So since I have been away for what seems like forever I figured I would do a quick recap of what this trip has brought me. My Uncle Jim and Dad came into the airport April 3rd and we had an amazing reunion at the Schlossberg Hotel. Quite arguably the nicest hotel I have ever been to. Photos do not do it justice but it was honestly majestic.
Off to Vienna! On the first day we explored the Schonbrunn Palace. It was a palace for Austrian royalty but now they allow tours. As we got there I was excited to show them the easter market because there was some delicious food there last time we went. The tour was great but we were exhausted so we rested a bit before venturing into Stephansplatz for some traditional Austrian cuisine. They both had their first Austrian schnitzel and sacher torte, a must have dessert. The second day in Vienna we wandered around the city and went into St. Stephen's cathedral. It was a beautiful place but of course my dad couldn't help but want the bird's eye view from the top. So I confronted my fear of heights and took an elevator up to the top. In between moments of shaking with fear and fighting the onset of an anxiety attack I got to enjoy the beauty of Vienna from above. Even tho it was a bit drizzly it was still a great sight.
Then hit Switzerland, a country I have literally always wanted to go to. In my mind it was going to be all cheese, chocolate, and watches just dripping from the alps. Apparently thats not quite how it works, at least not in Zurich. As we got to our hotel I was slightly confused, why was this nice Marriot in the middle of something called a Techno park and where were the mountains..all I saw was a crane outside of my window. Well once I got over my issues with Zurich I really started to enjoy it. Yes things are expensive, never let someone trick you and tell you it isn't. Unless you are prepared to spend $45 on a pasta dish I suggest not travelling there. Even though I was not paying for anything (thanks Dad) I still cringed every time the bill came. As a cheap college student one of those bills could have fed me for weeks. But Zurich is a beautiful city, we were there over Easter and we found a quaint church in ENGLISH to go to and then had fondue for dinner. The look on my face in this picture is pure joy that cheese was the main staple of my meal. It was an amazing time. But we decided Zurich didnt need four days so we cut our trip in half and made our way to the alpine town Luzern.
Luzern is about an hour train ride from Zurich and as soon as we were on the train watching the mountains we knew we were in for real Switzerland. I could already envision myself frolicking in the Alps. Luckily when we got there the weather changed and turned out to be beautiful unmasking the glorious mountains. We didn't waste any time and as soon as we arrived we decided to go up Mount Pilatus. Imagine gondolas at Stowe...but that go up about 7000 feet. It was wild and once again i was confronting my crippling fear of heights. I would have to say that going up that mountain was one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had. Close your eyes and imagine the alps....exactly as expected.
Luzern is exactly the type of sleepy town that I had been looking for in Switzerland and I have to say that it stole my heart. The second day in Luzern turned out to be even more amazing, while trying to decide what to do we stumbled upon a boat cruise. This boat literally brings you right through the alps while cruising along gorgeous Lake Luzern. If I thought they day before was amazing I was in for a treat. It was a gorgeous day and it was one of those experiences that I never wanted to end. Being casual alpine travellers we decided to go down to the beach later that day and have a picnic at sunset. Eating delicious cheese, fruit, bread and wine from Switzerland capped our perfect love affair with Switzerland.
This trip was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Spending time with my dad and my uncle, two people I love so much and experiencing the trip on a lifetime with them was incredible. The sights that we saw and the times we had together were priceless. (Although I am sure my Dad's wallet doesn't feel the same way) This has been the highlight of my life. Ich liebe Europa!
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