It was July 3rd. We’d been gone for 41 days, already much longer than either of us had ever imagined. We’d already seen and experienced so many incredible things in some of the greatest cities in the world. But this much time away from home can really begin to take a toll and start to make you miss some of the comforts of home: familiar home-cooked meals, spacious bathrooms and living areas, air conditioning, ice in your drinks, friendly people. After 41 days of longing for these things, we could not have been more happy and relieved at our next stop.
We left Rome by train, stopped one night in Florence to eat and rest, continued north through Milan the next day, and then finally reached Switzerland. We originally intended to stay in Zurich but ended up finding a great deal on an Airbnb in a town about 30 minutes east of Zurich called Wetzikon. We had no idea what to expect as the train left us in a small, quiet residential area. We arrived late to the property (around 10 p.m.) and were warmly welcomed by Christine and her husband Stephan, a couple close in age to our parents who immediately made us feel right at home. They even had a little pup named Sniper! We had a quick bite to eat while Christine and Stephan gave us the run down of Zurich and the surrounding areas. They showed us to our very cozy and very spacious room on the top floor of their home, and we called it a night.
The next day we took a train into Zurich and did our usual routine of getting lost in the city in search of good food, cold drinks, great sights, and fun times. We only spent one day in Zurich though, as we quickly realized that the real fun and enjoyment to be had was right there in Wetzikon.
We spent the next several days in Wetzikon. Christine invited Savannah on a nice early morning walk through a wonderful hiking area with waterfalls and some really cool tree sculptures. After so much time away from home and from her mom, Savy really bonded with Christine as a mother-figure over the next several days.
Later that day, Christine and Stephan treated us to a wonderful home-cooked meal of lasagne with strawberry salad. A couple from Canada occupied the other room in the house, so we all spent an evening having drinks and talking the night away. We had seen so many cathedrals and castles and museums and statues and fountains, but enjoying such a comfortable environment with amazing people in this far away land was truly memorable.
For our last day in Switzerland, Christine drove us to the top of a very large hill where we dined on some authentic Swiss food and took in the sights. The view from the hill was just astonishing. The pictures really don’t do it justice.
We said our heartfelt goodbyes to Christine, Stephan, and little Sniper as we set out once again for another adventure. Up next…the Deutschland!
This entry was posted in Destinations
