Last Stop in Zurich

Just as the cold was starting to creep into our fingers and toes, the train to Zurich arrived.

Catching trains can sometimes be thrilling, especially when you're catching it at a station that's not the terminal. If it's not a terminal stop, the train will only be there for a few minutes, so you need to make quick work of getting you, your luggage, and your travel companions on the train.

Some stations specify where each train car will stop, so you generally know where your car first or second class car will be. The Salzburg station, under construction, didn't have that feature, so when the train arrived, we saw our car way at the end. You can board the train on any car and make your way to your seat while on the train, but what's the fun in that? We ran while still on the platform, and we made it with a few minutes to spare.

This may have been our longest train ride since our trip from Fussen, Germany to Vernazza, Italy, but this time there were no transfers, just an opportunity to sit and watch the snowy alps go by in the comfort of our seats. It's face-against-the-window kind of scenery.

Photo of The Austrian Alps on train from Salzburg to Zurich

Photo of The Austrian Alps on train from Salzburg to Zurich

An Alpen town, photo taken from train from Salzburg to Zurich.

And then we were back where we started nearly three months before: Zurich. When we arrived, we were jetlegged, lost, and elated, looking ahead toward a once-and-a-lifetime experience, not knowing the challenges and adventures in front of us. Our time in Zurich when we first arrived was extremely brief, but those memories of excitement and anticipation came rushing back.

This time around, we went down to the metro and intently tried to figure it out. It's not that difficult of a system, but certainly a bit more difficult than Rome, Paris, or Berlin. Our hotel was quite a ways out from the city, so it was like taking a train out to the 'burbs. (Zurich is expensive, which is why we didn't stay there on our first day, electing instead to head directly to Interlaken.)

Once settled in the hotel, we took a free shuttle back into the city. It was dark by now, and frigid. Minnesota frigid. 10 degrees Fahrenheit frigid, but Zurich was bustling anyway.

We heard tell of a "singing christmas tree," so we checked that out (and blogged about last Christmas).


Santa Claus is Coming To Town from Via Picnic on Vimeo.

After the tree belted out a few Christmas tunes in various languages, our fingers and toes were hurting from the cold, so we decided to find a place for dinner. It was our last night in Europe, so it was fitting that we splurged a little bit. (It was a little hard not to, in Zurich.) Italian cuisine was the most reasonable we could find.

After dinner, we walked around just a bit more. Zurich was downright glitzy with its holiday lights strung from building to building. After some walking along yet another Christmas market, we took the shuttle back to our hotel. It was an early flight the next day.

Picture of the Christmas market in Zurich

We got up the next morning before sunrise. It was one of those sleeps you get before taking a big trip. Breakfast at the hotel, included with the room, was more American than what we had grown used to in our hostels and pensions. Hardboiled eggs, deli meats, and bread rolls were replaced with scrambled eggs, bacon, and sausage. The lobby was quiet with just a few people up, business travelers. There was some anxiety amongst the four of us as we took in the steps to get from Zurich, Switzerland to Minneapolis, Minnesota. Shuttle to the airport, ticket printing, luggage, short flight to Amsterdam, full-body scan, long flight to Minneapolis, customs, baggage claim.

And just like that we were back. Everything looked like it did when we left, only less leaves and more snow. Our first meal was Chipotle. My first beer was Summit EPA. Just like our first nights in Europe, we were in bed by 9, resting up for the many picnics to come.

The Hills are Alive, Salzburg

I can't imagine a more beautiful evening to arrive in Salzburg. As we awkwardly navigated through the under-construction train station, a few trace flurries floated through the air. After Innsbruck, we were as acquainted with the cold, and in the full holiday swing. We checked into the Hotel Stieglbrau, which was affiliated in some way with Best Western, but was located above an Austrian Brewery: SteiglBrau. Standard US style hotel rooms, but the brewery restaurant was popular and fantastically festive.

Shortly after checking in, Jacob and I headed down to taste the beer of our Hotel's namesake. We sat in the wood paneled bar decked out in holiday cheer, drank a few Steigl beers and then the snow began to fly. It was perfectly cozy, but after a couple of beers it was time to venture into snowy Salzburg and check out their Christmas market.

From mild Italian rain to Alpen snow in a few hours - Innsbruck!

We said goodbye to my parents as they started the long journey back to the U.S. The next day, we headed out of Venice to return to the Alps, where this journey had started. This time, it was the Austrian Alps: Innsbruck. It was good to hear a language we had grown familiar with, even though it wasn't English.

It didn't take long as we headed north for the rain to change over to snow. We went from light coats and umbrellas to gloves and winter hats.

Thanksgiving in Venice

Celebrating an American Holiday in a foreign place is kind of an odd experience. It's more like a birthday--- you're in a celebratory mood but no one else has any idea. So what does one do? Well, if you're in Venice and it's a beautiful day, you sight-see. Such was the case for us, so the six of us left our Venice canal apartment and ventured out.

Venezia Day 1

Cue the Santa Lucia:

Ahhh Venice. I had looked forward to seeing Venice for a long time, but somehow over the course of the trip my excitement waned. I wondered "How could it compare to all the other incredible sights I've seen." But as Jacob's parents, Jacob, and I stepped out of the train station, into a bustling water-metropolis, the sun shining brightly, I was stunned.