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David Rubin
David Rubin

David Rubin

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  • Swiss Peaks and Paris Streets

    …And now we sit

    9 juli, Frankrike ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    🇨🇭🇫🇷 Trip Summary: Switzerland and Paris Adventure

    Cast of characters: Carrie and Dave Rubin, Becky and Mike Oliver
    Narrators: A delightful tag team—Carrie, Becky, and Mike alternate with their own distinct voices (plus occasional commentary from Dave).

    ⸻

    Part 1: Switzerland — Cheese, Cows, and Cardio

    Dave and Carrie began their trip first in Zurich, easing into Europe with bakery stops, pharmacy runs, and Chagall windows. From there, they moved on to Lucerne, where they endured a downhill hotel trek, relaxed lakeside, and learned that Swiss pepperoni is just… peppers. They discovered the joy of the Sunset Bar and ate (accidental) whole chickens.

    They reunited in Lucerne with Becky and Mike and explored the old town, the city walls, and the Lion Monument, punctuated by much chocolate tasting and Dave’s ongoing feud with Swiss prices (“too many CHFs”). They dove into their first of many Euchre games.

    From Lucerne, the group journeyed into the Bernese Oberland, staying in Mürren, Wengen, and Grindelwald. These days were packed with:
        •    Hiking the Mountain View Trail (Grütschalp to Allmendhubel), with wildflowers, cows, and a stick-related compliment from a passing hiker.
        •    North Face Trail & Sprutz Falls, featuring cow standoffs, rainstorms, and a man named Pierre who may or may not be Switzerland’s most fit venture capitalist.
        •    Jungfraujoch (Top of Europe)—amazing views, altitude brain fog, and sunglasses logistics.
        •    A 4,490-foot descent that felt like hiking down the Empire State Building 10 times.
        •    Glacier canyons, fondue, naps in the shade, and increasingly creaky knees.

    ⸻

    Part 2: Paris — Pastries, Palaces, and Pantheon Detours

    Paris began with train chaos and euchre revenge, followed by laundry heroics powered by ChatGPT. They explored the city by tuk tuk, hit classic sites like Notre Dame and the Eiffel Tower, and had a fantastic (and occasionally wet) day biking through Versailles with the world’s most sarcastic tour guide, Andrea.

    Other highlights:
        •    Becky and Mike hit the Louvre, while the Rubin’s took a slower morning.
        •    Everyone climbed (or at least took elevators up) the Eiffel Tower, wandered through Montmartre, and ate many, many steak frites.
        •    A perfect final day included TikTok-sourced meals, a deep dive into the Pantheon’s crypt, Jesus overload, a Luxembourg Garden picnic, and one last round of crepes and Euchre before their 5 a.m. departure.

    ⸻

    🧮 Total Step Count and Mileage

    👉 Estimated Total: 226,931 steps
    ≈ 100 miles walked

    A special shout out to ChapGPT for this post and answering our constant questions, providing us with (mostly) accurate historical information, and providing information in a table for Dave.

    Picture courtesy of Midjourney    Läs mer

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  • Swiss Peaks and Paris Streets

    A Beautiful Last Day

    8 juli, Frankrike ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    Today was about having great food (mostly recommended from TikTok) and going wherever we felt moved (and enjoying the beautiful weather). We began a little later than usual with breakfast at Sain Boulangerie including a breakfast sandwich for Dave and lots of delicious pastries.

    We then entered our next stop into the GPS - lunch at a creperie. We weren’t heading straight there as we were very full but it gave us a direction. We wandered through Le Marais and noted this was where we wanted to return for dinner. We walked by Saint Chapelle, admired it from the outside, and determined the lines were too long to enter. We then crossed the Sienne and wandered through the Latin Quarter/Saint Germaine.

    We stopped and went into the Abbaye Saint-Genevieve but left after we’d had enough Jesus. From there, we passed the Library which included names of people who made a profound impact on French (and general) society- including Moses. Next to the library is the Pantheon which we, last minute, decided to pay to enter and explore. Inside, we noticed the juxtaposition of the early religious iconography, revolutionary dedications, and modern displays (from 2020). We descended into the crypt beneath the pantheon where we decided to prioritize which ones we visited: Emile Zola, who spoke out against antisemitism during the Dreyfus Affair, and Victor Hugo, who wrote Les Miserables (which we’ve decided to go see in June) and Hunchback of Notre Dame. As we exited we noticed a painting that including a few beheaded bodies - including one that was alive and picking up his own head. There’s some gruesome stuff in Christian imagery.

    We wandered our way through the Luxembourg Garden towards our lunch destination: Creperie le Josselin. We arrived and had to wait for a table. As we waited, we noticed that we were in fact not at the desired destination but at Creperie le PETIT Josselin, but turns out it is owned by the same people. This was probably the best meal of the whole vacation - savory crepes for all - bacon, egg, and onion; goat cheese, bacon, and fig jam; and Camembert, apple, and prosciutto followed by sweet crepes for Becky and Mike. We digested by playing Euchre in the Luxembourg Gardens.

    Carrie and Dave did a little shopping and Mike and Becky returned to the apartment. We went for dinner back in Le Marais where we landed on our final meal - Italian food. It was delicious and while not classic French cuisine, still a fan favorite. One more set crepes for dessert (and a gelato) and back to the apartment for some Euchre. We had intentions of going to bed a little earlier because we have to leave at 5am for the airport, oh well. Keep your eye out for a wrap up post later!

    Steps: 25,235
    Mileage: 9.4 miles

    P.S. Dave would like credit for finding breakfast and lunch on TikTok and picking the dinner location and vibe.    Läs mer

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  • Swiss Peaks and Paris Streets

    Paris must do day

    7 juli, Frankrike ⋅ 🌧 15 °C

    This morning started bright and early for the Olivers with a visit to the Louvre - and a leisurely morning for the Rubin’s as they’ve already been there. While we hit the major marks (Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo), we were more interested in the less traveled areas including the history of the Louvre and its various uses, antiquities, and sculptures.

