# Grüetzi, Grüetzi! That's Amoré!: A 2015 Italy/Switzerland Trip Report - Complete!



## mare1203

Grüetzi und Benveneto! My sister, Kathy (Kanadar) and I just returned from our latest adventure and I can't wait to share my trip report for the Alpine Magic Adventures by Disney trip with you, featuring destinations in Italy and Switzerland! This is my second trip report for an ABD. If you’re interested, pop on over to Andiamo Adventurers! to read about our fantastic time on one of Disney’s most popular ABD's: Viva Italia.
The Alpine Magic trip was, in a word, incredible. Probably one of, if not the best, trips I have ever been on. The views throughout our trip were stunning, at times almost unbelievable. I would highly recommend Alpine Magic to anyone as I truly think there is something for everyone here. I was super sad to leave this trip and haven’t quite gotten over it yet. I guess the only cure will be re-living it through this report.
Kathy will be getting married in October, so we decided to take one last family vacation, just the 3 of us, before the wedding. We looked at a number of the ABD trips before settling on Alpine Magic. The Central Europe trip was in serious contention, as well as the Alaska trip. I would love, love, love it if ABD decided to do a Patagonia trip, but so far they haven’t released any itineraries for Patagonia (perhaps one day ABD, hint hint...) Anyway, I’m getting off task. A couple we befriended on our last adventure had been on the Italy/Switzerland trip and said it was fantastic. Alpine Magic also happened to be in contention while I was deciding on our first trip. Thus, we made the decision and again booked through Kevin here at Dreams Unlimited. We were in Italy and Switzerland from June 27 - July 5, 2015. 

First, as always, let’s have some introductions.




My name is Mary. I recently turned 30, and I live in Arizona. For my 30th birthday, I got to go to the Kentucky Derby (so. much. fun!), and thus the hat! I am a fan of Disney culture and tradition, but I am actually quite bad at Disney music and movie trivia. Before moving to Arizona I worked as a cast member in Disney’s Animal Kingdom where I was a paleontologist at the Dino Institute, so Disney is in my blood. Today I work in higher education. For this trip I was most looking forward to the beauty of the Swiss Alps, ziplining, and boating on Lake Como.








Up next we have my sister, Kathy, known on the boards as Kanadar. She is 27 and lives in central Illinois. In her non-Disney life, Kathy teaches English as a Second Language. As I mentioned, she is in the middle of planning her very own Disney Fairytale wedding and will be marrying her Prince Charming, Jeff, at the Boardwalk in October. Kathy is looking forward to seeing a new country, the Alps, and zip lining. 




And finally we have our dad Bob, who also lives in central Illinois. He started us on the Disney vacation love in 1994 and his favorites are resorting at the Polynesian and visiting during the Epcot Food & Wine Festival.  Last year, Bob also completed his first ½ marathon. Unsurprisingly, it was the Disney Wine & Dine ½, which we lovingly refer to as the Splash & Dash because it rained the entire time. But, it was fun! When he isn’t traveling, Bob owns a meat distribution company, so there will be no shortage of steak and other meat on his plate! Bob is looking forward to (hopefully!) seeing the Matterhorn and going ziplining. 

If you’ve read my previous trip report, you’ll recall that our family enjoys indulging in food & wine, so that was something we were all very much looking forward to during the trip. (A trip to destinations known for pasta, cheese, chocolate, and wine? Why yes, please!).

So, *willkomen and andiamo adventurer’s* as we explore northern Italy and Switzerland, and maybe experience a few surprises along the way!

*DISCLAIMERS:* I am going to do a full trip report; there will be spoilers. *You’ve been warned.* Also, *please* do not assume that everything that happens in this trip will happen in yours. Each tour is different and unforeseen circumstances can alter planned (and even unplanned) experiences for any reason. Finally, I would like to include some of the pictures taken by our amazing ABD guides, so it might be a little slow until those arrive. Luckily, we had a day and a half to ourselves, leaving me plenty to report on before I get to the good stuff!​


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## mare1203

Okay Adventurer's, per usual here is my table of contents. I will link to the page(s) once I've completed the entry for easy viewing later on and edit along the way as I am sure some of these will end up as multiple posts.

Apparently, in the upgrade, the old way of linking the individual posts doesn't seem to be working right. I'll work on it, but until then I'll just keep this open.


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## Cousin Orville

Great!  Looking forward to following along!


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## carpenta

Loved your Italy report and I am excited to read along. Thanks in advance for allowing us to "ride along" on your trip.


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## sayhello

Yay!  Another report!  Looking forward to this.  I think this is an underrated trip!

Sayhello


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## cmcgardner

This trip is fabulous! It was our first ABD and I am not sure it will ever be topped. I fell in love with Switzerland and Northern Italy and hope to get back there someday.


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## tgeorge

I'm so excited you're back to do another report! I loved your Italy report and I have no doubt that this one will be fantastic as well! I'm also very excited to hear about this trip since this is very, very high on my list


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## kanadar

I'm here, I'm here!!  Yay! You started! I'm so excited to re-live our trip, it was just so fantastic!


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## mare1203

Cousin Orville said:


> Great!  Looking forward to following along!



Hi!!  Glad to have you reading along once again!


carpenta said:


> Loved your Italy report and I am excited to read along. Thanks in advance for allowing us to "ride along" on your trip.



Welcome aboard adventurer! Thanks for the compliment and I hope this one can live up to the last (I think it will) 



sayhello said:


> Yay!  Another report!  Looking forward to this.  I think this is an underrated trip!
> 
> Sayhello



Hey SayHello!! Of course! I love doing these; it keeps the fun and magic alive long after the trip has finished. I'm not sure why this one isn't more popular, because Switzerland was always super high on my bucket list. It's totally, totally worth it. Though I'll tell ya, after talking with some people on this trip, I'm super excited for the River Cruise, so here's me being jealous of you!



cmcgardner said:


> This trip is fabulous! It was our first ABD and I am not sure it will ever be topped. I fell in love with Switzerland and Northern Italy and hope to get back there someday.



After this trip, I'm inclined to agree with you about topping it. Not sure it can be done (though, if anyone can it's Disney)! Glad to have you following along, and hopefully you'll relive some similar memories along the way!



tgeorge said:


> I'm so excited you're back to do another report! I loved your Italy report and I have no doubt that this one will be fantastic as well! I'm also very excited to hear about this trip since this is very, very high on my list



Welcome! Thank you for the compliment! I would highly recommend this itinerary; Disney takes you to some idyllic settings. 


kanadar said:


> I'm here, I'm here!!  Yay! You started! I'm so excited to re-live our trip, it was just so fantastic!



Hey Dopey!


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## kmc33

Loved your Viva Italia trip report!!  Can't wait to read about your Italy/Switzerland adventures!


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## disneyphx

Looking forward to reading along - might need to do this to see the Matterhorn - and because I mistakenly told E we would be zip lining in Switzerland.......


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## walnut611

YAY!  I'm in and following too


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## christannj

I thoroughly enjoyed your other reports so can't wait to read along with everyone else.


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## mare1203

kmc33 said:


> Loved your Viva Italia trip report!!  Can't wait to read about your Italy/Switzerland adventures!



 Viva and Alpine are 2 very different trips and can't really be compared, but we LOVED this one. I'm hoping the trip report will do it justice.



disneyphx said:


> Looking forward to reading along - might need to do this to see the Matterhorn - and because I mistakenly told E we would be zip lining in Switzerland.......



 You should definitely do it to see the Matterhorn. We have about 700 pictures of that stupid, gorgeous mountain. And, the ropes course was way fun; E would enjoy it! 



walnut611 said:


> YAY!  I'm in and following too



Welcome!  Glad to have you reading along! 



christannj said:


> I thoroughly enjoyed your other reports so can't wait to read along with everyone else.



 And thanks for reading! I've been going through my pictures and it's going to be pretty hard to cut it down!


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## mare1203

*Aaadventurerrs!* 

I hope you all had a great weekend! Seeing as it's been a week since we returned, I think it is the perfect time to get this party started. Kathy and I have shared our pictures with one another. In all, we have close to 1,800! I can hear you all saying, 'and you're waiting for guide pics, too?!?' Yes. Yes, I am, haha!

In some cases we just wanted to make sure we were taking pictures that you all would enjoy (after completing one trip report, it was helpful to use that experience when it comes to taking photos).  But in others it was pure 'oh man, I need a pic of that!' (Matterhorn, I'm looking at you...). 

So, without further ado, let's go on an Adventure!



​As you know, Bob and Kathy live in a different state than I. However, neither of us are close to a major international airport that would take us direct to our destination. Thus, since we were eyeing a layover somewhere anyway, we decided meet up and fly over to Italy together. On Alpine Magic you will fly into Milan's Malpensa airport. 



​My journey began at 9:00 a.m. Pacific time. Before boarding the flight, I stopped at Peet’s coffee for an iced coffee and an oatmeal. It was a good choice to get some good stuff in my tummy before the long flight east. 




My flight was full, as usual, but it was a nice, new plane with wi-fi options and a bank of entertainment should you want to indulge. I made it to JFK without incident. I had a short layover of less than an hour before we were set to take-off. It was my first time ever to JFK, and seeing as I hadn’t eaten anything during my 5 hour flight, I was pretty disappointed to find that the terminal had no good places to pick up something quick to eat within a 5-minute walk from the gate. I did manage to find a Hudson books and bought some peanut butter crackers, so I had those to tide me over until dinner.



​Bob and Kathy started their trek to Europe by flying from our hometown airport to Chicago’s O’Hare and then on to JFK. They actually had a decent amount of time for their layover, leaving them enough time to grab some food before the flight to New York. That, and the O’Hare terminal actually has options. They decided to stop at the Macaroni Grill for some American Italian and split a couple of entrees.​



First, they went with a classic: spaghetti and meatballs. 




The other entree they chose was the lasagna. 

I think it's kind of funny that they chose to eat Italian before going to Italy. They said it was good. ​​


Finally, my flight arrived and we were reunited! It wasn't very long before we were finding our seats on the plane! Obligatory family pic on the plane to Milan! I had Mickey Rice Krispie Treat from our last trip about a week prior, so I brought it along as a snack, 

My dad and I both have preferred status on American Airlines, so that is who we ended up flying for this trip. It was a different configuration from when we went to Rome. This time the flight was 2-3-2 rather than the 2-5-2. Unfortunately, we had been spoiled on that trip because each seat had a TV in the back and a library of movies and games to access. Not this flight. We were old school all the way. There wasn't even wi-fi on the plane! Seeing as my flight from Phoenix to JFK was new and had wi-fi this was disappointing and a step down. After waiting in line on the Tarmac for about 45 minutes we were on our way! Yay! 

We took an overnight flight to Milan, so they served us dinner and a continental breakfast. Interestingly enough, all beverages were included outside of hard liquor. Apparently this is a new thing on a few of the major American carriers (finally catching up to the rest of the world, eh?). The choices for dinner were a veggie macaroni and cheese or a sweet and sour chicken. Both came with a dinner roll, some cheese and crackers, and a brownie dessert.​​Kathy and I both went with the pasta while Bob had the chicken. They were okay for airplane food, and since I had not really eaten since breakfast I ate it all. I believe this is the only meal we don’t have pictures for, sorry about that. But, you don’t really want to see airplane food, do you? I didn’t think so. 

They played a couple of movies on the flight, but my headphone jack didn't work, so we just tried to sleep. We got some rest, but none of us ever actually slept. By the time the sun came up, we were a little loopy. 








About an hour before we landed they served us a light breakfast of yogurt, dried fruit, granola, and a muffin top. I ate the fruit and part of the muffin top. At this point, all I wanted was a little protein, to no avail. It was an adequate continental breakfast.  




Upon landing we made it through passport check, which was super fast and easy, and headed towards baggage claim. We arrived almost an hour early, so our pick-up hadn't quite arrived yet. However, this was not a problem since we had to wait for the bags to be delivered to the claim anyway. 




By the time we hit the restroom and got back to the claim our pick-up had arrived! 








He helped us retrieve our bags and took us to the driver. They loaded us into a van and we were on the way to Stresa! Kathy wasn't at all excited. 




Morning selfie in the van to Stresa! It was a very nice van, with leather seats and plenty of room. It was similar to the van that picked us up in Rome. 








Northern Italy is beautiful; very green and sort of foresty (is this even a word?!?). As we got closer to Stresa it became much more mountainous and we had quite a few switchbacks on the way down to Lago Maggiore. These are a few pics from the drive. At this point we were close to Lake Maggiore, which you can see. The hotel is down right in front of the lake, so we had to get down from here. We saw a ton of bikers on the way down. That would be quite the workout!








It was about a 45 minute drive to our home for the next few days,the Regina Palace Hotel, right in the middle of Stresa and overlooking Lake Maggiore. For some reason, the area where they dropped us off reminded me of the Grand Budapest Hotel from the Wes Anderson movie.  

We checked in around 9:15 and a room was not ready, but they told us to check back around 11 and something should be available. That left us with a few hours to explore. And that's where I'll end it for now, adventurers! Until next time!​


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## mare1203

Hello again! Let's continue on with our arrival day! 




After learning it would be a couple hours before we would have a room, we stored our luggage in a side room and headed out. We figured we could walk around town and take in the views. The lake is the main attraction, but they keep the area well manicured with lots of greenery, gardens, and park space. Stresa is a relatively small town and it would take some real skill to get lost here. There's actually quite a bit of good information to be found on the internet. Most of the hotels are located along the main drag hugging the lake. 








We started by walking across the street and wandering down by Lake Maggiore. There is a paved path that goes for quite a ways. A lot of our fellow adventurers used this path in the mornings for running. 




We found this mermaid water fountain down by the ferry ticket booths to the 3 islands. 




Hey, Bob, I see you! If you look behind the statue, towards the Italian flags, that path took us to town. But, pretty much all roads led to town, so it wasn't hard to figure out. Town converges into a main square, but there are lots of shops and restaurants along the way.

Town is just a 5-minute walk from the hotel and where most of the restaurants and shopping can be found. I bet Stresa is packed in August when most of the Europeans are on holiday. It was busy, but not crowded, while we were in town. Interestingly, Sunday seemed like the busiest day while we were there, because that Saturday morning/afternoon were pretty quiet. It took us maybe 30 minutes to explore the main town, 45 minutes if you're really mosey-ing or you decide to shop. Shops were just starting to open when we were there, around 10:00 a.m.




They had these white, almost buddha-looking statues all over town. We meant to ask our guides or local guide about them, but always forgot. They were kinda fun for photo-ops though!




While in town we also found an ATM to take out some Euro. There is also an ATM just to the right outside the hotel, maybe a block down. Reminder that it's Euro in Italy, but switches to Swiss Frank in Switzerland, so don't take too much out. We found most places took cards, though. 












After getting through town, we doubled back toward the water and took some pictures. 




Hydrangea's are everywhere in Stresa. 




There is definitely money staying in Stresa. We saw a line of these fancy cars leaving a hotel, along with the ladies in their very chic, European head scarfs. One day, I will look as fabulous as that while also making it look effortless...








Just after 11, we checked back with the front desk and happily, our room was ready! We were also ready to clean up a bit after traveling all day/night. 




The only adjective to describe the room when we walked in was 'Wow!'. It was huge! 




You could actually pull the drapes on the bed for a cozy nook if you liked (it was waaay too hot for that. Don't worry, the Regina is air conditioned.)




It included a seating area, the regular bed, and, since we are 3, a rolling cot. Even with the cot we had plenty of room here. 












Here are some bathroom pics. The only complaint about the bathrooms were from tall men. I, being 5'2", had no problems with the height of the shower head...




There was even a chandelier. Oh we fancy, huh?








The view from our room




Turns out, our room was right smack dab in the middle of the resort. Looking at this picture, ours was the  first set of 3 windows directly above the flags. We had the 3 balcony's with a breathtaking view of the lake and mountains. It really was like a palace! 

Ta-Ta For Now! And Happy 60th Anniversary to Disneyland!!! Have a good weekend, adventurers!
​


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## RSM

Great pictures Mary.  Brings back alot of fond memories.  This was our first ABD 5 years ago, and continues to be our favorite.  Is Marc still one of the guides on this adventure?


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## tgeorge

Looks amazing!! This trip is in my top three,however it may soon be number 2!


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## kanadar

Ah I loved that room! That view was amazing! I still wish we'd gotten a picture of the three of us on each balcony :/ oh well


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## carman754

Following along! Can't wait to relive the trip through your report.


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## mare1203

RSM said:


> Great pictures Mary.  Brings back alot of fond memories.  This was our first ABD 5 years ago, and continues to be our favorite.  Is Marc still one of the guides on this adventure?


Oh man, we just loved this trip. I'm with you on not being sure it will ever be topped. 



tgeorge said:


> Looks amazing!! This trip is in my top three,however it may soon be number 2!



I'll do my best to make it #1! 



kanadar said:


> Ah I loved that room! That view was amazing! I still wish we'd gotten a picture of the three of us on each balcony :/ oh well



Adventurer! I know! One of my few sadnesses is not getting that pic.  Oh well. It's a good thing we only took one or two other pics...



carman754 said:


> Following along! Can't wait to relive the trip through your report.



 Enjoy the ride.


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## mare1203

Welcome back, _*Aaadventurers!*_ Time for some food porn, dontcha think?? I think yes.




After cleaning up a bit, we were hungry and decided to go in search of lunch! Actually, I had been hungry for hours, but it was finally a respectable time to have lunch. During our walk in town, I had spied a panini shop that I saw during my Trip Advisor research, so we decided to stop there for a sandwich. 








Cicinin is a panini shop that offers 3-4 fresh panini's each day. 




They write the different types available on the board (one in Italian and one in English) and you can grab them to go or eat them in their small upstairs area. 




We decided to eat upstairs. 




Kathy and Bob both went for the salami sandwich, while I tried the ham and cheese. They also had a veggie one that looked pretty good. 








When we ordered, they were in the middle of making a new salami sandwich, so the girl brought our 2nd one up when it was ready. These were fresh and we really enjoyed both. The bread had a nice flavor and the accompaniments to the meat were seasonal and paired well. 




After finishing our sandwiches, we were ready for something else...gelato, of course! I'm pretty sure we hit the gelato jackpot on the first try. We went to a shop called Rive which featured about 24 flavors. 




We each got a small cup with 2 flavors each. 








I chose the pistachio (my favorite) and a cherry. The cherry was a little overwhelming, but tasted great and would be a hit with any cherry-lover. The pistachio had a wonderful flavor and was perfectly creamy. 








My dad went with the cherry and a flavor called violet, which I assume to be a sort of lavender. 








Kathy chose a flavor called cookie, which she enjoyed, and a perennial favorite, straciatella (vanilla chocolate chip). We thought all our choices were creamy, delicious, and refreshing. Definitely recommend!​​After finishing our lunch and treats, we were quite tired and decided to head back to the hotel for a short nap. There was no way we could make it to 10:00 without some sort of rest, plus we needed to stretch out from the plane. We napped from about 1:30-3:15 and then forced ourselves up. The resort has all sorts of amenities, and we thought we should explore them, so we headed to the pool. There are 2 pools, one indoor and one outdoor. 




Today we headed to the outdoor pool. It was busy when we arrived, but the pool boy helped us find 2 chairs together (Bob joined Kathy and me later). It was between 90-94 every day we were in Italy, so it was nice to get in the pool, but it was chilly! There are two areas: one deep and one shallow. I'm not sure how deep it went, but I would guess at least 12 feet, which helped to keep it cool. We relaxed for a while and people watched (or pool-boy watched, whichever you would like to go with!). Sorry I don't have a picture of said pool boy; you'll just have to trust me on this one. ​


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## Cousin Orville

That gelato looks very tasty and refreshing!  That pool looks very nice too.  I can see spending some quality time there on a hot day.


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## tgeorge

mare1203 said:


> We relaxed for a while and people watched (or pool-boy watched, whichever you would like to go with!). Sorry I don't have a picture of said pool boy; you'll just have to trust me on this one.​



Hahaha... That sounds so much like the time my cousin and I were on vacation and had a cabana 

Love the pictures and the pool does absolutely look amazing. You may just get this trip to number 1! And if Australia still remains my number 1, I'm sure this one would happen first anyways! Can't wait to hear more about your adventure!


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## disneyphx

Wow - did you have your princess tiara for when you were in that hotel room?! Stresa and the pool look amazing too - hydrangeas are one of my faves!


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## sayhello

A chandelier in your room?  My, my!    Looks like a wonderful start to your trip!

Sayhello


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## OKW Lover

Following along since we are probably doing this trip next year.  

Tagging some friends that will be going with us as well @WebmasterKathy @WebmasterMike @WebmasterJohn


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## christannj

Don't forget us, I'm following along too


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## mare1203

Cousin Orville said:


> That gelato looks very tasty and refreshing!  That pool looks very nice too.  I can see spending some quality time there on a hot day.



Definitely. When we were at the pool in the morning just looking around it was empty. But by 3:00? The place was packed! Great way to spend an afternoon or two. 



tgeorge said:


> Hahaha... That sounds so much like the time my cousin and I were on vacation and had a cabana
> 
> Love the pictures and the pool does absolutely look amazing. You may just get this trip to number 1! And if Australia still remains my number 1, I'm sure this one would happen first anyways! Can't wait to hear more about your adventure!



Haha, you are so right! 

I understand about having Australia as #1! Well, let's just say I'll make this one #1 on the "reasonably achievable list". I have multiple lists myself. Patagonia is my "currently-unachievable" while Brussels and Copenhagen top the list for "reasonably achievable". 



disneyphx said:


> Wow - did you have your princess tiara for when you were in that hotel room?! Stresa and the pool look amazing too - hydrangeas are one of my faves!



! No tiara, but they really should have included them on the pillows. It would have only been right! 



sayhello said:


> A chandelier in your room?  My, my!    Looks like a wonderful start to your trip!
> 
> Sayhello



It was wonderful. We loved the Regina. I've never been a luxury hotel person myself. Hostel or hotel, as long as I've got a place to lie my head, I'm good. ABD has shown us some true luxury along the way. Who knew?!?



OKW Lover said:


> Following along since we are probably doing this trip next year.
> 
> Tagging some friends that will be going with us as well @WebmasterKathy @WebmasterMike @WebmasterJohn



 Glad to have you along for the ride. We just loved the trip and think it's a hidden gem among ABD's. 



christannj said:


> Don't forget us, I'm following along too



 Gruetzi and welcome aboard!! There's some good stuff to come.


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## mare1203

After spending some time at the beautiful pool it was time to start thinking about what to do with our evening. As this is Italy, most visitors don’t eat until later in the evening. I’m used to eating about 8:00 anyway, so this was not a problem, but we certainly weren’t going to sit in the room until we were hungry. Out to town we go!



​​


We headed out to town for evening around 6:30. Our first stop was for an aperitivo! We stopped at a little wine bar called Al Buscion which is owned by an Italian named Mauricio who lived in London for a few years. It is open every day from 10 a.m. - 3:00 a.m. 












We got a table outside and decided to share a carafe of the house red wine and a meat and cheese board. They have a lot of great-looking appetizers and a variety of platters to choose from as well. We shared a medium board and it was just right for the 3 of us to share. 




I include this picture because I was trying to take a pic of the cute little box made of wine corks the check came in. My dad moved the box right as I was taking the picture and this was the result. Ridiculous, I know. There is a chance you'll see it at some point.​​






For dinner, we decided we wanted some pizza, which is easily found in Italy. At the end of the main road there was a small restaurant called La Rosa Dei Venti, and we decided to try it. Happily, we got a table for 3 on the patio. We started the meal by ordering a bottle of red wine and some water. 








Many times we will just order the house wine, which is usually quite good in Italy, but it being our first night we decided on a Barbera. Barbera is the third most planted grape varietal in Italy and widely found in Northwest Italy. It also happens to be one of my favorite Italian varietals. This wine was smooth and fruity and we enjoyed it very much. ​​Each of us ordered a pizza for our main entree. I’m really sorry that I can’t remember what all was on each of the pizza’s (bad trip reporter, I know). 




I am 100% sure that Kathy went with the prosciutto pizza. This is pretty much her go-to when it comes to pizza and she enjoyed it. 




Bob chose a sausage and what looks like pepper pizza, but I don’t think that’s quite right. 




I believe mine was buffalo mozzarella, prosciutto di parma, artichoke, and portobello. I was surprised when it turned out to be a white pizza. However, make no mistake, I was not disappointed and polished off the whole thing. 




During this time of year in Italy, the sun doesn't set until nearly 10:00 p.m. We had a wonderful view of the sun going down over the lake during our dinner. As a reminder, the service in Europe is pretty much hands-off and you need to ask for the check. We had a wonderfully relaxing meal and were relishing our night first night back in Italy.

Although we were pretty full from the meal, we needed to walk around a bit before retiring for the evening, so we headed for the square after paying the bill. As it was Saturday night in Italy around 10:00, there was still plenty of activity going on. Of course, we couldn't pass up a second chance at gelato and got some to fill in the cracks and crevices. 




This time we stopped at a place right on the square called Fior di Gelato. 




