Easter Break - Switzerland & Italy

We are settling in back home now after a jam packed two weeks of travel in Switzerland and Italy.  As I write "settling in," I'm reminded that, in fact, we are starting to feel more settled in Ireland.  It did feel nice returning to our home here after two weeks away.  Not quite so nice when I looked at the massive pile of laundry that was in front of me after two weeks of no laundry.

View of the Valley from our apartment

Veysonnaz

Our first week we spent in the ski town of Veysonnaz, part of "The Four Valleys."  It is connected to Verbier but it takes an entire day to ski to Verbier from Veysonnaz and then, you'd have to get back so we didn't even consider it.  The snow, as expected, was typical for April.  Bullet proof in the morning and then slush in the afternoon.  Still, there was more snow than I think Tahoe saw all year so we didn't complain.  The kids reluctantly did their ski program, the swiss ski school program, that is very well run.  They skied with the same instructor and kids all three days.  They loved it after the first day and were happy to join (as were me and Matt who got a few hours to ski alone!)

Apres ski ritual: hot tubbing on the deck.

Again, we were amazed by the magnitude of the Alps, the pristine beauty of the ski areas, and the area in general.  Switzerland, is quite expensive, so we ate at our place a lot instead of going out.  Our landlord in Dublin very generously offered his ski place to us for the week.  It had spectacular views, was very comfortable and a hot tub overlooking the Rhone valley of Switzerland called Valais.

Some very good wines come out of this region as well.  We did some tasting but it becomes hard to enjoy a glass of wine while listening to the other kind of whine coming from kids who didn't want to be sitting at a wine bar!!

Anna & Tessa on the T-Bar

Family ski day!

Tessa tucking

Resting on the deck at the ski lodge.

Switzerland, The Canton/province of Valais

After skiing for a few days, we decided we wanted to get out and explore more of Switzerland.  In two days, we saw an underground lake, an adventure park, a chateau, a chocolate factory and some really beautiful Swiss countryside.  We will be back to Switzerland!!

Adventure park fun - Tessa getting dizzy in the hampster wheel

Anna in her choice of transport

It takes a giant leap .... of faith!  

Even Daddy got into the fun at the Labyrinthe
adventure park.  The bikes were created there.

Roman Amphitheater in Artigny

Trying fondue!  

Inside Chateau Chillon

Outside Chateau Chillon

Italy, Sarzana 

After a week in Switzerland, we headed South to Italy for a week.  We stayed in a town called Sarzana at an old converted farm, which is now quite a nice B&B, called Antico Casale.  There was a pool, although unheated, and some farm animals there.  Our first day there was Easter Sunday.  On my insistence, we went to church in a beautiful old Cathedral in the heart of the town.  It was a beautiful church with murals and frescos decorating the walls and the ceiling was blue with gilded wood moldings.  My attempts at pictures do not do it justice.  

Easter Sunday ready!

View inside the Sarzana Cathedral

Cinque Terre

After church, we took a train to Monterosso, one of the towns in the Cinque Terre.  We hiked from there to Vernazza.  The hike started with over 600 steps up a moutainside.  It was a steep and hard climb.  The kids did great and there were very few complaints.  It was a busy day and the kids came back completely exhausted.  It was so beautiful and I hope we will get back there again.

Hiking from Monterossa to Vernazza...
It started with 650 steps up a mountain side!!!

Vernazza in sight in the distance!  We are almost there
(and a bit tired, me thinks!)

Fortelezza di Sarazana

The following day, we went to explore a Fortress in Sarzana.  It was very interactive and the kids were able to experience what it might be like to live there.  They even had people dressed in mid-evil attire doing dances, playing the old board games, and ready to explain about anything we wanted to know.

That is Carson dressed in a metal armor
helmet and gloves

View from the Fortelezza... you can see why this is a good
location for defending your territory!! 

Fortilezzo di Sarazana (11 c.)

Pisa

After lunch,  we drove an hour to Pisa where we saw the very famous, leaning tower, the duomo and the cathedral, all built in the 12th century.  The tower is leaning because the land that it was built on was too soft at the point of its construction. (You'd think they'd have figured that out?)  In any case, it has continued to settle and lean further all they way up until the 20th c. when efforts were made to reinforce the structure.  We were in and out of Pisa in about 4 hours.  The town is overrun with tourist stores, and people trying to sell you souvenirs.  I was happy to have visited, but probably wont be going back there.

Selfie in front of the Leaning Tower of Pisa

Hold on Anna!  

Camogli

After that, we headed to revisit Camogli, the small town where Matt & I got engaged.  We went to the exact spot that he proposed.  I made him reenact his proposal for the kids... it was quite funny.  He stumbled and fumbled (which was quite like the real thing). Then he said, with a very straight face, "Lizzie, I have question for you." My eyes met his, and I said, "yes?" He then said, "Where would you like to have lunch."  The kids busted out laughing. They thought that was hilarious!  Hmmm.  I'm still waiting for my romantic proposal.

Beautiful seaside town of Camogli

The Camogli marina, the exact location of our engagement!