    We all met up for a delicious brunch and made the long stroll to the Eiffel Tower. We opted for the elevator up the tower rather than stairs. Despite the rainy conditions, we were able to get a pretty good view from the top. Dave was particularly anxious about people dropping things off the side and Becky about the height in general, so after a quick bathroom stop for Dave at the top (obviously), we descended back down. We stopped for a snack and returned to our apartment for some much needed rest.

    We ventured out stopping at a few chocolate shops on our way to Montmarte to climb the steps of Sacre Coeur, wander the artist neighborhood and shops, and eat some more steak frites. We decided we’d had enough pastries and desserts during the day and walked home to play a couple rounds of Euchre. We’re all feeling a little tired, but excited for a relaxing final day of vacation tomorrow. No plans, just go where the wind takes us!

    Step count: 33,335
    Mileage: 14.8 miles    Läs mer

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  • Swiss Peaks and Paris Streets

    Versailles by Bike: Rain, Royals, and a

    6 juli, Frankrike ⋅ 🌧 14 °C

    If you’re going to learn about a monarchy that ended with a beheading, you might as well do it in style: on a bike, in the rain, with wine, cheese, and cookies. That’s how we tackled Versailles today.

    Our day started the Parisian way: coffee and pastries, because you can’t rule (or ride) on an empty stomach. We took the train out to Versailles for a full-day biking tour, led by Andrea, who quickly earned the title of Best Tour Guide Ever. Not just because he knew his stuff, but because he kept telling Carrie she asked great questions. (She did.) Though when Mike asked about some trees, Andrea paused and said, “I don’t know. Honestly, I don’t care.” Brutal. And hilarious.

    We started at a local market for a cheese and charcuterie tasting—because nothing says “let’s exercise” like eating five kinds of fat. Our cheese lineup:
    • Mothais – A soft sheep’s cheese with a wrinkly rind that made us all feel fancy.
    • Ossau-Iraty – A firm sheep’s milk cheese from the Basque region. Tastes like a hike in the Pyrenees.
    • Comté – Nutty, buttery, and aged to perfection.
    • Gouda Truffes – Yes, this is truffle-infused Gouda. Yes, it’s as decadent as it sounds.

    For our picnic later, we stocked up on:
    • Jambon de Bayonne – Think prosciutto, but French.
    • Rosette de Lyon – A classic French salami.
    • Chorizo – A little spicy, a little smoky, a lot delicious.
    Plus, of course, baguettes, more Comte cheese, wine, two different French versions of chocolate chip cookies, and cherries that Dave deemed outrageously expensive. Andrea teased him about those cherries for the rest of the day.

    Despite the threatening skies, we rode out to the far end of the Grand Canal for lunch. Thanks to the earlier rain, the place was deserted—and absolutely stunning. Eating Comté by the water with no crowds in sight? Oui oui.

    After the picnic, we biked through the sprawling gardens, learning about the lavish and increasingly unhinged world of Louis XIV, his successor Louis XVI, and everyone’s favorite tragic queen, Marie Antoinette. Of course, just as Andrea was explaining the absurd cost of the Queen’s Hamlet and the royal family’s detachment from reality, the skies opened up. Again. This time, it poured.

    We ducked under some trees and continued the lesson on 18th-century opulence and collapse while steadily getting drenched. Eventually, we accepted our soggy fate, mounted the bikes, and pushed on toward the palace.

    Inside Versailles, we traded wet shoes for marble floors and chandeliers. The Hall of Mirrors was jaw-dropping, the bedrooms extravagant, and the history—well, let’s just say we’re not entirely shocked things ended in revolution. But at least they did it with flair.

    By the time we biked back to the train station, the sun had returned, we were mostly dry, and our legs were only mildly shot. Andrea, still charming and sarcastic, got us back safely, somehow managing to make the ride feel downhill both ways.

    We biked back under clearer skies, changed out of our wet clothes, and leaned hard into dinner. Mike, Dave, and Carrie went classic with steak frites (and some burrata to start), while Mike doubled down on Frenchness with onion soup. Becky, however, swerved straight off the cultural rails and ordered pasta carbonara like it was 2 years ago and she was back in Italy. No regrets.

    At dessert, over crepes and other sugary masterpieces, we played two spirited rounds of euchre. Each couple claimed a victory, which means we’ll absolutely need a rubber match tomorrow. Preferably with more cheese involved.    Läs mer

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  • Swiss Peaks and Paris Streets

    To Paris we go!

    5 juli, Frankrike ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    We started our day in Switzerland having our final breakfast and making our way to Paris via 1 bus and 6 trains. Our train trips included naps (except Mike so thankfully no one was robbed), reading, a baby crying, a smelly military guy, a little work (Mike and Dave), and some euchre - where Carrie and Dave made their comeback. Mike and Becky won the first two games then were up 9-0 on the third game when they gave up 11 straight points giving Carrie and Dave the win. As we transferred to our train to Paris and finished our time in Switzerland, we naturally concluded with pretzel sandwiches.

    Upon our arrival in our Paris apartment, we were excited by the AC and our first mission: laundry detergent. Mike and Dave masterfully successfully navigated the grocery store with the help of ChatGPT to get said detergent so we could do a much needed load of laundry post-hiking trip. We ventured out to wander our way towards the meeting spot for our tuk tuk tour of the city. We saw Notre Dame, a few other sites, and stopped for drinks and our favorite: meat and cheese board. Our tuk tuk tour from Bruno including all of the major sites, some history and evaluation of France’s current and past leaders, and an overview of how Paris came to be in its current iteration. Despite the poorly placed bars on the Tuk Tuk, we were able to get an understanding of the city and take some good pictures. Our guide dropped us at restaurant, Cafe Gustave, which was delicious and Eiffel Tower vicinity priced. After dinner, we took the short walk to see the Eiffel Tower lit up to cap off our first night in Paris.