The gelato is in stainless steel bins rather than the square pans you normally see. We have been told that this is a good sign when it comes to gelato as it often means it’s artisanal. Let’s be real, I’ve got no idea. I just know when I’m like ‘meh’ versus ‘yum-oh!’. 








This one was pretty good, but not as good as our earlier pick. We enjoyed our flavor choices and people-watching, but as soon as we were done, we headed back to the hotel for a good night's sleep; the adventure began the very next day!​


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## Sarabi's Cubs

christannj said:


> Don't forget us, I'm following along too



Thanks for tipping me off to this thread Chris!  Following along with one eye open!

Mary - I loved your Viva Italia report!

Laurie


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## Cousin Orville

pizza, red wine, gelato + an Italian backdrop = perfection!


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## kanadar

That was some good pizza and wine! I can't wait for your next post!! We get to meet our guides!!


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## mare1203

Sarabi's Cubs said:


> Thanks for tipping me off to this thread Chris!  Following along with one eye open!
> 
> Mary - I loved your Viva Italia report!
> 
> Laurie



Thank you! Glad you found me and happy to have you reading along!!



Cousin Orville said:


> pizza, red wine, gelato + an Italian backdrop = perfection!



You got that right, Cousin Orville!



kanadar said:


> That was some good pizza and wine! I can't wait for your next post!! We get to meet our guides!!



Don't get too excited there, adventurer...


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## mare1203

*Yay! It's Adventure day! *




As we didn't get much sleep on the plane ride over, we decided to sleep in this morning. That actually doesn't mean too much for us, and we were at breakfast by 8:45. Breakfast at the hotel is served from 7:00-10:00 a.m., and offers a buffet. They had a section of hot offerings like scrambled eggs, bacon, and sausage. It being Italy, they also had a large pastry and charcuterie selection. If none of those things interested you, you could also take advantage of the cereal and yogurt section. 




I pretty much had the same thing for breakfast each morning: a pastry and some meats, cheeses, tomatoes, and fruit. 




This is Kathy's plate of eggs and a croissant. The eggs were pretty much hit or miss. 




We ate on the patio/terrace, where the waiters would find us a table and take our hot drink order. I always went with a cappuccino, while my dad had 'American' coffee. He said it was pretty good. 




Do yourself a favor and just go with cappuccino while in Italy. 

When we checked in the day before, the hotel staff had given us a letter from our Adventure Guides. The letter informed us that the guides would be hosting a welcome table on Sunday from 10-2 and kindly asked we check-in sometime. It also said the Welcome dinner would start at 6:30 that evening, giving us nearly the whole day to ourselves. Or, the whole day to figure out how to survive without any guidance...just kidding (sort of, haha...we are so spoiled!).
​





​After breakfast, we came up with a plan for our free time and finished getting ready. We decided the best way to spend our day was to visit the 2 islands ABD wouldn't be sailing to, Isola Madre and Isola Pescatori. Before heading out, we stopped at the welcome desk and met our 2 guides for the week, Jessica and Stephanie . They introduced themselves, gave us a map and some waters, along with our welcome gift and asked if we had any questions. We told them our plan and they agreed it was a good one (Huzzah! Look at us, coming up with a good plan all on our own!). My dad confirmed with them the location to buy the tickets to the islands and, after introducing ourselves to a family that had just arrived, we headed out. 
​









​Leaving the hotel, we ran right smack dab into a Ferrari show taking place on the Regina Palace lawn that morning/afternoon. My dad is a big car guy and was in heaven.  












We spent some time looking at all the fancy cars. I think there ended up being about 40 cars in all. 















 ​The cars were incredible, beautiful, and incredibly beautiful.




I love this guy rolling in at 10:00 a.m. with a cigar like it's no thang. Fantastic.








To get our tickets to the 2 islands, we crossed the street and headed right to the docks. You can actually buy tickets to any combination of the 3 islands you like. Up next, we visit some islands!​


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## SingingMom

I see Steph!!!!!!      Love that girl!  We had SO much fun with her in Germany, and again when we met up with her in WDW!


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## tgeorge

Gorgeous cars! I love cars...especially fast ones  how amazing that you walked out of the hotel and there they were.


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## GAN

Loving your report and great photos.  Just make sure you get that cappuccino before noon -no?


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## carman754

Sorry I moved the cork box, oh well, hopefully a pic later but I can't remember you getting another, it was a clever idea


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## ksromack

subbing in here too......dh and I just spent 3.5 weeks in Europe and I'm dying to hear about this one.  I actually booked a F&W adventure for this year because I was missing Europe!  I have to catch up on your other report first.....you are ambitious!   I started my tr 2 years ago and am just now getting to work on it and have a goal to finish before our trip in 62 days.


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## mare1203

ksromack said:


> subbing in here too......dh and I just spent 3.5 weeks in Europe and I'm dying to hear about this one.  I actually booked a F&W adventure for this year because I was missing Europe!  I have to catch up on your other report first.....you are ambitious!   I started my tr 2 years ago and am just now getting to work on it and have a goal to finish before our trip in 62 days.



Haha, I actually have a system to keep myself on track, though I was without my laptop while away this weekend and clearly wasn't able to update! I have yet to figure out a good way to do updates without a laptop. 

Good luck with finishing that trip report! I love Food and Wine!


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## mare1203

Hello again, adventurers. Sorry for the delay in posting. I was home tending to the pre-wedding duties of hosting a shower and bachelorette party, so I haven't had a chance to post an update. No worries though, I am back and might even give you an extra post to make up for it! Now that I have that out of the way, let’s get back to it, shall we?  




When I last left off, we were heading to a couple of the Borromean Islands. We purchased a ticket for just Isola Madre and Isola Pescatori. The captain informed us our best bet would be to visit Isola Madre first, which would take about 1-1 1/2 hours and then hop on the ferry to Pescatori for lunch. Perfect. He then directed us toward the dock where we would be boarding the boat. 




It was about a 10 minute ride to Isola Madre. This is the largest of the 3 Borromean Islands, and was the first to be inhabited, though it is the least visited.  Isola Madre has been owned by the Borromean family since 1500 and been a thriving botanical garden since about 1550. The family has planted vegetation from all over the world, some quite rare. 




There is no reason to visit if you aren't going to also visit botanical gardens and palace, and you should be warned that it is a separate ticket. We purchased our tickets and were then on our way. 
















The scenery on the island was beautiful and lush. The path winds around with some great botanicals to see and even better picture opportunities. 












Also on the island was a small bird sanctuary. 












We enjoyed taking in the views and admiring all the lush foliage. 








Outside the palace is a giant cypress tree of Cashmir, held up by many ropes. It was almost ruined by a tornado a number of years ago, but due to a feat of engineering, it was saved and still prospers in its place just outside the palace.
​


Inside the palace, photography was not allowed. There were a variety of bedrooms and other artifacts set up for us to see. One of the best sights in this small palace was the theater room. The family would put in elaborate plays with marionettes and a variety of set pieces. One of them even blew fire! It was pretty neat to see.​



We did manage to snap a picture of my dad posing like the portraits in the portrait room just before the house started. 












Once you are outside the palace, there is a small courtyard and ponds, but that is basically the end of the area. The captain was right, and this took us just over an hour to complete. I thought it was a good way to spend some time. Our next stop was some lunch on Isola Pescatori.

​


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## mare1203

_*Aaadventurers! *_Told you I might get an extra post out and here it is!








When we left off, we had just finished our tour of Isola Madre.  We headed down to the docks to wait for the boat that would take us to our next destination. 








While we waited for our shuttle, we took the opportunity to people watch the various boats out for an afternoon on the lake. 








Isola Pescatori is basically a haven for restaurants. There are only a small number of full-time residents, mostly fishermen. The few kids on this island have to take a boat across each day to attend school. This is the smallest of the 3 islands and many restaurants go all the way through to the small courtyard in the middle. We walked around the entire island in about 20 minutes and then decided on a place for lunch. 








We ended up eating at a small cafe in the middle of the island called La Nostra Carta. Knowing we had the welcome dinner coming up, we went with a small lunch. Each of us chose a pasta dish.




Kathy chose the lasagne. It was a traditional meat lasagna and she enjoyed this. The cheese was nice and creamy.




My dad had a craving for pasta carbonara, which is one of the reasons we chose this place. He enjoyed his pasta carbonara and thought it was a good portion size for lunch.




Unsurprisingly, a good many of the restaurants specialize in seafood or have lots of seafood options on the menu. I just had to try something with seafood, so I decided to go with the Spaghetti Frutti di Mare, or seafood pasta. I thought this dish was very good. I loved the flavors together and the fish was clearly fresh with a light tomato sauce. 




Overall, I enjoyed this lunch, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend this place over any other. There were a lot of good options and if we had done a little more research on the island, we may have chosen somewhere else. A number of families ate at the restaurant belvedere a few nights later when the guides offered to make reservations and said it was a great meal. We looked at the menu for that one and it did indeed look delicious, but too much for the lunch we were seeking.




Once we were finished with lunch we decided to go back to Stresa for some relaxation. It was pretty hot that day and Kathy and I also wanted to check out the indoor pool. It is located in the basement of the resort and also offers a full spa. The spa isn't included, but access to the pools and emotional showers (yes, the brochure actually used the term emotional showers) are included. 








The brochure said the indoor pool has a cave-like feel and is kept at 30 centigrade. However, it was definitely not 30 centigrade. I know because as a Phoenician, we usually like our pool water to be about 87 degrees before getting in, which translates roughly to 29-30 centigrade (fun fact, 28 centigrade is about 82 Fahrenheit) and this was way chillier than that! 








The pool is described as a multi-sensory experience, with sounds, lights, and a variety of water features. It is the epitome of relaxation and I think all 3 of us dozed off in a comfortable bliss for a while. Also accessible were the Turkish baths, a steam grotto, and a sauna. The steam grotto was very warm and comforting, and I had the chance to sweat out some of my toxins in the process! I felt stress free and completely at ease after an afternoon at this pool. I recommend experiencing both pools if (when!) you go on this trip.




Before heading up to get ready for our welcome dinner, we stopped at the outdoor gazebo bar for a drink. Kathy and I both got a prosecco, while Bob went with an Italian lager. They have a full bar and a number of tables outside. They’ll also serve you at the outdoor pool. ​


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## kanadar

That pool was super cool! I wish it had been warmer because then it would have just been perfect! But it was still a nice relaxing afternoon!


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## Cousin Orville

Looks like a great start before your welcome dinner!


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## mare1203

_*The Adventure Begins!*_

Our welcome reception was set to start at 6:30. Kathy and I bet one another about what time my perpetually early father would want to go down. We are often the first people to show up to parties and such, though I can't say much because I am also perpetually early. He surprised us by waiting until 6:20 (Kathy had 6:12, while I had 6:15, haha) to head down the 2 flights of stairs to meet our fellow adventurers. Turns out, we had an early-bird group and about 1/2 the adventurer families were already there. The Ferrari show was winding down, but there was still a bustle of activity happening in the lobby. 




We also saw the tail end of the fashion show, which accompanied the Ferrari show. 




When we arrived, we had a chance to take a family welcome picture and mingled with some of the others while we waited for the festivities to begin. 




Soon, we heard the call *'Aaaadventurerrrs!' *and were led into the bar area that had been set up with light appetizers and beverages along with a seating area for everyone. We all took our seats and the guides started their introductions. Kathy was both in charge of the camera and had the best view for pictures during the welcome, but didn't take any pictures. Sorry! (One day I'll get her properly trained...just kidding Kath, you did good).




One of our guides was Jessica. She seriously, 100% has my dream job of working full-time as a VIP tour guide at Walt Disney World. I maaay have asked her an inordinate amount of questions about life as a VIP guide, lol. Jessica is originally from Finland, but lived in Switzerland for 5 years before moving to Florida to work for Walt Disney World. She speaks Finnish and German and has occasionally been deployed as an adventure guide for the alpine magic itinerary. Jessica is guiding this summers' worth of itineraries. 




This dork is Stephanie.  She has been guiding for 8 years and is originally from Germany. Prior to adventure guiding, Stephanie worked at Disneyland Paris and also did a year at German pavilion in Epcot as an international CP (sadly, we missed each other by 6 months on the college program). It was when she was working at the German pavilion that she attended an information session about adventure guiding and has been doing it ever since. Stephanie guides the Germany and Central Europe trips in addition to this one every once in a while (you may also recognize her from her cameo in the newest viewbook). Next year, she will also be guiding the new River Cruise adventure, so if anyone signed up for that sees her, tell her hi for me! 

Stephanie and Jessica got along well and we loved having them as our guides. They told us that this was a fun itinerary and we had some exciting things on tap for the week. We were starting in beautiful Stresa for what they referred to as 'La Dolce Vida', or, the good life (an apt description, for sure). Then, we were heading to Switzerland for some great views and the more physical portion of the trip. 




Once the girls finished giving us a brief overview, we were each asked to introduce our family and what we were most looking forward to or why we picked this particular itinerary. Our guides said the last group mostly said that it fit into their schedule, which I found humorous. We had a total of 33 adventurers on this trip. I thought it was a good number. There were all types of families, from multi-generational to couples and they ranged in age from 8 to what I would guess to be mid-70's. Over the course of the week, we got to know most of the families. We did have one group of 10 consisting of 3 related families and some of them sort of stuck to themselves. There were 2 families who had never done group tours at all before and this was the family reunion family's first trip with ABD, but they had done Tauck in the past. 

When I introduced us, I said we were looking forward to the ropes course and I myself was ready for some chilly weather in the mountains. Spoiler alert: It was *NOT* chilly. So much for getting out the Phoenix heat! 




After introducing ourselves we got our first pin. Sadly, it was the same pin from our last adventure, but we also don't collect pins, so it doesn't really matter. I would say Disney cheaped out on the lanyards this year, but having bought my fair share of giveaways at the university, it could have also just been the company they usually go  with changed their material or that was the one that matched this years colors. It wasn't nearly as thick and sturdy this year. 




As always, I appreciated the hidden mickeys in our name tags, because I'm a dork like that.




We were then led into the restaurant where dinner was set up. It was served buffet style. 

After we sat down, Stephanie informed us that the sign for alcohol included meals would be a thumbs up with smile, while the sign for alcohol not included would be thumbs down frowny face. Happily, this was a thumbs up!  




This was the salads and appetizers. There were a variety of roasted veggies, fruits, and cured meats to choose from. There was also a fish in an aioli style sauce (I say aioli because it was quite delicious and it often weirds people out if I say mayo, even though they're essentially the same thing...). The fish was one of the dishes the guides recommended trying from the area. 




If you were in the mood for a salad.




We decided this was a white fish, but I'm not sure what kind. Something that swims in Lake Maggiore, I'm sure. It was yummy.




Simple pasta in tomato sauce.




I'm trying to remember what this was. I want to say polenta, but that seems wrong. 




Dessert was sort of an almond custard cake with strawberries on top. 

I thought the welcome dinner was very good for a welcome meal and I enjoyed the variety of foods to try. Don't expect anything gourmet, but you'll have plenty of time for that anyway. We had a chance to get to know some of our fellow adventurers and left excited to start the tour! The family we sat with were also big Disney fans, so it was fun to talk Disney with them (love it when I find my people, haha!). Most families started to disperse around 8:00 p.m. It was way too early to go to bed, so I'll be back soon with another post about our evening shenanigans!​


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## tgeorge

Was this trip full if crowds like the Viva Italia trip is? I'm just thinking if it isn't I may be able to talk DH into this one. There is no way I could ever get him to Rome and Venice so that will be a solo trip,but this one may be an option  I'm trying every angle to talk him into it.

VIP tour guide...I think that would be my dream job. I tried to talk my brother, who is an occupational therapist, to apply at Disney, but I guess that is my dream job and not his  It is unfortunate they don't need research molecular biologists or else I know where I would be applying!


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## Cousin Orville

mare1203 said:


> After introducing ourselves we got our first pin. Sadly, it was the same pin from our last adventure, but we also don't collect pins, so it doesn't really matter. I would say Disney cheaped out on the lanyards this year, but having bought my fair share of giveaways at the university, it could have also just been the company they usually go with changed their material or that was the one that matched this years colors. It wasn't nearly as thick and sturdy this year.



Do you mean the ABD logo pin or the Day 1 pin was the same?  If it was the Day 1 pin, that does seem strange.  I thought they were all unique to each trip.  That's interesting about the lanyards.  I didn't notice it, but you're right.  I compared it to the DCL lanyard we got this year and DCL one is very nice compared to the ABD one.  

The low 30s is a nice number.  We had 31 in Australia and that was a good number.  We had low 40's in France for our first ABD and that was a lot.   

It certainly looks like a beautiful hotel you started at.   Looking forward to your upcoming posts.  We're hoping to do this trip next fall.


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## mare1203

Cousin Orville said:


> Do you mean the ABD logo pin or the Day 1 pin was the same?  If it was the Day 1 pin, that does seem strange.  I thought they were all unique to each trip.  That's interesting about the lanyards.  I didn't notice it, but you're right.  I compared it to the DCL lanyard we got this year and DCL one is very nice compared to the ABD one.
> 
> The low 30s is a nice number.  We had 31 in Australia and that was a good number.  We had low 40's in France for our first ABD and that was a lot.
> 
> It certainly looks like a beautiful hotel you started at.   Looking forward to your upcoming posts.  We're hoping to do this trip next fall.







These are the first 2 pins we got. The Pinocchio one was also the first day pin for the Viva Italia trip. Like I said, we don't collect pins, so for me it's a silly complaint, but I know people that do collect them and thought it was strange. I do love the 10th Anniversary ABD pin, though and that one was brand new.

We liked the low 30's as well. It was small enough we got to know everyone. I think the only place a larger group on this trip would be a problem is the ropes course. We also had the low 40's for our first ABD, and although we didn't think that was too many people, we could definitely tell the difference between 33 and 42.​


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## mare1203

We lingered around dinner until about 8:00 when everyone started dispersing. We had plans for that night at Stresa's #2 attraction...the sky bar.










The sky bar is located next door at the hotel. They built a rooftop bar with phenomenal views of Stresa, the lake, and the mountains. 




We decided to have a drink and enjoy the sunset. 




Our table was apparently not up to snuff, or perhaps a bit wobbly. Roberto is trying to fix it and Kathy's reaction makes me laugh.








I went with a popular Italian summer cocktail known as the Aperol spritz. It is traditionally made with Aperol liquor, prosecco, and a splash of sprite. Aperol is a bitter apertivo with a taste that is somewhat acquired. It took me ordering one or two to really start loving them, but now I totally wish they were catching on here in the states! 








Kathy went with a strawberry purée and prosecco. She loves anything strawberry, and also prosecco, and thought this drink was perfect. 







The sky bar was quite busy, but the tables turned over pretty often as well. 












This is somewhere people come for a drink or two and then move on. We saw a number of our fellow adventurers that night. We also got some good pictures.







Before going in for the night, we had one last stop. Gelato, of course! This time we tried K2, which Jessica had recommended. She told us they make the gelato in the back of the store, so it's super fresh. They had quite a few different flavors and also offered a hard chocolate top. Our favorite gelato shop in Rome also offered this option, so we happily obliged. 




My dad got a cone. K2 ended up being his favorite gelato. 




Kathy picked a chocolate hazelnut and straciatella. She liked the gelato, but didn't love that there was hazelnut in the chocolate. She prefers a smooth gelato for the most part.




I picked straciatella and pistachio. It was also quite yummy.
We enjoyed our gelato while heading back to our room for night.​


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## sayhello

That bar looks fabulous!  And you guys are really becoming gelato connoisseurs!  

Sayhello


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## *WDW*Groupie*

Your trip looks wonderful so far.  The views from the Sky Bar are incredible.  

Can't wait to read more....


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## ksromack

Ok, really serious debating on trying a ABD European trip for our next one.  It's going to be really really hard to beat the Rick Steves tour we took but there's no way to compare until we've tried both. 

We only spent 2 days/nights in Switzerland (Lauterbrunnen Valley) and it was snow-city up in the mountains.....looking forward to seeing what you all did!


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## mare1203

sayhello said:


> That bar looks fabulous!  And you guys are really becoming gelato connoisseurs!
> 
> Sayhello



Haha! Yes, yes we are! It's only right while in Italy. 



*WDW*Groupie* said:


> Your trip looks wonderful so far.  The views from the Sky Bar are incredible.
> 
> Can't wait to read more....



The Sky Bar was very fun! The views were incredible. One of the big attractions in Stresa, the Mottarone Cable Car, is actually under refurbishment right now with a lack of funds to finish, so no one knows when/if it will re-open. It is usually how tourists get some great views,so it's nice to have the option...with drinks! 



ksromack said:


> Ok, really serious debating on trying a ABD European trip for our next one.  It's going to be really really hard to beat the Rick Steves tour we took but there's no way to compare until we've tried both.
> 
> We only spent 2 days/nights in Switzerland (Lauterbrunnen Valley) and it was snow-city up in the mountains.....looking forward to seeing what you all did!



I think you'll get a better idea as I continue with the trip. It will give some good ideas about what a lot of ABD tours include and whether or not it might be a good decision for you. I think it's most important to read through the itineraries and go with one that includes most of what you want to see. Disney does a great job, but so do many other tour companies.


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## mare1203

Hello again, Adventurers! I am going to do 2 posts. One about the actual experience and then a second one with some pictures of the island, which absolutely earns its name. Okay, who’s ready to go to Isola Bella? Andiamo!





The next morning, we were to meet the group at 9:00 a.m. It gave us plenty of time for a leisurely breakfast. When we arrived in the lobby, Jessica and Stephanie introduced us to our local guide for the day, Daniela. She was going with us to Isola Bella, the most popular of the 3 Borromean islands, for the morning. 





We walked to the boat dock to catch the ferry over.  Here's a fact for ya: You will notice that the new 'popsicle' does not have Adventures by Disney written on it. This is for security purposes, which Disney takes very seriously, and I understand. It was always fun to take pictures with the popsicle, though, and just having the compass isn't the same. 





While we waited, Daniela showed us a map of the area so we could acquaint ourselves. 

















In the brochure and on the website, this is listed as a ‘mini boat cruise’, which makes me giggle. Only Disney would describe a typical ferry ride as a ‘mini boat cruise’, but it works. Also, as with most things, Disney doesn’t do much on these tours without a ‘point’; everything seems to intertwine in some way. It was a nice little cruise over, and along the way Daniela gave us some facts about Stresa. 









Stresa was founded as a fishing town, and is the closest land to the Isolas on Lake Maggiore. It has obviously become a tourist hamlet, but it’s been that way for over 100 years. For example, the Regina Palace Hotel has been in operation since 1908 and has welcomed guests as distinguished as Ernest Hemingway over the years. Stresa is known for its unusual vegetation, as it experiences a more Mediterranean climate despite being so close to the Alps. The area is known for mild and rainy winters.

















Isola Bella, Italian for ‘The beautiful island’, really is such. It houses a garden and palace which are owned by the Borromeo family, though they no longer have any power. Due to the rainy season, Lake Maggiore does flood periodically. 





Before going into the palace, we were shown this line, which was the height of the flood in 1869. This guy was about 6'4", btw. 





There was no photography allowed in the palace, so I will just give you a few facts. Our tour took us through the main floor of the palace, which was used mostly for entertainment purposes. The family actually still lives at the Palace periodically, though their private residences are on the upper floors. The palace and gardens were finished in 1670-71, though work continued to be done for many years. One of the highlights of the palace was the 6 grottoes, which are studded with shells and pebbles and remain cool even during the summer. It was a popular respite before the age of air conditioning. The party and ballrooms were also quite impressive, and decorated with many paintings, as the Borromeo family are big art collectors. 













Upon leaving the palace, we made our way to the gardens.  We also got a snack. Of course, if you've ever been on an ABD you know that Disney keeps you well fed. And if you haven't been on an ABD, now ya know (and you should totally book an adventure)!  









Here, our guides took some group pictures and then gave us an hour to look around before we were to depart. In the actual gardens there is a small cafe and a small shop, but once you leave the actual palace/gardens area there is more shopping and a few places to grab a small bite, if you want. 




We weren’t hungry and finished looking around relatively quickly, so we ended up chatting it up with some fellow adventurers while relaxing by the lake. 









We then met up with the group to head back across the lake!
​


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## mare1203

Here are some more landscape pictures of Isola Bella. Enjoy! 



























































​


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## Sarabi's Cubs

Wow!!!  Those gardens are incredibly gorgeous!

Laurie


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## mare1203

Sarabi's Cubs said:


> Wow!!!  Those gardens are incredibly gorgeous!
> 
> Laurie



Yes, they were beautiful! Definitely a great stop on the trip.


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## mare1203

*It's WINE time! *

When we completed our mini boat cruise, we were directed into the town of Stresa for a wine tasting. Well, actually, the adults went to a wine tasting, while the kids got to indulge in some gelato. 




Our destination was the Enoteca La Cambusa. It's a short walk from the hotel, just off the square and we had walked by this little wine shop earlier in our visit, but not stopped in. As you can see, they have a huge selection of wine, liquor, and other food items. 




