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Private First Class Two more stamps for Sherry's passport book: Switzerland and Italy. The day started with a brisk ride into Bellinzona where we ate breakfast on the lawn of the Castle Grande. Even I liked the castle. It used tons of rock and the tops of the walls were carved with a notched V. The castle wall cast a striking shadow on the walkway with an interesting contrast between sunlight and shadow. The castle provided a view of the city including a perfect view of the two castles situated on higher hills in the city. We couldn't get away from the military though-a large contingent of soldiers chatted at the back of the castle. Some special ceremony was scheduled and they were all in attendance-with their rifles. Hundreds of soldiers lounged in the sun waiting to be called. At the tourist office we received some cycle maps and were poring over them to determine a route to Venice when a lady approached. She was from Lake Geneva. We showed her our route and she was so amazed she told her friends. Thirty seconds later she returned to ask if we were cycling near Lake Geneva and gave us her address. We ate lunch beside famed Lake Maggiori at a picnic table shaded by an overhead growth of ivy. I bet that table was coveted in the summer to escape the heat, but we longed for one in the sun. "I'm going swimming tomorrow," Sherry stated. That I had to see. It felt warm in the sun, but I didn't think the water would feel any too warm. It was getting dark and we had the lake on one side of us and the mountain on the other. I noticed an old leanto shed in an overgrown yard and endeavored to clear out a place large enough to set up the tent. It was right by the road and the girls weren't too sure about it. Sherry said she had seen a road up the mountain that might be promising. I hiked up the road Sherry had seen and after some distance found a secluded area with a level spot. It was a steep push up the path. We camped near poles set up like a wigwam. Sherry went up even farther and found a picnic table. We were in some kind of park. Sherry was promoted from Private Second Class to Private First Class. |
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