BFG Duty Free Car Purchase - Continued
Anyway back to the 1970’s.
The Austin Maxi did well in Germany and beyond. Here it is as we went south to Italy in our first year in Germany (1971).
This Volvo served us very well too. I also bought a trailer tent and toured (camped) the continent extensively; Germany of course, Holland, France, Austria, Switzerland and Italy. Camping in Italy provided the best family holidays ever.
Going down into Italy over the San Bernadino pass with a four-mile-long tunnel at the highest point. Cloudy, damp and cold as one entered the tunnel on the north side, only to emerge on the south side into warm and sunny weather - brilliant!
As the views below show, Switzerland provided the most spectacular scenery anywhere I’ve been in the world.
The Volvo parked by the lake was on Lake Lucerne, (in German: Vierwaldstättersee, “Lake of the Four Forested Cantons”) in Switzerland not far from TellsKappelle. The TellsKapelle (“Tell’s chapel”) is located on the shore of Lake Lucerne and marks the site where according to legend, William Tell (he of the shooting an apple off his son’s head fame) initiated the rebellion that led to the foundation of the Old Swiss Confederacy back in the 14th century. Also a little further along the lakeside is the town of Fluelen where my wife, following graduation from cookery school, worked as an under-chef at a hotel. So we had to visit that too.
The William Tell Express paddle steamer plied its way along the towns on the edge of Lake Lucerne
View of the lake from Mount Pilatus (2,128 m) a mountain overlooking Lake Lucerne. The summit is reached by a cog-wheel railway.
The Rigi is another mountain summit that is reached by cog railway, again with spectacular views.
Camping in Italy near Venice
Week-end camping visit alongside the river Mosel in Germany. Trailer-tent in use c/w built-in sink and two-ring gas stove. The tent could unfolded and erected in minutes - wonderful!