They have quite the selection of creme liqueur's and visitors are welcome to try any of them. We went back to the shop the next day and bought a couple of the liqueurs. I didn't buy any myself, but I thing Bob and Kathy got a strawberry and hazelnut I'm sure they'll chime in if I'm wrong.








We were directed into the back of the shop where they had set up a cozy area for the wine tasting. 




Our wine tasting was led by the owner of the shop. She has retired from working, but comes back to lead the wine tastings. I am very sorry that I did not write down her name, but she was incredibly personable and funny. Disney does a great job in their research finding people who enjoy working with tour groups and have great personalities. We all enjoyed her energy and stories. Her son now runs the shop, and you'll see glimpses of him as he was her helper. 




Are these all for us?! I hope so!








To start, we were given some bread to dip in an olive oil and spice mix. We ended up buying some of this spice mix and it’s great on bread, in pasta sauce, or even on top of roasted veggies. It also made my bag smell glorious!




Next was a 10 year aged balsamic, which was thick and sweet. 








Our next taste was a truffle sauce. Truffles are pretty common in Italy, and this truffle sauce was great. One member of our group was gluten free, so she was given cheese to dip during this portion. 








We also had this cookie with hazelnuts inside and some regular nuts as well.



​​


Soon, we were on to the wines. We tried 4 wines in all - 2 red and 2 white. Many in our group enjoyed the sweet white wine. I thought all were good, but none spectacular. 








Yes, they had us double fisting!​​


Family wine tasting pic! As you can see from the pics, there was quite a selection of wines in the shop. The owners and staff will help you find a bottle if you had certain specifications. 

We spent about an hour doing wine tasting, after which we were reunited with the junior adventurers and given the afternoon on our own. ​


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## ksromack

I.miss.wine.in.Italy
Those gardens were beautiful and I'm sure even more so in person.


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## mare1203

With the afternoon to ourselves, we first decided to get some lunch. 




We got a recommendation for a place around the corner called the Taverna Pappagallo. As with a lot of restaurants in Italy, this place didn’t look like much when we walked in, but had a beautiful patio in the back.​


​It was nearing the end of lunchtime, so it wasn’t super busy. We each decided to get a pizza for our entree. ​


​I went with the traditional pizza margharita. I thought this had a great flavor and enjoyed it very much.




It looks like Kathy went with a cheese pizza. ​


​And Bob went with a sausage and pepper pizza. He thought this was yummy as well. The service was quick and we thought it a good choice for lunch. 

After finishing our lunch we decided to do a little shopping. There are a number of shops around the city. There didn’t seem to be anything distinctive to Stresa that was a must-get. Not like leather is to Florence or wine is to Tuscany, anyway.​


​Kathy stopped at a small shop we had seen earlier and got this super cute plate. They wrapped it up nice and snug for us.​


​I ended up finding a ceramics store a bit further out of town, just off the square. The woman inside was super friendly and nice. I purchased a small napkin or letter holder, whichever use you prefer. I use it for napkins, myself. I love the colors and design; maybe one day I’ll find pattern and money to expand my collection. ​


​I also got a small Murano glass necklace. I’m only 5’2”, so this was a good size that doesn’t overwhelm me. ​


​When we were done shopping, we headed back to the hotel for a bit. I have to tell this story because Kathy will hate me for it  As you know, Kathy is getting married. While we were in Italy, the company she had been working with on invitations had them sent. Apparently, due to the extremely important nature of invites, the Fedex person will not just leave them for you; you have to sign for them. Knowing this, Kathy had arranged to have the invites sent to our meat shop, where Jeff works and where there is always someone to sign. Well, the girl she had been working with was apparently so excited they were able to match her wedding colors perfectly to the invite that she accidentally had them sent to their house. Apparently, it’s almost impossible to pick something up from the distribution center in our town, so Kathy commenced panicking while she tried to figure it out. My dad and I did not help things by provoking said freak-out and joking about what-if scenarios that drove even Kathy's even keeled bride-ness nuts. 




This then led to her getting "mad" at me for trying to take pictures of her reactions. Don't worry, though, all ends well and the company was able to get the package re-routed to the shop, so the invitations were safely delivered. Now, I realize that this is a big deal while it’s happening, but also found it quite amusing. 








Once we were done figuring out that mess, we decided Kathy needed a drink. We ended up going to the pool bar again and hanging out before dinner. We ordered similar drinks to last time and lingered outside until it was time to meet up for dinner. We had 100 switchback turns to tackle before we ate!​


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## bonnielynn

Loving the report... can't wait to hear the rest!


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## Cousin Orville

Looks tasty!


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## christannj

Besides the great pictures of your family and the beautiful scenery, keep the food porn pictures coming....the pizzas looked like I could reach in and grab a piece.  By the way, I like your style, harass your sister, get her close to a wedding planning meltdown and then ply her with alcohol...


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## kanadar

mare1203 said:


> Soon, we were on to the wines. We tried 4 wines in all - 2 red and 2 white. Many in our group enjoyed the sweet white wine. I thought all were good, but none spectacular.



There was one wine that I really enjoyed, it was a mix of ice wine and moscato wine. I had to get a bottle to bring home! There were several families that ended up sending a case of wine home because the shop owner convinced them it would be worth it. It may have been because they couldn't ship less than a case, I'm not sure. 



mare1203 said:


> When we were done shopping, we headed back to the hotel for a bit. I have to tell this story because Kathy will hate me for it  As you know, Kathy is getting married. While we were in Italy, the company she had been working with on invitations had them sent. Apparently, due to the extremely important nature of invites, the Fedex person will not just leave them for you; you have to sign for them. Knowing this, Kathy had arranged to have the invites sent to our meat shop, where Jeff works and where there is always someone to sign. Well, the girl she had been working with was apparently so excited they were able to match her wedding colors perfectly to the invite that she accidentally had them sent to their house. Apparently, it’s almost impossible to pick something up from the distribution center in our town, so Kathy commenced panicking while she tried to figure it out. My dad and I did not help things by provoking said freak-out and joking about what-if scenarios that drove even Kathy's even keeled bride-ness nuts.



Ugh I can't believe you put this story on here!  Actually I'm not surprised haha. And I wouldn't have panicked if we weren't 6 hours apart, making communication more difficult! I was better after my glass of prosecco.


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## tgeorge

That sounds really good. I would like to try that wine


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## mare1203

bonnielynn said:


> Loving the report... can't wait to hear the rest!



Glad you're enjoying it! Plenty more to come!



Cousin Orville said:


> Looks tasty!



So very tasty. I love Italian pizza!



christannj said:


> Besides the great pictures of your family and the beautiful scenery, keep the food porn pictures coming....the pizzas looked like I could reach in and grab a piece.  By the way, I like your style, harass your sister, get her close to a wedding planning meltdown and then ply her with alcohol...



Don't worry, plenty more food porn coming your way. There's one meal in particular that stands out, and it's coming up soon! 

Haha! She'll tell you that we are always picking on her...but at least we give her alcohol, right!?



kanadar said:


> There was one wine that I really enjoyed, it was a mix of ice wine and moscato wine. I had to get a bottle to bring home! There were several families that ended up sending a case of wine home because the shop owner convinced them it would be worth it. It may have been because they couldn't ship less than a case, I'm not sure.
> 
> 
> 
> Ugh I can't believe you put this story on here!  Actually I'm not surprised haha. And I wouldn't have panicked if we weren't 6 hours apart, making communication more difficult! I was better after my glass of prosecco.



Love ya, Adventurer! Thanks for the update on the wine. I couldn't remember the ice wine/moscato mix, but it was the best of the 4. The reds, unfortunately, didn't stand out for me. 



tgeorge said:


> That sounds really good. I would like to try that wine



It was a good one! An interesting mix that worked well. Quite sweet and potent.


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## mare1203

*Today's Adventure: Monterosso Farm Food Porn! *




After finishing our drinks at the pool, we headed to the hotel lobby to meet up with our fellow adventurers for dinner. The guides separated us into groups for the impending ride. We were headed to a family farm for some great views and yummy food. The trip to the farm took about half an hour and included 100 switchback turns. I am happy I do not get carsick! We enjoyed chatting with our new friends on the trip up.








Soon, we arrived at our destination, Monterosso Farm, and were greeted by the owners. 












We had a chance to enjoy the views before appetizers and dinner were served. When we got there the cows were not out, but some of the farmhands brought out feed and, of course, the cows came to feast. They're all like, where's the feed?!








The junior adventurers also had a chance to partake in a pony ride. Only the smallest junior adventurers took part. I don’t think anyone older than 10 would want to do this. The bugs had started to come out, but our guides had bug spray on them for us to use.




Soon after, we were directed to their outdoor space for appetizers. 
















We thought there was a nice variety of appetizers to suit any palate. My favorite was the cured meats. 




In addition to the appetizers, they had a bar set up with a juice cocktail, prosecco, and water. This was a thumbs up meal!












Dinner was served family style and we were all seated at a long table. The junior adventurers were all at a second table and had a chance to play lawn games in addition to dinner. It was a long dinner and I myself could have used some time for lawn games to get up and walk around. Which, by the way, I totally could have done if I had thought about it at the time. 
















Sorry for the odd pictures of single foods. It all came out one at a time and I was trying to remember to take pictures. We thought the ravioli and the veal were the standouts for this meal.




We finished the night with an option of an after dinner sip. This was a blueberry liqueur  or blueberry-cello, I believe.  It was not as good as it sounded. 




Since we were all seated at one long table, it was a chance to get to know many adventurers at once. However, I often feel overwhelmed in those situations because I am bad at concentrating on one conversation and my ears and mind try to keep up with all the conversations happening around me. This is not sustainable and tires me out much more quickly than in more 1:1 family conversations (it is in these situations where my introverted side comes out. Small talk, not my forte. Now, if you want to talk Disney Parks & Resorts with me...). By the end of dinner I was exhausted, lol! And then we had to trek back down the mountain!












We got back pretty late and the sun was setting, so we snapped a few pictures before heading to bed. ​


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## Woodview

Did the  Cows   have  " Cow Bells "   around their necks.  Maybe you might hear them on your journey.

 Good to see   real plates  & cutlery    .......  none of the plastic stuff .


 The View of The Lake from the meadow ( Field ) &  the  Sunsets  photos  are  mighty


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## Cleo0119

All I can say is WOW! And you are just getting started.  I love your trip and dining reports. Thanks for letting me live vicariously through you.

I have that same problem when socializing with large groups. My ears are always wandering and then I feel like a huge jerk for not paying enough attention.


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## bearsgirl

Thanks for doing the Trip Report--keep it up! Trying to decide whether or not to do this trip in 2016.


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## mare1203

Woodview said:


> Did the  Cows   have  " Cow Bells "   around their necks.  Maybe you might hear them on your journey.
> 
> Good to see   real plates  & cutlery    .......  none of the plastic stuff .
> 
> 
> The View of The Lake from the meadow ( Field ) &  the  Sunsets  photos  are  mighty



Yes, we had some great views throughout the trip!



Cleo0119 said:


> All I can say is WOW! And you are just getting started.  I love your trip and dining reports. Thanks for letting me live vicariously through you.
> 
> I have that same problem when socializing with large groups. My ears are always wandering and then I feel like a huge jerk for not paying enough attention.



Thanks! There's plenty more to come! And I'm glad I'm not the only one who get's overwhelmed with too many people. 



bearsgirl said:


> Thanks for doing the Trip Report--keep it up! Trying to decide whether or not to do this trip in 2016.



Absolutely! Thanks for reading along!


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## mare1203

*Lake Como Pasta Making, Part I*

For our second full day of the adventure, we were headed out of Stresa and into another popular destination...Lake Como! Lake Como is just over an hours drive from Stresa and home to the 3rd largest lake in Italy. As I think everyone is aware, Como is also home to one Mr. George Clooney throughout the year.








Once again, we started with breakfast on the terrace at our hotel. We took a couple pictures to mark the occasion. I love the picture of me and Kathy!



After breakfast we met up with the group and headed out to the bus. 




Bus ride selfie while waiting for the others to join!



I snapped this pic of the no eating/drinking sign. I love that it's fries and ice cream, like those are common items brought on a bus or something. 



I was going to say that not much happened on our bus trip over, but then I went through the pictures and realized that wasn’t the case. We had many food decisions to make! Jessica and Stephanie gave each family a literal packet of menus for the Switzerland leg of our journey. As you an see, Kathy is thinking intently about what she wanted each day.. 




They then took us through each menu, going over the options and their recommendations for each. I think in this picture, Jessica is mulling over what she would pick. We got to learn a bit about Swiss food, though, more on that later. I actually found this exercise highly entertaining, both when Jessica was telling us about each option, and when Stephanie would pipe up, either in agreement or to put in her two cents about why she did not agree. The only negative to this (unless you don’t like making food decisions days before eating...I don’t have this problem), was that I never remembered what the menu was for each day we picked! Whenever we’d hit a destination, I wondered, now which menu was this? I recommend taking pictures if you want to remember each menu. 








Soon enough, we arrived at our destination. Our first stop was an old villa where we were going to do a pasta demonstration. As usual, the grounds were gorgeous.












When we arrived, the villa had set up a bunch of chairs for the pasta demonstration. As was the trend for the entirety of our trip, it was quite hot out. The guides and our hosts did a great job making sure we all had waters and were able to get some shade. We also got our aprons and hats. On many of the trips, the group actually engages in the food-making activity, but this one didn't have the space for everyone to make their own pasta. 




Stephanie served as our interpreter for this experience. The chef did not speak English, though he does understand and could answer our questions...in Italian, of course. Stephanie did a great job translating for not speaking fluent Italian.




We started with regular pasta. 












Our chef did invite a number of junior adventurers and others come up throughout the demonstration to help with the process of making the pasta. 








The results of our first go at the pasta!

More pasta to come in the next post!​


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## mare1203

_*Pasta Making, Continued!*_








After the fettuccine, our chef made some ravioli's. These were cheese ravioli.











 




The last type of pasta we saw made was gnocchi. I had never seen gnocchi made before, so that was a nice change of pace from regular pasta, which is actually quite easy to make. 




All told, it was about a 45-minute demonstration before we moved to the villa for lunch.




Some bread and butter to start.




Our lunch started with a caprese salad. Holy moly, this was an incredible caprese salad. The mozzarella was fresh and flavorful and the tomatoes tasted like tomatoes. It was all topped with some salt and olive oil. I could go on and on about this salad...I often try to replicate it, but no such luck yet.




The second course was a lasagna. This was also delicious. It was a meat lasagna topped with what I believe was a burrata mozzarella. It was a rich and creamy dish.




Our third course was a gnocchi course. Most people at our table threw in the towel at this point, but holy crap, it was delicious. Probably the best gnocchi I have ever eaten. I have NO idea how people had the willpower to not eat all of this dish. The gnocchi was soft and melted in my mouth. It was served with a light and fresh tomato sauce.




Finally, we were served a tiramisu for dessert. My piece was huge! I happen to love tiramisu and this one was a winner. The ladyfingers had a nice spongey texture and it was topped with that espresso dust that I love. I am fairly certain I was not able to finish off dessert after all the other food we ate. I don’t have a picture, but this was also a thumbs up! 




After finishing lunch, we headed out to the lawn for a couple of group pictures before heading back to the bus. I have no idea what these 2 crazies were doing...some sort of interpretive dance or tai chi, it seems. 




On the way back to the bus, we got a family picture over the lake. ​


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## Cousin Orville

Looks delicious!  So, do you have a preference between Lake Como and Stresa?


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## mare1203

Cousin Orville said:


> Looks delicious!  So, do you have a preference between Lake Como and Stresa?



I can't really say which one I prefer, because we didn't spend enough time in Como to make a true decision. Both were beautiful. Como had a bit more hustle and bustle than Stresa. There was a lot more shopping and it would have been more familiar to an American as they had a McDonalds and a Coin, which is a European department store. We also only saw a small area of Como, but it was beautiful.


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## mare1203

*Lake Como Boat Cruise*

Once we were back on the bus, it was a short drive down to the lakeside docks where we were to meet our boat. We were early, so the guides gave us about 20 minutes to explore the area, use the restroom, etc. 












We relaxed by the shore and took some pictures.



​​

​​


Soon, we saw the boat dock and got a seat for our tour. 




For this cruise, we had a boat driver and a local guide who gave us information. We were given whisper devices so we could hear the guide no matter where we were on the boat. They cut out a little, but I heard most of the facts while we were on the water. 




Lake Como is shaped like a Y, and has a variety of towns surrounding the water, including the town of Como. We ended our boat tour at the town of Como. The lake has been a haven for tourist since Roman times and there are a number of grand villas sprinkled around the lake. 












This is one of the floating pools that belongs to a popular and fancy hotel on the lake. 







​​

​​

​​


While on the water, we ran into a familiar face...George showed up! We got some good laughs and pictures. 




We did go by George’s villa on the lake and it was open meaning he was in town. We didn’t see him on his balcony or anything, though. 




The boat cruise lasted between 45 minutes and an hour and ended at the docks on the actual town of Como. 




These guys look like they're having a great time out on the lake!




This villa even has an elevator. ​



Another villa is the home of an entertainer (I can't remember what kind), but she put in these iconic Thespian faces. You can't see the other one very well, but it's hiding behind the trees. ​


There is a funicular in the town of Como. ​​





​​

​​


When we arrived in Como we headed straight for a gelato shop for a cold and refreshing treat. Thanks Disney! At the conclusion of the boat cruise we had about an hour and a half to stroll the city of Como and do some shopping if we so desired. ​​Sadly, although the guide mentioned the Como region is known for its silk, we only saw one scarf store during our shopping.Maybe we weren't looking in the right place. I bought a great scarf last year in Florence and was sort of hoping to find a second one here, but I did not. There are quite a few make-up and clothing stores, though. 

The guides asked us to meet by the duomo at 4:30. When we arrived, there were quite a few family members missing. It being right at 4:30, we waited a minute before someone got a text saying that a bunch of our fellow adventurers had found the bus and were already on. The guides were only mildly annoyed, thanks to technology, since we were able to confirm who was and was not on the bus. They were actually more impressed that people had found the bus, which apparently had never happened before. It was waiting just behind the Duomo, so it wasn't all that hard to find. In fact, I am pretty sure we found the bus ourselves after we finished on the main drags. We didn't really have too many shoppers in our group this time, and it was hot, so I think that contributed.  The guides gave them some trouble when we got on the bus, but it was a good laugh.​​On the way back to Como, Kathy and I chatted with the guides for a while. Most people were either on their technology or sleeping after a long day, so they held off on the bus entertainment. ​


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## walnut611

Gorgeous photos


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## bearsgirl

Thanks for this latest edition! ABD never fails to surprise and impress--George Clooney twins on your Como cruise!


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## mare1203

walnut611 said:


> Gorgeous photos



Thank you! The beautiful scenery certainly helps the photography!!



bearsgirl said:


> Thanks for this latest edition! ABD never fails to surprise and impress--George Clooney twins on your Como cruise!



Who knew ole Georgie had a twin?! 

I'm not a huge George fan or anything, but the guides go so cheeky that you can't help but get caught up in the ridiculousness of it all.


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## mare1203

_*Fancy Stresa Dinner*_

When we arrived back in Stresa, we had the evening to ourselves. The guides offered to make reservations and arrange for transportation to Isola Pescatori for any interested families. Seeing as we had already eaten on the island, we declined. I heard the regular restaurant they make reservations for was closed, so our fellow adventurers ended up going to a restaurant called Belvedere. They said it was awesome. Don’t worry, though, we already had our own plans for a meal.




We started out by going back to Al Buscion for an aperitivo. Al Buscion is right on a busy corner heading into town, so it wasn't surprising that while sitting outside we saw many of our fellow adventurers pass through. I think we saw Stephanie go back and forth about 4 times, haha. 




Luckily, by time number 3 we actually had some wine in our glasses and not just air. 




The wine shop also provided a small tapas appetizer with the drinks.




This time around I was also successful in snapping a picture of the cute bill holder. 

Before getting a table at our dinner destination, we stopped into the wine shop from the day before to buy a couple items. We ended up with a couple bottles of crema, a bottle of sweet wine, and 2 bags of Italian spices. The spices made my clothes smell like garlic and other Italian spices the rest of the trip, haha! No one said anything though, so it must not have been that strong (just kidding, but it did make my bag smell extra good!).




For dinner we ate at a restaurant called Lo Stornello. This came highly recommended from Trip Advisor, and after looking at the menu, we were in. Kathy and I have had the turbot at Victoria and Alberts in the past. Well, we saw turbot on the menu, and knew exactly what we would be ordering!








Sadly, we just missed the last patio table and had to eat inside. We were right by the windows though, so it wasn't too bad. The service was wonderful and the waiters here were very nice. 




Like the first night, we started with a Barbera, but this time a d'Asti rather than a d'Alba. I'm not sure what the difference is, so I'll have to look it up because it's not sparkling.




Cheers to our last night in Italy!




If you have allergies, this place is quite helpful. There were more symbols than I could imagine, but very nice if that's something you have to worry about when traveling. 




My dad and I both decided to start with a primi piati. I went with a rice dish. This was rice creamed with tomatoes and flavored with basil and cheese. It was incredible! One of my favorite dishes of the entire trip. It was fresh and creamy and I would 100% recommend. 




Bob decided on the ravioli. This was a fresh ravioli filled with perch and served on top of peas with curry and toasted almonds. The flavors worked well together and he loved the dish.




As I mentioned, Kathy and I both ordered the turbot for our main course. It was lightly fried and covered in this delicious cream sauce. It was a light and flavorful course and we both loved it. There was a ton of couscous on the side!




My dad went with a ribeye steak. He loved his steak and raved about it more than once. It was served traditional style with potatoes. Italy is more well known for steak than Switzerland, so if you are in the market for a steak while on this trip it would be in your best interest to get it here in Italy. 




You may have noticed that Kathy didn't order a starter. Well, that's because she was already planning ahead for dessert. She ordered the panna cotta, which she loved. 




And the mark of a good end to any top notch meal in Italy is some complementary limoncello! 

This was my favorite meal of the entire trip and I am very glad we stopped in. I would definitely go back to TripAdvisor as a source for meal ideas. It was also great to sit down to a nicer meal while in town. If you're in the market for a nice meal with good service and a fresh, seasonal menu then this should be on your list to check out. 








Although my dad and I were both full from dinner, it didn't stop us from getting some final night gelato. Remember, it just fills in the cracks and crevices! 








Funny enough, we both had different favorite gelato spots, so we each went to our favorites to order. 

We also managed to leave with just 2.50 Euro, sooo, score! We then headed back to the hotel for our last sleep before Switzerland!!​


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## FoodieFriend

loving your trip report! i've never considered an ABD trip until recently & seeing all your wonderful pics, i'm all IN! hopefully i can convince the family. our main concern was always going as a group of 3, but seeing the ABD accommodations may be the WOW factor!


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## mare1203

FoodieFriend said:


> loving your trip report! i've never considered an ABD trip until recently & seeing all your wonderful pics, i'm all IN! hopefully i can convince the family. our main concern was always going as a group of 3, but seeing the ABD accommodations may be the WOW factor!



Thanks for reading along! I'm glad I can be a small part in convincing you to do an ABD trip. Parties of 3 are certainly the most complicated, accommodation-wise, but we haven't seen it as a real problem at all and Disney is aware of the issues. The nice thing is that you really spend very little time in the hotels, so you're only there to sleep. Or, at least that's been the case for both our trips.


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## mare1203

*Simplon Pass*

Tuesday morning we woke up for our last breakfast in Italy; we’re headed to Switzerland today! We did not need to be up super early for this day, but earlier than in days past.








After breakfast, we met up with the group and boarded the bus. Our bus was Italian, and thus the wi-fi only worked while we were still in Italy.








Our morning journey was to take us about 3 hours through the Simplon Pass. The Simplon Pass is a high mountain pass that connects Italy to Switzerland. The road was constructed during the Napoleonic occupation. It has been in use since 1805 and can be used year round. It is one of the most beautiful roads in the world.








The night before, the guides had reminded us to have our passports handy in case of any trouble crossing over into Switzerland. They said the Italians are pretty laid back about the whole thing, but the Swiss...not as much. 




Happily, we did not have any trouble getting through and no passports were needed. Welcome to Switzerland, friends! 








A first glimpse at the beautiful Alps
















Everything is so green. I miss green in the desert.
































The views were beautiful throughout our journey. 




Along the way we saw the Stone Eagle of Erwin Friedrich Baumann. It is a reminder of WWII.​


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## mare1203

*Alpine Rest Stop*




About 2 hours into our trip we stopped at a rest stop. 




They gave us about 30 minutes to stretch our legs, take pictures, and grab some snacks. 












The stop featured an Alpine Spring Water “fountain” where we could fill our bottles. The water was super cold. 












The weather, as you can see, was gorgeous. We were incredibly lucky with our Swiss weather from a sky perspective. We all dressed for a chill. There was a bit of one, compared to the 90's of Italy, but it wasn't chilly in any sense of the word.







