In New Jersey

Longest flight ever. At least i font still have to go all the way to Michigan!!

Our Last Day

Sad, rainy and low key. What a variety of weather we'be had! We r out to lunch in Old Town. Colin isn't feeling well and is heading back to the hotel.
Mom and I are gunna try one last bit of shopping (I'm out of clean clothes!)

One for the Road

Our last night in Zurich.

Mom and i finally checked out the hotel jacuzzi and pool.

Then time for one last drink at the hotel bar.

Make mine a double.

Dinner in Old Town

Mom and I had dinner at an outdoor bistro, on a cobblestone street, at sunset, in Old Town Zurich. Sigh

Complete 180 From Yesterday

Today was 90!!!!

So we went to the waterfront and swam in Lake Zurich.

We looked around for a while to find sand, but everybody seemed to just be swimming off of the rocks on the edge, so we found a nice grassy area and joined them.

It was kind of like people chilling out on the Great Lawn in Central Park, but SO much better, because there was an icy refreshing lake you could go jump in to cool off!!!

We hear all over the place that the lake water is so clean that you can drink it.

It was pretty clean, but there were fish swimming up to me, so i dont see how anyone would want to drink it.

Anyhow, kind of a complete opposite of what we did yesterday, right?!

Snow and sledding one day, then sun and beach the next?

Video of me Sledding on Top of Mt. Titlus, Switzerland

i would have been screaming more, but this was actually my second time down the hill. Look at that view!!!

Video

Sledding - at 10,000ft

This was, by far, the most fun we've had on our entire trip.

Sledding on top of the Swiss Alps!!

Actually, we are a little worried about how we could possibly top it?

Meet the Beagles

Oh Yeah!!!

We have been hanging out everyday with some of Colin's good friends, Jeff and Tina Beagle. Jeff participated in the Ironman with Colin (they train together in Michigan) so we have been hanging out with them everyday.

They are leaving tomorrow and we will be sad to see them go, because they are great traveling companions. Totally fun and up for just about anything!!!!

Get home safe you guys!

Journey to the Top

So today we went to the top of Mt. Titlus!!

We booked the tickets yesterday and were super bummed when we woke up to POURING rain.

But the weather cleared up litle by little and by the time we arrived at our destination, everything was fine

Im normally opposed to structured tours, but it was actually really informative!

We boarded a charter bus from downtown Zurich and headed out. Our tour guide was super sweet and she seemed to like our group the most (because we were so punctual).

We couldnt believe how high the mountain was and how high we were going!!

Once we parked at the base of the mountain in Engleberg, we had to transfer to 3 different kinds of lifts just to get to the top : 10,000ft up!!!!

The trip up took almost 45 minutes

Gaggle of Asian Flight Attendants

GeoTagged, [N47.37881, W8.50784]

Apperently our hotel is a hub for an Asian airline. Every morning and evening there are large groups of male and female flight attendants heading out for the day, or checking in. It is fun to see how different their uniforms are

Rain

Its pouring rain this morning.

Kind of put a damper on our plans to go to the mountains....

Im pretty sure we are still going, but it could be quite a different experience...

The Honor System

Chris asked what the public transportation system was like.

Its a really well organized system of above ground Trams and Busses. They are all over the city, and are usually pretty crowded. Everybody seems to either use Public Transportation or ride their bikes. You even see a lot of women on their way to work on their bikes in skirts and high heels!!!! I guess that is a pretty major commitment to going green (^_^)

The Trams get their power from wires that run above the cars. Since there are so many, it kind of looks like the city is covered in black spider webs.

But the super weird part is that even though you buy a paper ticket, nobody EVER checks it and there isnt any sort of reader by the entry way.... its all based on the honor system!!!!!

Can you imagine if New York was like that?

Its inconceivable.

Video of Top of Zurich

A short little 360 Degree video from the Top of Zurich

Top of Zurich

Tomorrow?!!?!?

OMG SO excited for tomorrow!!!!

Look at what we are doing....

GLACIER PARADISE / MOUNT TITLIS

Top of Zurich

After the chocolate factory (which was tourless and lame) and a totally lack-luster lunch, we were a little disheartened.... but thing sreally picked up when we went to the Top of Zurich!!

We took the tram downtown and then transfered to one that went up into the mountains.

To a beautiful series of paths and woods and spectacular views. There was a tower at the top to climg and a super fancy restaurant that we may go back to when we have more time....

Chocolate Factory

We are going to take a tour of a Chicolate Factory today. It better live up to my expectations.

Slow Morning

Finally a morning with no real plan!! Mom and I are going to the Grocery store to get some essentials while Colin packs up his bike. It is supposed to be 80 and sunny today!!

We are thinking about checking out downtown Zurich?

Bay Area View of Downtown Luzern, Switzerland

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpmsHYn5OMQ

Luzern!!!

After the Awards Ceremony, the travel group took us to Luzern for a long day of sight seeing and dinner!

The boat that we had dinner on later that evening was the drop off point

Colin and i by the waterfront, with the Swiss Alps in the background

Cool ancient wooden bridge

A church

Chocolate!!!

Mom cools her dogs in the water

View through a pay-telescope of the top of the Alps! i cant believe holding the iPhone up to the viewfinder worked so well!