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SUNDAY • AUGUST 27, 2017
Swiss paradise Scenic Lake Geneva a place of staggering beauty, memorable adventures STORY BY JOANNE DIBONA • PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOANNE AND TONY DIBONA
W
alking along with my guide, Gundela, through what was undoubtedly one of the most spectacular wine trails I have ever experienced, I had to wonder how, nearly a thousand years ago, the Lavaux terraced vineyards were planted on these dizzyingly steep slopes along Switzerland’s Lake Geneva.
“We are pretty certain the Romans planted the first grapes in this area, but our documentation only goes back to the 12th century, when monks settled here and began to cultivate the vineyards,” Gundela explained as we trekked along the 3-mile walking path through this UNESCO world heritage site. And it was no easy task for those enterprising monks. Because of the steep slopes, fortifying walls had to be laboriously constructed of stone, and they are still in exist-
ence — and doing their job — to this day. This was the first of many a magical moment experienced during a week’s visit to the Lake Geneva region of Switzerland. Getting there was a breeze, thanks to the efficient Swiss rail connections and a Swiss Travel Pass (available online for pre-purchase), which allows the bearer unlimited use of the country’s trains, buses and excursion boats, as well as entry to select museums. Within 30 minutes after my plane SEE LAKE GENEVA • E11
Astonishing natural beauty (below) surrounds the Lake Geneva Region of Switzerland. The painted sculptures in the southern portal of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Lausanne (top left) are a magnificent example of medieval art. The castle of Chillon (top right), built in the 12th century on a rocky island in Lake Geneva, is the most visited historic monument in Switzerland.
KINDERDIJK WINDMILLS A MUST-SEE IN NETHERLANDS For centuries, these landmarks have staved off lowland flooding BY JOHN MARSHALL KINDERDIJK, Netherlands
The windmills at Kinderdijk were built in the mid-1700s as a way to clear water from the low-lying landscape of the western Netherlands. Sometime in the 1950s, the millers and water board members started seeing visitors in sneakers carrying cameras. The Dutch embraced the visitors, and the Kinderdijk windmills have since become one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations while continuing to help manage the Netherlands’ ongoing fight to stay above water. There are some windmills north of Amsterdam that “were built for the tourists, but we’re a historical site where tourists come, so it’s the other way around,” said Kinderdijk communications manager Peter Paul Klapwijk. “Tourism is a means to uphold our site.” Kinderdijk, which translates to children’s dike, lies in the Alblasserwaard polder (land that’s been reclaimed from the sea, marshes or river flood plains) at the confluence of the Lek and Noord rivers. The village is in the
PETER DEJONG AP
A boat tour traverses Hooge Boezem van de Nederwaard canal and the windmills at the Unesco World Heritage site in Kinderdijk, Netherlands. western portion of the Netherlands, much of which is near or even below sea level. The lowlands have been prone to flooding through the ages despite the building of
canals and dikes, including the 1421 Saint Elisabeth’s flood that killed thousands after the dikes broke in several places. To stem the flooding, the Kinderdijk
windmills were built in 1738 and 1740 — two earlier than that — to move water from the lower areas to higher spots and into the river. Nineteen of the original 20 Kinderdijk windmills remain and were named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1997. And what a sight they are. Lining the canals that zigzag between the two rivers, the windmills are a striking and iconic glimpse into Dutch history with a modern-day functionality. The windmills work in conjunction with pumping stations to move water from the lower-lying areas to higher ground and into the river. Of the 19 mills, 16 still have millers who live inside and maneuver the massive sails in the wind. For tourists, walkways lead from the visitor center to the mills, and boat tours are offered along the canals. Two mills serve as museums, filled with vintage millers’ items and photos with ladders to climb through and see the inner works. The mills also are functional, so be prepared to feel the entire building shake when the sails are whipping around in the wind. About 300,000 people buy tickets to visit the Kinderdijk windmills each year. About 500,000 more walk through the area without taking the tours.
Marshall writes for The Associated Press.