The Big Bang Journey near Geneva

In the town of Meyrin, just inside the Swiss border from France and located on the outskirts of Geneva is CERN (the European Centre for Nuclear Research). The Large Hadron Collider, the biggest particle accelerator ever built, is located 100m underground in a 27 kilometre ring. At Meyrin, there is a Microcosm exhibition centre about the Universe of Particles and an area across the road where you can book a tour, which incidentally was booked out for today, go to the CERN shop or eat in the cafe.

The area itself has a number of international schools for the CERN scientists families.

Microcosm Exhibition at CERN, near Geneva

A model of the particle accelerator

Inside the exhibition

Display modules

Multi media show explaining the Large Hadron Collider

Aerial map of where the LHC is located

We are staying at Ferney Voltaire in France and the LHC is located right underneath us - hopefully we won't have any big bangs! Ferney Voltaire is the township located on the right hand end of Geneva airport.

Outside the exhibition hall

Sculpture at the front of the exhibition centre which is inscribed with famous people, equations and quotes relating to physics.

Our highest altitude in Switzerland

Saas Grund is in the south eastern alps region of Switzerland, not far from the famous Matterhorn. It is a ski resort and summer hiking town with magnificent alpine views from the top of the cable car lifts at Hohsaas at 3142m. Experienced hikers continue on by foot through the snow to the peak of Weissmies at 4027. Opposite the valley is Dom at 4545m, considered one of the highest mountains in Switzerland. We took the cable car to the top of Hohsaas, stopping a couple of times along the way, dangling above a sheer drop to the ground- very scenic and somewhat unsettling. The air was much thinner at the top so we only climbed across the rocky path and then had a cappaccino at the restaurant at the top.

Outside the cable car lift at Hohsaas with Dom in the background as one of the highest mountains in Switzerland.

Restaurant at the cable car station

Rebecca on the ridge in the middle descending from a higher point to the left.

Walking up the rocky path with the cable car station below

The little specks along the mountain path in the snow in the lower part of the photo are experienced hikers descending from a climb to the top.

Easier hikes along mountain roads and tracks

Coming back down on the cable car with a view of Saas Grund

Furka Pass: Dangerous Road with Unbelievable Scenery

The journey from the Tyrolean Alps in Austria through to the southern Swiss Alps in Saas Grund would have to be one of the best scenic drives in the world. Once you have passed through the very long tunnels exiting Austria and come back into the natural light in Liechtenstein, the landscape changes from scenic valleys to the rugged and snowy Oberalp region and the spectacular Furka Pass.

Tyrolean Alps in Austria

Castles and villages in Liechtenstein 

Swiss Austrian unused border

Road signs for Switzerland (CH) and Liechtenstein (FL)

On route to the Furka Pass in Switzerland

The Furka Pass is considered one of Switzerland's best drives, both scenically and for driver ability. The road winds through several hair pin bends up to around 2500m. In fact, it is most famously known from the road scene in the James Bond movie Goldfinger. It seems that some drivers think they are James Bond and attempt to overtake on the perilous road, as we witnessed coming around a hairpin bend. A Porsche driver was overtaking another small car and had to pull back quickly onto his side of the road, clipping the small car as he went. Luckily, it wasnt a major hit or someone might have been at the bottom of the mountain.

We stopped for some lunch at the Hotel Furkablick which overlooks the mountain pass. It is only opened in summer because it is covered in mist and snow in winter. The position of the hotel pass connects the Rhine and Rhone valleys.

Climbing the Furka Pass - the road and buildings we had passed.

Winding roads and hair pin bends of the Furka Pass

Hotel Furkablick where we stopped for a snack

On the deck of the hotel overlooking the top of the pass

Summer snow

Rebecca's snowman

Winding road of the Furka pass

Our apartment for the night at Saas Grund

Nice touch!

Sculptures on the wall of the apartment building

Scenic Panoramas from Italian Alps to the Tyrolean Mountains in Austria

Leaving Slovenia this morning, we travelled through the southern Alps of Austria into Italy. We passed rugged rocky mountain ranges, some peaks devoid of any vegetation nd others with the remnants of now. Driving through the Italian Alps we passed small pale green lakes and villages with castles and churches, until we crossed the Austrian border again and headed into the ski resort of Innsbruck. After a long but scenic drive we have stopped in the Tyrolean mountains just west of Innsbruck in a village called Weibach

The castle of Bled in early morning light in Slovenia

Unusual sculpture outside a supermarket and timber mill while crossing through the Austrian Alps

Linz in the Austrian Alps

Passing through villages

Italian Alps

Lots of tolls in the Alps region - must be all those long tunnels!

Tyrolean Alps

Accommodation in a guesthouse at Weibach in Tyrolean Alps

Main Street in the town

Town public sculpture of a cross country skier

Another sculpture along the river

Coming on dusk at 9pm