I think out of all the places we were going to visit on this trip, Switzerland was at the top of all of our lists. I came after 8th grade, and have wanted to come back ever since. There is nothing like Switzerland — where every single angle could be a picture on the front of a postcard. It is gorgeous! Everywhere you look, it is green, and the water is the color of a blue jewel. Our first stop was Zurich for a few days. But our road trip to Zurich was a fun day in and of itself!
I don’t think I have ever seen a cute ice cream shop like this ANYWHERE in the U.S. How freaking cute is it?! So cute…I just HAD to stop!
Check out the fruit and muffins we got at a cute shop on the side of some road we took. Picture perfect berries, and yummy treats!
And don’t get me started on the flowers everywhere! Here are some gigantic Teddy Bear sunflowers, I immediately became obsessed with!
Our first stop in Switzerland was a gas station with what appeard to be a small park attached. Of course my kids ran to the park, and there was more than met the eye. The two-story slide was the ultimate hit! the kids got going so fast, it was actually a little sketchy. Micah went all out on the basket swing (yes, I looked away), and Pippi took a horse ride, with the most amazing scenery behind her! Yep — a postcard at every turn! And did I say this was a gas station!
We were all oohing and aahing at the color of the water and all of the waterfalls, so I pulled over at a turnout. We walked down some stairs, and wouldn’t you know it…a swan! Of course…because it is Switzerland!
Of course we hit up a few parks. This was a favorite…it was kind of trampoline style, and Micah was “skying” all of the kids at once.
My kids favorite thing about Switzerland, is that you can drink from any water feature…and this is the first place we tried it. And yes…it was cold and delicious. Why? Because it is Switzerland!
One of our favorite things we did, was rent boats on Lake Zurich. They were paddle boats, and we divided the girls and boys up. After a bit, the kids really wanted to jump in, so we told them to strip down (because that’s how they do it in Europe) and hop in. Dash was naked, and Scout and Navy were in their unders…and they went back and forth between our boats in the freezing cold water. Then Micah braved it across the lake to the spouting water — and they took a ride under it!
After the cold, we set up shop on the grass area to have a picnic. Micah made amazing sandwiches of local bread, local cheese, salami and all sorts of jams and honeys we have bought over here.
After — we hit up our 800th ice cream cart. And Micah broke up a variety of Swiss chocolate for us to taste test. Micah’s taste tests became so fun in each country! He would make us blindly taste the chocolates, and judge our favorite. He was trying to get the best chocolate narrowed down, so we could bring back chocolate bars for everyone.
And of course, we hit up church just outside of Zurich. Pippi must have been too tired to be reverent, because I had to take her out for her to stand in the corner twice! Poor little traveler girl was maybe on fumes? During Sacrament, we sat right behind a family that reminded us a ton of our friends, the Nichols. After we started talking, and they had lived abroad in several places — including China…with the NICHOLS! Isn’t that crazy! I am always amazed to have common ground with people — even all the way in Switzerland!
Our time in Zurich was awesome! Our Hyatt was incredible, the weather was amazing, the city was vibrant, and our activities suited us perfectly. So far, Switzerland is just how I remember it. Perfect.
| DESIGN BY