Up until the break, the guides had let us basically do our own thing, but after they started giving us more information about Switzerland. It is officially known as the Swiss Confederation, or the Confederatio Helvetica, which is why you will see the abbreviation CH on cars, etc. Like America and our states, Switzerland is divided into cantons. There are 26 in total, and we were heading to Valais. There are 4 official languages in Switzerland: German, which is the most widely spoken (our guides were excited about this!), Italian, French, and Romansh. The Swiss are a very proud people and you will often see the flag of both the Swiss and the Cantons flying, again, much like the US where you’ll see both the US flag and the flag of the State. Cars registered will also be marked with their Canton.







Switzerland is not a part of the European Union, thus the use of Swiss Francs rather than the Euro. It is not only very difficult to get citizenship in Switzerland, but also very difficult to become accepted if you want to live in the country. Jessica lived in Switzerland for 5 years and said she didn’t have anyone she would be comfortable calling to stay with if she was in town. 




There is a high cost of living in Switzerland and they are paid very well for the work they do. The guides told us to just get over the prices now because there was nothing you could do about it and it would just be expensive. Touche. The Swiss must hire a Swiss person for a job, and if they don’t, they have to show irrefutable proof they were unable to fill the position with a Swiss. Wow! Although Switzerland is known as a hiding place for money, the government is really cracking down on this, and it’s no longer a top destination. Now, many people are putting their money in Liechtenstein, but most believe that won’t last too long, either. 




Jessica also recommended some popular Swiss foods to try. We would be having fondue for lunch, even though it’s more popular in France than in Switzerland. They wanted us to have the experience of fondue. Jessica also recommended we try a couple of dishes: the raclette, which is an appetizer of basically delicious melty cheese with a couple of accompaniments, rosti, which is sort of a hash brown pancake with a variety of popular toppings, and of course, chocolate. The guides told us there were a number of chocolate shops in Zermatt: Bachmann, Laderach, and Lindt being the most popular. They did not recommend we do the Lindt, because it’s obviously available here in the U.S., though the Swiss version is made in Switzerland and the U.S. made in New Jersey, so it is a little different. 




We arrived at the train station and were told that Tinkerbell and the luggage fairies would be going to transport the luggage, while we headed onto the train to Zermatt. 




Finally, a tangential story because it happened in this leg, but there was no good place to tell it otherwise. It's also a "don't be a dingbat" story. Once we arrived in Switzerland, the wi-fi no longer worked on our bus. Although this rendered my phone basically useless, being the good Millenial I am, I was still fiddling with it nonetheless. While listening to the guides I had my leg up and proceeded to stick the phone my rolled jeans, as shown, rather than making the more adult decision and putting it in its place. Well, you can guess what happened after I got tired of that position and decided to put my foot down. That's right, I _*totally*_ forgot about said phone and commenced to internally freaking out when I couldn't find it 20 minutes later. My sister and I searched for a good 5 minutes, completely baffled as to where the heck my phone could have landed. I had it with me when I boarded the bus, after all, and there were only so many places it could be. I definitely did that thing where you continually check the same, obvious places for where it could be, during which I offhandedly remarked as a joke 'watch, I'll find it in my pants or something'. Knowing the phone had to be somewhere, we decided to just hang out and listen to the guides until we got to the stop and could check under the seats for the phone. You can imagine Kathy and I's fit of giggles when I changed position yet again, and _actually did_ find the damn phone in my pants leg. I'm such an idiot. And now you know about it. 

Also, yes, that is a WDW phone cover, and yes, it is one of my favorite things. ​


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## sayhello

mare1203 said:


> Finally, a tangential story because it happened in this leg, but there was no good place to tell it otherwise. It's also a "don't be a dingbat" story. Once we arrived in Switzerland, the wi-fi no longer worked on our bus. Although this rendered my phone basically useless, being the good Millenial I am, I was still fiddling with it nonetheless. While listening to the guides I had my leg up and proceeded to stick the phone my rolled jeans, as shown, rather than making the more adult decision and putting it in its place. Well, you can guess what happened after I got tired of that position and decided to put my foot down. That's right, I _*totally*_ forgot about said phone and commenced to internally freaking out when I couldn't find it 20 minutes later. My sister and I searched for a good 5 minutes, completely baffled as to where the heck my phone could have landed. I had it with me when I boarded the bus, after all, and there were only so many places it could be. I definitely did that thing where you continually check the same, obvious places for where it could be, during which I offhandedly remarked as a joke 'watch, I'll find it in my pants or something'. Knowing the phone had to be somewhere, we decided to just hang out and listen to the guides until we got to the stop and could check under the seats for the phone. You can imagine Kathy and I's fit of giggles when I changed position yet again, and _actually did_ find the damn phone in my pants leg. I'm such an idiot. And now you know about it.
> 
> Also, yes, that is a WDW phone cover, and yes, it is one of my favorite things.


Wow!!  That is some rest stop!  (It's a lot like the rest stop we made in Alaska, heading to the Kenai Peninsula.)  Nice!!

And that phone thing totally sounds like something I would do!  

Sayhello


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## walnut611

I love the scenery.  Rolling green hill, free flowing water,....too bad I live in the dessert LOL.


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## kanadar

Hehe!!! The phone story still makes me laugh. It was hilarious. 

Yay! We've made it to Switzerland!! I miss it


----------



## Cousin Orville

Looks like a beautiful drive into Switzerland!  So, you switched to a train to get the rest of the way to Zermatt?  I'm sure that was a beautiful train ride.  What time did you get into Zermatt?


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## mare1203

sayhello said:


> Wow!!  That is some rest stop!  (It's a lot like the rest stop we made in Alaska, heading to the Kenai Peninsula.)  Nice!!
> 
> And that phone thing totally sounds like something I would do!
> 
> Sayhello



Haha, it was so dumb! I bet the scenery in Alaska is also phenomenal. It's on my bucket list, for sure.



walnut611 said:


> I love the scenery.  Rolling green hill, free flowing water,....too bad I live in the dessert LOL.



You and me both! I miss green. But, at least it's almost patio weather in the desert! 



kanadar said:


> Hehe!!! The phone story still makes me laugh. It was hilarious.
> 
> Yay! We've made it to Switzerland!! I miss it



Aww, I miss it, too! 



Cousin Orville said:


> Looks like a beautiful drive into Switzerland!  So, you switched to a train to get the rest of the way to Zermatt?  I'm sure that was a beautiful train ride.  What time did you get into Zermatt?



We got into Zermatt just before lunch. It's a short ride, maybe 20 minutes at most.


----------



## mare1203

*Zermatt Lunch *




After having some time to stretch and use the facilities, we met back up with Jessica. She gave us our tickets and we headed toward the train. 








Since there are no motorized cars allowed in Zermatt, nearly everyone arrives via the Zermatt shuttle. It’s a relatively short journey and soon enough we had arrived at our destination. ​​There are actually 2 options for the Zermatt days; a change from the past. One of the 2 days will offer an afternoon on your own, while the other day takes you on the Gornergrat. Whether you do the Gornergrat on day 1 or day 2 is completely up to the weather. They used to do the Gornergrat on one specific day, but someone finally asked if they could make it variable and ABD's response was, of course! It works with the schedule and actually makes a lot of sense, so that has been the experience this year. I think it’s a great change because that way there is more of a chance to get a good view of the Matterhorn and doesn’t tie the guides to one day.​​


Upon our arrival in Zermatt we were greeted by this guy! ​​


We also got our first glimpse at the Matterhorn. Too bad the weather was awful while we were in town. Fun fact, the weather app is NEVER right for Zermatt. When we arrived, my weather app said it was 65 and raining while it was actually about 87 and perfectly sunny.​​


This year is the 150th anniversary of the first successful summit of the Matterhorn. We were there about 2 weeks before the true anniversary and preparations were well underway in anticipation of the celebration. 








The small alpine village is picturesque and seems right out of a movie. Obviously, in the winter this is a popular skiing destination, but it is also quite popular in the summer for hiking. We saw a ton of people in hiking gear heading out or in from the various trails. Due to the active nature of Zermatt, this is a relatively casual city. T-shirts and jeans are common. 




We walked the main road to our lunch destination. 




The lunch spot was closed down just for us and we sat at long tables. 








There was a menu in front of us, reminding us what the options had been. Also, bc it never really gets hot here, there isn't AC and the windows open. I love this. 




Kathy and I both got a popular Swiss soft drink for the meal called Rivella. It tastes similar to ginger ale and was quite refreshing. We got more of these throughout the trip.



​​


The first course was cheese fondue. It was creamy and super yummy. 



​​


Some fondue pics! Beautiful, I know  ​​


For our second course we all had the pork chop and fries. The fries were good but not phenomenal as advertised. I am attributing that to my love of French fries and knowing of a couple amazing fry places and not that they weren't that good. 







​Our final course was chocolate fondue. Eh, haha. No, it was very good. I just prefer cheese to chocolate.​



We enjoyed our lunch here and I thought it a good choice for the group. It was a nice way to be welcomed to Switzerland and it was served at a nice, leisurely pace. In both of our ABD's we have thought the pacing of the group meals has always been nice. ​


----------



## mare1203

*The Zermatterhof Hotel*








After lunch we walked down to the hotel. Our hotel for the next few days was the Grand Hotel Zermatterhof, which has been a landmark in town since 1879. 




Like the Regina, this was a beautiful hotel. Unlike the Regina, the Zermatterhof is not air conditioned. It generally doesn’t need to be as Zermatt has generally mild weather in the summer months. 




This chandelier was in the lobby and not in our room  ​​

​​

​​


When we arrived, we were led to the back patio for a drink while the guides checked us in and got our keys to us. 








We were also greeted by another guest for some pictures. 




After receiving our room key, we made our way to our home. Everyone has rooms with balcony’s facing the Matterhorn. Like, are they serious with this view? Come. On. 












The room was a nice size. One of the chairs pictured folded out to make the 3rd bed. With the chair open it was a little tight, but not too bad otherwise. While in the room we spent most of the time on the balcony or sleeping anyway.​​

​​

​There was a nice big closet to store our luggage, which was actually quite helpful to make space.​


And the bathroom had double sinks. ​​

​​

​​


The only word for the Matterhorn that does it any justice is “enchanting.” The mountain shines out above everything, a lone peak surrounding the Alps, just beckoning to be photographed. You (or perhaps just me, but I don’t think so) are continually pulled to take another shot, trying to capture the essence, convincing yourself that this picture is somehow different from the other 75 you've just shot. It’s of no surprise, then, that Walt Disney was so drawn to the mountain during one of his visits to Zermatt that he decided it needed a place in Disneyland. 



​​






Since it was absolutely gorgeous out, the guides decided there was no way we weren’t taking advantage and scheduled the Gornergrat for later that afternoon. We were to meet at the Gornergrat station just after 4:00 p.m., giving us some time to explore the area. ​​We did some ducking into shops on our way to the train. You should be warned that, unlike Italy, shops close early here, so shop in the afternoon when you have time. ​


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## Cousin Orville

Amazing view from your room!  I'd love to see the Matterhorn.  I'm sure it's absolutely beautiful in person.  Having seen Third Man on the Mountain not too long ago (when TCM aired it) your pictures make me think of that movie.


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## ksromack

I would have loved to have visited Zermatt and see the Matterhorn!  It just sits there so majestically!  We only had 2 days in Switzerland and were in the Lauterbrunnen Valley.  We went to the top of the Schilthorn, whose only claim to fame was that "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" (James Bond movie) was filmed there.  Please tell me you enjoyed Rosti at some point?  I know, I know.....I'm rushing you!


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## sayhello

Wow!  That is such an amazing view!  I totally understand what you mean about being drawn to take just one more photo, and then just one more...   I hope to see the Matterhorn some day; you're really inspiring me to look at this trip again.

Sayhello


----------



## mare1203

Cousin Orville said:


> Amazing view from your room!  I'd love to see the Matterhorn.  I'm sure it's absolutely beautiful in person.  Having seen Third Man on the Mountain not too long ago (when TCM aired it) your pictures make me think of that movie.



Ah, yes! The guides mentioned this movie along the way! It's way better in person  



ksromack said:


> I would have loved to have visited Zermatt and see the Matterhorn!  It just sits there so majestically!  We only had 2 days in Switzerland and were in the Lauterbrunnen Valley.  We went to the top of the Schilthorn, whose only claim to fame was that "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" (James Bond movie) was filmed there.  Please tell me you enjoyed Rosti at some point?  I know, I know.....I'm rushing you!



I have a feeling I will forever be trying to get back to Zermatt, even though my list of travel wishes is about a mile long. 

Don't worry, we take full advantage of trying Swiss foods while here! No copping out and sticking with seemingly 'safe' options for us. 



sayhello said:


> Wow!  That is such an amazing view!  I totally understand what you mean about being drawn to take just one more photo, and then just one more...   I hope to see the Matterhorn some day; you're really inspiring me to look at this trip again.
> 
> Sayhello



Oh good! That's my master plan here... It's been hard enough to just go through the pics and decide which ones to include for you all.


----------



## mare1203

'Allo Adventurers!!! Thank you for being so patient with me in these rather erratic updates. I always get annoyed when people say 'I'm so busy, life got in the way' but alas, that's what has happened here. I'm going to try to give you a couple this week, but I'm travelling a bit the next few weeks. The wedding is upon us, y'all! That means I might not get any out the week of 10/10, especially. But, rest assured, I haven't forgotten about you, or the report. Let's just think of it as dragging out the good stuff. The next few updates will be photo heavy because in Switzerland it's all about experiencing the views and nature, and I really don't have much other information to give ya. And now, back to our regularly scheduled programming...

*The Gornergrat *




Someone is excited to be at the Gornergrat station...and that someone is me! 




Upon arrival at the Gornergrat station we were given our tickets. Every time you get on the train you have to scan your ticket, so we were told to be sure to keep track of them. 








The Gornergrat is a cog wheel train taking you up to the viewing area. 

























It is the highest open air train in Europe and the change in altitude from Zermatt to Gornergrat is approximately 1500 meters. You can definitely feel the change in elevation once you step from the train at the final destination. 








The area overlooks the Gorner Glacier and offers mountainous views of the Matterhorn. 




Once we arrived, it was another uphill walk to the top viewing area. We spent about 30 minutes up here taking pictures and admiring the views. 




We brought an Illini flag with us to take a picture with at the top. Seeing as I graduated from Illinois and Bob and Kathy still live in town, I thought it would be fun. Just disregard the fact it's upside down...








Even near the top, it was not that cold. No warm clothes necessary. So sad. Literally the only reason I am in a 3/4 sleeve shirt and scarf is because I planned the outfit and it went together, and damnit I was going to wear it! Jeans, or even shorts, and a t-shirt would have been totally doable. 

















We stayed up at the viewing area for about 30 minutes. This gave us plenty of time to take family pictures and admire all the beauty around us. 












When we got back on the train, we took it just one stop. Stephanie had offered to take us on a hike after taking the Gornergrat train. Our hike was set to begin there and we would hike down to the next stop where we would again grab the train. You can actually hike all the way back to Zermatt, but that would be a long hike. ​


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## sayhello

Spectacular!!

Sayhello


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## linetbo

So beautifull hotel, I am on day 1, cant wait to see it all!!!


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## Cousin Orville

Awesome view!


----------



## GAN

mare1203 said:


> Like the first night, we started with a Barbera, but this time a d'Asti rather than a d'Alba. I'm not sure what the difference is, so I'll have to look it up because it's not sparkling.



Loving your Trip Report, by the way!  In case anyone is curious ...The difference is that each refers to the hills surrounding the villages of Asti and Alba ..they are separate denominazione and the styles of making the wine are slightly different in each region.  The Asti must be made with a minimum of 85%  Barbera grape, while the Alba is 100%(and usually more expensive).  It's a great food wine for people who enjoy reds, you can find it in good wine shops but it's not as popular as Chianti's or Barolo's ....its what Italians in Northern Italy would drink(exporting everything else), kind of known as the common-people's wine of choice.  They knew a good thing and kept it for themselves!


----------



## RSM

Great photos.  We loved Zermatt and the Matterhorn.  It looks like you hit great weather.  The first time we went we had great weather in Zermatt.  We loved it so much, we arranged with a local sherpa to try and summit the Matterhorn 2 years later.  Alas, the weather didn't cooperate and there was a pretty bad storm causing us to scrap the climb.  But we are committed to try and get back to climb it (assuming DH and I don't get too old  )


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## mare1203

sayhello said:


> Spectacular!!
> 
> Sayhello



Thank you! Switzerland just begs to be photographed!



linetbo said:


> So beautifull hotel, I am on day 1, cant wait to see it all!!!



Welcome to the trip! Enjoy the ride.



Cousin Orville said:


> Awesome view!



Oh yes! It was a little overwhelming, actually!



GAN said:


> Loving your Trip Report, by the way!  In case anyone is curious ...The difference is that each refers to the hills surrounding the villages of Asti and Alba ..they are separate denominazione and the styles of making the wine are slightly different in each region.  The Asti must be made with a minimum of 85%  Barbera grape, while the Alba is 100%(and usually more expensive).  It's a great food wine for people who enjoy reds, you can find it in good wine shops but it's not as popular as Chianti's or Barolo's ....its what Italians in Northern Italy would drink(exporting everything else), kind of known as the common-people's wine of choice.  They knew a good thing and kept it for themselves!



Glad you are enjoying the report! And thanks for the information! I love Barbera's and am always stoked to see them on a wine list, though they are often out of my price range out at dinner. I also happen to have expensive taste, so it is of no surprise that I prefer the d'Alba to the d'Asti.



RSM said:


> Great photos.  We loved Zermatt and the Matterhorn.  It looks like you hit great weather.  The first time we went we had great weather in Zermatt.  We loved it so much, we arranged with a local sherpa to try and summit the Matterhorn 2 years later.  Alas, the weather didn't cooperate and there was a pretty bad storm causing us to scrap the climb.  But we are committed to try and get back to climb it (assuming DH and I don't get too old  )



Thank you! Glad I'm able to bring back some memories for you! Yes, we absolutely lucked out on the weather. And go you to attempting that climb! I couldn't imagine, though I do have a penchant for such adventures! I hope you are able to make it someday soon! I'll be rooting for you when you do


----------



## mare1203

*Some of my favorites*

I do have another update for you soon, but I was going through my pics and decided I would do a post of some of my favorites, without extra commentary. Many of these were taken with just my iPhone 6, which speaks to the amazing strides we've made in cell phone camera's. Some of them actually came out incredible. 




















































I think this last picture is my absolute favorite from our trip, even though the Matterhorn isn't present. I'm not sure why, but I'm just drawn to it. It's like a painting. Maybe it was too much Bob Ross growing up and loving 'happy little trees'...

Have a good week, Adventurer's!​


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## Chirple

I've been following your trip reports and absolutely loving all of the photos and details.  Really breathtaking, and those iPhone shots are beautiful!


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## *WDW*Groupie*

Were you on the family ABD?  I am thinking of taking my adult son on this trip next summer.  Is it something you would recommend for the 2 of us (he'll be 25 at the time)?  

I am really enjoying your trip report (it's further enhancing my desire to go on this adventure).


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## AquaDame

We were just there in Zermatt on Sept 12-15th, loving your pics too! Like you, we are already plotting when best to go back even though we have so many more places to see!


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## tgeorge

From what I've seen, all the northern Italy/Switzerland trips are family trips. I didn't see any adult exclusives for next year. Looks like they are limited at times they can go (June, July and August)


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## RSM

I know the weather in Zermatt can be dicey once you get beyond mid August or so.  A  few years ago we were supposed to summit the Matterhorn around mid to late August, and we got stuck in a blizzard a couple of days prior to the climb.


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## AnnaGiselle

Just stumbled upon your trip report, and wow, this is amazing! Like you, I'm an introvert, but I've discovered that when in Disney and amongst fellow Disney fans, it's so easy to converse with anyone.

I love all the gelato and the food in Italy looks amazing. And that hotel! Talk about living out any Disney princess fantasies. However, as soon as the Switzerland photos showed up, I was floored. Wow, so gorgeous! All I want to do is go to Switzerland and eat that cheese fondue. The toblerone looked interesting too, but, again like you, I'll always choose cheese over chocolate. I'm so excited to continue following and see what's next!


----------



## mare1203

Chirple said:


> I've been following your trip reports and absolutely loving all of the photos and details.  Really breathtaking, and those iPhone shots are beautiful!



Thank you so much! I was surprised at how well many of the pictures turned out! 



*WDW*Groupie* said:


> Were you on the family ABD?  I am thinking of taking my adult son on this trip next summer.  Is it something you would recommend for the 2 of us (he'll be 25 at the time)?
> 
> I am really enjoying your trip report (it's further enhancing my desire to go on this adventure).



Yes! Kathy is a teacher and I work in higher ed, so the adult itineraries don't really work out for our schedules. Plus, we all generally like kids, so having some on the trip is fun. You see it through different eyes, and I love that. On our first ABD, most of the kids were between 13-18, but there were also a couple of young adults on the trip. For this one, the kids were a bit younger, averaging from 8-15, but still a couple of young adults. It hasn't bothered us at all. Plus, the guides are usually young and my sister and I have enjoyed interacting with them. 



AquaDame said:


> We were just there in Zermatt on Sept 12-15th, loving your pics too! Like you, we are already plotting when best to go back even though we have so many more places to see!



Haha! I feel your pain on that sentiment. Zermatt is wonderful!



AnnaGiselle said:


> Just stumbled upon your trip report, and wow, this is amazing! Like you, I'm an introvert, but I've discovered that when in Disney and amongst fellow Disney fans, it's so easy to converse with anyone.
> 
> I love all the gelato and the food in Italy looks amazing. And that hotel! Talk about living out any Disney princess fantasies. However, as soon as the Switzerland photos showed up, I was floored. Wow, so gorgeous! All I want to do is go to Switzerland and eat that cheese fondue. The toblerone looked interesting too, but, again like you, I'll always choose cheese over chocolate. I'm so excited to continue following and see what's next!



Thank you so much! Now that I'm done with most of my fall travel, I'll be back to updating more regularly!!


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## mare1203

*Hiking and a Surprise Visitor!*

Hello again, adventurers! It has been a whirlwind couple of weeks, but an incredibly fun whirlwind. I would recommend, 100x over, Disney Fairytale Weddings, if you or a loved one is thinking about getting married. But, that's not why I'm here. Now that I'm back in town and have completed 90% of my big work events for the semester (the last semi-stressful one is tomorrow, woot!), I can get back to updating this thing regularly. Enjoy! 




When we got back on the train, we took it just one stop. Stephanie had offered to take anyone interested on a hike after taking the Gornergrat train. Our hike was set to begin there and we would hike down to the next stop where we would again grab the train. You can actually hike all the way back to Zermatt, but that would take a few hours. However, before heading out on the hike, we had a surprise waiting for us. Or, at least we were supposed to have a surprise waiting for us. Turns out, the best laid plans… Our surprise had, unfortunately, missed the train and it threw off the timing by about half an hour. That meant we had some relaxation time at the stop while we waited for the next train to arrive. 












The kids took this opportunity to burn off some energy and we took a few more (hundred) pictures. 


























Upon arrival of the train, we gathered to meet our surprise. 




A St. Bernard! Switzerland is the home of the St. Bernard, and the breed was originally bred for alpine rescues in the Italy/Switzerland section of the alps. In fact, there is even a mountain pass named the Great St. Bernard Pass in Switzerland. There is a hospice here, the Great St. Bernard Hospice, that is believed to be the origin of the breed.




His owner gave each of us a chance to take family pics with the dog, who was a mix, as most St. Bernard’s are these days, before we were on our way. 




Nearly all the families in our group chose to stay and join Stephanie for the hike down to the next station. This was one of my favorite activities of the whole trip. The views were just beautiful, and it was a great way to really take in Switzerland. I would call this a very easy hike. You do not need to be in great, or even good, physical shape to complete it, as it was mostly a slight decline over a well-traversed path. If you can walk on an uneven dirt path, then you can complete this hike. It probably took us 30-45 minutes total. 
























This is one of my favorite pictures I snapped. It's just so perfectly ABD. I think it could be in the ABD viewbook (or, that's just me patting myself on the back). I dunno, you decide.









Once we arrived at the station, we had some time before the train was set to arrive, allowing us to hit the facilities. We also got a picture with this Swiss Cow!

On the way back, we chatted with a few others about dinner. It is in this situation where my family and I often disagree, and I can be a bit stubborn (working on it, though). I myself am all for stumbling upon our own spot, or doing my own research on trip advisor. However, my dad is not and prefers to go along with the verbal recommendations. He’s the type of person who would eat at the hotel restaurant during a solo business trip, because it’s there. I am the type of person who ventures 2 miles out of my way for a place on Yelp I found and then, extremely satisfied with my meal, arrive back at the hotel with blisters because I miss-read the directions and wore the wrong shoes (nope, this has never actually happened to me before and definitely not more than once…right). Not feeling like arguing the point, upon arrival at the station, it was decided that we would tag along with another family to the dinner recommendation suggested on the train. I guess you’ll have to wait for the next update to find out about our meal. ​


----------



## GAN

mare1203 said:


> I am the type of person who ventures 2 miles out of my way for a place on Yelp I found and then, extremely satisfied with my meal, arrive back at the hotel with blisters because I miss-read the directions and wore the wrong shoes (nope, this has never actually happened to me before and definitely not more than once…right). Not feeling like arguing the point, upon arrival at the station, it was decided that we would tag along with another family to the dinner recommendation suggested on the train. I guess you’ll have to wait for the next update to find out about our meal.​



Yes....sounds very familiar!  Great update...


