Switzerland.....I loved it all!

 

I have not sat down to write about our day to day adventures as I normally would.  I will try to recap my experiences in this post.
In New Zealand we were charmed by the phrase, 'done & dusted'. Meaning something was complete. 
We finally made it to Switzweland, close to 30 years after crossing the border to check the price of a hotel in Schaffhausen & returning to Germany when it was too expensive. 
Done but not dusted. A partial check on the bucket list. A place to return to sooner than later we hope. 
This was a great start & I loved it all. 
The Swiss greeting of 'gruetzi' wherever we went became a phrase we easily returned. 
The Swiss appear to be the 'walking-ist, hiking-ist, biking-ist' people we have ever encountered. The villages all seem to have steep hills and the appropropriate footwear is needed for even a short walk. Toddlers wear hiking boots. A lot of people carry walking sticks. 
We watched the gorgeous alps each day as they changed with the sunlight or clouds passing over them. They followed us, majestic in their size, an ever present backdrop to the activities of the day. Up and down the winding switch back curves of Maloja Pass the alps, the forrest, the water always present. Standing in Silvaplana at the edge of the water watching the Moth boats hovering above the water, alps in the background - the beauty of it all is almost overwhelming.
I loved the cable cars that took us up to the top of the world to look down on the blue lakes in the valleys, the cows grazing on the mountain sides with their big bells ringing as they wandered.  We watched the water falls flowing from high up in the alps ending at the bottom in crystal clear blue water. 
How could I not love the experience of riding the 100 year old Bernina Express with its panoramic windows & unique views. A slow tour of the alps as it took us to Tirano, Italy for lunch on a Sunday afternoon. 
I loved the beautiful walled villages that we drove through slowly along the very narrow roads in case another car was coming from the opposite direction, admiring the views at each curve. 
The tunnels  - some short, some miles long, some that signify the start of another country. Tunnels were with us throughout our drive.
I loved the flower boxes on all of the windows. From the smallest apartment to the largest hotel to the sidewalk cafes & the sidewalks themselves, all filled with bright blooming colors.  
I loved hearing the sound of the Church bells signaling the start of Mass or possibly an event on one of the mountains. The hotelier considered it an annoyance....to us, as short timers in the village, we loved listening to their seemingly endless chimes.  
At check in, the hotelier greeted us with 'welcome home'.  He repeated  that each evening when we returned. How could you not love that?
All good things must end I suppose. How could you not move on to the next big adventure?  We planned this mid summer escape last winter. It turned out to be great timing considering the heat wave Texas has endured this summer. As always, when it is time to go home, I will be more than ready. But that is still a few weeks away.
Next up, one night in Zurich. Dinner with former co-workers from the month Bob spent here 8 years ago. I do not remember much about that month except it was a long time to be gone from home. He was gone for Thanksgiving that year, not fun for any of us.  I am glad when we leave Zurich tomorrow he will go with me!
And now the next big adventure - two weeks in the city we love so much, Amsterdam. Two weeks at the apartment we consider a second home. 
The traditional end of summer week-end, Labor Day will be filled with family.  I cannot think of anything better than being with people you love, in a city you love. 
'Proscht' to a wonderful adventure in Switzerland - more soon from Amsterdam!