Trip to Switzerland: Day 3 (Sunday drive and a Swiss meal)

I didn't post these pictures the day we took them, so now it's many days later and I just can't bring myself to write anything about this day. Basically, Switzerland is beautiful. So beautiful that I decided to make these pictures extra large to prove it.

Here are some pictures from our drive that we took after church on Sunday. The drive is not far from where Monica and Jachen used to live.

We went to this meadow and had a picnic lunch. Doesn't that sound like something one would do in Switzerland: have a picnic lunch in a meadow?

Here's what we ate on our picnic lunch. Curry flavored turkey slices - very good. Rob's dream of eating bread with cheese and meat every day on this trip is beginning to come true.

Dad, this one is for you - there was a classic (classic doesn't even seem to describe it) car show near the Santis Mountain. We didn't see the actual show, but this beautiful old Bentley was in the parking lot - the parking lot! That should say something about the quality of the cars that were there.

This is how Henry has been enjoying the long scenic drives we've been taking on our trip:

And that night we ate raclette, a traditional Swiss meal, reminiscent of fondue. The cheese gets melted at the bottom on personal-sized frying pans and while you're waiting for the cheese to melt (which you will then pour onto boiled potatoes), eat some other finger foods like pickles or fry yourself up some bacon on the top of the grill. I think Rob said it best, "I like a country that has so much cheese it needs new and interesting ways to prepare it."

Henry is really enjoying his time with Monica and Jachen. He must have realized these were the same two who talk to him on Skype, because he has never warmed up to anyone so quickly! It's so fun and heartwarming to see the three of them together and know this is how he's going to get to know them.

Switzerland Trip: Appenzell

Today we went to Appenzell which is a neat city up in the hills. It has cool traditionally decorated buildings and beautiful surroundings of rolling hills and old homes. We drove up during the afternoon to have a picnic lunch, walk around the downtown and visit the cheese factory.

Scenes around Appenzell:

 

 

 I bought a couple small gnomes for Henry here:

 

 Switzerland's public fountains are also drinking fountains - really!

 

Our picnic at the park.Our lunch consisted of bread, meat and cheese. Rob said he wouldn't mind eating that meal for the rest of the two weeks we're here.

Up the hill a little ways at the cheese factory:

 

 

Switzerland Trip: Day 1 (exploring Monica's city)

My first impressions of Monica & Jachen's house and city were that the house is as cute (and small) as I thought it would be and the city is even cooler than I thought it would be.

Henry loves exploring his new surroundings - here he is taking all the tea-bags out of the pantry. It smells really good in there now.

 

Outside the front door.

 

The next few pictures are from our first walk around Rorschach. We'll probably take more of these walks everyday we're here, so there should be a lot of pictures on the blog. The weather last night, when these pictures were taken, was beautiful. So far we've lucked out with the weather!

 

We grabbed kebab wraps for dinner and at them next to the lake. Mmm, it was quite good. And really big. There are a bunch of kebab places in the city, an apparently all over this part of Switzerland. It's like how Seattle has a ton of teriyaki places. Who would have guessed?

Back at Monica's and playing with some of Jachen's old toys before bed.

Switzerland Trip: Getting there (flying with a 13 month old)

After months and months of planning and looking forward to this trip... we're finally here!

But... first we had to get there. I was super nervous about the 13 hour trip (5 hrs to NYC + 8 hrs to Zurich) so I read a lot of blogs about airplane travel with babies and followed the advice about toys, food, etc.

In turned out I was a little over prepared with too many toys and too much food because the most helpful preparation was to bring Benadryl. It didn't knock Henry out or anything, but I'm pretty sure he was able to sleep during his regular nap time and during the night because of it. During his awake times the plane's magazines, buttons and windows were enough to keep him happy (plus a lot of media time on his ipod).
 

In Seattle before boarding. He loves these floor to ceiling windows with so much to see outside!

 Napping on my lap.

Watching a little in-flight entertainment.

 Pulling magazines out - he did this about 20 times.

We could never have afforded to buy Henry his own seat, but he sure did like borrowing mine.

 

During our 3 hour layover in NYC. More cool windows.

Our only picture from the long flight to Zurich. 

Henry was awesome and slept, but Rob and I didn't. Henry is under a blanket that is over him in order to block out the light - the blanket Henry would bat away from him in his sleep. So, we had to keep it away off his body, which is why it's tied around my neck and clipped to Rob's shirt sleeve! It was pretty dang bright with a tv right above our seat - I at least had an eye mask but poor Rob didn't.

 

We're so happy to be here in Switzerland with my sister, Monica and her husband Jachen. We're especially happy that the flight went well with Henry and that we now to get to sleep in a bed!

Rob's second Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to Rob!