The Return

Originally we heard that Venice was a one day city. We planned three days to explore the region and cities surrounding Venice. We had so much fun in Venice we decided to spend the entire time there. We felt like we didn't even scratch the surface. The weather ended up being so nice that we planned a small trip to the beach in isle of Lido. But before we could hit the beach we had to make a small stop and pick up a brand new red purse for Janelle. You can see the pic of how happy she was with her new purchase. As you wander through the back streets you find many small Piazza's. They all have so many different features from fountains, churches, & small gardens everywhere. We found a lot of the locals in the back streets from kids playing soccer and all the old timers sitting on benches talking about the good ol' days.

 

This is the beach at Lido. It is the only island in Venice that has streets and cars on it. We loved being in the town and sitting in the sun. We had a great lunch at a shop that looked like a surf shack. For those who have been to the beaches in Europe before people watching is a fun past time. You get to see many topless women who should not be topless. This last month before we went Venice in Zurich was rainy, cold, and dark. It felt so good to get down to Venice and be in the Sun. Being on the beach is just so revitalizing, we just didn't want to ever leave.

 

Luck of The Irish

Josh decided he needed a little more luck in his life. So he hoped on a plane and went to Ireland to go chase some leprechauns for their precious pot of gold. Unfortunately he was stuck in meetings all day since it was a work trip, so perhaps next time. He was lucky in that Dublin had a Pizza Hut for him to gorge on a pizza buffet. He took some time to see some of the sights of the city. One of the highlights was visiting St. Patrick's cathedral. You can see a picture of the inside on the lower left hand side. For anyone who would like to visit they charge you 4.5 Euro to get in. The city of Dublin, and the country of Ireland had a really proud happy, friendly people. They all want to talk about their country and invite you for a pint. Truly Josh felt very lucky to have the experience. Perhaps next time the hunt for the elusive leprechaun will be more successful.

 

Date Night

When Josh and I got married we had a goal to make sure we had a date once a week. I was looking at my blog and realized I haven't really done any posts with the city of Zurich. So a couple of weeks ago, Josh & I took some pictures of Zurich and also of our favorite restaurant Kings Cave (seen in the second collage). The city of Zurich has a great feeling where mid-evil times meet modern times. As you go around the city you find cobblestone streets, new construction, upscale shopping, huge banks, and of course old Church's built in before any of us were a glimmer in our parents eye's.

 

We found this restaurant the first week we were in Zurich and have been hooked ever since. Josh really likes the steak and I love the chicken there. They also have this dessert called the Danemark which is basically vanilla ice cream with hot fudge. They make their own fudge on site and it is divine (hence the pic in the collage to show you what you are missing). When we leave Switzerland we will really miss King's Cave.

 

Easter in Chamonix

 

Our Easter weekend began with a 6 1/2 hour(that should have been 3 hours) car ride through a crazy snow storm. We were planning to get to Chamonix, France late Friday morning so that Josh would have the day to ski. But since mother nature was messing with us a bit, he was able to only ski one run before the ski resort shut down due to avalanche danger and high winds. The next day it was gorgeous with pure powder to ski. So while the boys skied, the girls hung out with the kids. Most of the group stayed at this cute little chalet. So the first night we all got together for a gourmet meal the owners themselves whipped up for us. We had an awesome group this trip including (Tomlinsons, Shontzs, Hemmerts, and Malms). Before parting separate ways on Sunday, we had an hour discussion on the meaning of Easter. Then Josh and I drove to a town a half hour out of Chamonix to enjoy an Easter feast in the worst restaurant known to man. We were both dreaming of yummy ham and rolls fresh out of the oven. Instead Josh ended up eating beef tartar, which translated is RAW ground beef mixed with meatloaf ingredients. My dinner wasn't great, but okay. At least the desert was yummy. The French do know their pastries. Our drive home was not nearly as difficult and we made it back in three hours. A big thanks to Shontz's who organized the whole event!!

Ski/Spa Getaway

Only in Switzerland do you see cows (or ponies in this case) roaming the streets of a village. Gstaad is a quaint little ski town we escaped to for the weekend with 20 of Josh's work friends. I agreed to go if I could do a little pampering for myself. So while Josh hit the slopes the first day, I got a massage. Then we met up for fondue with everyone later that night. Day two of our get away wasn't great skiing weather, so Josh and I explored the town a bit. And hey, I even convinced Josh to let me try a bungee trampoline.