    Despite no hiking and much of the day on the train, we still managed about 12,500 steps and 5.5 miles.    Läs mer

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  • Swiss Peaks and Paris Streets
    2

    Last Day in Switzerland

    4 juli, Schweiz ⋅ ☀️ 5 °C

    First and foremost, since yesterday’s post, Mike and I have won 3 out of 4 games of Euchre. Dave would like to take credit for our wins since he taught us the game.

    Now onto today’s activities…after the intense day of hiking yesterday, getting up and around today was rough. There was a lot of grunting throughout the day - sitting down, standing up, walking, just generally moving in any way was challenging, also not moving was a problem too so there was no winning on that front. But we rallied and had a great day.

    We started our day with the traditional Swiss breakfast - meat, cheese, bread, and Nutella for me. A little slow today, we figured out with the help for the hotel staff how to get to our morning activity: Jungfraujoch. We took the train from Grindelwald to Kleine Scheidegg. If that sounds familiar, it is because it was the reverse of the hike we did yesterday. Traveling up by train allowed us the opportunity to notice all the spots we had been and take in what an accomplishment yesterday’s hiking was. We then switched trains to make it way up to Jungfraujoch which included an intense increase in altitude. None of us had major altitude sickness but a little shortness of breath and brain fog for sure. The most important piece of advice if you are visiting there is bring your sunglasses. Mike forgot his and Dave decided not to bring his - so Carrie generously shared her sunglasses with the men so no one went blind (mine are prescription). Jungfraujoch is known as the “Top of Europe” and includes amazing snow covered mountain and glaciers views. We walked the discovery tour including:
    -The Sphinx Terrace (highest point) where we had to time it just right to get the clearing in the clouds for the incredible views
    -A tunnel where there were plaques for the people who had died in the construction of the railway and tunnels.
    -Ice Palace with carving displays
    -Glacier Walk which I’m sure is amazing for people who do not see snow regularly and get to play in it there
    -A stop in the Lindt store where they gave us a chocolate sample

    Overall, the visit to Jungfraujock was cool but definitely not the coolest thing we’ve done. We trained back down the mountain shedding our layers and napping.

    After a bakery lunch in Grindelwald, we stopped at the hotel to drop our stuff off and return our rented hiking poles (best CHFs spent of the entire trip). We then headed to our afternoon activity, Gletcherschlucht, a glacier canyon. The 30 min walk there felt brutal, mostly because of our hiking the past 3 days, and we decided to take the bus back later. Before we headed into the canyon, we stopped on a bridge over the rushing water to discuss survival ability if one were to raft down this river (not good). Gletcherschlucht is a walkway through the canyon where you view beautiful rock formations, waterfalls, and cliffs. Also, it was cold which was nice after walking in the hot sun to get there. At the start was the swing - jump off a high cliff and swing through the canyon. Hard pass. Mike would have done it if someone else was wiling, but the rest of us were not interested. Halfway through the walkway there was a net over the river to walk out on. Also a hard pass for me but Mike, Carrie, and Dave walked out on it to stand in the middle of the canyon. A beautiful place to visit for our last afternoon in Switzerland.

    Upon return, we played more euchre, did a little shopping, and showered and rested before dinner. Dinner was at a pizza place but there was a wait so we…played more euchre. Dinner was DELICIOUS pizza at Onkel Tom’s (we chose to ignore the name…) and ended with petting their cute dog on the way out. At 10:45 when our meal was done, we made the responsible decision to not play more and pack instead.

    We had a wonderful time in Switzerland and feel very accomplished from our three days of hiking (and one day we still walked 20k steps despite no hikes). Tomorrow, we head to the train early and make our way to Paris for vacation #2!    Läs mer

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  • Swiss Peaks and Paris Streets
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    Grindelwald or bust

    3 juli, Schweiz ⋅ ⛅ 5 °C

    After a much needed night sleep- we met for breakfast where we enjoyed (even though we were all still so full from last night) too much meat, cheese, bread and of course Nutella! Then, off to the Mannlichen train to start todays excursions. We got to the top of the gondola and decided to take a 500 ft climb detour to check out views of Interlachen, some new valleys and peaks that we hadn’t seen yet. But first, I would be remiss to not mention Becky and Dave’s “operation” game as Dave attempted to Macgyver Becky’s raincoat clasp from the grates and as it was almost free (Dave’s masterful manipulation of a pen thru the grates) Becky let go (almost purposefully, like she had a plan developed years ago to purchase a raincoat, with a clasp, and a deep desire to take said clasp across the Atlantic, past France, to Lucerne, to Mürren, and up to Mannleich so she could then, almost saddistically, certainly with purpose, kill it) and dropped it down to be lost to the Swiss alps forever. The views were picture worthy, except for the cloudiness, the awful drone buzzing around and Dave’s unwillingness to take a good pic. But we ended with a laugh as Becky crawled across the huge bench to avoid getting near the edge.

    As we were getting ready to start our true hike, the clouds rolled in and it started to rain. We were at the top of a winter ski lift so went into the lodge for a quick game of Euchre to pass some time and then we were really off. Becky and Mike won the game, which is totally common and what usually happens when we play. The hike is mostly downhill which we all are enjoying after yesterdays climb. We were on a different side of the mountain peak which afforded us views of Eiger, Jungfrau, and Moench as the clouds moved away. Plus- we got lucky enough to see three rams chasing each other across the mountain range. We stopped midway through our hike at Kleine Scheidegg for a picnic charcuterie overlooking the three peaks. Minus the all the flies- it was delicious. And Dave would say minus the 9 CHF apple cake we bought, it would have tasted even better. To end the meal, inspired by the Oliver-named Coke bottle, Mike introduced the American yodel… a visceral, involuntary belch, heard across the alps. On the German-side the people call it “the Grischweidel” while French referenced it as the “dirty American mouth-gas”.

