Day 03 Good Morning Vaduz, Städtle

It’s normal for me to wake up before Donna, so I quietly opened the drapes to see the castle sitting on the hillside, wrapped in gray clouds. Yesterday’s clothes were in a pile from last night — there is absolutely no chance we are opening our suitcases. They’re packed tighter than a Boeing overhead bin. I got dressed from the pile and headed down to the breakfast room.

A classic European breakfast was laid out — breads, cheeses, meats, fruits. For now, I just had a cappuccino and set up my phone with the Bluetooth keyboard to write a post and draft a few fillers. A little later I went back upstairs, woke Donna, and we came down for breakfast together. We’re getting used to these simple spreads — there’s something pleasant about starting the day with baguettes and cheese rather than scrambled eggs and bacon.

Coats on, we stepped outside into the cool morning. Today’s plan was simple: walk the town, visit the cathedral, and — because this is Liechtenstein — stroll twenty minutes across the bridge straight into Switzerland. You can literally walk into another country before you finish a cup of coffee. Very cool.

City workers were busy decorating the streets for Christmas. It wasn’t finished yet, but you could already imagine how magical it will look in a few days. As Donna and I wandered over the cobblestones, all I could think about was the Hallmark Christmas movie waiting to be written. Donna plays the lovely woman visiting Vaduz for the holidays. I’m the rugged local guy (we’ll pick a strong Liechtenstein name for me later), born and raised here. Donna is engaged to a wealthy stockbroker back home but unsure about her future. Naturally, she joins me to help save the Vaduz Christmasfest — and somewhere between lighting displays and gingerbread stands, we fall in love. Of course.

The streets are dotted with art, but the store window featuring two strange naked men sculptures might win the prize. I’m not sure how they’re supposed to work as marketing, but they were definitely attracting attention — I wasn’t the only one with a camera pointed at them.

As we walked around the back of the cathedral, I noticed a group of seniors in the community center taking their 9:00 AM morning dance class. For a moment I hesitated with the camera — it felt like I might be intruding on something private, something meant just for them. But what I really saw was simply life happening… normal people, just like at home, showing up for their routines, their friendships, their joy. While we’re out here wandering the world, they’re doing their Thursday morning dance class. Somehow, that small glimpse made Vaduz feel even more real, more human, more connected.

We headed toward the cathedral next — I’ll share those photos in a separate post.

A gentle start to the day, the castle watching over us, and the Christmas spirit quietly gathering in the background. More adventures in Vaduz still to come.

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