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## distravel

Thanks for taking the time to do this wonderful trip report. The scenery look stunning! Loving your photos.


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## kanadar

mare1203 said:


> On the way back, we chatted with a few others about dinner. It is in this situation where my family and I often disagree, and I can be a bit stubborn (working on it, though). I myself am all for stumbling upon our own spot, or doing my own research on trip advisor. However, my dad is not and prefers to go along with the verbal recommendations. He’s the type of person who would eat at the hotel restaurant during a solo business trip, because it’s there. I am the type of person who ventures 2 miles out of my way for a place on Yelp I found and then, extremely satisfied with my meal, arrive back at the hotel with blisters because I miss-read the directions and wore the wrong shoes (nope, this has never actually happened to me before and definitely not more than once…right). Not feeling like arguing the point, upon arrival at the station, it was decided that we would tag along with another family to the dinner recommendation suggested on the train. I guess you’ll have to wait for the next update to find out about our meal.



*Hey, sometimes people are hungry and don't want to walk around for an hour looking for food haha! *


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## tgeorge

I definitely think the picture could be used in an ABD advertisement! I know for sure this trip is on my list!  I'm not sure when, but it is definitely going to happen. 

Glad to hear the wedding was amazing! I really wanted to get married at Disney, but DH is not a Disney fan. I'm sure it was spectacular.


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## sayhello

Man, if you needed to kill 1/2 an hour waiting for the next train, that looks like a FABULOUS place to do it!  Just gorgeous!

I'd use your photo for the brochure!  

Sayhello


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## AnnaGiselle

mare1203 said:


> This is one of my favorite pictures I snapped. It's just so perfectly ABD. I think it could be in the ABD viewbook (or, that's just me patting myself on the back). I dunno, you decide.



This photo immediately made me think of the ending scene of The Sound of Music! Totally brochure-worthy.


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## Cousin Orville

AnnaGiselle said:


> This photo immediately made me think of the ending scene of The Sound of Music! Totally brochure-worthy.



Exactly what I thought!  Very von Trapp Family.


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## Tink rules

Mare.... where are you?  

Waiting for another update!!!


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## mare1203

Hi All! I am so, so sorry for taking forever and a day to update this thing. I could give you a bunch of excuses, but you don’t want to read them and I don’t want to type them. Either way, life happens and things are improving, but I apologize nonetheless.  Rest assured, I never forgot about the report and I WILL finish. Even if it’s over a year later. I can’t just abandon things. Actually, since I feel so bad about it, I decided not to post at all until the darn thing was completely done and I just need to post. And I am happy to report that I am both done with the writing portion and the uploading of photos to Photobucket, which I find easier to use than the internal posting system. So, I’m going to try to post regularly until I finish it off. For those of you who jump back in, thanks for reading, and for those who decide to hop aboard...

​


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## tgeorge

Yay! This is one of the trips I find very interesting and I can't wait to finish reading how the rest of your trip went.


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## christannj

Hooray!!  I was afraid that something happened to you but your sister assured me that you would eventually finish it.  This will be just in time...several of us are doing this trip at the end of August and now we will know what to expect....thanks in advance


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## mare1203

*The Swiss Chalet Dinner*

When we last left off, we had finished our hike and were waiting for the Gornergrat to come pick us up to take us back down the mountainside. 




When the Gornergrat arrived Kathy and I took the opportunity to take a few pictures before getting on. One of the other adventurer’s commented to us and then her family, ‘that’s such a good idea to take posed pics like that! How come we don’t do that’. We’ve got a little practice, and we definitely steal ideas from others. It was a nice and relaxing trip down. By the time we got off it was nearing 8:30 pm and we were ready for some dinner! It was also still surprisingly light out. Once out of the station we took the main road towards the restaurant we had been recommended; 




The Swiss Chalet.




​

​The Swiss Chalet is located about halfway between the Gornergrat station and the Hotel Zermatterhoff. It was maybe a 10-minute walk.  When we arrived, Steph enquired about seating and we and another family were led to tables right away. As you can see from the picture above, the restaurant featured an outdoor area as well as indoor seating to accommodate the varying weather. 








The Swiss Chalet is family-owned and aptly described as an oasis of cozy atmosphere.We certainly agreed. It had a warm feeling and a menu to match. I have a weakness for this style and loved all the wood. 




A picture of the bar area. You can find the Matterhorn everywhere around here, as well you should. ​





​Inside, the rooms were separated by walls, including some windows! We were seated in one of the side rooms near the front of the restaurant. I love all the little chalet touches on the walls, but I think my favorite was the hanging lamps. 
​

​Once we were seated, we perused the menu for what to eat and drink. Unsurprisingly, we decided to share a bottle of water and a bottle of wine. The Pinot Noir we chose was a Swiss Chalet Reserve wine and we found it smooth and refreshing. 
​

​To start we shared a raclette, which Jessica recommended on our bus ride earlier. Raclette is a dish indigenous to parts of Switzerland. The raclette cheese round is heated and then scraped onto diners' plates. Traditionally the melting happens in front of an open fire with the big piece of cheese facing the heat. One then regularly scrapes off the melting side. It is accompanied by small firm potatoes, gherkins, pickled onions, and dried meat. This wasn’t very big and I would recommend 1 for every 2 people, but as it was an appetizer for us, it worked out well. I thought it was delicious.
​

​We each ordered a different entree. One of us went with the beef stroghanoff. It is beef and mushrooms in a brown gravy with noodles. A bit heavy but good flavors and if you like stroghanoff you’ll enjoy the dish.
​

​Next up is the beef filet with herb butter, potatoes gratin, and vegetables. It is what it looks like and is a good, but safe choice. 
​

​Finally is the Wienerschnitzel, or breadcrumbed veal scallop with french fries and vegetables. This had a nice crust on it and the fries were delicious. 

We chose not to get dessert as we were full from our entrees and finished up the wine for a sweet end. Overall, I thought the Swiss Chalet ended up being a nice choice for dinner. The food and atmosphere were cozy and comfortable, and I feel like anyone could find something good on the menu here. Our waitress was attentive and we would recommend eating here if you find yourself in Zermatt. 

Upon leaving the restaurant, we made our way back to the hotel. Other than the few bars that were still serving drinks, not much was happening in town. As mentioned previously, the stores close rather early here, so we went back to the hotel for some shut-eye. And to take a few more pictures of the Matterhorn.

















The Hotel Zermatterhoff does not have air conditioning, mostly because it’s not necessary 99% of the time. We left the windows open to get some air in, which was nice, except that you could hear the bars nearby and they were definitely hopping until well in the night. Not a complaint, per se, just an observation and experience. We were sort of stuck between keeping the windows open to get some chill and airflow, and hear all the nighttime activity or shut the windows and have it be quieter with no airflow. Not a complaint, just an observation and fact of life. I don’t believe ABD is staying here this season, but the same is true for most hotels around the area. I really enjoyed this hotel overall! ​


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## bearsgirl

We just returned from this ABD. You do stay at the Zermatterhoff (2017 itineraries have different accommodations) and you are correct about the lack of air conditioning. The family next door to us left their door open at night and were woken up around midnight and 1 a.m. with bar patrons, just like you. We had a FABULOUS time on the Alpine Magic and your TR helped us to make the decision to go.
Thank you!


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## walnut611

Yay!  I'm so happy you're continuing with your report 

Hope your sister had a beautiful wedding


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## mare1203

tgeorge said:


> Yay! This is one of the trips I find very interesting and I can't wait to finish reading how the rest of your trip went.



I'm looking forward to posting it all! 



christannj said:


> Hooray!!  I was afraid that something happened to you but your sister assured me that you would eventually finish it.  This will be just in time...several of us are doing this trip at the end of August and now we will know what to expect....thanks in advance



Hi, yes, I ended up being a disboards hermit for a while, but I'm good. Yes, there should be a lot of good info for you to use on your upcoming trip. I know you'll have a great time! 



bearsgirl said:


> We just returned from this ABD. You do stay at the Zermatterhoff (2017 itineraries have different accommodations) and you are correct about the lack of air conditioning. The family next door to us left their door open at night and were woken up around midnight and 1 a.m. with bar patrons, just like you. We had a FABULOUS time on the Alpine Magic and your TR helped us to make the decision to go.
> Thank you!



Oh, duh! Of course they're still staying at Zermatterhof for 2016! Weren't those balcony rooms just amazing?!? Worth it despite being woken by people having a good time. I would never stay in a hotel or room view like that on my own, so that is one part of the ABD experience that impresses me. 

I always forget they're planning a year out. Did they change the Lucerne day from a boat ride/bbq or are they still doing that? I think the amendments to the Lucerne days are the biggest positive for the 2017 itineraries, but I wouldn't be surprised to hear they changed it early (though, contracts and all, it might not have been possible). 



walnut611 said:


> Yay!  I'm so happy you're continuing with your report
> 
> Hope your sister had a beautiful wedding



Yep! I'm back! Kathy & Jeff's wedding was gorgeous and we had a wonderful time! We were actually just back at WDW last weekend and Jeff quipped, Disney is fun, but less fun when you aren't randomly running into people you know all the time. He's right, continually running into family and friends at the parks and resorts was super fun. Thanks for reading along!


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## mare1203

*Matterhorn in the Morning and some Goats*

The next morning, we woke up for our Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah Day! It’s ropes course time! At 7:45 am the church bells began to ring in Zermatt; they mark the official wake-up for the town. Church bell wake-ups have been used throughout Europe for centuries. It also signals the beginning of the workday because as soon as they were done, the drills and other street construction began in earnest. 








We also woke up to an absolutely perfectly clear view of the Matterhorn! Not a cloud in the sky! 








I had some coffee in the room and snapped a pic along with the mountain. Best wake-up ever!

As an aside, if you are lucky, there could be an opportunity to do the Sunrise on Gornergrat. It is offered each Thursday and you can book a ticket through the Gornergrat site. It is something like 90 swiss francs and includes the Gornergrat ticket as well as a sunrise brunch. We had a couple who learned about it through their own research and booked the trip. While they said it was an early morning, they were into photography and said they got some amazing shots, and would highly recommend. 








We then headed down to the buffet for some breakfast. It was a nice, European breakfast selection. You also had the option of ordering eggs from the kitchen if you would like. 




Hey, we made a hidden Mickey! Uncle Walt would be proud.




Oh look! There he is!




The day before, Steph and Jessica informed us that we would be leaving for the Forest Fun Park in 2 waves. The first wave left at 8:50 while the second took off at 9:10. This was done for two purposes: ordering electric taxi’s for the ride over and giving the employees of the fun park time to start outfitting half the group with their gear rather than everyone at once. 




On the way to the Forest Fun Park we were able to see the goat parade. 








The Valais Blackneck goats, also known as glacier goats, are some of the most famous residents in the southern Swiss mountains. With furs that are half black, half white, they both unique and highly photographed. For about 7 weeks each summer, a herd of about 50 blackneck goats pass through Zermatt as part of the goat parade. This happens around 9 AM and then again at 5 PM.  ​


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## mare1203

*Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah *




During our welcome, the guides informed us that they would not be referring to this day as “zipping” because it was an adventure park and included much more than just ziplines. In fact, the run we would be completing as a group had very little zipping at all. The park has a number of different runs you can complete. 




After a short taxi ride, we arrived at the Forest Fun Park. To begin, we met up with the employees who helped fit us with our gear. This included our harnesses, helmets, carabiners, and gloves. 

Note: We were told to leave all our cameras and phones at home. I run and when I go on runs I carry my phone and an ID in a SpiBelt that goes around my waist. I wish I would have brought my phone with me to take some pics of my own. Either that or my camera. Yes, there are times you need two hands, but as long as you are decently coordinated and have a wrist strap or belt to hold your phone you’ll be okay. Of course it is on you if you lose it, but we had some downtime throughout the course and I would have liked some of my own pictures. Between Kathy and I we have more than 1,500, so you can see my dilemma, I know. Rest assured, they do have people on the course taking pics as well as the guides when you are in areas they can see you. 








After being fitted, we met on the training course attached to the check-in area and were given instructions on how to work the gear. This consists mainly of what to do if you find yourself stuck, or you need to brake. Both very important skills to learn or master! When you are out on the course, you are basically on your own or with your fellow adventurers, rather than having staff there, which was new for me. I’ve only been to ziplines where guides assist with both take-off and landing (I’ve also only ever been in Hawaii where I’m told they have some more strict regulations). I didn’t find it difficult to learn or follow the directions.  We were also given the rules while on the course.




One person max on the ropes. No more than 3 people on the landing. 




Keep your "free" hand hovering over the rope and land with your feet. If you don't make it across, turn backwards and "monkey crawl" your way to the landing. 




Be sure to attach your lock and adjust as you are moving. These pics are like a more illustrated version of IKEA directions! 

Note about kids. The suggested age for this trip is 6+, but for the ropes and zips course alone, I would recommend thinking about postponing the trip until a kid was 9 or 10.  Not because the kids can’t do it, but because if you’re a shorty, then some of the course will be much more difficult and demanding for that reason. Our youngest were 8 and they were *awesome* and totally made it through, but it would have probably been a tiche easier if they were a little taller. So actually, don’t even go so much by age as by height. 




From the training area, where you practiced the moves and maneuvers, we were released into the wild and onto the actual course. The adventure group goes on the Green Run, which is the longest of the 5 runs offered. There aren’t any long zips on this one; mostly shorter zips and ropes challenges. It took us a good 2 hours to get through the whole thing. I think if we would have been first it would have taken about 45 minutes to an hour. It was really long! 




It is physically demanding. And you’re up in the trees. We loved it and we are in pretty good shape. Our whole group was generally active in our regular lives, but it could be difficult if you aren’t used to being active. It’s also up in the air, so height fears might be manifest on this particular day. 




There were definitely some nerve wracking parts, and I consider myself a pretty adventurous person. You won’t fall b/c you’re tied in, but it makes you apprehensive either way. The grandparents in our group chose not to partake and not everyone in our group ended up making it, as an FYI. 

Once you are done with the green run you are free to do any of the others. We chose only to do one more; the blue. Why should you do the blue run? This is why. 




Who doesn't want a framed pic of that?!?

The blue run is not only high in the air, but consists of 85% zipping. It also has the longest zip in the park. I did the blue run twice because I’m an actual a 10-year-old. 




The guides will stay as long as the last family wants. You will have the choice of walking back to town or having them arrange transportation. We walked back. It’s only about a 10-15 minute walk along the river. Literally the only reason the guides arrange a taxi in the morning is for the experience. I didn't want to overwhelm the descriptions with pics for this post, so I'm going to add an additional pics-only post with a few more of our favorite shots from the park. Enjoy!​


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## mare1203

*Zip Gliding Away*




Sorry not sorry. I couldn't resist.
























































I found this random pic in the guide pics, and figured it would be a nice bookend to this post.​


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## BluesTraveler

Very interesting about the lack of air conditioning - that's the kind of thing that would be rough for me so I am glad you posted that detail.


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## tgeorge

I would have also done the lines multiple times like you did  I'm also a kid when it comes to those types of activities


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## bearsgirl

BluesTraveler said:


> Very interesting about the lack of air conditioning - that's the kind of thing that would be rough for me so I am glad you posted that detail.


The Regina Palace in Stresa doesn't have air conditioning either. A lot of hotels in Europe either don't have A/C or don't have it at the level we are used to in the United States.


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## kanadar

*Yay!!! You are finally back  Funny enough, my phone let me know 1 year ago we were zipping! It was a lot of fun, but I would have preferred the blue course more. The green course was long (partially because we kept getting stuck behind people getting stuck) and not enough zips for me! *



bearsgirl said:


> The Regina Palace in Stresa doesn't have air conditioning either. A lot of hotels in Europe either don't have A/C or don't have it at the level we are used to in the United States.



*Actually the Regina Palace does have A/C. It may not have been up to the level we're used to but there definitely was one. I remember because I slept so well there! The fan on the A/C was set to run all the time so it was the perfect white noise for me!*


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## mare1203

BluesTraveler said:


> Very interesting about the lack of air conditioning - that's the kind of thing that would be rough for me so I am glad you posted that detail.



Happy to help! A/C is one of the main amenities ABD uses first when searching out hotels, as an fyi, so it's usually not a problem. Also usually not a problem here because it's almost never necessary. We just happened to hit an unusual heat wave. Actually, when we were in Lucerne, they hit record heat! That hotel had A/C, though, so no worries there.



tgeorge said:


> I would have also done the lines multiple times like you did  I'm also a kid when it comes to those types of activities



Glad I'm not the only one! It's usually me and the children in those situations.


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## tgeorge

Glad I'm not the only one! It's usually me and the children in those situations.[/QUOTE]


I'm convinced this is why my niece and nephew love to hang out with me.


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## mare1203

*Lunchtime and a Story*

Just a short update today. I'll be back with a longer one tomorrow! Once we arrived back at the hotel, it was an afternoon of free time in Zermatt. We changed into clean shirts and headed out in search of some lunch. There are a ton of hikers in Zermatt, so you aren’t out of place in hiking or casual clothes here. 




We walked around a bit before running into a couple from our adventure at the Cafe Du Pont. We asked if they’d like to join us and they affirmed, so we grabbed a table. 




A not so great picture of their menu. The Restaurant Du Pont is the oldest restaurant in Zermatt and located just outside the Hotel Zermatterhof and the Matterhorn Museum. It specializes in the local specialties of Valais and touts itself as the best cheesehouse in town. 




Both Bob and Kathy chose the sausage and fries.  




I went with another Swiss specialty: Rosti! Many consider the Rosti to be Switzerland's national dish. This is the Rosti with ham and cheese. As you can see, Rosti is a grated potato dish, in the style of a fritter, or pancake. Originally popular at breakfast, Rosti is now eaten at all times. It was a big portion, but delicious! Highly recommend. 




We enjoyed the Cafe Du Pont for a quick lunch. Don't expect gourmet food; this is Swiss comfort food. We weren't super hungry, even after our day on the ropes, due to the heat, and this tided us over. The company was great, though. If you are looking for another good meal spot in Zermatt, our companions recommended the Restaurant Whymper Stube across from the hotel. I have heard great things, but probably more of a dinner spot than lunch. Whymper was the man who led the first successful ascent of the Matterhorn, so you'll see his namesake all around Zermatt. 




The couple had done the Matterhorn museum, which was located next to the hotel. The tent in this pic is a pop-up shop next door to the museum. They recommended it, but we never made it over. Not enough time. If you do have a chance, I would check it out, though!




I should also mention that Zermatt was in earnest preparation for the 150th anniversary of the 1st ("semi") successful ascension of the Matterhorn. I think the next ABD was actually there right around the anniversary, as we were about 11 days early. 

Story time! Because no beautiful mountain should be without a both harrowing and tragic story. Also, perhaps a small spoiler alert if you are going to see the Matterhorn and don't want to hear about the controversial first ascent! The successful ascension of the Matterhorn was the last Alpine peak to be climbed, and marked an end to the golden age of alpine climbing. I add the aside of "semi" to successful, because the first successful ascent of the Matterhorn was also part tragedy, turned into major controversy and made worldwide news. While the original party of 8 all successfully reached the peak, only 4 of the original 8 made a successful descent down the mountain, after one man slipped. Upon slipping  on the north face of the mountain, the man subsequently pulled 3 other men directly behind him down with him, resulting in their death. 3 of the 4 men's bodies who slipped on the way down were rescued, and later buried. One body, that of Lord Douglas has never been found. Only a pair of gloves, a belt, and boot were ever found belonging to him. After some investigation into the accident and upon closer inspection of the ropes, it was found that a few of the ropes used should have been in reserve, and not being used as main ropes. The 4 survivors had to answer for their responsibility in the accident and were accused of cutting the rope to ensure they were not also dragged down. While 3 of the guides were tried in court, they were all later acquitted. The tragedy nevertheless leaves a black scar on an otherwise monumental moment in climbing history. 

After finishing lunch we went out in search of some shopping. There is quite a bit of shopping to be done in Zermatt, but it’s pretty expensive. If you want to look at ski or hiking clothes, gear, or other Matterhorn accessories, then this is your place. Otherwise, wait for Lucerne as it is a little cheaper and there are popular souvenirs such as Swiss Army Knives and chocolate all over Switzerland.

Earlier that day Stephanie had offered to go on a hike with anyone interested in the afternoon. She told us to meet her at 4:00 and we would go. We planned on doing the hike, so we made sure to make it back in time to join. We did use our afternoon time to shop for our White Elephant gift later on in the trip.




On our way back to the hotel for a short rest we also stopped at Stefanie's Creperie for a crepe (carbo loading in anticipation of the hike; it’s important.) The creperie offers both sweet and savory options. 








These were made fresh. It's a small shop, right on the main drag, but has lots of personality. 




Kathy got a chocolate crepe. 




I chose banana chocolate.  Sorry for the lack of "bitten into so you can see the gooey inside" shots, but rest assured both were delicious. Nom nom.​


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## mare1203

*Hiking Edelweiss*




At 4:00 we met Steph for the hike to Edelweiss, which is a small hotel, hiking stop, and teahouse in Zermatt. There were about 12 of us in all, so it was a nice size group, though not everyone made it to the top. This was not a planned activity for the ABD, but rather Steph liking to be active, wanting to spend her free afternoon hiking, and offering us to come along. It's an easy trail to follow, though not an easy hike, so you could do it during your free time if you go on the trip and your guide doesn't mention it. We were told it was about a 45 minute hike up to Edelweiss and found this to be pretty much spot on. I would call the hike mid-to-strenuous. It is certainly not for the faint of heart or for those who are not currently active. But, the trail is well marked and it’s mostly uphill, but no scrambling or anything like that. The hike/tea house can even be found on TripAdvisor under Edelweiss if you want to search it out beforehand.




Stephanie actually hadn’t ever done the hike before, so we had some fun searching for the trailhead. I always have trouble finding the trailhead at first. I’m great with directions, but for some reason hiking is always a crap shoot with me. I can be your guide for most things in life, but don’t put me in charge of a hiking map!




Is this the trailhead? No? Okay, we'll keep searching then. We did some asking around for the trailhead. It actually didn't end up being very hard to find.








*Starts singing: The hills are alive*...okay, okay, sorry, couldn't resist on a hike that ended at Edelweiss, and these Alpine grasses! The hike starts out fairly flat in the Alpine grasses before you turn upward and begin the more strenuous ascent. 




We were maybe a third of the way up when we snapped this pic. That is our hotel, and funny story, but we could see some adventurers relaxing on their balcony. We tried and (obviously) failed to capture their attention. 












Some nature pics from our hike up. 




The views over Zermatt are incredible, as Steph is demonstrating here. 












It's cool to see the village from that vantage point. It’s also easy to see the layout of the city to get your bearings.








About halfway up we ran into a waterfall. Nature’s air conditioning! It was really cool, pun sort of intended. Note: if you want to do the hike, but don't think you're up for the whole trip, this waterfall sort of marked the beginning of the true ascent. I think anyone in decent shape would make it here without too much trouble. 




We even ran into this small grave site, from over 100 years ago!




During the hike, we got a chance to talk with Steph and learn about some of the other trips she guides. Both the Germany and the Central Europe trip sound awesome! We also talked a little about how it was interesting that the kids hadn’t really stuck to the guides this trip. In my experience, and in talking with others who have been on ABD’s, including guides, I’ve found that usually the kids will bond with each other and at least one of the guides. I think there are a couple of reasons that didn’t happen on our trip. First, one of the groups was a family reunion and had cousins who didn’t live near one another. Made sense in that they’d want to hang out with one another. Also, our group had more young boys than girls, along with 2 female guides. There were 2 8-year-olds, one who was a bundle of energy and the other was more reserved. They became friends with one another. And the 2 young girls on the trip were about 13-14, so they were going through a little of a ‘we’re not sure if it’s cool to think this is cool’ stage. I remember that age well. 

Stephanie told us that she usually ends up doing the little girls’ hair and things (we had commented on her braiding prowess). So, we told her we would totally let her do our hair, if she missed it and felt like doing it. Kathy and I are definitely not above being actual 10-year-olds. Plus, I can’t do braids and love it when someone does them for me. In fact, the last time I saw Kathy I asked with puppy dog eyes ‘will you do me a favor?’, and she replied ‘what do you want?’, to which my dad didn’t even blink and said ‘she wants you to braid her hair.’ Yup, that’s me.




We made it to the top! And took a couple of pictures to boot! Yay! 




Stephanie trying to selfie us all in...




And the result when the owner was like, here, just let me take the picture of the group! 




Kathy immortalized our trip via social media and a fun border.