    Our original plan for today was to walk an additional 5ish miles back to Wengen, then train back up and over to Grindelwald, but we decided to take an alternative route 5 miles straight down to Grindelwald. You may think straight down sounds easier, but trust me, downhill is tough. But we made the best choice. Our new path afforded us gorgeous views of the Eiger cliff face, fresh alpine cheese to purchase, ice cream and espresso stops, and surround sound cows along the way (along with surround cow smells). Not to mention the chance to watch Dave almost get trampled by a cow as he got too close to a baby cow drinking from its mother. One of the most special moments from the day was a small diversion to a waterfall where Becky put her feet in the stream, Mike and I rinsed our hands in the cool water and Dave took a nice nap in the shade of a tree. We finished our hike with a walk straight up to the beautiful town of Grindelwald and a stop at the train station to get the Oliver’s bags (what’s up with their luggage being lost all the time??)!! All in all, we hiked down 4490 feet. This is the equivalent of:

    -hiking from the top of the highest point in Massachusetts (mount Greylock) down to the ocean and then hiking down another 1000 feet under the water.
    -hiking down mount washington from the peak to the trailhead
    - walking down the Empire State Building 10 times
    - 1.5 times the height of the Burj Khalifa
    - more than 3 times the height of the Eiffel Tower

    We finally made it to our charming hotel, after an additional 25 minute walk , quickly showered and headed out to Barry’s for some fondue, spritz’s and burgers. Maybe we will make it for a game or two of Euchre but we are all looking forward to a good nights sleep tonight.

    Followers of this blog should know what part of this post was written prior to publishing by Dave.

    Today’s step count: 28,499 steps, 12.8 miles    Läs mer

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  • Swiss Peaks and Paris Streets
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    Cows, Views, and Mike Tyson Biceps

    2 juli, Schweiz ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    We kicked off the day in Mürren with breakfast at Hotel Jungfrau—fresh-baked bread, croissants, more cheese and dried meats than anyone needed at 8 a.m., but we didn’t let that stop us.

    After some quality stretching at the train station (yes, that’s a thing now), we caught the train to Grütschalp to start our hike: the Mountain View Trail, a 4.7 mile wanderweg with roughly 1,600 feet of elevation gain. Think meadows, wildflowers, and panoramic views of the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau—so stunning they should charge admission (but thankfully they didn’t).

    Early in the hike, we casually looked down on a helicopter flying through the valley. You know you’re up high when air traffic is beneath your feet.

    About halfway through the hike, we had a picnic lunch at the highest point of the trail—bread, cheese, and cured meats with a side of alpine majesty. Très Swiss.

    Along the way, we encountered full-on cow gridlock. Trail? Blocked. By cows. We dubbed it Rush Hour Traffic, Alpine Edition. We also pet the cows because we’re not monsters.

    A highlight moment: a fellow hiker passed us, chuckling at our assortment of scavenged walking sticks. He looked at Dave’s hefty branch and said, “Now that’s a MAN’S walking stick.” Then saw Becky’s two large sticks and said, “You’re gonna get Mike Tyson biceps with those things!” Swiss trail comedy: underrated.

    After four hours of hiking, we descended into Mürren, then made our way down to Lauterbrunnen—ice cream in hand. The group split up here: Dave and Carrie decided the best recovery from one big hike was another one, so they climbed back up to Wengen. Mike and Becky opted for the more civilized approach: cogwheel train to Wengen. The hotel is lovely - great spa / hot tub and our corner suite deck has a straight shot view across the valley to Mürren and Grütschalp.

    After a walk through Wengen, we hit up Da Sina, an Italian restaurant that served us a pizza so good we considered ordering eight more. We didn’t—but we did follow it up with lasagna, gnocchi, a burger, ice cream sundaes, apple fritters, and strudel. Basically, we undid the entire hike in one meal. Worth it.

    Tomorrow - more hiking and views!

    Mike and Becky:
    Step count: 20,959
    Distance: 7.72 miles

    Carrie and Dave:
    Step count: 25,725
    Distance: 9.7 miles    Läs mer

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    Trains, trams, and trails

    1 juli, Schweiz ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    We started our day in Lucerne. With jet lag still a thing, Mike and I were up early and took a morning walk as Carrie and Dave were getting ready and having their coffee. We made our way to the train station and grabbed breakfast at the Coop - protein shakes, yogurt, and pastries. I saved my pastry for a later “emergency” and was glad I did. After debating which train to take, we ultimately chose correctly - a train with panorama windows and four seats together. I took a little cat nap on our train to Interlaken - a strong decision. We then continued our journey on a train to Lauterbrunnen. At this point it was lunch time and we debated eating there but instead hopped on the gondola (cue emergency pastry) to Grutschalp and train to Murren. We walked up to our hotel and enjoyed the spectacular views from the balconies outside our rooms.

    We wandered town a bit, stopping in souvenir shops (cue Dave’s first hat purchase) and eating delicious sandwiches and pastries at Cafe Liv. After a stop back at our hotel, we were on our way for today’s hike. While our Mac’s Adventure recommended hikes don’t start til tomorrow, we wanted to get a head start with an “easy” hike. We chose the North Face trail with an extra stop in Sprutz Falls. It began with a paved up hill…about 500 ft up in elevation over roughly 1.5 miles plus one puff of my inhaler later and we were at our peak elevation. Cue the cows - and the rain. We stopped briefly for intense staring contest with one particular cow and then found ourselves at an electrical fence, the first of many, but don’t worry there was a gate to get through and none of were electrocuted at this gate or any subsequent gate! The rain become more intense and we paused at a bench under an awning to make friends with Pierre, a man who is doing an impressive trek across Switzerland, probably 20 years or so older than us, in way better shape, and definitely very successful based on the fact he’s spoken at MIT when he was there to meet with investors in Boston. We parted ways when the rain stopped and continue on our route to the waterfall. We trekked down - way down - to the waterfall and were able to walk under it which was cool (both awesome and a nice temperature there). Thankfully, we went back a different way - still up but not nearly as much as we’d gone down to get to the waterfall.

