Family Vacation: European Edition

Way back in January we received an e-mail from the daughter of GLH's friend who suggested we invite her parents to visit us because her parents were in desperate need of a European vacation. And as she was graduating from high school, it would make a wonderful family vacation before she headed off to college.

We immediately issued a formal invitation.

On Friday afternoon, after a bit of a mix up and boarding the wrong train...

Joyce, Marissa and Mike arrived for their final destination on their two-week trip through Germany, Austria and Switzerland!

After feeding them some sandwiches as they were "starving to death," we walked down to the dock to catch the passenger ferry into Zürich. A whirlwind tour of downtown Zürich and the Altstadt (during which I forgot to take a single photograph) was followed by aperitifs at the Jules Verne Bar.

After unsuccessfully attempting to get a restaurant table at 6:30 pm on a Friday night without reservations, we headed back to the house where I happened to have the makings for fondue. Because you cannot have guests in Switzerland without serving them fondue at least once.

On Saturday morning we set off bright and early for Brienz and the Ballenberg Open Air Museum where we wandered through rural architecture...


Watched the hungry piglets...

And followed the many trails that meander through the exhibits...

Since we were in the neighborhood anyway, we drove past Interlaken towards the town of Mürren for some mountain viewing. Although by now it was too late in the day to go to the top of any of them.


Then we headed back to Zürich by a different route and went through the awe-inspiring Sustenpass...


After a night of talking and staying up far, far too late, we headed out once again and set course for the nearby Einsiedeln and the amazingly beautiful cathedral.


Followed by a casual hike up the nearby hill...

And a close inspection of some Swiss Brown Cows.


Our day trip ended with a walk through the charming town of Zug...