Once we made it back down the mountain, we headed to our room to clean up for dinner. This impromptu hike ended up being one of my favorite activities of the trip!​


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## sayhello

Gorgeous!  That hike looks wonderful!  

Stephanie is supposed to be one of the Guides on my ABD Danube river cruise in 2 weeks!  (A lot of it mirrors the Central Europe trip).  

Sayhello


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## mare1203

sayhello said:


> Gorgeous!  That hike looks wonderful!
> 
> Stephanie is supposed to be one of the Guides on my ABD Danube river cruise in 2 weeks!  (A lot of it mirrors the Central Europe trip).
> 
> Sayhello



Yes! The middle of her adventure season is the river cruises! You'll love her (though I think they're all great). I'll be interested to hear about the experiences with the guides on the river cruise, especially coming from people who have been on the regular ABD's, since it will be a little different format. Fantastic line-up of guides for the river cruises, though! I'm so jealous and looking forward to hearing from you and so many others over the coming weeks!


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## mare1203

*Hotel Zermatterhof Dinner*

Once we cleaned up and changed our clothes, it was time to meet the group for dinner. Dinner that night was held in the restaurant at the Grand Hotel Zermatterhof where we were staying. This was also the kids’ night. 




We ate in the same restaurant, but different areas. No one but our group was in their that night. The adults were seated in the area in the back with the picture windows. After finishing their meals, the kids went to watch a movie. 








Sitting down we were greeted by these awesome menus. Yes, I totally still have mine. Look at that awesome picture of Uncle Walt?! Proof he really did spend time in Zermatt. 

We must have all gotten the same thing here for dinner, because i only have pictures of one entree. 




The restaurant was serving a white wine and this Pinot Noir. My dad really liked this one. I believe it was from Switzerland, or perhaps France? 




We all started with this salad. It doesn’t look like much, but this salad was delicious! The flavors went well together and the cheese and apricot added a nice texture. Also, always nice to get a few greens while on vacation. The other options were a meat salad and a soup. I'd be interested in seeing what the meat salad was like, but no one at our table ordered it. Also, it was way too hot for soup!




I got the lamb with vegetables and potatoes. I definitely know it was my entree because I am a big fan of lamb. From what I remember, this was tasty and a good portion. 




To finish, we got some passion fruit mousse with chocolate ice cream. It was a yummy and light end to the dinner. We found this meal to be nice and relaxing. 




It was a chance for everyone to enjoy one anothers’ company without any other entertainment. Plus, by this point in the trip, we had a chance to get to know one another pretty well and you’ve moved on from general small talk. 




A pic I snapped of the wine cellar in the middle of the restaurant. 




After dinner we walked around a bit and then enjoyed the evening in our hotel room. It had been a long day! 




There were only 2 chairs on the balcony, so we improvised...




When we arrived in the hotel room upon checking in the day before, each family had a horse and carriage. Turns out there was chocolate in that there carriage!




I'm not sure who took this pic, but they were clearly trying to be "artsy".




We had to dig the chocolate out before we left the next morning, as it wasn't going to survive in anyone's bag in it's original state. 

After enjoying the balcony, we headed to bed. Next morning we were off to Lucerne! ​


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## mare1203

*Furka Pass*




Friday morning we woke up to one last breakfast in Zermatt. We were headed to Lucerne that day! We met in the lobby of the hotel and walked to the train station. I didn't have anywhere else to put this, but there is a McDonald's in Zermatt. It's one of the two most expensive McDonald's in the world. We didn't eat here, just a fun fact for ya. 




We took the train back from Zermatt to meet our bus. Had some time to use the facilities before boarding the bus. This one was equipped with wi-fi as well. I didn’t use the wi-fi much, but when I did use it, I found it worked very well. We’re definitely making progress in transport connectivity!

Our trip that morning was scheduled to take us from Zermatt to the Furka Base Tunnel, which would take us, on the bus, on a train through the tunnel under the Furka Pass. The Furka Pass is one of the highest paved roads in Europe. If you have seen James Bond’s Goldfinger (I haven’t, blasphemy, I know), the Furka Pass was used as a location in that film.




To start our journey, our guides gave us some information about Christmas in Europe. Christmas is still quite traditional and religious in Europe, in contrast to much of the mass commercialization seen here in the US. St. Nicholas Day, on December 6, is the day where kids put their shoes outside the door and wake up to oranges, chocolates, and other small gifts. It's the traditional gift day in Europe. In Germany and Switzerland, Christmas is celebrated on December 24th, while December 25th and 26th are natioal holidays. The Christmas tree goes up on the 24th and stays up from December 24th - January 6th, when the Wise Men made it to Bethlehem. Also, the German pickle thing? You know, if you've ever been to the German Pavilion in Epcot where "tradition" states Germans put a pickle ornament somewhere on the tree and then whoever finds it gets a small gift? Yeah, that's definitely made up. Steph said that they were confused when she worked in the German pavilion, but she and her other cast members figured maybe somewhere in Germany did it, but alas, they've asked around for years and never found anyone. 

After our tradition lesson, we watched Fantasia. Well, actually we watched the scenes of Fantasia Stephanie liked and decided we should watch...semantics. Most adventurers were doing their own thing, anyhow.








Kathy and I also got our hair did! 




It took us around two hours to reach the Furka Pass station where our bus was to be put on the train and we were going to tunnel through.  We had some time to use the facilities and stretch our legs. Also, they put out the snack box, because ABD refuses to let you go hungry!

You know the phrase “the best laid plans”? Weeeeelll, going through the pass via tunnel didn’t end up happening. Real life decided to intervene. Or, in this case we blame the luggage guy in Zermatt who quipped ‘why are you tunneling through the pass; it’s a beautiful day. The views will be amazing’. Turned out the bus was about 3 inches too tall. We would be going over the pass after all.

Stephanie and Jessica were not amused. We soon learned why.












The views on our journey over the Furka pass were, indeed, beautiful. They were also, pardon my language, scary as ****! I don’t normally get nervous or apprehensive in a car or on a bus, but there were definitely some tense moments during this drive. More than once I held on thinking ‘I’m pretty sure the driver needs to slow down here’. 




Yeah, those aren't just rocks all the way up, that's most definitely the road. 












At some point, I think pretty much everyone in the bus was in some level of freak out. Even Stephanie and Jessica moved more towards the back of the bus so they didn't have to watch! On a motorcycle or in a little sports car this drive would be absolutely amazing. In a bus? Not so much. 




We did stop at the top and got a few pictures (those of us brave enough to get off the bus anyway).








Happily, we DID make it over the pass and were back on semi-flat ground without 1,000 switchbacks.

I also need to give a shout-out to Stephanie here, because in addition to finding out we would be going over the Furka Pass, rather than on the train like usual, this is where she realized that she accidentally left her backpack on the wrong bus. There were two identical buses when she was playing Tinkerbell in the morning and she put her backpack on one, only to find out we were in the other bus and forgot to switch it. I have no idea how the woman stayed as outwardly calm as she did about the situation. I've lost things before and, in my case, I get really hot and nervous and freak-out trying to figure out what to do or where it might be. Really, though, props to her for keeping a level head, continuing to guide like a champ, all while trying to figure out both WHERE her backpack might be, what all was in it, and if there was a way she could get it back anytime soon. I mean, I've been in similar situations before and once you get over the initial shock and acceptance that it is what it is, there is no other course of action other than continuing on and figuring out how to take care of it. But, either way, digs in pocket, pulls out props and kudos and throws them in the air to Steph in that situation. Also, it has a happy ending!​


----------



## tgeorge

That road looks terrifying!!


----------



## kanadar

mare1203 said:


> I'm not sure who took this pic, but they were clearly trying to be "artsy".



*That would be me! I was trying for a cool picture, but clearly failed haha!*



mare1203 said:


> We had to dig the chocolate out before we left the next morning, as it wasn't going to survive in anyone's bag in it's original state.



* This may also have been a "mmmm that was good chocolate, is there more hidden inside!!?" situation. May have been a bit alcohol induced excitement *



mare1203 said:


>



*Yeah I believe those poles were supposed to keep you from going over IF something terrible happened...for some reason I don't think those would do a whole heck of a lot*


----------



## sayhello

All I have to say about those roads is:  

I can't imagine a Guide without her backpack!!  That would definitely be a   moment for me, too!

Sayhello


----------



## GAN

mare1203 said:


> At 4:00 we met Steph for the hike to Edelweiss, which is a small hotel, hiking stop, and teahouse in Zermatt. There were about 12 of us in all, so it was a nice size group, though not everyone made it to the top. This was not a planned activity for the ABD, but rather Steph liking to be active, wanting to spend her free afternoon hiking, and offering us to come along. It's an easy trail to follow, though not an easy hike, so you could do it during your free time if you go on the trip and your guide doesn't mention it. We were told it was about a 45 minute hike up to Edelweiss and found this to be pretty much spot on. I would call the hike mid-to-strenuous. It is certainly not for the faint of heart or for those who are not currently active. But, the trail is well marked and it’s mostly uphill, but no scrambling or anything like that. The hike/tea house can even be found on TripAdvisor under Edelweiss if you want to search it out beforehand.



Definitely an impressive hike and great pics!  Out of curiousity, it looks like you climbed a 1000' or so from the center which is probably 5-6000' ....that's a good 1-HR climb up and a great workout if you're used to sea level altitudes!


----------



## mare1203

tgeorge said:


> That road looks terrifying!!



It was equal parts terrifying and beautiful. Going up wasn't too bad, but we were near the front and coming back down had a few frightening moments. 



sayhello said:


> All I have to say about those roads is:
> 
> I can't imagine a Guide without her backpack!!  That would definitely be a   moment for me, too!
> 
> Sayhello



I know! I felt so bad for her. She kept it together so well, but you could still tell there were 100 thoughts going through her mind, including, omg, what am going to do?!? She made it work, though. A consummate professional, for sure.  



GAN said:


> Definitely an impressive hike and great pics!  Out of curiousity, it looks like you climbed a 1000' or so from the center which is probably 5-6000' ....that's a good 1-HR climb up and a great workout if you're used to sea level altitudes!



Thank you! It was definitely a great workout. Honestly, I noticed the altitude most when we were at the Gornergrat, versus here, but the thin air was definitely felt. It was nice to be able to grab some hydration at the top, because we needed it! I think they had some sports drinks for sale up top, and we brought along water. In true guide form, Steph even brought along some snacks. We didn't go up too fast; I thought the pace was good. Some of the adventurers were beasts at the hike and made it seem like nothing!


----------



## mare1203

*Lunch in Andermatt*




As we were driving into Andermatt, Jessica got very excited to tell us about her cows, which live on the mountain and one side has longer legs than the other to help them balance better.

For the next 10 minutes, our bus ride went something like this: 
Jessica - “Let’s do cow jokes!” ... Steph - “No. No one cares”... 
Jessica - "Where do cows go for entertainment"... a few adventurers murmur, "I don't know", 
Steph throws over shoulder - "No one cares" 
Jessica - “What do you call a cow with no legs?” … Steph - “NO ONE CARES!” 
Kathy and I found this so hilarious that nearly a year later we still randomly text each feigning an important question, then asking a cow joke, with the other responding "NO ONE CARES" (again, actual 10-year-olds)




We arrived in Andermatt for our lunch. We ate at the Gasthaus zum Sternan. It’s a pretty traditionally themed restaurant with a variety of choices. 




After our harrowing journey nearly everyone of European drinking age took advantage of a thumbs up and had a beer or wine.








 We made it!




We started with a basic and tasty green salad. 




I believe this is a sort of Swiss version of meatloaf. 




The other option we tried was a spaghetti and what look like pork or veal cutlets. Apparently, I didn’t take notes on our meal thoughts, so you just get the pics. That’s what really matters anyway, right? 




We finished with an apple strudel that I do know was delicious. It had a nice vanilla sauce on top. 








After lunch, we had the opportunity to go visit Jessica’s cows. 




















We went up to stretch our legs and enjoy the sunshine. 

Andermatt serves as a sort of center to Switzerland, marking a crossroads between both the North and South as well as the East and West. There are some ski areas, which is what drives the visitors, along with a train station. ​


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## kanadar

Hey mare, What do you call a cow with no legs?



(Yep, total 10 year olds)


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## carpenta

Do they still have those roving bands of "cow tipping youths" roaming the mountain fields?......LOL


----------



## mare1203

kanadar said:


> Hey mare, What do you call a cow with no legs?



NO. ONE. CARES. KATHRYN!


----------



## mare1203

*Biking Riding on Lake Lucerne*

Back on the bus, we were about 35 minutes from our next destination: bike riding.

During the ride we got a couple of stories from the guides: one about the devil’s bridge and another about William Tell.​​


Pic credit to Roland Zumbühl (Picswiss), Arlesheim, http://www.picswiss.ch/geo.html

The first story is actually quite a popular one in Europe and similar legends attached to a number of old bridges in a few different countries. This version relates to the bridge in Schollenen Gorge, which opens up passage to the St. Gotthard Pass. It is an important access route connecting Italy to southern Switzerland and on to Lucerne and Zurich. Interestingly enough, the Gottahard Pass is home to 3 of the world’s longest tunnels (each were the longest when completed. The most recently completed tunnel, the Gotthard Base tunnel, is currently the world’s longest and deepest traffic tunnel). Anyway, back to our story of the Devil’s Bridge. The Schollenen Gorge has many sheer granite walls, which required a bridge for safe passage. The legend tells that the bridge was constructed by the Devil. In exchange for building the bridge, the Devil requested to receive the first thing that crossed upon completion. The people of Uri, the canton to which the bridge belongs, tricked the Devil and sent over a dog by throwing a piece of bread to encourage his crossing. Upon realizing he had been tricked, the Devil went to fetch rock, planning to destroy the bridge. However, along the way, he came upon a holy man who forced him to drop the rock. This rock can still be seen today and is known as the Devil’s stone. 

The second story was that of William Tell. Many people have heard of William Tell and most would recognize the William Tell overture, but he is a folk hero in Switzerland. Tell was known as an expert with the crossbow and a mountain climber. During his time, the emperors of Austria seeked to dominate the canton of Uri, and Tell became one of the resistors to Austrian rule. Gessler, an Austrian leader put in charge of the Swiss area they hoped to conquer, came to the area, raised a pole, hung his hat on it, and demanded the people bow before the hat. When Tell and his son were in the area, he refused to bow before the hat. Upon learning of Tell’s defiance, he called upon both Tell and his son to be executed. However, he had heard about Tell’s famed marksmanship and tacked a caveat onto the punishment, allowing Tell to redeem his life should he successfully shoot an apple off his son’s head. Tell successfully split the apple. Gessler spoke to Tell after, enquiring about why he took 2 bows in anticipation of the shot. Tell confessed that should he have killed his son, the second bow was meant for Gessler. Enraged, Gessler ordered Tell imprisoned rather than release him. While on the way to the prison, a fierce storm broke out on Lake Lucerne and Gessler was persuaded to remove Tell’s shackles so he could assist. Tell was promptly able to flee and went cross-country. When Gessler arrived, Tell was able to intercept his arrival by shooting him with a crossbow. The assassination of Gessler by William Tell prompted the rebellion, in which he also fought, and thus cemented Tell as a hero and leading figure in the formation of the modern Switzerland Confederation. 




Then, came the very fun game of...BUS OLYMPICS! This was silly and fun and a good way to pass the time. Essentially, it allowed us to play some games to pass the time and allowed for our guides to continue being ridiculous. Mary and Kathy approved.




We arrived at Lake Lucerne for our bike ride. This is 100% a joke, but it was so hot in Switzerland, when we got on the bikes we all chided our guides that the brochure lied about the bike ride! When you pull it up on the ABD site and in the book, the pictures all show people in long pants and scarves and such. Yeah, we wouldn’t be needing those! 




We all got an overview of the safety tips, did a quick circle and then were on our way. Before we left, Stephanie and Jessica had told us that people were very friendly in the area and it's common courtesy to greet them as you pass. The greeting we should be using is "Gruetzi" (which, phonetically is pronounced grits-ee). However, I did notice a number of groups chuckling to one another as an entire group of 35 people exclaimed "Gruetzi!" as they passed. Didn't stop us, but made both me and those I passed smile a bit. 




It is definitely a leisurely bike ride and the scenery is beautiful. We joked that they really should have picked somewhere nicer for the ride since Lake Lucerne is so ugly. About halfway through we stopped for some pictures and then made our way back to the start. 
​The bike riding was not intense at all, but the path wasn’t paved, so you should be aware of that if you don’t ride bikes often or you have kids who haven’t experienced that before. If you have the chance, go on some bike rides prior to this trip to get yourself ready. Like with a couple other posts, I'm going to do a second post below of just pics for your enjoyment.​


----------



## mare1203

​


----------



## mare1203

carpenta said:


> Do they still have those roving bands of "cow tipping youths" roaming the mountain fields?......LOL



Ha! I'm sure they do. I also have a feeling some of our JA's either would be or _*are*_ in those roving bands! Good thing the cows have those shorter legs to combat the tipping


----------



## carpenta

It looks like a beautiful ride. Sure looks like it beats that Germany bike ride we did a few years ago. Wonderful pictures, thank you.


----------



## figment52

kanadar said:


> Hey mare, What do you call a cow with no legs?
> 
> 
> 
> (Yep, total 10 year olds)



It doesn't matter, it can't come when you call it.  total 'sick' 10 year old at heart.


----------



## mare1203

carpenta said:


> It looks like a beautiful ride. Sure looks like it beats that Germany bike ride we did a few years ago. Wonderful pictures, thank you.



I've never been on the Germany ABD, but I've read a few reports. This bike ride is easy and relaxing (read: no hills!), and offers a unique way to enjoy the beauty of the lake. They also don't use the bike riding as a pretense to get somewhere else; it's a self-contained activity!


----------



## mare1203

figment52 said:


> It doesn't matter, it can't come when you call it.  total 'sick' 10 year old at heart.



OMG, this reply literally made me laugh out loud for a good 2 minutes! I'm even chuckling now 







...also, in case anyone is wondering, the actual punchline to "What do you call a cow with no legs?" is "Ground Beef"


----------



## figment52

mare1203 said:


> OMG, this reply literally made me laugh out loud for a good 2 minutes! I'm even chuckling now
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...also, in case anyone is wondering, the actual punchline to "What do you call a cow with no legs?" is "Ground Beef"



Whew!  I was reluctant to post this for fear that no one else would get my sense of humor.

Ground Beef is a good answer too.


----------



## OKW Lover

Was there an alternative activity to the bike riding?  Not sure at all that I want to attempt a bike after 40 years.  Yes, I know that once you learn you never forget....


----------



## mare1203

OKW Lover said:


> Was there an alternative activity to the bike riding?  Not sure at all that I want to attempt a bike after 40 years.  Yes, I know that once you learn you never forget....



I don't believe everyone in our group did bike riding, but I don't think there was a set alternative? I believe it was just one or two of our adventurers and they may have kept themselves occupied while we were out. However, if more than a couple people didn't want to go, I'm sure the guides would come up with something, or they'd have a conversation about alternative options during the ride time.


----------



## OKW Lover

Thanks.  We will be on this trip in late August and I know of at least 5 people in our group who will pass on the bike riding.


----------



## Cousin Orville

OKW Lover said:


> Thanks.  We will be on this trip in late August and I know of at least 5 people in our group who will pass on the bike riding.



Is there an optional LV shopping excursion?  I may be on that one...


----------



## bearsgirl

Cousin Orville said:


> Is there an optional LV shopping excursion?  I may be on that one...


During our June 2016 trip there were several people who opted out of biking and chose to spend time sitting at the outdoor snack/coffee/drinks bar area nearby. 
The bar definitely does not resemble a Louis Vuitton store. 
Our biking experience was almost painfully slow so don't expect to be setting any speed records.


----------



## Cousin Orville

bearsgirl said:


> During our June 2016 trip there were several people who opted out of biking and chose to spend time sitting at the outdoor snack/coffee/drinks bar area nearby. Our biking experience was almost painfully slow so don't expect to be setting any speed records.



Just teasing.  I actually enjoyed our bike ride in Ireland.  It was the first time back on bike for me in years.  However, this August I'll be on this Italy/Switzerland ABD without kids, so just relaxing with some coffee/drinks sounds pretty nice.  It will probably be a last minute decision whether to bike or not.  We'll be on the Germany ABD next month and from what others have said about the Germany bike ride, we'll probably pass on that.


----------



## skunkvette

OKW Lover said:


> Thanks.  We will be on this trip in late August and I know of at least 5 people in our group who will pass on the bike riding.




That will be seven non riders, not sure if you counted us in your five.

In Ireland, we opted for the jaunty horse cart rather than bike ride, I am sure we will find something to keep us entertained.

Mare 1203, thank you for your wonderful trip report, we are starting to get excited for our late August adventure!

Frank


----------



## tgeorge

I love Italy and this trip (along with the Amalfi coast trip) look amazing.  I'm sure those of you on the upcoming tour will have an amazing time.

The bike ride would be fantastic, however, an LV shopping excursion is usually not something I would pass up


----------



## mare1203

bearsgirl said:


> During our June 2016 trip there were several people who opted out of biking and chose to spend time sitting at the outdoor snack/coffee/drinks bar area nearby.
> The bar definitely does not resemble a Louis Vuitton store.
> Our biking experience was almost painfully slow so don't expect to be setting any speed records.



Thanks for the info, bearsgirl! I do recall that outdoor snack/coffee bar nearby and I believe it's where our non-riders hung out while we were out. It's definitely "quaint", if I remember correctly. 

Our bike ride was fairly slow as well. Jessica took the helm with Steph bringing up the rear and we had a couple riders who were less than comfortable on the ride. We stopped quite a few times for the group to catch up, but once we left the picture spot on the lake, they pretty much let us spread out without too much stopping and I was able to glide a bit without feeling like I was in stop-and-go traffic. Ever gone horseback riding and having a young rider, so they tie all the horses together and you go through the whole thing at a walking pace? Yeah, bike riding is something like that, haha! But still fun.


----------



## mare1203

First of all, y'all are cracking me up with the LV excursion talk! 



Cousin Orville said:


> Is there an optional LV shopping excursion?  I may be on that one...





skunkvette said:


> That will be seven non riders, not sure if you counted us in your five.
> 
> In Ireland, we opted for the jaunty horse cart rather than bike ride, I am sure we will find something to keep us entertained.
> 
> Mare 1203, thank you for your wonderful trip report, we are starting to get excited for our late August adventure!
> 
> Frank





tgeorge said:


> I love Italy and this trip (along with the Amalfi coast trip) look amazing.  I'm sure those of you on the upcoming tour will have an amazing time.
> 
> The bike ride would be fantastic, however, an LV shopping excursion is usually not something I would pass up



There might not be an LV shopping excursion, but Bucherer, a famous Swiss watch store, is less than 30 minutes away from bike riding and within walking distance of the Lucerne hotel! And across the street from there is Laderach, one of the best chocolate shops I've ever been in. There might be a few "excursions" while on your walking tour of Lucerne. I could imagine a few shouts of 'hey, we lost Pete!...where did he wander into?' ... 'hold up...and now we've "lost" Kevin!'


----------



## christannj

We're up to 9 non riders next month....I have a feeling that the biking will end up being the "alternative"option for our group


----------



## tgeorge

mare1203 said:


> There might not be an LV shopping excursion, but Bucherer, a famous Swiss watch store, is less than 30 minutes away from bike riding and within walking distance of the Lucerne hotel! And across the street from there is Laderach, one of the best chocolate shops I've ever been in. There might be a few "excursions" while on your walking tour of Lucerne. I could imagine a few shouts of 'hey, we lost Pete!...where did he wander into?' ... 'hold up...and now we've "lost" Kevin!'



Well, watches are my other weakness  My DH makes fun of me. He says I'm probably one of few women to walk into a jewelry  store, by pass all the jewelry and head straight for the watch cases. I told him that they are shiny  too  Watches and chocolate....I'd say that is a winner


----------



## carpenta

Maybe the watch store will offer you free chocolate and you browse? Now that would be a home run tgeorge....LOL.....


----------



## tgeorge

carpenta said:


> Maybe the watch store will offer you free chocolate and you browse? Now that would be a home run tgeorge....LOL.....



It doesn't get much better than that (and beautiful scenery as an added bonus)


----------



## OKW Lover

skunkvette said:


> That will be seven non riders, not sure if you counted us in your five.


I hadn't Frank.  So seven non-riders out of about 20.  Hmm.  Sounds like we will have lots of company on that bench.  Or, more likely, in the shops.

Edited to add:
Now I see we have 9 non-riders!


----------



## mare1203

tgeorge said:


> Well, watches are my other weakness  My DH makes fun of me. He says I'm probably one of few women to walk into a jewelry  store, by pass all the jewelry and head straight for the watch cases. I told him that they are shiny  too  Watches and chocolate....I'd say that is a winner



Watches and chocolate are DEFINITELY a winning combination. Watches are my weakness as well. They're one of the few jewelry pieces I also find it easy to buy for myself...and there are so many pretty options!!