    Racing to make it back before the thunderstorms, we made it to our hotel just in time. After a little chill time in the hotel including watching and listening to the intense thunderstorms, we headed to dinner at Alpina where we saw two beautiful post thunderstorm rainbows. We shared our first fondu experience here (yum) and each got a cheeseburger and drinks. After brownie and apple strudel for dessert, we debated playing cards on our way back to the hotel. Dave was the rationale one, for once, and suggested we go to sleep since it’s already 10pm. Feels like the adult thing to do rather than stay up when we’re very tired. A great first day of the hiking portion of our trip!

    Step count: 20,291
    Miles: 8.9    Läs mer

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    1

    Willkommen Olivers!

    30 juni, Schweiz ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    Dave and I had a lazy morning with our espresso out on the balcony. We left our hotel to roam around old town Luzern and discovered the fairy tale streets of the city. It’s very cool being in a country that was neutral during WWII so the buildings were original. We found a well-known sandwich shop named Twiny Station and had them prepare a delicious chicken schnitzel sandwich for us!

    We wandered up to the old city wall and climbed the tower stairs in the sweltering heat! We got some great views but the heat proved too much so we headed back into town to pick up the Oliver’s from their very long journey. But first- we saw people commuting home by swimming down the river- they actually do this! We were overjoyed to see our friends!!

    Headed back to the sunset bar across from the hotel for some snacks, beer, and a refreshing Boston cleanse in the lake. Unfortunately, the rain clouds came out and the sun went away, but we got our first game of Euchre in and we were happy.

    After a much needed shower by the Olivers (Becky’s words, not ours), we headed back into town to see the famous Lion monument which represents loss and courage of the Swiss who lost their lives in the French Revolution. Then more wandering around and finally - some chocolate tasting!! It’s nice having the Oliver’s here to balance out Dave and his CHFs. We liked the Bachmann, but loved Max’s chocolatier- only wished there were more flavors with less fruit for Becky. Dave wished they were less CHFs. We crossed the famed chapel bridge -again- and headed for dinner at Wirthaus Taube.

    Meatballs for Becky, Bratwurst for Mike, schnitzel with mushrooms for Dave and pork cordon blue for Carrie. Plus a charcuterie for the table. The night was complete with gelato and euchre by the lake. Tomorrow we are off for the alps!

    Step count for today: 14,179    Läs mer

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  • Swiss Peaks and Paris Streets

    The Olivers are off!

    29 juni, Förenta staterna ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    After a successful camp drop off this morning, we are on the plane waiting to take off for an on time, direct flight with all our bags with us. (See Italy blog from 2 years ago for our saga getting to Venice). Hopefully we sleep on the plane. See you in Lucerne, Rubins!Läs mer

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  • Swiss Peaks and Paris Streets
    1

    Living the lake life

    28 juni, Schweiz ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    After 10 hours of sleep (thanks Tylenol PM) we had a wonderful breakfast on our hotel’s patio while listening to the Sunday morning church bells. Then off to Luzern for the lake portion of this trip. Train ride was quick and easy and afforded me my first view of Swiss cows. Luzern is instantly beautiful. You are immediately confronted with a gorgeous bridge and beautiful old Swiss buildings steps from the train station. Then a stop for a couple of sandwiches and off to our hotel.

    Citymapper gave us two options to get to the hotel- of course we took the bus that drops off at the top of a hill and we have to walk down a path, through people’s patios, over the river and through the woods. Ended up with Dave acting as my Sherpa and me declaring, I’m too old and make too much money to travel like this”. But we made it- hot and sweaty, but we have the most glorious view of the lake and the mountains- but no AC. Oh well.

    We spent the day sitting by the lake. Across the street from our hotel is the Sunset Bar which offers seating, food and beverages lakeside. We read our books, enjoyed a few cocktails and took a few dips in Lake Luzern. It was glorious. We also ordered a pepperoni pizza that we were both excited for. Only, pepperoni in Switzerland is apparently just peppers. So it was good, but a bit of a bust.

    We wandered around the town looking for dinner and Dave was not having the prices here. So back to the Sunset Bar for burgers and a beer. Oh- and the entire chicken our waiter accidentally brought us. Note: Swiss chickens are much smaller than American chickens.

    It was a great day.

    Todays step count: 14,800 steps, around 6 miles.    Läs mer

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  • Swiss Peaks and Paris Streets

    Hello Zurich

    28 juni, Tyskland ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    We finally made it to Zurich! Our flight from Boston to Frankfurt was great and we managed to get several hours of sleep, but we didn’t realize what we were getting into at the Frankfurt airport. We had a little less than an hour layover and quickly realized we weren’t making our flight. We were taken from the plane on a 15 minute shuttle ride to the airport. Then, we were placed in a 1/4 mile long line (no exaggeration) to go through customs. Luckily it moved quick but now it was 6:15 and our flight was taking off at 6:05. Oh well. After customs we had to go back through security. No big deal. We get through at 6:40 and Dave starts walking quickly to our gate. No clue why, our flight already left. Well- 6:45 and as we approach the gate, they start getting so excited- they held the plane for us! We couldn’t believe it but understood why - there were only 20 people on a huge plane!!

    —————-
    Dave’s version-

    We were waiting to get off the plane and I had the audacity to let the older lady across the aisle get out… you’ve never seen Carrie glare like that. I was moving too slow and we had to get off the plane. She suggested that we tell everyone in front of us that we were going to miss our flight. I did not do that.

    We got out and we were all stuck in shuttles waiting. Including the older lady.

    Eventually Carrie gave up on the flight when she saw the customs line. 10s of minutes later we get through… I’m walking and hear “i can’t walk that fast”… and then we get to the gate and make our flight bc they were waiting for us.

