Hi everyone! We got back from Vienna a week ago and I’ve been dying to share photos, but the Apple “geniuses” had possession of my MacBook again so I had to wait patiently. Now that every piece of my laptop has been replaced at least once – this is its THIRD logic board – I’m hopeful that I can, at a minimum, get this post up successfully. Ready? Okay.
travel
Keukenhof: The Disneyland of Tulips
As promised, here are some photos from our day at the famous Keukenhof garden just outside of Amsterdam. The park is open for two months each year and we went the second-to-last-day before the close of the 2016 season. Some of the flowers had seen better days, but there were still plenty of gorgeous blooms to feast on. I’ll let the photos speak for themselves. Enjoy!
Amsterdam: Bicycle Paradise
Amsterdam is just the coolest. I was a little worried that my expectations were so high it would be impossible to meet them, but the city’s spunky personality, gorgeous architecture and endless stream of bicyclists left me with quite the crush.
Lyon: For Meat Lovers
When we climbed aboard the train for Lyon Saturday morning, I had my sights set on having a fabulous meal in an authentic Lyonnais bouchon: I pictured rows of tiny tables with checkered tablecloths, complete with generous helpings of wine and delicious, fresh food. That scene totally exists in Lyon… if you like calf brains, foie gras or other adventurous meat dishes. I should have gotten the hint from our Lonely Planet France guidebook, which describes a local veggie restaurant as “manna from heaven for Lyon’s oft-neglected vegetarians,” but I was still completely unprepared for the lack of options at the little bistros dotting the city.
Bern: A Charming Capital
I’m excited to share photos from our wonderful weekend in Bern, but first I should warn you: I’m currently on *hornet watch* so you’ll have to excuse any sloppiness. You see, I came home from French class and climbed up to the loft to open the shade on the skylight and almost brushed my hand against a giant hornet snuggled right into the edge of the wood. I jerked the shade back and screamed (perpetuating the worst female stereotypes, I know), but she didn’t move so I thought she might be dead. Wishful thinking, apparently: An hour later she started buzzing and my husband called the caretaker from his office to come “remove” her and look for a nest. Long story short, because she appeared to be nesting and we haven’t had the windows open, the caretaker said there may be a nest tucked out of sight and to keep an eye out. So as I continue to scan the loft for more yellow and black neighbors, here are the highlights of our trip to Bern!
A Sunday at the Museum
Sundays in Geneva are very quiet, with nearly all of the stores, supermarkets and restaurants across the city shuttered for the day. That’s why I was super excited to discover that, not only is Geneva’s Musée d’Art et d’Histoire (art and history museum) open on Sundays, but it’s free and less than a five-minute walk from our apartment. The roof of the gorgeous building visible from the top of our loft? Yeah, it turns out that’s the museum.
Chamonix: J’adore!
Just an hour outside of Geneva, nestled underneath two of the highest peaks in Europe, is Chamonix, France: The site of the first winter Olympic games and, more recently, where I took my very first ski steps. (I’m sure that will be added to the Wikipedia page shortly).
The Plaid Shirt Diaries 