The last weekend Grandma Nita was here we went on another road trip. We left Thursday afternoon and stayed until Sunday afternoon. Having a car in Geneva has been revolutionary: We started with two cars in Provo, went to one in Denver, and for the last year and a half have used trains, trams and buses to get everywhere. I wouldn't have done it any other way. That being said, the car now gives us the freedom to go on road trips, visit friends who don't live on public transportation lines, go to and from church without our life revolving around the #10 or #16, offer rides to others, etc.
Thursday:
Grandma entertained June in the car. June travels very well so far (phewph!)
Grandma hadn't seen Zurich, so we stopped for a quick visit
Part of that trip included hot cocoa and Luxemburgerli at Sprungli. Yum!
I booked our accommodations through AirBnB, a site some friends introduced us to (thanks Perry family!). It is a place where people place rooms, apartments or homes to rent. That was the 3rd time we booked through airbnb, and we've had great experiences so far.
This was our rustic chalet in the mountains. It was over 100 years old and truly rustic. My mom put it best, "Let's just say it wouldn't pass code!" We loved it though!
(front & back views)
One of the cool things about our chalet was how it was heated. It used a big ceramic stove. Each morning, and once or twice in the day, we (meaning Curt) had to build a fire and push it deep into the stove. It now means more to us when we tour old castles and homes as this is how they were all heated. You can spot the ceramic heater in most rooms. It worked really well.
I at least helped by gathering the wood (which was conveniently piled in the woodshed--no effort besides carrying).
Friday:
We drove just over 2 hours to Schwangau, Germany to see the Neuschwanstein Castle
This is the inner courtyard. The tour of the castle was really cool. We could even spot the ceramic heater throughout.
It may look familiar to you as it is often called the Disney castle.
Our little princess saw the whole thing in the baby bjorn. We love that thing!
On our drive home we passed through Austria. We noticed signs on the freeway for the Rolls Royce museum on the way to the castle but had a tour appointment. We decided we'd try to see if we could make it on the way home. As it is 'off season,' the museum had it's winter hours and was already closed; however, the guy who runs it was having a birthday party for his daughter outside. He let Curt have a special admission and Curt enjoyed walking around the museum after hours while I sat in the lobby and fed June. This little baby has eaten everywhere you can imagine. It's actually really convenient.
We also stopped in Vaduz, Lichtenstein on our way home. This is the cathedral downtown.
They have these two modern sculptures at the base of the cathedral--I think they're beautiful, especially since they're housed next to each other.
And finally, the castle: I made a bet with Curt, and won: the Vaduz castle is still inhabited!
Saturday:
The mountains are spectacular across the valley from where we stayed. If you're into geology, take a close look (click the photo) and see the amazing rock formation patterns.
The highlight of our trip was visiting Jenins, Switzerland. This is where our family, the Bruesch line, lived. My mom's Dad's grandfather (thus my mom's paternal great-grandfather) left Switzerland in the 1800s and headed to the USA.
The notable church in Jenins
Here is the old family homestead, according to our Bruesch family history book. It is called Hinterwald and can easily be seen on google maps.
The gorge behind the property is beautiful
The man who currently lives in the home was kind to give us a tour. He only spoke Swiss-German (besides a couple of words in English). Luckily I phoned my co-worker, Myriam, who speaks Swiss-German, and she was kind enough to explain to him why 3 Americans (4 counting June) showed up at his door.
Here you can see the foundation is original (and our nice tour guide Mr. Zimmerman)
The cellar, also appears to be original for the most part
The entire home had undergone major renovations in the living quarters. Here you can see something original remaining--remember the ceramic stove at the place we were staying? Here is the entrance to the original one in the home with the flue above it.
Our three generation photo at the home. June's great-great-great grandfather lived there.
After visiting Chur and a few other towns we finished the evening at a yummy restaurant called Kerenzerberg in the Lake Wallensee area. Mom had traditional rösti and Curt and I had cordon bleu, a typical dish in the region.
And what would a post be without an extra photo of June? I know that's why most people look at this blog :)
