Switzerland

We left Munich on a snowy Tuesday morning.

The forecast was for snow the entire route with as much as a foot or more

so we hit the autobahn after waiting for rush hour to be over.

The forecast was correct...  it snowed the whole way but the driving,

although requiring a greater level of care - was fine.

Our 320km trip - should have taken about 3 hours - instead was 6 hrs.

The scenery was beautiful with the fresh coating.

We arrived at our friends home
 and the next morning the skies had cleared for a while.

Isabella baked us braided bread.

Typical breakfast

Marcel has this old radio.   Uses vacuum tubes and still works great!

The sound is like a Bose radio!

One day Marcel and the girls went skiing while I worked

in my Swiss office.   My biggest challenge here is the time difference.

5pm NY time is 11pm here.   Makes for late work nights.

Got Cheese?

Their home is at the top of a hill overlooking lake Zurich.

It is a long way down....  and up.

Remember the movie "Barefoot in the Park"?

That is Kate and I when we get back.

Down in the village along the lake.

A winter wonderland.

On the way back up the hill we pass this church.

The bells ring and ring.

Fortunately we sleep very well.

One day we took a trip up into the nearby hills to the  Einsiedeln Monastary

The inside is incredible!   I don't think the language has the words to describe just

how amazing it was!  It rivals or exceeds many of the Cathederals that we

have visited in Rome.

They did not allow pictures inside so I found a few on the internet to share.

Every square inch was covered with amazing detail.

Of course a mandatory stop was at the Wurst Stand.

the girls are best friends and play together so well.

A pastoral scene on the way home.

Last night we took the train into Zurich for dinner.

Zurich was untouched by war so everything is original.

The largest clock face in Europe.

At night the  scenery changed.

The Christmas decorations were quite beautiful.  Like Stars.

We had dinner at a fantastic Italian Restaurant.

Then Marcel took us to a small bar that only the locals know.

We had Alpli-Milsch.

It looks like milk.

Tastes like a sweet milk.

Kicks your butt!

We had classic swiss music and yodeling.

Of course Kate took part in the yodeling.

I did a short video just to get the sound and the flavor of the place.

I did not want to make folks uncomfortable so I sort of hid the camera.

Later we took the train back home.

The Zurich Bahnhof is a mix of the traditional and the new.

They just completed a multi year multi million $ expansion.

It is many levels and looks like a shopping mall.

Hundreds of shops.

Most very exclusive and expensive.

The trains are spotless and run like a fine Swiss watch. 

 Monday Kate and I head up into the Alps for 2 nights,

and then return to our hosts home on Weds.

Thursday we head back to the Airport for our 12hr flight home.

Stay tuned for our time in the Alps!