After lunch, we saw Matt off on the train to go back to work.  Now I was going to be alone with the kids in Italy for the rest of our time.   I was scared at first, but I ended up just fine.  In fact, I was kind of empowered, navigating the crazy small streets, dealing with the too-fast drivers, muddling with my French-Spanish-English version of Italian .... That night, we headed to a town called Lerici which is right on the beach with a lovely village and, of course, a fortress built in the 11th century.  This is becoming a theme!

My Birthday (by Carson)

It was the eighth of April and it was my birthday. Well I guess I'm going to write about  6th of April because that was when me and my family celebrated my birthday.  I didn't write this blog long after my celebrated birthday so it is probably going to be a good one.

I was in my room and we'll they didn't greet me with a happy birthday song because it wasn't my real birthday, so I got up and went into the kitchen. Soon after I got into the kitchen my whole family came in the kitchen. (Except dad because he was back in America for work I think.) so we had breakfast and mom asked "Carson do you want to open one of your presents?" "Yes!" I cried. So I opened my present.

It was a...

"HEELYS!" I cried "I'VE ALWAYS WANTED THEM! Thank you mom thank you dad!" 

Jump Zone Dodge Ball

As soon as I stopped thanking my mom and dad it was time to go to Jump Zone.

We went to the Jump Zone. It was really fun. We played dodge ball and went on a floor covered in trampolines. (Like the house of air.) 

When that was over we all hobbled (well we WERE tired) back home. Wow that was really fun I thought.

Breakfast in Bed on April 8th!

Birthday Present from Baya Sally (Thank you!!)

Back in the US of A!

 Right now I’m sitting on the plane coming back to Dublin from New York.  We came to New York to be at my cousin Ben’s wedding.  I only took Tessa with me.  We thought we shouldn’t take Carson & Anna out of school for that many days, plus Matt didn’t think he should miss work and of course, the flights were pretty expensive to take everyone.  That choice I feel, turned out not to be the right choice.  As I think my mom and my Uncle Bill both said, “Some things are more important than just the expense of them.”  Anna & Carson were both very sad to have missed seeing their cousins and grandma and I certainly missed having them with me.  I’m sure Matt also would have enjoyed the trip.  So -- lesson learned.

In any case, Tessa & I had a great time seeing everyone and being together with family, cousins and extended family.  Weddings are always fun and this one was no exception.  The wedding ceremony was beautiful -- filled with thoughtful touches and beautifully selected readings.  The reception was so much fun.  The tone was set right off the bat by the bride & groom getting everyone out of their seats to dance before the first course was even served.  Their attentiveness and warmth made everyone feel like special guests.  I danced all night with anyone who wanted to dance and had so much fun dancing with everyone!

I loved the song choices for all the special dances, which honored not only Ben & Katie, but their parents’ marriages too.  The father daughter dance made me cry… brought back all the memories of my wedding day and the special dance with my dad, where he told me, as he always did, how proud he was.  I can imagine Katie’s dad was saying those things to her too. 

I’ve lived in New York, twice.  Once straight out of business school and again, after getting married.  Visiting New York with Tessa, and seeing it though her eyes, was an entirely new experience.  New York is so fun for kids, in a way I never expected.  There is so much for kids to do and everything there is at such an awesome magnitude -- there really is no place like it!  We visited the Plaza Hotel where they have a special “Eloise” area, fitted with kid sized furniture, a party room and plenty of Eloise paraphernalia to purchase.  Walking down Fifth Avenue with Tessa was a fun experience.  Seeing her drawn in to the beautiful window displays with all the sparkly jewelry, designer clothing, and other fine things made me giggle.   She specifically wanted to go into the Cartier store.  I was terrified of what she might touch, say, etc. but she was perfectly behaved.  The sales lady gave her special attention, supplying her with a little red Cartier shopping bag and a leather-bound Cartier catalog.  It was hilarious seeing her walk with her “little red bag” down Fifth Avenue. 


We also found a nice children’s book exhibit in the NY Public Library.  They had full size rooms decorated as the scenes from the most popular children’s books.  

 We celebrated Tessa’s 6^th birthday at the American Girl Store and then at Ellen’s Stardust Diner where the waiters & waitresses are all professional singers. 

 On another day we made it to the top of the Empire State building and looked out over the sea of tall buildings.  It looks like those buildings actually come straight out of the water. We also took a boat cruise around the Southern half of Manhattan and around the Statue of Liberty.

We ate at two Irish pubs where I was told there are actually more Irish people living in New York than in Dublin.  Not sure about that fact.  J  Again, having lived in New York, this trip was very different as I was seeing everything through Tessa’s eyes.  Tessa, you can make it there, you can make it anywhere!

Leaving today was hard.  I feel like I don’t have an anchor holding me anywhere.  I don’t feel rooted in Dublin and also recognize that my home and life in Mill Valley are not available to me right now.   I continue to struggle to settle into my new life.  I am finding myself questioning things a lot … did we do the right thing moving?  Is this really going to be good for the kids?  What is my story going to be of living in Dublin?  All these questions continue to resurface but answers are not yet clear. Looking forward to hugging Carson, Anna & Matt when we arrive in the morning.