Interlaken

Greetings from Interlaken!

This morning, we finished packing up our bags for our short stint in Interlaken and then Simon walked over to Rennie’s apartment to drop off our biggest bags, which we wouldn’t need for the next three days.  

Rennie and Simon then went back to the Airbnb, we checked out, and then took the tram to the Haftbahnhopf in Zurich. There, Erika and Rennie got croissants and breakfast while Simon played eye spy with the boys while we waited for our train. 

The train ride was comfortable and went smoothly. We built a couple little Lego race cars with the boys and then enjoyed incredible views of the mountains and lakes as we neared Interlaken.  

Once we arrived in Interlaken in the early afternoon, we stored our bags in lockers and took the funicular up to Harder Kulm.  The boys were excited to be as high as the sky!

There, we went to the very top to see the whole region before rain rolled in, at which time we had a fondue lunch at the restaurant.  

Amazingly, the boys far preferred pasta to bread dipped in cheese.  It makes no sense. 

After our delicious lunch, we took the funicular down as the rain slowly came down; picked up our bags from the lockers; and then took the bus to our beautiful Airbnb.  Hang Hang joined us as we unpacked our bags and he and Rennie played with the boys until they went to check in to their hotel.  Simon quickly went to pick up groceries and order dinner.  Finally, we fed the boys, had a tasty Indian food dinner with Rennie and Hang Hang, and now are playing Phase 10.  It’s cutthroat.  Relationships have been tested.  Basic intelligence has been questioned.  Color blindness is suspected.  

Lindt and Lake Zurich

This morning we had breakfast at our Airbnb and then managed to find Aunt Rennie at the station to take the train and then a bus to the Lindt-Sprungli museum experience in Kilchberg.  After a 20 minute ride, we arrived and were soon smelling chocolate in the air as we rounded the corner up the hill from the bus stop.

Upon entering, we checked in for our museum tour and then started learning about the harvesting process and history of chocolate.  Halfway through the tour, after taking in some virtual dioramas extolling the virtues of Swiss industry, we hit the jackpot.  

First, there were vats of molten white, milk, and dark chocolate to sample at our leisure.  None of us could control ourselves. 

But then, there was more - a machine that dropped samples of various pure and flavored chocolate bars into our hands on demand with no limit.  This was, undoubtedly, the boys’ favorite moment in their lives thus far. 

Finally, near the end of the tour, we learned about how Lindor truffles are made and then got to pick free samples of 8 various different truffles — each.  You better believe we stuck our grubby little paws in.  We loaded Rennie’s tote bag with 40 flipping truffles.  What?!

But wait - there’s more.  After learning about and viewing the assembly line process, we each got one more Lindt filled square from a marble run contraption.  We literally were stuffed before we could get to the gift shop (in which gift shop, for good measure, each visitor received another complimentary truffle - just for walking in).  You cannot lose. 

Following a tasty (non-chocolate) lunch, we made out like bandits, armed to the teeth with complimentary chocolate.  

Rather than the bus, we took the hour long scenic ferry back, sailing up and then back down Lake Zurich to the city.  

What we lost in time we made up for with lovely breezy views, which Bennett particularly complimented.  (It only took four different spots on board to find a lovely breezy spot!)

After the cruise, we went back to our Airbnb for quiet time.  Then, we joined back up with Aunt Rennie and Uncle Hang Hang to go to a swimming spot on Lake Zurich.  We got into the water but weren’t able to stay long since we needed to navigate around the Zurich triathlon and get the boys back for dinner and a bath.  

Finally, we put the boys down (go to sleep, kids!) and had a tasty dinner before starting to pack for our three day trip to Interlaken where we are ready for a break from this heat wave.  

As our friends Matt and Sam say, to the mountains we must go!

Zurich - Uetliberg and Lake Zurich

We all woke up a bit sweaty to start a Swiss heat wave but were still able to enjoy our balcony first thing in the morning. 

After yogurt with blueberries for all, Rennie and Hang Hang met us at the Airbnb and then we took a tram and then a series of articulated buses to the Uetliberg stop, where we strapped the boys into their carriers and hiked up to a phenomenal view of Zurich.  On the way, we got a taste of the scale of the solar system as there were scale models (by size and distance) of the Sun and planets.  (We made it only as far as Mars.)  It was a perfect combination of our favorite things — hiking and space!

Once at Uetliberg, the bravest of us (Erika, Rennie, and the boys) got bonus pints and views, climbing up to the 30m viewing platform of the Uetliberg Aussichtsturm.  The rest of us (Simon and Hang Hang) gulped grapefruit soda down below.  

We reconvened for lunch and then more views of Zurich and the surrounding area.  

Then, we descended back to the bus stop and rode back to town.  

Our destination was the Swatch store, where the boys pricked out adorable fire engine Swatches and immediately asked to put them on.  These 4 year olds have no excuse not to be on time anymore!

After getting Swatches, we took the tram back to our Airbnb for some quiet time for all. 

Following quiet time, we met back up with Rennie and Hang Hang and navigated some tram cancellations to get down to the lakefront of Lake Zurich for a lakeside dinner.  Finally, we dipped our feet (and, if you’re three feet tall) torsos into Lake Zurich before heading back up to the Airbnb where the crew surprised Simon with an early Black Forest birthday cake.  Thanks!!

Notice how the boys are already wearing their Swatches. 

Tomorrow, we’re cashing in our Swiss golden tickets for a tour of the Lindt Chocolate factory.  Wish us luck getting our!