----------



## mare1203

*Exploring Lucerne*








Once we were back on the bus we finished up our bus Olympics and were quickly arriving in Lucerne. It is the largest city in the canton of Lucerne with just over 80,000 residents. Also easily the largest city we were in throughout the adventure. 




Its location Lake Lucerne is part of the draw for many tourists, who also use this as a landing spot for skiing, hiking, and other activities in the nearby mountains. Jessica joked that she thought the swans who make their home on the already gorgeous lake were really a bit much. It made me giggle to myself. 


The guides gave us some information regarding the area, especially Old Lucerne where more of the shopping is located. German is the official language here. It’s also the only location with a Starbucks, which the guides mentioned more than once. Adventurers really tend to miss their mediocre coffee drinks while on vacation, or perhaps they’re just collecting those location-based Starbucks mugs? Either way, I’m not a Starbucks fan, so I didn’t care, but it might be of use to future adventurers. 
​

​Jessica also told us we were welcome to buy her a watch at Bucherer, the famous watch store just down the street, but only if it was the most expensive one there. Okay Jessica, we’ll get right on that.




For our 2 nights in Lucerne, we were put up at the Hotel Schweitzerhof Luzern, located in a central location with beautiful views of the lake. The family-owned hotel has a guest list dating back to 1845, and each room is dedicated to one of the famous and/or illustrious guests of the past. 




We quickly arrived at the hotel and were welcomed with a drink (it was some sort of juice, but I’m not sure what kind exactly) and given our keys. Jessica said these were the most comfortable beds of the trip. And there was A/C, whoo! This was especially welcome because Lucerne was approaching record heat while we were there.​​









​I thought the rooms were well appointed. ​






The view of Lake Lucerne from our room. ​​





​
Once given our room keys we were free until dinner. We decided to go out and look around for a bit. Going through Lucerne was very different from the other locations in our tour, mostly owing to the fact that Lucerne is a relatively large city and we had been in quaint towns up until that point. It was busy while we were there, with a lot of tourists. I’ve heard past adventurers on the Germay trip say arriving in Munich is like, ‘whoa! People!’. I would think this is similar. Everything is pretty much within walking distance from the hotel. The city is beautiful, with lots of Old World European charm and definitely a bit of a mix of the modernity you might expect from Switzerland combined with the history of a centuries old city. There were plenty of chocolates, knives, and watches to be had!​


----------



## tgeorge

I see the watch store .


----------



## Cousin Orville

mare1203 said:


> It’s also the only location with a Starbucks, which the guides mentioned more than once. ...or perhaps they’re just collecting those location-based Starbucks mugs?



That would be me.  Isn't admitting to an your addiction the first step?


----------



## mare1203

Cousin Orville said:


> That would be me.  Isn't admitting to an your addiction the first step?



And the second step is knowing you aren't alone


----------



## mare1203

*Dinner in Lucerne*








After exploring the city a bit, we returned to the hotel for dinner. If I remember correctly, we chose the time we would be eating for dinner that night. It ranged from 5:30 - 7:30 maybe? At this point, used to eating later, we chose a later time. 




This was also the only disappointing meal of the trip.




We each started with a glass of wine. 




The salad was a caesar with parmesan. It was good, but nothing to write home about and definitely not flavor explosion from the night before. 




For my entree I went with the pork with gorgonzola cream sauce, potato gnocchi, and veggies. Sounds delightful, right? Especially with the gorgonzola cream sauce, which I am a sucker for and will likely order if it’s an ingredient. Sadly, it fell flat. 
​

​Kathy andBob both went with the roasted salmon with lemon sauce and basmati rice. They had the same sentiment for the salmon that I had with the pork. It wasn’t bad, it just fell flat.




We ended with a panna cotta with a raspberry sauce. 




Disney will often pick restaurants with “safe” menu options so everyone has an opportunity to find something, but many times they’ll slip in an option that is a little more adventurous or a cultural/country specialty. I would compare both the meal and the menu here to be “wedding reception” as it was a choice of chicken, salmon, or pork, and none of it wowed in the flavor category. One of our guides happened to stop by and asked about the meal and when we were just ‘meh’ about it, they said they’d pass it on. I think I would have preferred an OYO meal this day, or the idea I read about in CaliforniaGirl09’s Greece report where you can choose 1 of 4 or 5 restaurants and it’s on ABD. I feel it would have given us a chance to explore Lucerne a little further, as well. Okay, and I also just enjoy finding good places to eat.




Also, a side story because there is a pic to attach. One poor family on our trip started with something no one ever wants to experience while traveling: lost luggage. Luggage issues are never fun and always stressful, but in this case, Stresa is not what you would ever call a shopping mecca. In fact, there was very little shopping to be had for clothes. They had a chance to do some shopping in Lake Como and Zermatt, but those were still a few days into our adventure. Plus, the son who lost his bag was about 6’4” and well, that height is not so common in Italy… When the luggage didn’t arrive before we moved from Stresa to Zermatt, everyone was pretty bummed, to say the least. The family was stuck on the phone for more time than they cared trying to figure out where their bags were and how they could get to them. Our guides also worked tirelessly to help find their bags. *Finally*, two nights before we were scheduled to finish our adventure, their bags arrived!!! 




In true Disney form, we weren’t about to reunite them with their bags without a little fanfare. The guides were eating nearby when they got the call that the bags arrived. When we saw them get up, they informed us and another adventure family eating that the family’s bags had arrived. When Jessica, Stephanie, and the bags made their grand entrance we all started applauding and whooping for the reunion.​​I can’t remember, but I think they were going elsewhere for a few days after, so at least their bags made it in time for that? Although it was a happy ending, it doesn’t discount that the lost luggage was a major frustration for that family. ​​Funny enough, a year later this story came back into my life via my Facebook feed. Right before the inaugural Danube River Cruise, ABD did a “dry run” training cruise from Prague to Budapest. A family from our adventure was on the Tauck Danube River Cruise at the same time and ended up running into Steph and another adventurer and they posted a pic of the reunion on Facebook. The comment stream that followed was epic for many reasons, but mostly because someone mentioned that poor family who had lost their luggage on our adventure. Steph’s comment was literally: God, that moment when the luggage of the New York family finally arrived - I will never forget that! And she’s been guiding for 9 years. One of the adventurers then commented that, due to that family, their entire family split up their clothes into each of their suitcases so that if any pieces of luggage were lost everyone would at least have an extra outfit or two. I always try to pack a full change of clothes in my carry-on, especially on a trip like this. ​


----------



## mare1203

*Strolling About Lucerne*

Once we were done with dinner, we walked some of it off by strolling down the lake before heading in for the night.  It was a lovely night and lots of people were out strolling around.I don't have much to say, but a few pictures to post, so here you go!




































Apparently, iPhone's are less good at the evening pics!​


----------



## sayhello

mare1203 said:


> Disney will often pick restaurants with “safe” menu options so everyone has an opportunity to find something, but many times they’ll slip in an option that is a little more adventurous or a cultural/country specialty. I would compare both the meal and the menu here to be “wedding reception” as it was a choice of chicken, salmon, or pork, and none of it wowed in the flavor category. One of our guides happened to stop by and asked about the meal and when we were just ‘meh’ about it, they said they’d pass it on. I think I would have preferred an OYO meal this day, or the idea I read about in CaliforniaGirl09’s Greece report where you can choose 1 of 4 or 5 restaurants and it’s on ABD. I feel it would have given us a chance to explore Lucerne a little further, as well. Okay, and I also just enjoy finding good places to eat.


Actually, when ABD gave us the choice of restaurants to eat at on the Greece trip, if I remember correctly, they were all at nearby "sister" resorts that we were transported to.  We did not get meals in town paid for.  So it wouldn't have helped you explore Lucerne.

Sayhello


----------



## mare1203

sayhello said:


> Actually, when ABD gave us the choice of restaurants to eat at on the Greece trip, if I remember correctly, they were all at nearby "sister" resorts that we were transported to.  We did not get meals in town paid for.  So it wouldn't have helped you explore Lucerne.



Ah, I wasn't sure how that worked, so thanks for the clarification. Maybe the others enjoyed the meal, and I'm fairly certain it was meant to be a little more upscale than the others, but it just didn't work for me. I know some adventurers like having more meals as a group (though, this one wasn't with the group since each family picked a time), but I enjoy having a couple OYO dinners. And this itinerary doesn't have any OYO meals at all in Lucerne. Not sure if that's deliberate or just how the schedule ended up working out.


----------



## Cousin Orville

mare1203 said:


> Ah, I wasn't sure how that worked, so thanks for the clarification. Maybe the others enjoyed the meal, and I'm fairly certain it was meant to be a little more upscale than the others, but it just didn't work for me. I know some adventurers like having more meals as a group (though, this one wasn't with the group since each family picked a time), but I enjoy having a couple OYO dinners. And this itinerary doesn't have any OYO meals at all in Lucerne. Not sure if that's deliberate or just how the schedule ended up working out.



I tend to agree with you.  I like OYO dinners.  It's nice to have a little bit of time away from the larger group.  Plus a lot of times, you can find a better meal OYO.  The best dinner we had that ABD included was in Hanoi where they allowed you to eat at any of the restaurants at the hotel and allowed you to order off the menu.  It was a great hotel and had 3 really fabulous restaurants.  I wish ABD would do that more often.


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## sayhello

mare1203 said:


> Ah, I wasn't sure how that worked, so thanks for the clarification. Maybe the others enjoyed the meal, and I'm fairly certain it was meant to be a little more upscale than the others, but it just didn't work for me. I know some adventurers like having more meals as a group (though, this one wasn't with the group since each family picked a time), but I enjoy having a couple OYO dinners. And this itinerary doesn't have any OYO meals at all in Lucerne. Not sure if that's deliberate or just how the schedule ended up working out.


Food is not one of ABD's strong suits.  The Greece ABD is one of the few exceptions.   

Sayhello


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## lildreamer101

This might sound silly, but how do you pronounce Lucerne?


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## mare1203

lildreamer101 said:


> This might sound silly, but how do you pronounce Lucerne?



Not silly at all! I've heard it pronounced 2 ways: 1) Loose-earn or 2) Loots-earn


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## lildreamer101

mare1203 said:


> Not silly at all! I've heard it pronounced 2 ways: 1) Loose-earn or 2) Loots-earn



Oh, thanks!


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## lildreamer101

BTW, Those pictures are beautiful!


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## CaliforniaGirl09

sayhello said:


> Food is not one of ABD's strong suits.  The Greece ABD is one of the few exceptions.
> 
> Sayhello


I will second this! The food was consistently great in Greece. 
Mare1203 I've loved reading this trip report. It is definitely on my list. The pics are gorgeous. I can't remember whether you have an ABD this year, too? Hope you will do a TR for that one!


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## mare1203

lildreamer101 said:


> BTW, Those pictures are beautiful!



Thank you! The scenery certainly helps this less than amateur photographer! 



CaliforniaGirl09 said:


> I will second this! The food was consistently great in Greece.
> Mare1203 I've loved reading this trip report. It is definitely on my list. The pics are gorgeous. I can't remember whether you have an ABD this year, too? Hope you will do a TR for that one!



Thank you! The food in Greece sounded phenomenal! I try not to complain too much about food because food is so subjective. I know it would be the bane of my existence if I was ever a "power that be who got to design ABD itineraries". I spend a little time on the Disney Restaurants board, and whenever Disney tries to come up with a semi-adventurous menu...well, it doesn't usually go well. I recently asked a server at Disney Springs about their "hot sauce selection" and after looking at me like I have 2 heads, the waiter offered...umm, Tabasco? Apparently, I forgot I was no longer in the Southwest where they'd just bring you a spinner of at least 4. 

I *do* have an ABD planned for 2016 and I definitely plan on writing up a trip report when I return (and also hope not to semi-abandon it halfway through)!


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## mare1203

*Walking Tour of Old Town Lucerne*



Our final day of our Adventure started with breakfast in the hotel. Jessica had told us earlier she thought this one was the best breakfast of the bunch. Like the others, this was a buffet and had a large number of selections. The cheese selection was my personal favorite, but there was also the traditional meat, pastry, and hot breakfast bar. I’m sure there was also cereal, but I don’t like or eat cereal so I can’t comment. Also, I didn't have a picture of breakfast, so you get these pretty flowers from our tour that I didn't have a place for instead 




To start our day, we did a walking tour of Lucerne. Our guide was named...Rebecca. No joke, in my Google Drive folder with my outline for this report, I legitimately wrote ‘our guide was named...something’, since I couldn't remember. Then, I decided to double check the notes app on my phone for anything else I may have noted, but never got around to adding to the Google folder. Upon opening it, I found a whole host of information I took down from the walking tour. I even found Rebecca’s name! Thank goodness I planned for my forgetfulness in advance...



​Rebecca did a good job. I honestly didn’t find the history of Lucerne particularly interesting. However, that’s personal preference. This was one of the first times Disney has used the local guide for this portion of the tour. In the past, it has been done by the guides themselves. Also, I don't think anyone can beat Christina in Rome.​
Our tour began at the Schwanenplatz (in English: Swan’s Square), which is the traditionally entry point to Old Town Lucerne. It’s less than a 3 minute walk to the Schwanenplatz from the hotel. Although the area around it is busy with traffic, once you walk toward the actual square, it’s pretty much all pedestrian and easy to navigate. I’ll be honest in saying I didn’t actually notice this while we were in town, but now that I’m thinking back, I definitely remember not having to deal with cars in the area, and now I know why! It makes exploring and ducking into shops quite easy. 




Old Town Lucerne is essentially a series of small town squares along the river. The streets are cobblestone with many historic buildings, bridges and other monuments. As it runs along the river, even though the streets criss-cross throughout, you can’t easily get lost, so long as you can discern which way the river lies and re-orient yourself. 




From the Schwanenplatz we moved toward St. Peters Chapel on the Kapellplatz. I don't have a good picture of just St. Peters Chapel, but it is the building with the chapel on the right side of this photo. Lucerne was founded by Benedictine monks, with the Chapel serving as the first church in Lucerne. It was dependent on a monastery and never actually became a parish church. St. Peters Chapel marks the end of one end of the Chapel Bridge and the Kappellplatz square.  




Located in the Kappellplatz is the Fritschi Fountain, where we were able to fill our water bottles. It’s a Renaissance style fountain, but less than 100 years old. Similar fountains can actually be found throughout Swiss cities. 








The Fritschi Fountain is named after Brother Fritschi, who played a prominent role in the Lucerne Carnival tradition. The Fountain has 4 Carnival style masks. It’s rumored that Brother Fristchi is buried under the fountain. Since apparently I was a terrible photographer during this walking tour, these pics are not mine, but found on the All About Switzerland site. 




We made our way to the Kornmarkt, serving as the grain market and town hall in the early years of the city. 




In this area of the city, you’ll see many frescoes painted on the buildings. 



​​

​​


The middle of our tour took us to the Spreuer Bridge, the 2nd of two famous wooden covered bridges in Lucerne. 








The Spreuer Bridge features ancient paintings as you walk underneath, depicting the Dance of Death. 








While on this bridge we could also see the Nadelwehr water spikes. The water spikes can be lowered into or withdrawn and are used, even today, to regulate the water level of Lake Lucerne. In the above pics, you should be able to tell how tranquil the river is on one side, while on the other side of the spikes it is quite rough.







​​


One of the stops on our tour was the Jesuit Church of Lucerne. It’s a baroque style church; the first one built north of the Alps. Today it is a tourist attraction more than anything, and also serves as a concert hall. The inside of the church is reminiscent of many Catholic churches, with it’s giant organ, liberal use of marble, and depictions of the saints and other relics. When built, the Catholic Church was trying to assert itself against the Protestants during the Swiss Reformation through the Catholic tradition of emphasizing power and glory. 



​​


Of course, our tour would not be complete without a discussion of the famous Chapel Bridge. The Chapel Bridge is easily the showpiece of Lucerne, and likely the oldest wooden bridge in Switzerland. It’s also famous for its paintings under the roof, as very few covered wooden bridges feature paintings. The Chapel Bridge famously caught fire in 1993 and had to be restored. 




Only 25 of the original 110 pictures under the roof were saved or restored. The original pictures can be seen throughout the year, except during Carnival to guard against further damage during the boisterous time. The water tower connected to the bridge served as a dungeon, archive, and treasury vault. Unfortunately it is only for private club use and not open to the public.



​Our tour ended at the docks where we boarded our boat to lunch. The docks are located across the street from the Lucerne Railway Station. The current station was opened in 1991 after an architecture competition to design the building. The original station, opened in the late 1800’s, burned down in a fire (fire is a common theme here in Lucerne, as well as other European cities, it seems). The front of the old train station marks the entrance to the new, and is all that remains of the original.​


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## mare1203

*Old Town Lucerne Pics*

I had extra pics from the tour, so here you go. Enjoy!



























































​


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## mindeola

Wow! I am loving this trip report. Thanks for sharing.

The scenery is breathtaking. I can only imagine it was even better in person.

I think I have gained 15 pounds this morning just looking at your food pics!

I loved your first day in Switzerland outfit. The stripes, the orange scarf and the rolled jeans. Too cute! I also loved your dad's I run For Dole Whips shirt. I do too , Bob!


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## mare1203

mindeola said:


> Wow! I am loving this trip report. Thanks for sharing.
> 
> The scenery is breathtaking. I can only imagine it was even better in person.
> 
> I think I have gained 15 pounds this morning just looking at your food pics!
> 
> I loved your first day in Switzerland outfit. The stripes, the orange scarf and the rolled jeans. Too cute! I also loved your dad's I run For Dole Whips shirt. I do too , Bob!



Thank you! I enjoy writing the trip reports, and if they help or inspire others...even better! Trip reports really helped convince me to do ABD and gave some better insight into what ABD and group travel would entail, so I think it's only fair to give back. The food was delicious and I crave it often. I was just talking to my cousin and we both agree that while we have looooong bucket lists for travel, we'd both continue to visit Italy whenever we could, almost regardless of the bucket list. I'd also add France to that list, as I think both countries offer amazing food, wine, and culture to explore. 

My entire family has the "I run for Dole Whips" shirts and not only is it one of my favorites, but I almost always get compliments and comments when I wear it. Fellow cast members especially love it while we're at Disney. Plus, it's entirely true. I will absolutely run for Dole Whips!


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## tgeorge

The TR have been valuable resources for me!  Of course, my bank account may not agree   ABD wasn't even something I really thought of until I got a brochure and then found this board.  After reading all of the amazing TR from all of you who have taken them, it has really gotten me excited to take a number of adventures.  I hope that I can pay it back someday.


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## mare1203

tgeorge said:


> The TR have been valuable resources for me!  Of course, my bank account may not agree   ABD wasn't even something I really thought of until I got a brochure and then found this board.  After reading all of the amazing TR from all of you who have taken them, it has really gotten me excited to take a number of adventures.  I hope that I can pay it back someday.



Agreed on the bank account road block! I always enjoy this time of year because we get brand new TR's! I'm one of those weirdos who doesn't like surprises much, so I enjoy the TR's to give me an idea of what to expect. There are many trips that I would love to see a report from that haven't been done yet, but they're all helpful! You'll have a great time when you go on your first ABD!!


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## mare1203

*4th of July Swiss BBQ*








Once we finished our walking tour, it was time to head to lunch. We took a boat cruise from Lucerne to Vitznau. Vitznau is nestled between Lake Lucerne and Mount Rigi, the "Queen of the Mountains". 








We had first class tickets for this journey and were told by the guides that it would clear out when they checked tickets. We had some fun guessing who would get booted downstairs. We also had a chance to ask Jess about some souvenir ideas for Switzerland. She recommended the army knives and watches, along with chocolates, which was pretty much par for the course. 












We arrived at our destination and went the short 3 minutes to the bbq lunch. When we walked in it was decorated for the Fourth of July, Happy Independence Day, America (or 'Merica, depending on how you feel about us at the time, ha)! 








We took some pictures before getting some food. 








Starting off an Independence Day BBQ in the proper way: with a beer!





















The Swiss BBQ was one of my favorite group meals of the trip. Everything was fresh and delicious and they did a good job of keeping it stocked. 








A couple pics of my plate. 




After we were all served, the owner came out and gave us some information about Switzerland and how it's not necessarily always been neutral. However, I couldn't hear him very well and wasn't able to take notes for you. Sorry. 








Seeing as it was a celebration, we also received our pins for repeat adventurers. Apparently, now that we have done 2 we are adventure insiders, even though I just signed up on the website and have received the special gifts ever since.




Our dessert was a raspberry and apricot iced gelato/sorbet. It was quite hot that afternoon and this was a welcome (and yummy) dessert! I love apricot! ​


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## tgeorge

mare1203 said:


> Agreed on the bank account road block! I always enjoy this time of year because we get brand new TR's! I'm one of those weirdos who doesn't like surprises much, so I enjoy the TR's to give me an idea of what to expect. There are many trips that I would love to see a report from that haven't been done yet, but they're all helpful! You'll have a great time when you go on your first ABD!!




I said the same thing about this time of year    I'm not one for surprises either, so I love reading all of them and know what is coming.  Now to figure out what to do for 2018 . I have a couple of ideas, but with every TR, the list gets longer and longer.  I LOVE the new Rhine river cruise itinerary and I think I may actually be able to talk my husband into that one.  So, that may be the one I do next!  However, I did show him this itinerary and he thought it looked interesting as well.   I may make him a traveler yet . Enjoy your next trip and I certainly hope we get another TR.  Which, of course, will mean probably another destination to add to my list.


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## mare1203

tgeorge said:


> I said the same thing about this time of year    I'm not one for surprises either, so I love reading all of them and know what is coming.  Now to figure out what to do for 2018 . I have a couple of ideas, but with every TR, the list gets longer and longer.  I LOVE the new Rhine river cruise itinerary and I think I may actually be able to talk my husband into that one.  So, that may be the one I do next!  However, I did show him this itinerary and he thought it looked interesting as well.   I may make him a traveler yet . Enjoy your next trip and I certainly hope we get another TR.  Which, of course, will mean probably another destination to add to my list.



The Rhine river cruise itinerary looks awesome. As soon as I read through it in April, I knew a river cruise was going on my list. I wasn't actually super excited about the Danube, since there is an ABD that already visits the majority of locations, but the Rhine? All in. As you can probably tell, we just loved this itinerary. And I think they're making it even better in 2017. My least favorite days, the Lucerne days, are getting a bit of a makeover and the changes look to be things we would have very much enjoyed. 

I'm definitely planning on a TR, but we're actually headed on an ABD that already has quite a few other TR's, so it's probably already on your list.


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## mare1203

*Afternoon in Lucerne*




After lunch, the itinerary had said we were scheduled to do a hike and walk around the area. However, that wasn't actually in the plan, so we had about 30 minutes to an hour to explore around on our own. 
















There wasn't too much in town, but it was pretty. 












We were told to meet back up at the docks, so we could catch our ferry back to Lucerne.




Our captain! 




I enjoyed this sign warning people about swimming too close to the boats. Don't do it!




For our return journey, the guides had planned a fun event: white elephant! At the welcome dinner, they had announced that we would be doing this white elephant and said any family who wanted to participate was invited to do so. 




By the end of the adventure, people are relatively comfortable with one another and they enjoy watching the dynamics play out. I don't remember what the gift was that evoked this reaction, but there were some ridiculous gifts in the mix! This is what makes white elephant so fun. 




There were definitely some fun and tense moments in the white elephant exchange. It was also interesting to see what everyone picked. No family ended up buying the same thing, which was nice. 




We ended up with this *awesome* placemat/poster (you think I'm kidding...I'm not). I took it and put it up in my office. I smile and giggle a bit every time I see it. The only thing missing is a Swiss cow, haha! 

We finished up with just a few minutes before we would be docking in Lucerne. The afternoon was on our own time. Since we hadn't had much chance to shop in Switzerland, that was our afternoon activity. For our souvenirs, we ended up with the big 3: Swiss Army knives (and I actually use mine fairly often!), Kathy and I each got a Swatch, and some Swiss chocolates. 








Kathy and I got some truffles from Laderach. I maaay still have some left, sitting in my fridge (and no, my family doesn't understand my willpower). I need some more, because they are amazingly smooth and decadent. 
​Once we made our purchases, we headed back to the hotel to get ready for the farewell dinner (tear!). We also needed to cool off because it was hot! Again, so much for that cool adventure...​


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## mare1203

*Farewell Dinner, Part 1*




Our next adventure takes us to an always wonderful, but bittersweet activity: the farewell dinner. On our way down to the farewell dinner, we ran into another family who informed us that the restaurant wasn't air conditioned and we might want to change, seeing as it was still over 95 out despite it being after 5pm. Kathy and I were in sundresses, but my dad was in pants and a long sleeved shirt. He hemmed and hawed over changing; we finally convinced him he was dumb if he didn't.




Our destination that night was the Old Swiss House. It was built in 1859 and is located in the city center of Lucerne, about an 8-10 minute walk from the hotel. The building is one of the most photographed landmarks in Lucerne. 








