Our Italian Lakes tour officially begins today, and it’s also the day we catch up with friends from past Trafalgar travels. On our first trip abroad post COVID, we met Monette, Opel, and Ester in Portugal. This time, Sean, Monette’s husband, will also be joining the group, and we’re excited to meet him. While visiting Israel and Jordan, we got to know Suzi, Frank, Lana, and Mike. The twelve of us, including Andy and Leilani, will occupy one-fourth of the coach!

Our first day out…

Not sure how 12 people could misunderstand the “straightforward” directions to return to the meeting spot at the appointed time, but on our first excursion, we somehow managed to do that and missed the boat! I can only imagine what the other 34 people waiting for us on the coach had to say since it took the Tour Director a few minutes to book another boat to take us back to shore.

This trip is off to a terrific start!

We boarded the train for our journey to Italy, Milan specifically , after spending 12 days seeing Switzerland by rail. The train ride to Milan was just as lovely as our previous train rides. We had been in rail stations all around Switzerland, especially Zurich HB, so getting off the train at Milano Centrale was a bit of a cultural shock, especially when we couldn’t figure out how to get out of the station and trying to find a friendly face for help ended up being the Italian Police!

The actual location of our hotel would be our next surprise, but as they say, you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, and that was definitely the case with this hotel. The hotel had incredibly friendly and helpful personnel, and the better part of town was really only two streets away. Our favorite was visiting the Duomo from the outside, inside, and top of the roof over our two days on our own, which included our typical hop-on, hop-off bus ride!

Switzerland’s numerous lakes, villages, the high peaks of the Alps along with the medieval quarters and numerous beautiful landmarks, makes it very difficult to decide which photos to post! The country is also known for banking, fast cars, Swiss watches and chocolate…and we made sure we enjoyed the chocolates on a day tour of the Lindt factory!

Broken Chair

Broken Chair is a monumental sculpture in wood designed by Swiss artist Daniel Berset and constructed by carpenter Louis Genève. It is constructed of 5.5 tons of wood and is 12 metres (39 feet) high. It depicts a giant chair with a broken leg and stands across the street from the Palace of Nations in Geneva. It symbolizes opposition to land mines and cluster bombs and acts as a reminder to politicians and diplomats visiting Geneva.

After an early morning carriage ride, we spent some time with the barn milking cows

Awe and wonder at 3883 meters above sea level

We visited the fascinating world of the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise at a dizzying altitude where breathtaking views open up over the snow-covered peaks of the Alps and the iconic Matterhorn rises up majestically in the distance. This is the peak on which the highest mountain station in Europe is located.  

Mt. Stanserhorn

Another wonderful Trafalgar experience with a brilliant TD Ellen. She made everything look so easy from getting all of us on the right platform at the right time and in the right seats once we were on the train.

I hope our paths cross again one day Ellen.
You are amazing!

The Lindt Factory Tour

We certainly found the chocolate samples at the Lindt Factory tour as good as advertised

Abschied von der Schweitzer….Ciao Italia

After enjoying a great meal at Reina Victoria Hotel in St. Moritz, we tucked ourselves in for the night in  nice cozy beds to prepare for the next day’s adventures to Zermatt.

After a wholesome breakfast, we boarded the Glacier Express to Zermatt while  admiring the epic alpine scenery drift past so beautiful that it leaves one speechless with each passing moment. We were served lunch on the train, another first for us, as we continued past lakes and glaciers to the foothills of the resort town of Zermatt, at the foothills of the imposing Matterhorn. 

An experience of a lifetime…Italy to the left of the Matterhorn and Switzerland to the right

Today is our first train ride! We were hoping to enjoy the views of the highest railway tracks in Europe and the steepest in the world, on the panoramic cars of the  Bernina Express which takes its passengers on a unique journey through 55 tunnels and over 196 bridges. From Switzerland’s oldest town through wildly romantic gorges, past spectacular man-made structures such as the Landwasser Viaduct, up to the eternal ice of the glaciers and back down to the palm trees in the Italian town of Tirano but the tracks were closed due to a recent avalanche..instead of seeing this UNESCO World Heritage Site and pristine Alpine landscapes by train, we would have to go by coach. When this was announced, you could see the disappointment on everyone’s face; however, we would soon discover that this alternative mode of viewing would be just as great if not better. We were able to stop a few times to take photos, play in the snow and walk to the Italian side of the border. We were unable to drive over the Italian border because, apparently, the Italian roads are not maintained in the winter, but we were still able to walk across and take in the views of two different countries. We’ll just have to save the Bernina Express for the next time.

Our first day in Zurich was spent wandering around town, hanging out on the river front watching the boats and geese while listening to a street performer sing his Reggae tunes. With Its unique location on Lake Zurich, the Alps on the horizon and its urban diversity, the city offers an attractive environment to live and work. The architecture is a mix of buildings dating back to the Middle Ages. These structures often feature narrow streets, high gables, and colorful facades. The Romanesque and Gothic architectural influences are prevalent in churches, such as the Grossmünster and Fraumünster.

We came upon a city block that sported some of the most luxurious automobiles in the world. The Swiss consumers have a higher disposable income and apparently spend most of it on luxury cars. I have personally never seen so many Rolls Royce and Lamborghini in one city block.

We met our amazing tour director, Ellen, on our third day in Zurich along with the other 42-passenger in our group. As usual, we will be traveling with individuals from all over the world, including a stunning young surgeon from South Africa who is embarking on her first ever trip abroad, seeing snow for the first time in her life and celebrating her birthday.

We begin our scenic train journey via Chur to St. Moritz in the morning. We are looking forward to our first ever train trip with Trafalgar

When you’re replaced by a sloth, you know your fifteen minutes of fame is over..

But the happy memories will be etched in our thoughts forever

As I welcome the new year, I find myself thinking back on all of the amazing experiences I had in 2023, including amazing travels with genuinely wonderful and kind people. I know I won’t see some of you for a very long time, but I also know that these friendships will endure forever. I wish you a very Happy New year and may this coming year bring you many happy memories. Go out and do whatever it is you’ve always wanted to do!

With love from our family to yours

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I knew it was you inside there Tina!

We enjoyed an early anniversary celebration

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We saw the lights we came to search for three times!

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Sherry & Merv, together with their friends  Raelene & Rob from Newfoundland, turned out to be friends of Elizabeth & Hughie, whom we met in Egypt earlier this year….amazing!

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We hope our paths cross again one day

💕Moments to Remember

Till we meet again dear friends💕

For now, we’re returning home to hang our hats to dry, cuddle up with our kitties, spend the holidays with family and friends, and “recharge” for our 2024 adventures!