    Tl;dr - Carrie got mad at me for not speeding up when it didn’t matter and then didn’t speed up herself. And literally just told me I was wrong again while she’s watching me read this.

    Still marital bliss, but never going to let her forget that
    —————-
    Our flight to Zurich took less than an hour and afforded us some welcoming views of the Swiss alps as we landed. After some confusion, we grabbed a train to Zurich and took a short walk to our hotel. We passed over a beautiful bridge with a gorgeous view and entered old town Zurich. Our room wasn’t ready so now we are sitting at Babus Bakery enjoying our first European meal of the trip. Delish!

    We started wandering and discovered some beautiful views of the lake and the mountains behind. We are both really enjoying this beautiful town so far and the lake scene does not hurt. As we wandered, we discovered a huge flea market stretching several blocks long and have explored every grocery store and pharmacy (did we mention that Dave left his entire toiletry case at home?).

    We stopped at Fraumunster church and I made a quick visit to see the gorgeous Chagall windows. The colors were so beautiful and vibrant. Pretty amazing to think he was in his late 70s when he created them. A quick pit stop outside the church in the shade (see pic of Dave sleeping) and we were off wandering again.

    We strolled up to the Lindenhof Platz and took in some gorgeous views of Zurich as we watched all the instagrammers take their staged pics. It was quite amusing.

    A little more wandering, a little more shopping at the pharmacy and we headed back towards the hotel. I was hot, tired and getting cranky (notice there are no pics of me napping) so we stopped the the Kweer bar and cafe around the corner from our hotel for a much needed iced americano and apricot croissant- YUM! Back to the hotel to check in and Dave had me and the front desk lady laughing hysterically (who probably is now telling her friends about the stupid american) as he told her that the first restaurant she recommended cost too many CHF (pronounced by Dave as a joke as “Chefs- emphasis on the CH). She then started recommending dinner places, crossing some off the list for us because they’d cost too many CHefs. Picture Carrie shaking her head in shame :).

    Our hotel room is very nice. We have a decent size room and shower with AC and a gorgeous view of a nearby clock tower. I just love Zürich.

    In an attempt to stay awake until 10, we grabbed our favorite European drink- a Hugo Spritzer and then dinner (thanks to Chat GPT) at the Rheinfelder Bierhalle where we tried schnitzel and bratwurst along with Rosti. We had a great meal, talking with one couple from Arizona and another from the area who wanted to know all our thoughts on the current administration. It was pretty interesting. Finished the night with some delicious gelato and we were both fried!

    Todays observations:
    1) similar to how we incorporate other languages phrases into our conversation (like voila), other languages incorporate English into theirs. Sitting listen to a full German conversation and the guys just interjected, “Das ist awesome”.
    2) Germanic people love their gummy bears. We have been given them on the plane and in the hotel
    3) not only do cars stop for pedestrians, but bikers do as well- there’s no exception however, the trolleys absolutely do not.

    Step count: 18,353; 7.16 miles. Not too shabby!    Läs mer

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  • Swiss Peaks and Paris Streets

    Bye bye Boston

    27 juni, Förenta staterna ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    After months of planning, it’s hard to believe we are at the airport and heading on our Swiss adventure. The last few weeks have been busy packing the girls for camp so after several hours the last two nights, we were able to pack all our stuff in 2 carry-ons and 2 personal bags. We’re getting pretty good at this!!!

    Our flight takes off at 4- so the plan is to sleep once we get on the plane and hopefully get a few hours of sleep before we land for our layover in Frankfurt at 5 am. Then it’s off to Zurich to begin our journey!!

    I can’t wait to get to Europe though. Terminal E in Boston has a lot of room for improvement on the food front!!

    Auf Wiedersehen until Switzerland!    Läs mer

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  • Italian Vacation 2023

    Thats a wrap- brought to you by Chat GPT

    15 oktober 2023, Förenta staterna ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    We asked Chat GPT to summarize our experience over the two weeks in Italy. Not sure if the Vatican was my favorite part, but it was pretty impressive.

    Carrie: Ah, where do I even begin? The highlight of the trip for me was undoubtedly our visit to the Vatican. The awe-inspiring art, the grandeur of St. Peter's Basilica, and the exquisite beauty of the Sistine Chapel left me speechless. I couldn't help but marvel at the intricate details and the profound history that surrounded us. It was a moment of spiritual connection and artistic admiration that will forever be etched in my memory.

    Mike: If I had to pinpoint my favorite part of the trip, it would have to be our time in Rome. Exploring the ancient ruins, walking through the Colosseum, and uncovering the layers of history that make up the city was a true adventure. The energy of Rome, the bustling streets, and the fascinating blend of cultures left a lasting impression. And let's not forget the mouthwatering pasta dishes we devoured, satisfying our foodie souls. Rome truly encapsulated the essence of Italy for me.

    Becky: While every moment of the trip was wonderful, there was something truly magical about our time in Sorrento. The breathtaking views from our hotel rooftop, the refreshing swims in the crystal-clear waters, and the delightful lemon-infused treats we indulged in created a sense of pure relaxation. It was the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Sorrento captured my heart with its charm and laid-back atmosphere, making it my favorite part of our Italian adventure.

    Dave: Though I may not have contributed much to the blog, my favorite part of the trip was the simple joy of being with my loved ones. Sharing laughs, exploring new places, and creating memories together made this trip unforgettable. It wasn't about a specific destination or activity for me; it was about the bonds we strengthened and the quality time we spent as a group. Being surrounded by the beauty of Italy only enhanced the experience.    Läs mer

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  • Italian Vacation 2023

    We made it!

