Vacation Part 1: Switzerland

It's been about a year and a half since our last (my first) international trip...our honeymoon.  What a wonderful time we had.  Two weeks, 3 countries, we had a dream-of-a-time. 

Husband is the ultimate travel planner and thank goodness because I. am. NOT! ...and here's why.  He is never married to just one idea or one destination.  We recommend this to any and everyone who wants to take a great trip.  Plan out multiple destinations, multiple countries, multiple "it would be cool if" trips...you're only constraint is time.  For example we knew that we wanted to travel June 5th through the 17th.  So within that time constraint we began researching multiple options for trips:  California wine tour and driving up the coast, Ireland, Australia, Morocco, Paris and a trip across through the French Alps, Switzerland and catching a train through to Germany, and Austria.  All of these were places we have talked about going, and have wanted to visit for a while. Our second step was to begin researching each option. Weighing out costs, things we wanted to see, events, other misc. expenses, accommodations, and deal packages.  Once we weighed out each of these things, there were some that obviously fell through the cracks and before we knew it, we were left with one option...and that my friend is your next adventure waiting to happen. Some may think it a bit spontaneous, but it's actually how we have managed to have great travels for really cheap. 

We were definitely getting our international itch after not traveling abroad for a year and a half, so, we decided to embark upon another adventure this summer: 4 stops, 4 countries 2 weeks...and done. I won't bother you with mounds of details about our trip preparation, but I'll save one special story about husband for another post :)  

Our first destination was Zurich, Switzerland. We flew from our home to New Jersey and had an 8 hour layover, so decided to take the train in for the afternoon to walk the streets of NYC.  Our flight from Newark to Zurich was a TURBULENT 10 hours, which means I got zero sleep.  Exhausted, we arrived at our hotel. Husband's first item on the agenda: get out in the city.  Mine? Sleep!  We were welcomed into our comfy and modern hotel with a great view and took a small nap before embarking upon the city.  

FYI as a forewarning, Blogger's photo upload stinks.  Please click on the images to see the hi-res versions :) 

We got out and walked the busy streets of Zurich.  To our fascination every street corner, every building...flawlessly, immaculately clean and spotless.  Centuries old buildings looked as if they were built but only 10 years ago.  Fountains pre-dating the Renaissance era had little to no erosion.  You could have eaten off the floors of the buses.  It was almost weird....almost. :)

Silly Husband, excited about being on the train. He' so cute. 

We stopped in for lunch at a little historic restaurant on the square, Zeughauskeller. Husband looks as happy as ever here.  The restaurant used to be an old armory! The room was filled with weapons and shields from the early 10th and 11th centuries. Wow.

Little shops filled with locals who seem as though they are characters from movies.  Little to no shopping was done in Zurich, talk about EXPENSIVE!  The Bahnhofstrasse is known for the most expensive and exclusive shopping the world. Lots of window shopping going on, and no cars, only train and pedestrian allowed.

Chillin' on the grass with a gelato break from the shopping. 

Grossmunster Church on the river where the reformation began in Switzerland. 

We climbed atop the roof and for the first time in my adult life I felt claustrophobia!  Tiny, tiny narrow steps led to the top of the steeples, but boy was the view worth it!

Isn't the water amazing?!

After walking the streets we stopped off to sit on the Limmat river to take in the view.  The water is as clear as crystal and the Swazi swans will come and make friends with you.  The one thing we couldn't get over was how absolutely peaceful we felt.  Even when out in the city there are no loud sounds, only the low hum of the electric cars passing by, birds in the sky, and faint horn music.  You felt as though you were in a dream land!

We found out were the faint horn music was coming from... riiiccoolllaaa. :)

Train station off the famous Bahnhofstrasse. This is were we said our final goodbye's to Zurich and loaded up for our next stop to Feldkirch, Austria.

Beautiful view of the mountains over Lake Zurich leaving Switzerland.  Here is a short video I took from the train of our view over the lake.  

Next stop. Feldkirch.