated we boarded the two-storied train and chugged into Zurich's city centre knowing all too well we were about to blow our week's food bill on one amazing cheesy experience. 

Zurich over the Limmat river

View of the Grossmunster

St Peter over the Limmat

Zurich is a very old city and a very expensive city. Although it's very easy to get caught up in its rich history dating back to the Neolithic and Bronze Age, Zurich also has a mass of some of Europe's wealthiest citizens and along with them come the inflated prices. 

Money, money, money, it’s a rich man’s world. 

View over Uraniastrasse

Porticos along Lindenhofstrasse

Sneaking a peak through the porticos

Alley towards Kirch Fraumunster

After leaving the central train station we walked out onto Zurich’s expensive shopping street, the Bahnhofstrasse, lined with designer shops and private banks. We gazed hopelessly into the shop windows of Chanel, Cartier, Louis Vuitton and dreamed of what we probably wouldn't even buy if we came into a small fortune. 

John enjoying the view along the Limmat

Supposedly below the street, a couple of meters below, unimaginable treasures are lying in underground vaults. It is the world's banking capital after all. With all the tall blonde-haired men walking around in pinstriped suits heading out for a pre dinner drink the city exuded an air of importance. 

All around us people bustled by and the bars were full. Our restaurant was in the old town over the river Limmat and we arrived precisely on time. 

Already we could smell that the kitchen was busy melting down the exclusive vacherin cheeses. 

Fondue with bread

Mmmhhh! Ermitage and Cheese

The smell caught between whiffs of warm crispy bread. The menu was simple with very few options. We went with a half Gruyere and half vacherin with a side of pickled onions and gherkins and a 500ml bottle of local ermitage wine. The smell was divine and the fondue couldn't come out fast enough! 

Our baked potatoes- yum!

Pickles and onions

After our amazing dinner we took a stroll through the city admiring many of the gorgeous buildings and strong Roman statues. In Roman times the city, then called Turicum was a tax-collecting point at the border of the Gallia Belgica region for goods trafficked on the river and the heritage is honoured today with many stunning monuments. 

Limmat marina

Roman statue, Burkliterrasse

Zurich Opera house

The stadthausquai

Houses along the Limmat

St Peterstrasse road

Rindermarkt

Waiting for the sun set, Lake Zurich

We tried as hard as we could to walk off that absolutely stuffed, have-to-open-a-top-button feeling. 

We wandered about on Zurich's cobbled streets, past its many museums and churches. Past the quays along the shores of the lake where we watched swans digging around for their dinner. The water was clear as a crystal and tourists lined up to catch ferries to other areas along the lake. 

Evening by the lake

Far in the distance at the end of Lake Zurich are stunning white-capped mountains where the rich and famous spend their white christmases skiing up a storm. 

Kara pointed out the Uetiberg mountain that she climbed the day before (totally unprepared for the heat). 

West view

South View

A 200degree panoramic over Zuirch from the Uetiberg mountain

With amazing 360 degree views it was gorgeous but the climb was horrendously steep. Then she pointed out where she got on the wrong train and ended up way, way down the lake. There were so many things to see and we spent over two hours walking up and down the little cobbled roads. 

Taking a moment to ponder

Boats on lake Zurich

A grand building along the lake

Kappelerhof plaza

European streets

Red church spire

Napfgasse plaza

We decided to head back to Kloten when the sun set. We planned to return the following morning to finish our exploring before heading back to Amsterdam. The week had gone so quickly but we were looking forward to seeing some normal prices again and rest in our own bed. 

Tot siens,
John and Kara

Cycling Lac Leman, Evian Les Bains to Geneva, Switzerland

Evian Les Bains Spring water building

On Monday morning we woke to a clear and stunning view of the French Alps. We could see the snow-covered tip of Mont Blanc looking back at us, towering over the other sharp white points. The sun had already been up for several hours and it looked to be a beautiful sunny day. Breakfast of course was at the forefront of our minds and with today being a public holiday we were a little concerned that our food options could be limited. 

We stayed long enough to grapple with our skin-tight cycling gear, slurp down a small hot coffee and pull our bikes from the garage. It was around 7.45am when we set off from our Airbnb and began to make our way into Evian les Bains' little centre.

Evian les Bains memorial

Evian Les Bains theatre 

Evian les Bains made a name for itself back in 1790 when, during a casual walk, a nobleman, the Count of Laizer, refreshed himself at the Fountain of Sainte Catherine on a local estate. Finding this water "light and freely flowing", he began to stop regularly at the fountain and noticed a marked improvement in his health. Afterwards he praised the "miraculous" qualities of this water (because it surely wasn't the physical activity!?), which began to be prescribed by doctors.

This immediate success led to the selling of the spring water and the creation of the first mineral-water company. Around 1828 marked the beginning of the town's expansion, with the construction of thermal baths, a Casino, luxury hotels, a funicular and a theatre as people came to get their water fix. This development continued up until the Second World War, when water cures slowly fell out of fashion. The town itself, although some new developments have been made, is almost in a way stuck in a time warp. Other than the hundred thousand dollar yachts parked in its marina, the town is reminiscent of its past with beautiful white galleries and 19th century hotels.

Drinking the Evian spring water

Evian spring water fountain

We took a small hand-drawn map with us as we made our way gently into the town. Like looking for treasure, we followed several squiggly lines with a mission to find the original Evian spring and fill our water bottles right from the source! It was early enough that only a small old local woman was there filling her bottles and as we patiently waited for our turn we looked around at the beautiful Evian buildings.