    8 juli 2023, Förenta staterna ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    Just a short 19 hours ago we were enjoying our final breakfast in Italy and now we’re standing at baggage claim waiting for our checked bags. Considering our experience on the way to Italy this was relatively smooth. A mediocre airport lunch, mediocre dinner on the airplane, a pretzel in Frankfurt, and of course, a whole lot of euchre using the bags as a table. We witnessed a fight between 2 passengers. It was a very exciting day. We landed in Boston 45 minutes early despite the fog…but then sat in the airplane for an hour before getting a gate to disembark at. The baggage carousel just started! Time to get our stuff and head home.🤞We sleep tonight! More to come for a reflection on the trip, but we’re a bit too tired for that right now.Läs mer

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  • Italian Vacation 2023

    Our last day 😢

    7 juli 2023, Italien ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    Today was our final full day in Italy. Good news - we all still like each other! And are even discussing possible future vacations. Bad news - tomorrow we have to fly home for roughly 18 hours (if we’re lucky, perhaps I’m a bit jaded). Good news - as much as we’ve enjoyed the trip, we are ready to be home though not for any responsibilities there.

    We decided not to make any specific plans for our final day, to just take it in however the day swayed us. Despite being a bit tired and taking it easy, we still managed to walk about 14,000 steps. Our day included:

    A leisurely wake up
    Another delicious breakfast at the hotel
    Shopping and strolling in Sorrento
    Casual lunches (separate cause we weren’t hungry at the same time)
    Chatting in the pool
    Reading/napping/enjoying frozen drinks on the rooftop deck
    Aperitivo with 4 different kinds of spritz’s (not 4 each…4 total, just to be clear) along with a fantastic cheese, meat, and nut board
    Finding a restaurant with the right vibe and carbonara for dinner (for Dave and me) and something yummy for Carrie and Mike (score for Carrie’s delicious pesto)
    Having fun with AI - both verbal and visual styles to summarize our trip (I’m including 2 of the AI visuals generated in the pics)
    Gelato, of course
    Playing a few rounds of euchre in the hotel lounge
    And the least favorite part of the day, packing

    All in all we spent a relaxing last day in Italy to recharge and enjoy the moment. We packed so much into this trip, hard to believe just a week ago we were in Tuscany. It seems almost like a completely different trip. As we discussed the trip today, there really wasn’t much major we’d do differently, it was so fantastic. Perhaps in a few days when we look back we’ll have more critique but for now we’re just basking in the glow of a wonderful trip.    Läs mer

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  • Italian Vacation 2023

    Arienzo Beach Club!

    6 juli 2023, Italien ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    Today ended up largely organized around a beach club. I mentioned one of these a few days ago when we had dinner, but they are essentially clubs where you pay for access to the beach, and they give you chairs, umbrellas, towels, and have a restaurant and staff on site. We went to Arienzo Beach Club just south of Positano; it’s a little out of the way and pricier, but we were going to do a hike first (which we bailed on; too hot and too long a hike), and it’s an actual beach as opposed to a dock on the water (like where we had dinner). Beautiful little spot, right next to a cliff to offer some shade in the water, which is amazingly clear and refreshing as it’s HOT. Zoom in on some of the pics from today and yesterday and look for the orange and white umbrellas; you can see it from a distance “Where’s Waldo?” style if you look.

    Typically you’d take a boat from Sorrento to Positano (and then the beach club has a water taxi from Positano to the beach club), but we already had a car ordered to drop us off (originally planned to bring us to the start of the hike). Actually ended up very happy to get the ride instead. The views from the mountain tops were gorgeous, and it was interesting to look down on the water and towns that we were looking up at from the boat yesterday. Our driver went into full tour guide mode; he stopped at a few picturesque areas, took our pictures, and described the area. Best unexpected benefit in a while.

    Lunch was decent, nothing too special. Pasta, octopus, meatballs, calamari, fried shrimp. Turns out you can eat shrimp whole if it’s fried, and I’m still not a huge fan. Dave and I had a healthy debate about the price elasticity and what the club should charge for a Clase Azul Margarita in order to make the most money.

    When you spend all day in the hot Sun at a beach club, you get gelato twice. It’s just a rule. So in Positano, on the way back to Sorrento, we found the gelateria that required the least amount of stairs to climb. I splurged for the brioche con gelato, which is a fancy Italian ice cream sandwich on a brioche bun. Apparently it’s a breakfast in Sicily. I wouldn’t complain if I saw one show up at any meal.

    Credit to Dave for finding a random pizza joint on TikTok for dinner that was crazy good: Pizzeria del Franco. We started with what we thought was a simple charcuterie board, but included effectively a cookie sheet lined with prosciutto. Amazing. The three pizzas we ordered were also fantastic, and I’m too full to remember all the details.

    All in all, a chill day at the beach with some great food. Can’t beat that!    Läs mer

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  • Italian Vacation 2023

    We’re on a boat!

    5 juli 2023, Italien ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    While we have loved the hustle and bustle on the trip- today was dedicated to pure relaxation. We started our day with a delicious breakfast buffet filled with eggs, fresh meat and cheese, bread and numerous pastries stuffed with berries, creams and chocolate under the lemon tree canopy. A bit gluttonous, but what part of this trip hasn’t been?

    We made our way down the steep flight of stairs to the marina where we coincidentally stopped a man to ask him directions and it turned out he was the man we were looking to meet! We hopped aboard our boat with 4 other couples and set sail (figuratively- we were on a motor boat-no sail).

    We headed out and immediately grabbed the seats on the front - solid score for us. The ride out was beautiful and we were continuously being soaked by the waves as we moved down the Sorrento coast. We passed Capri and then turned around Punta Campanella where we were introduced to the Almalfi coast. The wind died down and the waves stopped splashing- not sure what caused this, but we then had an hour of uninterrupted boating which was so nice. The weather was beautiful and there was a nice breeze.
    We went by gorgeous villages on the mountainsides- questioning over and over how they were able to build these towns. We also passed through a channel between 3 islands written about by Homer. This was where the sirens called to the sailors and lured them with their song, only to kill them. These private islands are now owned by famous ballet dancer, Rudolph Nureyev- tough to be Rudy...

