The Splendor of the Swiss Alps…and a great friend!!!

Hallo,

We saved the best for last! The Autobahn took us (part of the way) to Switzerland. However, before we could get there we drove through and ate lunch in Austria and also drove through Liechtenstein…two extra countries we weren’t expecting to pass through! I think you can truly count Austria as we ate lunch there…at Macca’s. Ha We found the most beautiful scenery by a lake in Austria. Cory got out, while Bea and Teddy were asleep, to capture it on camera.

The drives have been extra fun as you can hear sweet conversations from the back seat and games of ‘I Spy’! We’ve also had many jam sessions including the kids hearing the song we danced to at our wedding. Bea listened intently! This time with them was priceless!

The scenery just continued to get more beautiful as we drove….sunshine on the mountains, fall colors, green grass, snow and lots and lots of tunnels through the mountains. That was probably Bea and Teddy’s favorite part! Ha

As the snow continued to fall harder we realized we needed to purchase gloves to play in the snow instead of the cotton ones we had. Then our next stop was the best of all….to see Jess! So our international family vacations always include a Schaer! Jess is the older daughter of the family I lived with when I went to Australia. I hadn’t seen her in 5 years and I all but jumped out of the car to hug her neck! Yes, it was snowing; and no, I didn’t have on a coat! It was so great to see her again!

Jess lives in Lauterbrunnen but we stayed up the mountain in Murren which is only accessible via cable car. It’s a car free town so we took a quick ride on the cable car and a train ride then we walked to our apartment. The town has 350 people that live there permanently and one family is the Sigrists….Jess’ boyfriend’s family. He’s not even in the country right now and his family opened their home to us for dinner that evening. They also let us stay in one of their rental apartments during our visit. We are so grateful! After the kids went to bed, Jess joined us at our apartment for a chat and it was just like old times being in her bedroom in Australia 12 years ago!

Speaking of sleeping, in every hotel we’ve stayed in since we left Frankfurt, we have had twin beds pushed together to make a king. You also only receive a blanket/duvet (no top sheet) and (flat) euro shams as pillows. It’s not wrong; it’s just really different.

We woke up the next morning with lots of snow on the ground! We had the most relaxing morning just playing with Jess indoors. We walked to a delicious Swiss lunch (at the only restaurant open right now); Teddy really enjoyed his crocodile and lion shaped chicken. We toured the town’s two streets. Since it’s off season, we were the only ones in the street so we had a snow ball fight of course! Freida and Charlie Sigrist had us over for dinner again tonight! Bea and Teddy have made themselves at home by enjoying their sons’ old Legos. Again, Cory and I loved our late evening chat with Jess!

Thursday we went down the cable car and drove to Thun for lunch and walk around (in the rain) this cute town. Tonight Freida fixed us a fondu meal. The Swiss way is cheese and bread with hot tea as an added digestive. We have more than enjoyed our time in Murren!

Freida even made us breakfast on Friday where we had her homemade bread and tried quince (fruit) jelly. Yum! Then we couldn’t leave without a proper play in the snow! Jess built a snowman and Teddy quickly knocked it down. Boys! Bea had the best time; Teddy did too when he wasn’t cold. He’ll have to learn to keep his gloves on better next time!

All good things must come to an end though. After warming, cleaning and packing up, we borrowed a sled to pull our suitcase, Bea and Teddy to the train station since it was snowing and the ground was covered too. Then the short train and cable car rides back down the mountain. Teddy especially loved all these modes of transportation!

Then we had to say bye to Jess. 😦 Our visit was so wonderful; it was truly like we hadn’t missed a beat since the last time we saw her. I teared up driving away just thinking how fortunate I was to meet the Schaer’s all those years ago!

We thought our adventures were over there. As we drove to Dijon, France (to spend the night before driving in to Paris the next day for our flight home), Google took us on some back roads. This would’ve been fine if it hadn’t been snowing buckets! Thank you Cory for knowing how to drive in such crazy weather!

Thanks for letting us share our European adventures with you!

Love,
Cory, Millie, Bea and Teddy

International Macca’s have balloons!