With the fresh cold water eventually in our bottles, breakfast was still lingering in our minds and as we cycled out of the centre we kept our eyes open for something and/or anything that was open. 

Breakfast made in heaven

See you later Airbnb house

Our noses were first to fall upon an open bakery where the sweet smell of fresh almond croissants wafted from the door. Oh! We gobbled them down quick wishing we had bought more. Soon we were on our way again cycling up and out of Evian, the sickly sweet taste of marzipan gracefully moving around in our stomachs.

Passing glacial rivers, France

It was a pretty flat straight road for the next forty five minutes. We took a few turns and lost the route signs once but found them again pretty soon, wondering how we had lost them in the first place. 

It was very quiet on the road and we took turns racing ahead of each other.

We found that the cycle trail seemed to purposely take us down hills just to go back up, but we followed it religiously anyway. 

We continued to pass through tiny huddles of old medieval houses. Towns so small that you can barely call them towns. 

Village church, France

Passing another church!

Passing by Chateau de Ripaille

Our bikes bounced across cobbled streets causing our sit-bones to remind us of their pain. 

At one stage we passed an amazing Chateau lost behind acres of vines- it was absolutely stunning.

Our first stop, and actually our early lunch (we were already pretty hungry by 10.30am) was at Yvoire, a small but very romantic medieval town still on the French side of Lake Geneva. 

Yvoire main gate

Walking in to the village

Walking the narrow medieval streets

Main plaza in Yvoire

We parked our bikes outside the old town wall and grabbed our chicken baguette rolls from our black bike baskets. 

Walking in through the gates and down the narrow cobblestone streets we were truly amazed at its beauty. 

Around us flowers bloomed from seemingly every balcony and windowsill. Everything looked just like we imagined it must have looked in medieval times. 

View of Yvoire from the town wharf

There was a man working with an open flame and at the bottom of the town another man bringing in fish hanging them up against a wall for sale. 

We saw woman carrying baskets filled with fresh fruit and wondered 'was it for real?' Are we still in the 21st century? Well yes, the flash of cameras from a bus of tourists pulled us back into our time. 

It was hard to ignore those goosebumps though, like we were somewhere seeing something special.

Chateau d'Yvoire

Beautiful medieval streets

Yvoire’s written history goes back to 1306 when the Lake Geneva castles played an important role in protecting the strategic trade routes through the Alps and along the lake.

Gardens outside the Chateau of Yvoire

In Yvoire, Chateau d’Yvoire dominates the small town skyline, as it must have done back in the Middle Ages. The castle, similar to other medieval castles in the region, is a typical Savoy design, a seemingly plain exterior but adorned with pointed turrets, strong towers, small windows and protected by large defendable walls. 

It has a commanding position right on the banks of Lake Geneva from where it guards the small fishing boats below (today also paddle boarders). Although the castle is privately owned, we could still wander around, which we did, after demolishing out baguettes of course. It would be hard to choose our favourite sight on this cycle but the town of Yvoire really made the top three.

Taking a very short stop for water!

After an hour of prancing about we got back on our bikes, ignoring the whinging aches from our quads and cycled on to our final destination of Geneva. 

We hadn't spent much time in Geneva when we arrived last Saturday so we were looking forward to hopefully arriving a little earlier and giving the city a look around. 

Yay we made it! Hello Geneva

We had read some mixed reviews about Geneva, the city of peace. From: not much to see so don't bother.... to.... we love it, go, go, go! After cycling for another two hours we made it to Geneva for a late second lunch. We had cycled through some absolutely quaint little vineyards with a snow covered mountain backdrop on one side and the blue lake on the other. We had cycled, up and then down, and then down and up again and man, were we tuckered out!

Soon enough, returning into Switzerland we saw the Jet d'Eau, Geneva's famous 140metre high fountain. We raced through the tree-lined promenade which lead us into the city. 

We raced by gorgeous villas and raced by lush green parks. We raced, legs pumping, pump, pump, pump into the old city.

Streets of Geneva

Crossing the bridge over the lake

Geneva is a very old city; pre Roman times it was civilised by Celtic tribes. Being such a beautiful cit, it was occupied by the Burgundys after the Romans then the Frank's then the city went back to the Burgundys (visitors, invaders, they all came) before succeeding to the Germans. 

During the Middle Ages the French took possession of the city under the church and the fighting continued for hundreds of years. Today though, Geneva is a city of international significance and surprisingly so very green!

Terrace dining in Geneva's old town

Our first stop was to give back our bikes. After such a mammoth journey that had felt like we'd been gone for weeks, it was strange to return and just leave the bikes to a stranger (well- they did kind of own them). 

It was a really odd feeling to walk away and, although we felt elated to have finished our cycle, there was a touch of sadness that we had finished. Nevertheless stretching our legs and maybe hobbling a little we began to walk around the city to explore.

Geneva has the world wrapped around its beautiful city. The whole world is here: 200-odd governmental and nongovernmental international organisations fill the city's plush hotels, feast on its absurdly expensive cuisine and help prop up Geneva's banks, luxury jewellers and chocolate shops.

St Peters Cathedral, Geneva

We wandered around the lakeside's silky-smooth promenades still in our bike pants and running shoes. 

We walked through the old town and the empty shopping districts. It was such a wonderful day but when the time came we were very ready to get back on our flight and head home. 

Our poor weary bodies exhausted and our thoughts full of the gorgeous rows of vineyards and the snow-capped mountains alongside lake Geneva. 

Tot siens,

John and Kara