Two Weeks

We went South for two weeks where the temperatures were cooler. Got home yesterday to discover the Dutch are in the middle of another heat wave. Sure wish we had rivers to float down, snowy mountains to cool off in, and beautiful lakes to swimming around here!

We spent a couple days in Switzerland before saying goodbye to the girls to celebrate our anniversary on our own. Exploring Lake Garda in Northern Italy was a lot of fun. Driving through Bergamot, the epicenter of the European outbreak this spring, was a bit eerie. Things are back to normal though, apart form mask wearing indoors and fewer tourists. We never would have gone otherwise. The lake reminded me a bit of Traverse City but with about five times the people, a lot more history, and bigger hills.

The view from the deck of our cabin over the lake was beautiful, but the motorboats were really loud. It got me to thinking that maybe I could build wooden ones, in an Italian style, with electric motors. Perhaps there is a market in the Great Lakes.

After a couple of days we went back to Lugano, Switzerland to meet Auntie Claire, Matt, and the girls. They had a blast together. We had a picnic, swam in that lake, and headed back to our cabin. No desire to stop in Milan on the way. The girls had a blast learning to swim with water wings in the big waves on the lake.

We also had a great day in Venice. Never would have been fun if filled with tourists. Took a gondola ride. Walked for ten kilometers. Ate a delicious lunch. What a cool city! The girls did great. It was also rather eerie seeing the traditional Venetian plague masks with the beaks alongside our modern versions.

After stopping again in Lugano for another picnic at the lake, we stayed in Solothurn with Auntie Claire and Matt for a few more days. Did a bit of shopping, floated down their river on tubes, and Naomi and Amélie visited a museum while we took Abigail to the white mountains.

It was a well-structured trip with a lot of highlights. I will be tired for a while though. It is good to be home and I am glad that we went. Now we just need to make it through the heat wave!

Raspberry picking with a view of the white mountains.

They used nets to keep out flies and birds. A beehive in the corner for pollination and honey. Great system!

We had a great time in Bern.

The house where Einstein lived for a while.

Bern's cathedral was open and the organ was playing. Impressive!

Our anniversary lunch spot in Lugano.

The view from our cabin at Lake Garda.

Lake Garda.

Fun with Auntie Claire.

Mountain hike at Lake Garda.

More fun.

A peninsula that sticks out into the lake is fortified by a medieval castle instead of cherry trees.

Back to Lugano to pick up the girls.

Fancy lunch in Venice.

The gondola ride was a lot of fun! We went under a bridge so low that he had to angle the boat rather steeply to make it.

A Venetian taxi - I would love to make a boat like this one day. The bridge is about 1000 years old.

Back to Solothurn.

Floating down the river.

Lunch in the white mountains. So many people.

We had a nice hike, skipped some rocks and drank water from a mountain stream.

Visit to the museum.