The Old Swiss House was built in 1858. When the building was bought in 1931 by the the Bulhozer family, they turned it into the restaurant it remains today. Their daughter married August A. Busch, at the time President and CEO of Anheuser-Busch. This union started a long relationship between the restaurant, company, and families that lasts, even today. In fact, one of the son's is still in charge of the procurement of all imported hops for Anheuser-Busch, which is now, of course, part of InBev. The restaurant itself is currently run by son or grandson Phiippe Bulhozer.




The farewell dinner took place on the 2nd floor of the restaurant. They had the patio and windows open so some non-existent air could get through. It originally served as living quarters for the family until 1967 when it turned into a banquet area for private parties such as ours. Staff are dressed in original Lucerne attire. 








When we arrived, there were 3 gentlemen playing alphorns. They were awesome. 








We listened to them play a couple songs, and then the leader gave us some information about alphorns. Afterwards, we were  all invited to try it. 




The head honcho showing us how to blow into the mouthpiece to make noise. Stephanie mentioned to me that the guy was like, just pretend you're kissing and she was like, I dunno what kind of kissing that guy is doing  Haha, after playing the alphorn, I must agree, lol.




My family wasn't originally interested in trying the instrument, and abandoned me to try by myself. Luckily, the guides swooped in and saved me to take some pictures. It was actually really fun and I was able to make noises...success! 




Eventually, I convinced my family to give it a try as well. 












After spending some time with the alphorns it was time for dinner. As you might have guessed, the Old Swiss House specializes in outstanding Swiss cuisine. 




Our appetizer was a plate of cheese croquettes in a fresh tomato sauce. These were a fancy version of mozzarella sticks and they. were. delicious. 




One option for diner was salmon (I think. It may have also been perch) with boiled potatoes. Someone at our table who ordered this kindly allowed me to take a picture, as no one in my family ordered the dish. 




Everyone in my family got the stroganoff. Holy crap was this good. Some of the best stroganoff I've ever had, and my family makes a mean recipe. Only problem? Stroganoff is heavy comfort food that warms you and sticks to your ribs. Not the best choice for our sweltering evening. 

Don't worry, I still managed to polish it off. I only hated myself for a few hours afterwards.​​

​
Once dinner was finished, the guides "offered" to take us to the Lion Monument located nearby (read: we need to set up for the finale, and you need to leave while we do it).​


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## walnut611

Oooo...I want to try the alphorns too!  I can't believe it was 95 at 5 pm, and I thought we're having a heat wave here   Were they hot wearing the Lucerne attire?

I love beef stroganoff but can't make it.  Do you mind sharing the recipe?


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## lildreamer101

Aww... it's almost over.


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## mare1203

walnut611 said:


> Oooo...I want to try the alphorns too!  I can't believe it was 95 at 5 pm, and I thought we're having a heat wave here   Were they hot wearing the Lucerne attire?
> 
> I love beef stroganoff but can't make it.  Do you mind sharing the recipe?



The alphorns were definitely fun. I also might be biased because I could actually make some noise! We actually had a kid who chose to learn the trumpet after he left the adventure in part due to his experience with the alphorn! (the mouthpiece is similar).

Yeah, it was some awful heat (and I'm used to heat)! I think they had to be hot! There was definitely some sweat dripping down.

I'd be happy to share the recipe; I'll put it after my final thoughts!



lildreamer101 said:


> Aww... it's almost over.



I know! I'm so sad it's almost over!


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## mare1203

*Farewell Dinner, Part 2*




After dinner, we walked down to the lion monument, which, was actually incredible. The pictures don't do it justice. It's very moving. 




The Lucerne Lion Monument is one of the most popular and iconic monuments in Switzerland. It was designed to honor a group of Swiss soldiers who lost their lives while serving the French king Louis XVI during the French Revolution. The Swiss soldiers were working to defend the Tuileries Palace in Paris.




The It has been called (by Mark Twain) “The saddest and most moving piece of rock in the world”. It was definitely a moving monument. You can see the anguish in the lion. 




Remember that story where I told you Stephanie lost her backpack on the way to Lucerne? Well, she found out which bus it was on and successfully contacted the company and driver. Happily, she learned that while the bus was headed to France, the driver located her backpack and was willing to deliver the bag after his current trip ended. While we were at the statue, Steph received the fateful call that her lost backpack had arrived in Lucerne and was on its way to the Old Swiss House, hurray! Happy ending!!




We walked back to the restaurant, only groaned a bit when we walked back into the sweltering room, and got ready for the end of the evening. When we arrived, our dessert was sitting for us. Everyone received their award winning chocolate mousse. I thought it was delicious, but only ate half, to which Kathy had no trouble polishing off herself. 




Stephanie retrieved her backpack, much cheering ensues. We also had the chance to receive our final pin. We let the bus driver who retrieved the backpack pick the first pin




To get the pin, we were asked to say something what our favorite part of the trip was. It's always fun to hear about what everyone enjoyed.




The end was, of course, the slideshow. The girls did a great job putting it together. 








Before leaving, we got a picture with our guides. It's really the only thing we are not good about doing throughout the trip.




We also took a picture depicting how we felt. There weren't any tears, but it was close, haha.




We walked back to the hotel with Stephanie ,while Jessica had gone on ahead. I believe she arranged to go with a few of our less mobile adventurers. When we arrived, we also found out there was a final surprise waiting for us. The guides gave us all a set of mini Swiss Lindt bars! I had seen these around both Zermatt and Lucerne in the little tourist shop. As you can see in the pic, there are pics of the Matterhorn and Switzerland on the wrappers, which is the best reason to buy them. I still have a bunch left, but they’re yummy. 

After dinner, it was still rather early, so we discussed what to do with the rest of the evening. 








While we contemplated going out in Lucerne, we ended up running into a variety of our fellow adventurers spending time at the bar and decided to spend some time with them. It was a fun way to spend a few final hours with the people we had spent over a week getting to know. ​


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## mare1203

_*Departure*_

This last post is super underwhelming, so sorry!  




The next morning, we got up extra early to meet up with guides for our farewell and ride to the airport. 








Since breakfast wasn't being served at that early hour, we were given a breakfast bag for the road. 




And thus we have reached the inevitable end to our amazing trip. 




It was definitely one of my favorite vacations of all time and I will continue to look back at pictures and smile. Until next time, ABD'ers!​


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## tgeorge

Great Trip Report!  Thanks for taking the time to share your experiences.  The zip line sold me! This trip is definitely at the top of the list.  The problem is trying to decide which one to do next


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## mare1203

_*Final Thoughts*_

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read this trip report. I’ve enjoyed sharing my experiences and highlighting an ABD that doesn’t have a lot of information out there. With that, here are some final thoughts on our Alpine Magic Adventures by Disney trip. 

As I mentioned multiple times, I absolutely LOVED this trip. Nearly everything about it was right up my alley. The Alpine Magic trip has something for nearly everyone. Lots of activity and outdoor recreation? Beautiful sights in nature and an incredible mountain? Delicious food and drink? Check, check, check.

While I would argue that the entire trip report is a positive review, I would be remiss to not mention any negatives. My least favorite site of the trip was Lucerne. Perhaps this is because it was more city than anything else, or perhaps it’s because so much of its history was destroyed by fire, but it just didn’t capture me in the same way northern Italy or Zermatt did. While the activities during our Lucerne day were fine, there also wasn’t anything outstanding about them. 

However, I am happy to report and many may already know that there have been some significant adjustments to the Lucerne portion of the trip for 2017. Rather than going on the boat cruise, adventurers will travel to Mount Titlis for a choice of activity and lunch at a mountain view restaurant. I feel like the addition of Mount Titlis is a better fit for this activity intense adventure than the previous itinerary and is definitely a positive change. The afternoon on your own has also been replaced with a visit to a cheese factory. My reaction to this? A CHEESE FACTORY???? Well, sign me right up. I love cheese! Perhaps your reaction will be less than enthusiastic, but that sounds like a fun way to spend an afternoon. The only negative I see to the change in Lucerne days is the lack of time to explore on your own. Lucerne has some okay shopping, so if shopping is your jam, then this would be the place. I think you could skip the walking tour, though, if you would rather go off on your own. Or you can always add on an extra day yourself.

Our adventure group was overall great. I’m still friends with a number of adventurers from this trip on FB. As I mentioned earlier, about ⅓ of our crew belonged to one family and a few of them really kept to themselves the whole time. Not something Disney can do anything about, but I figure the family might have been better off doing something just for them. I never thought about asking the vacationista’s about the family breakdown (i.e. is part of the group going to be a family reunion of 10+ people), but it might be worth it to ask.

Going as a group of 3 adults is always a tricky proposition. I mentioned it in my previous trip report, but basically you’re paying full price 3 ways, but only receiving 1 room. While a hotel might charge a bit extra for a 3rd person, they definitely aren’t charging that full rate. Disney is aware of the problem and want to find a way to change it, but haven’t as of yet. I don’t actually know what the answer is, and it’s not something that would in any way change our mind about booking a trip. Just something to know for those of you in the situation or the possible situation. 

Inevitably, conversations about ABD’s will come around at some point to value. I think this trip is a great value. The hotel accommodations are incredibly high and all are well-located to the areas. We had the most meals on our own in Italy, which can be pretty budget friendly. We only had one dinner and one lunch on our own in Switzerland, which was much more expensive and would have added to your outside expenses. I also thought there was a pretty good balance of group activities and on your own time. Plus, many of the activities were not things you might plan if you were doing a trip yourself. I definitely think this ABD would be difficult to replicate on your own, which in my mind adds to the value. 

What’s next? Well, that’s a very good question. I’m on the complete other end of the planning spectrum from most people on the DisBoards, it seems. While I am a fastidious planner, I am not in the position to be in any way able to forecast more than about 6 months out. We just bought into DVC for the Poly and the thought of booking 11 months out makes me more distraught than should really be allowed. My sister and I are also young adults and at the place in our lives where things can change rather quickly, so that is also part of the lack of foresight. Anyway, to get back on point, we didn’t decide what to do for 2016 until late February. Kathy and Jeff ended up going on an Alaskan Cruise for their honeymoon. They loved it, but that also means they won’t be going on an ABD for 2016. Which meant I was either 1) going to travel with my Padre or 2) not go on an ABD at all. Since number 2 wasn’t really appealing, I talked with Bob to get his take on the idea. He got on board and said he’d join me on a trip. 

We looked at quite a few, mostly based on dates. While many of the trips came into contention, I ultimately decided that I wanted to travel in the fall if at all possible. I try to avoid leaving in August because of college commitments (which is terrible because I live in Phoenix and NO ONE should be there for the entire month of August...who decided to start school in August in the desert???). September is still rather awful as people are still angry because it’s hot, our counterparts around the country are starting to see some crisp fall weather, and I generally question everything about my life during that month. Soooo to combat that, I decided to look into September trips. That narrowed the field considerably. After much deliberation, we decided to book the Central Europe trip! In fact, I just received our box, whooo! We are also going to add on a couple days and travel to Munich for Oktoberfest (because in my mind it would be blasphemy to be that close during the actual festival and NOT visit). I’m pretty excited to see this part of the world and looking forward to experiencing my first adult exclusive trip, even though I’m just going to be a big kid. Since there have already been some wonderful trip reports about the Central Europe trip (and many activities overlap with the Danube River Cruise), I’m not sure if I’ll do a full report or something else, but I’m definitely planning on writing something up.

Thanks again for reading along; until next time, adventurers! ​


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## GAN

Great trip report!  Being of Swiss heritage, I especially enjoyed it. Although it makes me miss my relatives that I love and miss SOOO much!  Can't wait for your next adventure to make it to the boards -are you considering anything?


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## tgeorge

Great final thoughts! It is great to hear what people think about their adventure at the end. It definitely helps to put things in perspective. Have a great time on the Central Europe trip! Prague is definitely a place I need to get to. And, of course, Oktoberfest.


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## CaliforniaGirl09

tgeorge said:


> Great final thoughts! It is great to hear what people think about their adventure at the end. It definitely helps to put things in perspective. Have a great time on the Central Europe trip! Prague is definitely a place I need to get to. And, of course, Oktoberfest.


I agree! Love the wrap up, too. Can't wait to hear about Central Europe!


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## Cousin Orville

Great to see the finished report!  DW and I are doing the northern Italy/Switzerland ABD in less than a month now.  We're very, very excited!   Enjoy Central Europe!  We're heading to Munich tomorrow.  I'll tell them you're coming!


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## disneyphx

Thanks for another amazing trip report!
Between your report and the changes to the time in Lucerne, we booked this trip for 2017 - as a back to back - we will do London and Paris first. We will retrace some things from our Tauck Bridges trip (including the hotel in Lucerne) but we all love Switzerland so I think we can cope.
Looking forward to hearing your impressions from your next trip!

Michele


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## walnut611

Thank you for your TR!!

Now about that beef stroganoff recipe...LOL


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## carpenta

Thank you so much Mare1203 for such a wonderful report. I love you conclusion page. Pros vs. cons are a great aspect for every report. Happy Travels in your future.


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## kanadar

So sad it's over  It was definitely one of my favorite trips ever! I would do it over again in a heartbeat, especially with the changes they made to Lucerne. I'm sad to be missing out of Central Europe but the Disney Alaskan Cruise was amazing! Have a fantastic time sestra!!


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## hilarys

Great trip report.  Switzerland is just so beautiful and I love the mix of activities on this trip.  I think you will love the Central Europe trip.  To me it was the perfect blend of museums, natural scenery (Germany), hands-on (marionette making, pretzel making), active (ice cave, salt mines), and kitschy cultural (dinner in Prague, Sound of Music tour)- just great!


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## sayhello

hilarys said:


> Great trip report.  Switzerland is just so beautiful and I love the mix of activities on this trip.  I think you will love the Central Europe trip.  To me it was the perfect blend of museums, natural scenery (Germany), hands-on (marionette making, pretzel making), active (ice cave, salt mines), and kitschy cultural (dinner in Prague, Sound of Music tour)- just great!


They don't do the marionette making any more.  I think people complained about the issue of having to carry them & pack them up & take them home.

Sayhello


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## hilarys

sayhello said:


> They don't do the marionette making any more.  I think people complained about the issue of having to carry them & pack them up & take them home.
> 
> Sayhello



Oh that's right.  It was fun (but really hard as I have zero sewing skills) and our marionettes are still sitting in their packaging in our guest room 2 years later.  Better to have more time to see the beautiful city of Prague.


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## lildreamer101

This was a great trip report!


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## calypso726

Thank you for such a wonderful trip report! Anyone I have met who did this ABD has said they absolutely loved it. Sigh ... another ABD to add to my list.


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## mare1203

walnut611 said:


> Thank you for your TR!!
> 
> Now about that beef stroganoff recipe...LOL



As requested, here is my family's Beef Stroghanoff Recipe:

2-3 Tbsp Butter or Margarine 
1 lb Top Sirloin, cut into thin strips (recommend cutting into strips while still slightly frozen)
Thinly sliced onion
Sliced Mushrooms (optional)
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup

Fry steak, onions, and mushrooms in butter until browned
Sprinkle with paprika, pepper, and garlic powder
Add 1 1/2 cups hot water mixed with 5 tsp of instant bouillon
When meat is done, add 1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup 
Let mixture come to a simmer
Mixture can be held on low heat until ready to serve
Add dollop of sour cream and stir just before serving

We serve ours with egg noodles and/or white rice

Enjoy!


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## mare1203

disneyphx said:


> Thanks for another amazing trip report!
> Between your report and the changes to the time in Lucerne, we booked this trip for 2017 - as a back to back - we will do London and Paris first. We will retrace some things from our Tauck Bridges trip (including the hotel in Lucerne) but we all love Switzerland so I think we can cope.
> Looking forward to hearing your impressions from your next trip!
> 
> Michele



Yay! I think you all will enjoy this one! Ending in Lucerne, you should definitely bring back some Laderach chocolates, since you're going on a back-to-back and will be gone forever. 

Also, I'm not-so-patiently waiting for at least a summary/pro-con of your Norway trip....



hilarys said:


> Great trip report.  Switzerland is just so beautiful and I love the mix of activities on this trip.  I think you will love the Central Europe trip.  To me it was the perfect blend of museums, natural scenery (Germany), hands-on (marionette making, pretzel making), active (ice cave, salt mines), and kitschy cultural (dinner in Prague, Sound of Music tour)- just great!



Thank you! I've only heard good things about the tour. We ended up between the Germany and Central Europe trips. I asked a friend of mine, who has been on both, and she said Central Europe for the same reasons you state! It looks like a great itinerary that we will enjoy. I'm glad they took out the marionettes as it doesn't seem too up my alley and hopefully opens up more time to explore Prague. The only thing I don't think we'll be able to fit in is a Prague beer tour


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## sayhello

mare1203 said:


> Thank you! I've only heard good things about the tour. We ended up between the Germany and Central Europe trips. I asked a friend of mine, who has been on both, and she said Central Europe for the same reasons you state! It looks like a great itinerary that we will enjoy. I'm glad they took out the marionettes as it doesn't seem too up my alley and hopefully opens up more time to explore Prague. The only thing I don't think we'll be able to fit in is a Prague beer tour


There's a several overlaps with the Danube River Cruise, and those days were really great (Prague, Salzburg, Vienna).  I think you're going to love it!

Sayhello


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## tink1970

Thanks for the summary- especially pro v. con.
I can relate to heat+school starting=crankiness...just add several days of rain/flash flooding in for our part of the world 
No surprise I'm dreaming of my time in Central Europe down the Danube in Dec!

Hope you'll post at least your impressions of the trip if not an entire TR, always enjoy your writing


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## disneyphx

Is there a fancy Laderach store? Where?  We went to the one in the train station - I think because it was open late.
I think the Laderach will melt before we get home......


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## mare1203

disneyphx said:


> Is there a fancy Laderach store? Where?  We went to the one in the train station - I think because it was open late.
> I think the Laderach will melt before we get home......



Yes! The fancy Laderach is about a 5 minute walk from the Lucerne hotel. Go right out of the hotel towards Old Town Lucerne and the big watch store, and just up the street you'll find the delicious chocolate truffles.  

My Laderach have survived a plane ride across the Atlantic and a year in my refrigerator, including the unfortunate crisis when my power went out over vacation! I think it would be more likely they wouldn't make it b/c you'd eat them along the way...


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## *WDW*Groupie*

Thank you so much for your amazing trip report.  

I just got back from Zurich on Monday (I spent an additional day in Lucerne and 2 days in Zurich on my own).  I can honestly say your tips (especially about the zip lining) really helped us.  I was the second person on the course and zipped (pardon the pun!) through it in no time with my 10 year old buddy!  We then went on to do 4 of the other courses (only skipped the "expert" one).  My favorite course was the ropes one as it was more challenging (can't recall if it was the red or brown).  My son was one of the last ones through the course and he was held up several times by folks that found the course a bit intimidating (and I will say some of the obstacles on the "green" course were pretty tough).  If you are somewhat athletic and not afraid of heights try to position yourself at or near the front of the course.  After the ropes / zip line courses a group of us went on the hike to the nearby gorge; it was breathtakingly beautiful.  We didn't get back to town until 2:45pm, making us the longest lasting group of the season (according to the guides).  We (9 of us) ate at the DuPont Restaurant (on your recommendation) and most of us had the rosti potatoes - they were AMAZING.  

We also spent 3 days in Milan on our own before the trip.  No way was I going to land in Milan -- the fashion capital of the WORLD -- and not stop to enjoy a few leisurely days shopping and taking in the sights (it is SALE season there after all!).  If you plan on doing this and want to see da Vinci's _The Last Supper_ please please please book your tickets well ahead.  We had a private guide for 6 hours and she told us most tickets are sold out the day they go on sale (3 months in advance).  It is definitely worth seeing.  We took the train (first class tickets for 2 cost 34 Euro) to Stresa and a 9 Euro cab to the hotel.  It was very easy.

My thoughts on the hotel in Stresa...are not great.  The room was very small -- I swear I could outstretch my arms and touch the walls width-wise.  The bathroom was equally as small as was the shower.  I couldn't shower without banging my arms on the wall and door; we had to climb over the bidet to get in the shower.  I have said before that I am tall as is my son, so we appreciate more space (I book junior suites when I book accommodations as I prefer at least 400 square feet). The a/c doesn't work like we are used to in NA -- it was okay, but certainly not great.  The view was nice as was the small balcony.  

The hotel in Zermatt was my favorite of the trip.  Such a shame ABD is changing this hotel next year.  Nothing can replace the views of the Matterhorn that the Zermatterhof offers IMHO.  Even though my son and I had an amazing, newly-renovated, spacious room which shared a balcony with 2 other ABD familes, some of the families had awful rooms that were very cramped.  I felt badly for them, especially a family of 3 that was in a room which was smaller than the 1 we had and was likely original in decor and furniture.  I thought everyone should have had equal rooms.  The lack of a/c wasn't an issue for us as I felt the view we had made up for it and I wouldn't have changed it for anything.

Anyways I didn't mean to hijack this thread, just wanted to thank Mare for posting such an informative trip report.  A huge thank you also for the picture of you on the blue (zip line) course.  When I was going across the rope with the Matterhorn in the background the professional photographer was getting on his bike to go to another course -- I called him back and posed for a picture (my favorite of the entire trip).  I think just myself and my amazing and fearless 10 year-old buddy got those photos.  

Things we didn't experience on our trip: no white elephant gift exchange, no offer to hike part way back from the Matterhorn excursion, no chocolates in Zermatt (boo hoo!) and no afternoon hike on the day we went zip lining.  We did get to go through the Furka pass on the bus and it was SO COOL to watch our bus get hooked up to the train.  Our driver had a great sense of humor and posed for very humorous pictures.


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## *WDW*Groupie*

Final thought.  I do agree with Mare about the change to the last day in Lucerne for 2017 being positive.  The boat cruise was nice as was the bbq lunch, but weren't a highlight of the trip.  I think the morning going up Pilatus and the cheese tasting are going to be MUCH better.

I did go up Mount Pilatus on my own and if I had to do the trip again I would skip the boat cruise on Lake Lucerne and do Pilatus on my own.  The views were breathtaking and the cog wheel train was fun (48 degree gradient at some points makes it the steepest cog wheel train in the world). 


Here is a picture from higher than the 7,000 feet (I hiked up further).  The white peaks above the clouds are mountains.  I have pictures of the clouds floating over Lucerne -- I hate when clouds get in the way of pictures!  

[URL=http://s1102.photobucket.com/user/joylee3/media/IMG_3202.jpg.html]
	
[/URL]


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## LoveMickey

thanks for your trip reports  They are a please to read.  Looking forward to your next adventure.


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## met19

Cousin Orville said:


> That would be me.  Isn't admitting to an your addiction the first step?




Reading this trip report to get excited about the upcoming Dis trip.  Loved this line. 

My continuing mediocre coffee habit is fueled by the dealer- Starbucks located in the hospital I work at.  Could it get any worse 

BTW: must thank Mare for the excellent trip report


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## Rake 08

Just returned from a great adventure; it seemed like everyone on our trip had studied your report.  Your suggestions were very helpful, many thanks for a great report!


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## bearsgirl

Rake 08 said:


> Just returned from a great adventure; it seemed like everyone on our trip had studied your report.  Your suggestions were very helpful, many thanks for a great report!


Were your guides Summer Rose and Mickey?


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## Rake 08

bearsgirl said:


> Were your guides Summer Rose and Mickey?


Yes and they were both fantastic.


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## mare1203

*WDW*Groupie* said:


> Final thought.  I do agree with Mare about the change to the last day in Lucerne for 2017 being positive.  The boat cruise was nice as was the bbq lunch, but weren't a highlight of the trip.  I think the morning going up Pilatus and the cheese tasting are going to be MUCH better.
> 
> I did go up Mount Pilatus on my own and if I had to do the trip again I would skip the boat cruise on Lake Lucerne and do Pilatus on my own.  The views were breathtaking and the cog wheel train was fun (48 degree gradient at some points makes it the steepest cog wheel train in the world).



Thanks for posting your thoughts from a more recent trip and glad to hear you had a great time! I love that pic of you on Pilatus. I'm looking forward to hearing about the new changes in 2017. 

And so glad you got that picture on the Blue Run on the zipline. They were some of my favorite as well, seeing as it's such a beautiful shot. But I also think it gives a moment in time of why this trip is so amazing. Too bad it's not actually set-up to happen organically in the adventure.


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## mare1203

LoveMickey said:


> thanks for your trip reports  They are a please to read.  Looking forward to your next adventure.



Thank you so much! I enjoy doing them for myself, but happy to hear others find them helpful! My next trip is so close; I have to decide how I want to report!


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## mare1203

Rake 08 said:


> Just returned from a great adventure; it seemed like everyone on our trip had studied your report.  Your suggestions were very helpful, many thanks for a great report!



Oh wow, you're very welcome! I'm so glad you all had a wonderful adventure, and I'm looking forward to hear thoughts from Cousin Orville and any others who went, since I think it's such a great adventure myself!


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## OKW Lover

Rake 08 said:


> Just returned from a great adventure; it seemed like everyone on our trip had studied your report.  Your suggestions were very helpful, many thanks for a great report!


You're right Steve.  Found this review pretty much matched our experience too.


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