An Epic Eurpean Adventure!

We are back from another trip of a lifetime!  My husband, daughter and I spent 2 weeks traveling around in the Swiss, Italian, and Austrian Alps... it was travel that reminded me why I work as hard as I do, and it made me feel 20 again. We spent everyday exploring, wondering, questioning, walking and EATING! The language was constantly changing and that engendered humorous and serious conversation as we fumbled our way through communications, learning the whole time! 

In the spirit of my blog post after our trip to Iceland, I give you one photo a day of our journey in the Alps...

Day 1: Lucerne for lunch (on our way to Mürren).

In the evening, The Eiger from our porch.  It pretty much rained the whole time we were in Mürren (which means we have to go back!) but the clouds cleared just long enough for me to get this shot with my phone.

Day 2: Mürren (yes, we had a hike in the rain)

Day 3: Driving to Ascona in Ticino... the little town of Visp had the best roofs! I fell in love with roofs, and shutters, and doors on this trip in a way I didn't know was possible.

Day 4: Bellinzona- aka 3 Castles in One Day

Day 5: Locarno- we renamed this area Switly, as it was like Italy, but in Switzerland, and we kept getting confused about what country we were in. It's the Swiss side of the Italian Lake District and the sunniest place we visited.

Day 6: Driving to Rovereto, Italy... we have relatives working at the University here and they are some of my favorite people to spend time with.  We found a phenomenal Agriturismo farm, Maso Carpene for our stay, the hosts, David and Claudia are dear new friends... and Claudia's food was AMAZING! The View:

Day 7: Walking around Rovereto

The shutters.... faux painters "try" to get walls to look like this!

Day 8: Another Castle Day

Castle Beseno

In the castle privy!

Day 9: Driving to Innsbruck.. the square in Trento

Day 10: Innsbruck... oh my I loved this little Austrian City.  I'd love to go back in the winter and ski and spend my evenings in town.

Day 11: Driving to Zurich
No photos from this day... but the driving was glorious!  (And fast and twisty, my honey does love a good mountain pass)

Day 12: Zurich
And GAH, no photos from today, it was rainy and I left my "camera" at home.  We did go to a great old Button shop, called Keck.

Day 13: Zurich.. the last day.  Oh my, what memories were made this last day in Switzerland.  I met up with Coralie (from Geneva) and Fides and Gabby (who live in Heitzl, just outside Zurich) for an epic day.  Coralie is an active member of my Ravelry group and The M-Club, and Fides and Gaby own a new Swiss yarn company called Siidegarte.

We started with lunch at Hiltl the world's oldest vegetarian restaurant (really good!), and then walked and talked and browsed (and went yarn shopping)... then we went to Sprungli for coffee and sweets.

I stole this photo from Fide's Instagram feed, as it catches how fun the day was!

And then the best part...  We took a ferry across the lake, drove up the mountain and ended in Hirzl, for Siidegarte's knit night.  It was EPIC!  I am honored that these 3 sweet women spent a day with me showing me their country.

The view from Gaby's house at sunset, their town, Hirzl is the town Johanna Spyri, the author of Heidi, was born in.

Coralie, working on her Magmatic MKAL.

Of course I didn't take photos as I was too busy shopping and chatting (and knitting), and making new friends, but I did bring home some yarn!  All of Siidegarte's yarn is milled and dyed in Switzerland. The top yarn is Siide-Buschpar, a linen/silk DK, that is destined to be a lacy spring sweater.  I can't wait to tuck into that design!.

Day 14: HOME!