travel

Zürich: Spring for Sprüngli

/ plaidshirtdiaries / 6 Comments

FullSizeRender 3.jpg

Zürich reminded me of Geneva more than I expected: I think I envisioned a larger version of Bern because of the shared Swiss-German culture, but the elegant urban architecture and the way the city is situated around a lake more so resembled the Swiss-French city that I currently call home. Not to mention that Zürich seems to be filled with English speakers! We heard American- (or perhaps Canadian-) accented English everywhere — which is a bit different from Geneva, where you often hear people speaking English but with accents suggesting that it’s not their native tongue.

Continue reading →

One-Year Anniversary

/ plaidshirtdiaries / 13 Comments

It’s quite the leap of faith to move to a country you’ve never before set foot in, trusting that you’ll be able to make a home there. It’s also very much against my Type A, super-planner personality. But two years ago today, that’s exactly what we did, and I am certain that we are better for it.

IMG_6209.JPG

Sunrise from our Geneva-bound plane, one year ago today.

Continue reading →

Budapest: A Love Story

/ plaidshirtdiaries / 6 Comments

FullSizeRender 6.jpg

After being so charmed by Krakow, I tried to lower my expectations in preparation for our trip to Budapest to avoid disappointment, but there was no need. Walking down the street of the Hungarian capital, Gui declared that it truly was “the Paris of the East,” prompting teasing on my end about which slogan-wielding travel site he read to prepare for our visit. Moving past the cliché, however, I would have to agree with the sentiment. Budapest has a certain kind of magic, of sparkle, of romance, that pervades the city, with a distinctive Eastern European flair. Even if we hadn’t been there celebrating Valentine’s Day, and even if the weather hadn’t been so bright and sunny, I think I still would have been enamored. Here’s how Budapest captured my heart:

Continue reading →

Krakow: Eastern European Elegance

/ plaidshirtdiaries / 16 Comments

FullSizeRender 9.jpg

I wasn’t sure what to expect from Krakow, but with the price I got on our plane tickets a few months ago (20 CHF!) I was ready to take my chances. Verdict…? Gosh, it’s such a cool city. Yes, it was absolutely freezing with even a little bit of snow, but we were asking for it with a February visit. And yes, we spent part of the trip learning about the city’s tragic history, but it was a very meaningful experience. Add in the elegant architecture, the warm, hearty Polish meals, and the low prices for top-notch everything… It was a wonderful stay. Here’s the recap:

Continue reading →

Chambéry: The Mystery Château

/ plaidshirtdiaries / 7 Comments

My friend and I were looking for a relaxing destination to celebrate our winter break and — after discovering the the Swiss hotel with the internet-famous infinity pool cost more than 600 francs a night — settled on the much more affordable option of a day trip to Chambéry. Gui suggested the French city and former capitol of Savoy because he had read about its cute old town and château, and with lovely 50+ degree weather and blue skies on tap for Thursday, we were sold.

Continue reading →

Grindelwald: A Snowy Escape (Not the Harry Potter Villain)

/ plaidshirtdiaries / 6 Comments

If you’re looking for the next big tobogganing sensations, you might want to give Guillaume and me a call. Our first double-team toboggan experience started a little rough — if you can call nearly sliding off the edge of the mountain cliff rough — but by the time we embarked on our second run we were looking pretty darn good. “Lean left! Right! Left!” I would shout from my perch in the back, as Gui supplemented with some foot steering in the front. “Ah! Watch out! Don’t hit that cute family!”

The toboggan adventure — also called sledging in Switzerland — was definitely the highlight of our trip, but really our entire stay in Grindelwald was a delight.

FullSizeRender 2.jpg

Continue reading →

Copenhagen: My First Glögg!

/ plaidshirtdiaries / 4 Comments

FullSizeRender.jpg

Copenhagen is a super cool city. I actually wasn’t expecting to love it so much, given the chilly weather this time of year, but in our brief, 48-hour visit I decided I could totally live there. The bike-ability, the abundance of English, the architecture, the retro vibe… I loved it. Of course, there was also the cold, the sunset at 3:30pm and the high price tags, but the expenses seemed rather manageable after living in Geneva, and I could get some long underwear, right?

Continue reading →

Gruyères: Cheesy Goodness

/ plaidshirtdiaries / 7 Comments

I love cheese. And I don’t discriminate either: whether it’s creamy brie or bright orange cheddar (my French readers are shuddering, I know), I truly love every variety. That’s all to say that I was pretty stoked to finally visit the Swiss village of Gruyères, home of the famous cheese often found in fondue. We used our new Mobility car share account — think Zipcar, Americans — to drive an hour and a half out to the picturesque town on Sunday, trying to catch up on the latest radio hits via France’s “Virgin Radio” during the ride.

Continue reading →