From my daily journal: Sion, Switzerland to Locarno, Switzerland 4/23/02 Tuesday Feeling much refreshed from a good night's sleep. Elaine liked the tub. She could float in it. Narrow but deep. Breakfast provided with room as usual. Much more complete. Besides croissants, there is OJ, grape juice, several kinds of breads, dried fruits, eggs-hard boiled and colored shells, hot chocolate, cheeses, and pastries. We learned more of the area from a 74 year old man and his wife who come here for walking around the vineyards which have been here since Roman times. The organ in the church above us is the oldest playable organ in the world. We toured the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Valere. Quite a climb for Elaine. Again we got great help from a person at the church museum desk telling us where a stained glass studio and a laundry was. We found the stained glass studio but it was closed because the guy was sick. We took pictures through the window. Then we did a bunch of grocery shopping at the Coop store so that the car would be stocked with food plus I got a new leather bag to carry the camera, etc. Finally about 1:30 or so we left Sion and headed down the valley. I can't get over the vineyards they have made on the sides of the hills. After going through the pass I made Elaine a nervous wreck getting to the next stop. When we hit Italy, I slipped in an Italian Aria CD. She wasn't able to enjoy it too much because there was barely enough room for two cars to pass, sometimes not even that. Nice scenery for me though. When we got to Locarno we wandered around and came across a stained glass hobby store. They had Chinese lamps, Odyssey Lamp parts, some mosaic parts and pieces. We kept driving around looking for a hotel. We found Hotel Belvedere up the side of a hill overlooking Lake Maggiore. Found out we'd gotten back into Switzerland again. Overlooks the lake with our own balcony. Went to the restaurant in the hotel for a great meal. I got the waiter to help pick out a meal for me. Veal scaloppini. Elaine had spaghetti/pesto with green beans mixed in. Both were very good. Check out the desserts. Then I tucked Elaine into bed and am doing my laundry at the hotel laundry room. There is a hotel employee here doing the hotel's laundry and he's wearing a shirt and TIE! It took a few hours to do the clothes because I couldn't figure out the drier. It was a Meile washer and drier. No instructions in English. Soap was automatically added by tubes from their supply.   Next "Sight": Locarno to Bergamo