Gotthard Express

Switzerland can feel like someone took the most uptight French and German people on the continent and put them in the mountains. Sure everything runs on time but you’ll get fined 100CHF for exceeding your bus ticket by 2 minutes… This is where the only Italian canton, Ticino, really shines with the efficiency of Switzerland and the charm of Italy.

I woke up early in Zurich and took the train to Lucerne where I boarded the steamboat section of the Gotthard Panoramic Express journey across Lake Lucerne. The boat journey took 3 hours and was very picturesque — lunch in the upstairs restaurant was very good!

At the end point, Flüelen, I boarded the panoramic train with its glass cabins and made my way to Lake Lugano. My days in Lugano felt very much like I was in a different country, like Naples without the chaos. This region is a place I would love to come back to in the future.

London, Deux

How do I still have content from this trip??? It was only 10 days. Figures why my feet hurt so much by the end. Anyway this is probably the last you’ll hear of it. I made a quick PDF guide (linked at the bottom of this post) with some annotated notes about what I booked/bought/ate/etc.

Gallery

While in Somerset I photographed a little travel feature showcasing a couple of galleries I was excited to visit; Francis Gallery in Bath and Hauser & Wirth in Bruton.

Francis Gallery in Bath was founded by Rosa Park, co-creator of the former Cereal magazine. Housed inside a beautifully restored Grade II listed Georgian townhouse, Francis Gallery curates works by international artists in a setting informed by Korean aesthetics.

For the group show Untitled, Francis Gallery brought together the work of British painter Luke Samuel, Franco-British photographer Charlotte Colbert, and Australian sculptor Ceara Metlikovec.

Hauser & Wirth Somerset occupies a former farmstead in Bruton and is home to a vibrant program of art exhibitions.

The New Bend exhibition offers an unique visual vernacular existing in tender dialogue with, and in homage to, the contributions of the Gee’s Bend Alabama quilters — Black American women in collective cooperation and creative economic production — and their enduring legacy.

Back to London

It’s been a long time

I shouldn’t have left you

I was back in London over the Easter holidays for the first time since the ill-fated move. This time with little to no pandemic related restrictions I was able to explore and see my friends without any obstructions. London might be my favourite city with the combination of mild weather, rail networks, and energy (see vibes). Over 5 days I visited a bunch of restaurants, museums, and people. Below you will find a selection of what I did. I will likely make a second post with more if I can find the time.

I almost didn’t renew the registry for this website but I was convinced by a friend to keep it going. Hopefully 2023 will see more posts than prior years…