To travel is to live: January 17

After quite a nice breakfast (included in room rate) with eggs cooked to order, we all watched the Australian Open (Federer-Davyedenko) in the lobby. Ron and I then worked on computers while Pat and Mike went walking.

Ron and I went to the Romantik Hotel Stern for lunch. Had been there numerous times in the past, and it is a lovely spot. We walked through the pedestrian streets of the old city of Chur. Chur is the capital of the Graubunden canton, and is the oldest city in Switzerland. There is archaeological evidence of a settlement there as early as 3,900 BC, and it was a very early Roman encampment.

Menu - Hotel Stern

Romantik Hotel Stern restaurant Veltliner

Mary's filet stroganoff with thin threads of chili

Ron's veal geschnetzeltes with rosti (potatoes)

Hotel Stern

I went into a hair salon, but decided I did not want to pay 62 CHF (more than US$60) for wash, blow-dry and trim of bangs. I looked at two other salons, and prices were even higher.

Came back to hotel to work on computer (and do hair).

That evening we gathered in the hotel lobby for drinks and to work on computers. Pat and Mike went out to a Greek restauarant. We had such a big lunch we did not feel like another meal, so went to our rooms and made phone calls to US and worked on computer.

We later went out thinking we would stop at a Thai restaurant, but it looked empty (not a good sign). We spotted Pat and Mike and went in just as they were finishing up in the Greek Restaurant Afrodite. We ordered a mezze platter to share - hummus, dolmade, pita, etc. We then proceeded to the bar area, where Ron had a conversation in German with Swiss people who were asking about gun laws in the US.

Afterward, Ron and I went to a neat Italian restaurant, Obelisco ( to have a grappa). Great ambiance - owner in black suit was very distinguished. We were taking photographs, and he asked us if we were interested in buying his restaurant.