After taking Steppin’ Out to the Marlow yard with a punch list of items to work on, we boarded a flight to Zurich Switzerland to visit our good friends Daniel & Renata. It would be our first time in Switzerland and we were so excited to spend time exploring and visiting with our great friends! After an hour long delay leaving Tampa, our flight finally took off at 12:30 am for the 10 hour flight to Zurich.
The flight was uneventful and we both got a little bit of sleep but the time change difference (6 hours) definitely took it’s toll. Daniel was waiting for us at the airport were he whisked us out to a small village where they had a beautiful and charming country home. The home was actually built in 1824 and served as the villages’ school house up until the 1970’s. It had been converted from a schoolhouse but still maintained the original, herringbone wood floors that were just stunning. There was a long school bench where the kids would study along with a chalk board and class pictures on the wall from over the years. It was an absolutely stunning setting for what would turn out to be 2 amazing weeks in Switzerland!
After quickly freshening up after our long flight, we headed out with Daniel and Renata to see the countryside and grab some dinner. We couldn’t get over how beautiful the countryside was with the lush, green, rolling hills and charming villages around every turn.
On Sunday, we went to Lake Constance for a river cruise and brunch. It included seeing small towns along the Lake including Germany on the North side. Brunch included locally grown white asparagus, which is considered a delicacy when in season. I’m not 100% certain but it sure seemed like it was offered at nearly every meal over the next two weeks. I was a trooper and had my share but have to say that I prefer Swiss chocolate!
On Day 3, Renata took us into “Old Town” Zurich via a tram, cable car and train where we met up with her brother Peter, for a guided tour of the city! The public transportation here is very impressive and allows easy movement throughout the city. The history and architecture on Zurich and the entire country is just stunning! Seeing buildings that have stood for 100’s of years give you a new appreciation for European history and a sense of just how “young” the U.S. really is!
We learned that the church’s in Switzerland will have one of two objects at the top of their steeple. If it’s a rooster, then the church is Protestant and if it’s a cross or map, then it’s Catholic. Let me tell you that there are church’s everywhere in the country and most are at least 500 years old and older! We were able to tour many of them and the architecture inside is just incredible. While we were welcome to tour the interior of the church’s, photography was not allowed.
For lunch, we walked over to the Sternen Grill for their famous Brat’s! Now I’ll admit that I was looking forward to some grilled Bratwurst with some kraut but wow, was I surprised! First off, the Swiss Brat’s are all veal – very tasty and a different texture from what I’ve had before. Second, asking for Sauerkraut, I learned, would have created an International incident! Nope, here at Sternen, they hand you their Brat in some wax paper along with a homemade roll. You eat the Brat like a hot dog without the bun and it was absolutely delicious!
After a day of walking and exploring, we ended up at Sprungli for some Luxemburgli Macaroons and a Cappuccino to finish our day in Zurich. The city was just breathtaking and so easy to explore by just walking and the occasional train/tram. I continued to be struck with how old the buildings are, you realize again, just how “young” the U.S. is relative to Europe. The architecture was exquisite and I’m not sure the skills to build them like that even exist these days.
Our day finished back at Daniel & Renata’s flat where we met her Brother Tony and his beautiful shepard Meshee! They served the traditional dish of Raclette which is where we heated up different types of cheese on these little serving trays and then scrapped the gooey goodness onto a plate that included boiled potatoes, pickled onions, pickles and a few other vegetables that I can’t recall. Needless to say, it was delicious and a great way to end the day!
Day 4 – Renata took us East into the mountains to the beautiful little town of Kronberg. We rode the tram to the summit for some amazing views of the Swiss Alps, the valleys below and lunch overlooking all of it! Following a wonderful lunch, where I had brat’s again, we drove into Gonten, which is where Daniel & Renata were married, and stopped at a local bakery for some fresh pastry’s.
Next up was Appenzell to walk the charming shops and enjoy the sights, sounds and smells. Of course we ended up at a local cheese shop that had more different types of cheeses than I’ve seen in my entire life! It was overwhelming and the owner was so kind and patient with us as we studied the many selections of cheese’s available – WOW!
Coming up next – Part 2…
