Mount Pilatus

August 1 is Swiss National Day. It is the equivalent of the Fourth of July (minus the independence) with celebrating, parades, fireworks and most importantly almost every business is closed. Since Jeremy had the day off we packed up our bags and headed to Mount Pilatus for a day of hiking. It was great to get out of Zurich and see some of the other parts of the country. Getting there was simple, with a quick train change in Luzern, we were at the base of the mountain in just over one hour. We decided to take the cog wheel train to the half way point and then hike the last two hours to the summit. Mount Pilatus is home to the most steep cog wheel train in the world.

 Heading up on the train.

 We were told by the helpful man at the train station that this would be a great hike for us to break the ice on in Switzerland since aren't used to hiking the alps.  Well, even though it was marked easy and even though we rode a train halfway up, it was hard.  By the time we walked up the very steep mountainside, quite simply, we were sore and worn-out.  But it was worth it.  The views were incredible, which wouldn't have been seen from the train.  Humorously, there were cows mooing and ringing their cowbells to cheer us up the entire way.

 The end was finally in sight, yet still so so far away!

 

 

 After we took in all the beauty at the top of the mountain we headed back down to Luzern, via the cog wheel train and then the normal train to enjoy a hard earned dinner of pizza. Jeremy celebrated with a beer, Laura with gelato.

En guete!

Swiss food. Well, there is not much to say on this topic as of yet. Hopefully we will discover our favorites soon. Until then, we have been living on cheese, bread and veggies. We have ventured to a few cafe's and out to dinner twice. It is an unusual experience because we are both searching of for any familiar words and doing our best "point and smile" to choose our dish. This past Saturday night we went to a Mediterranean restaurant and it was a breath of fresh air! I was beaming to find grilled fish with spinach and veggies. Jeremy enjoyed steak and frites while we shared delicious red wine.  We left full, happy, and overly aware of how much importance we place on our food.

Food shopping has been a bit less stressful. With some searching, I usually can leave with a bag of things to keep us sustained for a few more days. The dairy section of the store is at least twice as large at a typical US grocery. They have every type of yogurt and milk possible...breakfast yogurt, dessert yogurt, energy yogurt, yogurt with fruit, drinkable yogurt, yogurt in glass jars, yogurt with cereal already mixed, yogurt with frosting. The cheese section is just as large. I have been adventurous with our cheese purchases figuring that this is the best way to  get a better understanding of what we like and dislike.

One highlight of the grocery is that they play american music. I find myself lingering in the isles, happy to hear tunes and words that I recognize.

Our daily cheese selection and some Swiss pretzel bread.

Enjoying a quick bite by the lake.

6.10chf for a fountain soda. A bottle is anywhere from 5-7chf.  It is cheaper to buy a beer!

Willkommen

We have made it to Switzerland! Here are some images of our first two weeks. Zurich is a fascinating city on a lot of levels, but mostly it is beautiful.  Already we are in love with the overwhelming natural landscapes that surround us in our new home. More to come soon!