Fribourg Swizterland
Fribourg 7th September
Clear blue skies and 28 degrees made for a perfect day to take a walking tour of the old city. Peter was our perfect guide - Knowledgeable and happy to walk at old fart's pace because of a couple of geriatrics with bad knees. I will let the 80 odd photos do the talking. (We might cull a few).
Boat ride on a lake 8th September
You have to laugh. Ray walked into a cupboard door last night. The same cupboard door that I walked into the night before. No damage was done to the door! My nose was not so lucky.
Today our perfect guide took us to a medieval village and on a boat ride on a lake. It was very pleasant except for the heat. Ray managed to leave his backpack on the boat, but fortunately one of the crew was spotted wandering around looking for its owner.
Peter and I at the bottom of his street
Faithful wife and model husband, just like the sign says
Another church
More recent stained glass windows
If you have not got your flower boxes full of flowers at various times of the year, your likely to get a visit by a local delegation demanding to know WHY???
Fribourg is unlike most other cantons in Switzerland in that they are predominently Catholic. So there is a proliferation of churches, monastries and abbeys
A church from around the 15th century. All the churches are well maintained, pretty much as they were from when they were built, with a few added extras over the centuries
This is the executioners house. There has not been many recent residents as the last beheading (apparently by guillotine) took place in 1901. The sign, roughly tranlated says "If there is time for charity, there is a need for social justice. In the background is the ongoing renovation of a historic bridge (no doubt keen to avoid another disaster (see below)
A very quaint town. Everything is so clean and well maintained.
A very old timber and stone bridge, not very wide, but it does fit the local buses
The river at the bottom of a very deep ravine. The river runs through the center of the old town. There now a number of bridges across.
An artwork of the instance about 50 years ago when a truck fel through one of the bridges, killing a couple of people.
The replacement bridge for the one that fell in, build in the 70s
The best looking power station that i have ever seen. Yes, it really is a power station - hydro power
Anothe view of the river in the ravine. Those buildings on the edge of the river were latrines where the waste used to go directly into the drink
The black and white stripes are the colours of the conton of Fribourg. The people of Fribourg are know as the Fribougoise.
You would go into this building to help you find a spouse. The people of Switzerland are geniuinely suspicious. If you go to the doctor and are diagnosed with an illness, you will be advised to ring up a faith healer to help you get better. True story!
A new bridge completed in the last couple of years
Part of the wall defences of the old town. The pic was taken from one of the defensive towers that are still standing, replete with toilet seat which was directly above invading hordes.
A quiet lane beside part of the old town wall. Apparently Peter's favourite spot in Fribourg
Is anyone home?
The Fribourg fenicular, partially powered by waste water, so it can stink a bit at times
Need I say more?
Our lake transport, a paddle steamer with a gleaming, well maintained engine
The Lakeside village just near Fribourg
A very Swiss vibe in all the pics below, The only thing missing was the yodelling
