Alpine Sledding Adventure

This weekend, the temperature rose in Switzerland and the sun came out in full force. This is the Swiss winter of which I've dreamed. The people all over the city seem to be energized by the warmth and sunshine and the sight of the sun shining on the snow-capped mountains is just breath-taking. To take full advantage of this gorgeous weather, on Saturday morning, Gordon headed out for a day of skiing while Claire and I joined some friends for sledding. This was sledding unlike any I've ever experienced. Upon arrival at Moleson, which is also a ski resort, we rented our sleds (or luges, as they're called here) and paid our fee to ride the Funicular up the mountain. In the funicular, there were many skiers and just a few other people with sleds. At the top of the mountain, we exited the funicular and found the top of the sled run. Here are the kids, from left to right Claire (22 mos), Colin (2.5 years), and Lola (5 years). They're at the top of the run, ready to go! We adults got on the sleds behind the kids and made our way down the mountain.








Here are Claire and me, on the sled, heading down the mountain. These sleds got going really fast on some parts of the run. There was nothing on the sled for steering, so the steering and braking was all in my feet. Fortunately, I was able to control our speed and direction the whole time, so we didn't end up running into a snow bank!
















We took several breaks along the way to enjoy the amazing scenery.












Claire ended up borrowing a scarf from our friend Shannon to shield her face from the snow spray which was caused by my feet brakes!




















This was, by far, one of the best experiences I have had in Switzerland and I hope to do it again very soon.

Sunny Day

Today, when we woke up, the sun was shining and we could see the mountains across the lake for the first time in weeks. After breakfast, we got bundled up, left the stroller at home, and we set out to explore the lakefront.

Claire found a perfect cottage on the lake. She went right in and made herself at home.

It's so nice to be able to see the mountains across the lake again, even it they are a bit foggy.

The highlight of the walk for Claire was that she got to see many dogs along the way. She even got to pet two of them. As we approached one dog, I slowly realized that it was actually a cat! It was so bizarre to see this cat, with a collar and tags, just sitting at the edge of the water, enjoying his morning.

After a lot of walking, we stopped at the park and Claire took her baby doll for a swing. All of that sunshine and fresh air really tired her out. She asked me to carry her home and then fell asleep in my arms. Maybe we won't leave the stroller at home next time...

Cabin Fever

We have a serious case of cabin fever! This picture is of Claire riding her tricycle around the apartment. We are so ready for Spring to come so we can go for rides outside.

Snow Boots

In preparation for an upcoming Alpine sledding adventure, Claire's first pair of snow boots were purchased today. I can't wait to put them to good use!

When In France...

On Saturday, we took a day trip to France.  Claire decided to act like a local while we were there.

(Don't worry, Grandparents, it was just apple juice in the glass.)

Playtime!

Since Claire and I returned from the U.S.A. after our Christmas trip, it has been exceptionally cold in our corner of Switzerland.  Because we have not been able to play outside at all, we have been getting creative inside.

One day last week, I put all different shapes and colors of uncooked noodles into a big bowl and then I set out several smaller bowls and some scooping tools.  Then I let Claire have at it.  She immediately got down to business.

Here she is digging in.

This is serious business!  I love the look of concentration on her face. 

Before we knew it, Daddy was home from work, so we went out, noodles in hand, to greet him at the elevator.

Come on in, Daddy!  We're having fun!

Fondue!

Today, we decided to head out to the town of Gruyeres, Switzerland.  About a 40 minute drive from our apartment, Gruyeres is a little town perched on a hilltop and is not accessible to cars.  We parked our car at the bottom of the hill and hiked up this charming village.  The most popular attraction in Gruyeres is the Chateau, or castle, which you can see in the background of the picture below.  Our mission today, though, was to get the fondue for which Gruyeres is famous.

Through the town we walked until we came upon the Chalet, where we had planned to eat or first Swiss fondue, something for which this country is famous.

 
We checked out the menu and ordered fondue and a plate of ham.  Here is Claire, perusing the menu.

The food arrived and it looked and smelled delicious.

Time to give it a taste!

We all loved it!

It was very cold out today (about 15 degrees Fahrenheit), so we didn't hang around Gruyeres long after our meal.  We will definitely be back, though, to explore the castle and to have some more yummy fondue.