…And now we sit

🇨🇭🇫🇷 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 MidjourneyLeer más