neptune Posted June 6, 2019 Share Posted June 6, 2019 Glad you're home safe Jude. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali and Gail Posted June 7, 2019 Share Posted June 7, 2019 Gail and I came back through the Somme Valley yesterday to see where my Grandfather fought in 1916 and visit the Lochnagar crater. It is the largest crater ever made by man in anger with 60000 lbs of explosives detonated under the German lines. Poppies we're in flower every where and it was very moving. When that mine detonated the explosion was heard in London and the earth was lifted to 4000 feet as reported by an observer from the Army Air Corp. The crater was 67 metres deep and 137 metres across. Hundreds killed in a second and many more wounded and still missing. We also visited a few cemeteries to pay our respects. 5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoffrey Carter (Buttercup) Posted June 7, 2019 Share Posted June 7, 2019 Sounds like you had a great day. We only managed one hour at the bunker we visited. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali and Gail Posted June 7, 2019 Share Posted June 7, 2019 3 hours ago, Geoffrey (Buttercup) - North Yorkshire AO said: Sounds like you had a great day. We only managed one hour at the bunker we visited. @Geoffrey (Buttercup) - North Yorkshire AO I would have loved to see the bunker but Lochnagar and the fact my Grandfather fought there won the day. This is a page from his war diary from later in the war in Belgium. He was Mustard gassed in the Somme and suffered terribly for the rest of his life. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoffrey Carter (Buttercup) Posted June 7, 2019 Share Posted June 7, 2019 We had a ride out to a friend of Gary's called Gunter and he owns the High Glen whisky distillery at Santa Maria Val Mustair. Gunter gave us a private visit of his distillery, home, whisky museum and bar which is in the Guinness Book of World Records. It was quite a sight to see a chap wearing a kilt in Switzerland. Gunter and his daughter where amazing hosts and even cooked for us. Gunter has an amazing collection of whisky related items and a number of them are worth a small fortune. It was brilliant listening to Gary and Gunter telling us all about them and their secrets. In one of the pictures you will see the casks. These are casks that Gary made and it was an honour to witness Gary signing them all. The equipment was all installed by Gunter and he even designed and made various parts, and the whisky he produces is in great demand. Here are a few pictures from our drive to the distillery and our time there. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoffrey Carter (Buttercup) Posted June 7, 2019 Share Posted June 7, 2019 We drove through St Moritz. I had heard it mentioned in films and I sort of expected a city. It was a small town with a big hotel at the side of a lake. They still have the bobsleigh run and they hold various sporting activities on the lake when it freezes. We only drove through it but it was not what I expected. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoffrey Carter (Buttercup) Posted June 7, 2019 Share Posted June 7, 2019 We drove a number of passes and my favourites where the San Barnadino and another that I forget the name of. The San Bernadino had a great cafe at the top that did simple but tasty food and I found it a bit surreal having just the one building at the top. Opposite is a small building that I thought was a toilet but when you go inside there is a mattress and I suppose its for anyone who gets stuck. The lake was frozen and it was great climbing up through the snow but it certainly wasn't cold. The other pass though was my favourite. At the top was a dam and frozen lake but it was the houses that amazed me. There was a street of huge, pastel coloured houses and these are not shown in the pictures but I will upload a film of them later. It's amazing how people live in these areas and I just don't understand why anyone would want to. Here are a few pictures of the two areas. With the snow and the pictures with no snow, you wouldn't think they are the same place but they are. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KugaWestie Posted June 7, 2019 Share Posted June 7, 2019 You guys have had an epic trip and made some fantastic memories! I have really enjoyed reading about the progress 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoffrey Carter (Buttercup) Posted June 7, 2019 Share Posted June 7, 2019 Thankyou @KugaWestie It was an amazing place. Still updating so a few pictures and films to come yet. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoffrey Carter (Buttercup) Posted June 7, 2019 Share Posted June 7, 2019 We even found a sexy Westfield driver trying to give his best pout whilst giving a lift to Sophia Loren. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Banks Posted June 7, 2019 Share Posted June 7, 2019 Simply, stunning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoffrey Carter (Buttercup) Posted June 7, 2019 Share Posted June 7, 2019 We had a ride up a mountain in an open chairlift and a chairlift in a pod. You started in the pod and finished at the top in the open chairlift. The views where lovely going up but it was coming down...WOW. It certainly made your stomach wobble. At one point the chairlift was stopped whilst we where all in mid air and it was a bit frightening as it stopped quiet suddenly and the next minute we where all looking down at the floor more or less....only the ladies screamed. There was a full village halfway up the mountain but we couldn't see any roads. it is unbelievable where the Swiss have built. At the bottom there where a few Chinese / Japanese people all wearing facemarks to protect them from the smog?????? Not sure what that was about.I walked along the path in the snow at the top. At one point I stood to the side to let someone pass and the snow went nearly to my knees. I learnt a lesson there. We all stood trying to make a video whilst we sang Doh a Deer from the sound of music. I have no idea what the other people thought. Here are a few piccies. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoffrey Carter (Buttercup) Posted June 7, 2019 Share Posted June 7, 2019 At one point I was following Jim and I thought.....mmmmmm.... something going on in that car. I darn't ask but what do you think. 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoffrey Carter (Buttercup) Posted June 7, 2019 Share Posted June 7, 2019 We where lucky enough to see lots of waterfalls. Not little ones but ones that just dropped vertically by the roadside. If they where here we would be charged £5.00 to park and £5.00 each to walk through a little gate to see them. On the first picture there are a few waterfalls dropping down from the top. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali and Gail Posted June 7, 2019 Share Posted June 7, 2019 2 hours ago, Geoffrey (Buttercup) - North Yorkshire AO said: We had a ride out to a friend of Gary's called Gunter and he owns the High Glen whisky distillery at Santa Maria Val Mustair. Gunter gave us a private visit of his distillery, home, whisky museum and bar which is in the Guinness Book of World Records. It was quite a sight to see a chap wearing a kilt in Switzerland. Gunter and his daughter where amazing hosts and even cooked for us. Gunter has an amazing collection of whisky related items and a number of them are worth a small fortune. It was brilliant listening to Gary and Gunter telling us all about them and their secrets. In one of the pictures you will see the casks. These are casks that Gary made and it was an honour to witness Gary signing them all. The equipment was all installed by Gunter and he even designed and made various parts, and the whisky he produces is in great demand. Here are a few pictures from our drive to the distillery and our time there. I don't think there is a more generous man than Gunter on the planet. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.