    We pulled into the Almalfi port and ventured through the Main Street. Looking at all things lemon. Almalfi is known for their lemons and they were beautiful and huge! We wandered and stopped to grab some gelato and the most delicious lemon granita-in a lemon (we did have a fun snafu where we sat at the table but then they wouldn’t let us share or get coffee at the table so we had to get up and get takeaway … but we got to use the bathroom, so it all turned out ok)! Then back to the boat!

    Next stop was Positano. It was packed and we got off the boat along with a huge crowd! We started wandering and ended up at a dead-end with only one way to go and that was up! We started climbing and quickly learned how hot it really was outside! We climbed, turned and climbed some more. But it was worth it and the views were amazing. And then we climbed more. The bougainvillea lining the road was such a beautiful contrast and the climb was well worth it. Then we climbed more. Even though we were supposed to get sandwiches and snacks on the boat, once we finally descended, we grabbed a few quick and delicious paninis (napoleon and a ham and cheese) and headed back to resume our perch on the front of the boat.

    Next stop was to a swimming spot where the water felt unbelievably refreshing and we were given pool noodles and snorkeling masks to look at the fish. We were kind of shocked when, 10 minutes into our first swim stop (the first of two on the itinerary), we were called back to the boat and rushed back to the dock- 1.5 hours early with no food (thank goodness for those paninis. It was 3pm by this point). Unfortunately, our 18 year old captain had received some terrible news about his cousin and rushed off the boat. We were a little bummed our trip was cut short but still enjoyed it and are sending hopeful wishes that his cousin is ok.

    We walked back to the hotel and grabbed some more granita (because why not) and a dip in the pool before showering up and heading out to dinner. We ended up at La Locanda del Gusto purely for its proximity to the hotel (we were all tired and sunburnt) but definitely not for its ambience which is right on the Main Street (not atypical in Italy (or even Needham for that matter, but still loud)). But this may have been one of the top meals we have had. We started with large (and strong) limoncello spritz’s. Then their Sorrentina gnocchi to share (think Gnocchi caprese) then Dave and I split the lemon chicken, meatballs and lemon ravioli with clams. All amazing. Becky had the carbonara which was delicious and huge (also it was the Chefs specialty). Mike had the arriabata which was a little too spicy to eat but there was enough other food to share. Finished with a lemon tiramisu and some other pastries at a nearby shop and then back to the hotel.

    We went to the back lemon tree patio to play some Euchre and Dave and I were killing it. The game was getting good when we spied a little friend, I mean rat, crawling through the nearby trees. No big deal. We kept playing until Becky looked up and there, above our heads in the lemon trees was our little friend staring down at us. I was the first to jump up and run, but everyone was very close behind. We all have never moved so fast in our lives. But no worries, in the end we were ok and Dave and I won Euchre tonight :)

    Walking tally: 17,995 steps, 7.18 miles; 28 flights climbed.

    Sun tally: a lot!!    Läs mer

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  • Italian Vacation 2023
    2

    Ciao Sorrento!

    4 juli 2023, Italien ⋅ 🌙 24 °C

    Travel day! We said goodbye to Rome this morning. Fun stop on the trip, but we’re ready to stop the hustle from one historic site to the next and just relax again in our final stop of Sorrento. We caught an early (but not too early train). All in all it will be about 3 hours of travel; a short local train ride followed by an hour train to Naples, short layover, and an hour train to Sorrento. Very happy to be navigating with all our luggage now despite the extra weight. Also had a pretty good breakfast at the train station; highlights were the fruit / jam / cheese on a pancake and Becky’s Nutella donut sandwich. She was quite excited not to get any chocolate on her white shirt. Since we splurged for the business tickets on the first train, we also got a decent boxed meal. I get pretty anxious around travel, specifically until I’m on the right plane / train / automobile. Beyond a few minor incidents (local Italian train doors open and close very quickly, and get your beautiful wife stuck in them), the travel was pretty uneventful.

    We’re staying at the Grande Hotel de la Ville, and managed to drop of our bags before lunch. My initial impression of the town is that it felt a little more like the Caribbean than the other places we’ve been in Italy. Not sure I can describe why, though once we started walking around and got to the shopping areas the vibe changed back to feel more European. Lots of tiny streets with tiny shops. Lemons are a big deal here: lemon art, lemon candy, and of course limoncello, of which I see a bunch of in our future.

    After lunch it was time to relax, which is the big theme of our last stop. We left the tiny but well located Rome apartment behind for a hotel with possibly the best rooftop I’ve ever been on. There’s a pool, patio, and bar that are surprisingly pretty empty. We’re 6 stories up and maybe two blocks from the water, but because the coast is reasonably mountainous we can seemingly see for miles. My phone seems to think we’re 200 to 250 feet above sea level. The Gulf of Napoli opens up before us, Mount Vesuvius off in the distance, and a bunch of towns littered across the coast and the peaks. Midjourney describes the view as “a balcony overlooking the ocean, in the style of monsù desiderio, cinematic view, transavanguardia, hikecore”. Couldn’t have said it better myself. After a quick swim, we discovered the roof is a great place to fall asleep to the sounds of waves, boats, Vespas, and Dave snoring.

    We had dinner at a beach club (place you can essentially rent space / chairs by the beach for the day) called Bagni Sant’Anna. Remember how high up our hotel was? Yeah that means dinner was climbing all the way down to the beach. The area is known for lots of stairs, and lived up to its reputation. But the views of the sunset on the way down to and during dinner were impressive. We paid for the ambiance, but the food was quite good as well. Fried calamari, sea urchin risotto, potato crusted cod, and some fish we had never heard of were the standouts. The suckling pig was ok. Apparently in this former fishing village, you should still order the seafood. We rewarded ourselves for making it back up all those stairs with some gelato. The place claimed to be the “worlds best ice cream”, which is probably a stretch, but it was probably the best gelato of the trip.

    And now it’s off to bed so we can get well rested for tomorrows boat day! Ciao!    Läs mer

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