A Passport is a Girl's Best Friend

Oh Lugano, even when you are raining you are beautiful; your lake, alpine scenery, adorable downtown, and parks, all of it. We got in just in time for nap time for G. After we walked downtown and found something to eat.  We walked around the lake. Swiss like George Washington? found some puddles to jump in and enjoyed the nonstop epic views  Sunday, we met up with Andreas and family at the park next to the train station, Parco Del Tassino Nikolas and Gray hanging out Oh how much has changed in 10 years Sunday night we had a great dinner at Andreas house with the family filled with amazing food, fantastic wine, endless entertainment with kids, and heartwarming talks. Makes you wish that all your friends lived close. But for now, goodbye Switzerland! Next, FLORENCE!!! Also, vending machines in the US definitely don't have 1) condoms or 2) cannabis tea...also, what is a Bifi?

The last few days have made my heart full. I've seen two of my old friends who live in Europe and had dinner with a friend from CA. On Tuesday, my friend from my old travel days, Andreas, came by our apartment to say hello for lunch since he was in town for a meeting. My beautiful friend Katie also works for Google and was also in town for business! So we seized the opportunity to have a fondue dinner together in old town Zurich on Wednesday night at a place I had never tried, Le Dézale . Their fondue was the best I have ever had! And for those who are gluten free, they have GF bread and they brought me my own pot of cheese (so there was no contamination) free of charge! Without me even asking! Lastly, my friend Fabian and his girlfriend came from Munich to visit our last days in Zurich. I met Fabian when he was a foreign exchange high school student living with my aunt in NorCal in 2006. One weekend they came to visit me at college in San Francisco and t...

Our final week has been a busy one with park dates, birthday dinners, lunches, walks, and museums. Alas, it is time to go home to summer time in California, sigh, I'm going to miss the 60 degree days here...and the delicious coffee. Till next time Australia! Playing at Darling Harbor Park w/ Myka and Owen Beautiful sunsets over the Harbor A picnic in the Royal Gardens with my boys on a stunning day the escape artist Exploring the botanical gardens  beautiful street art

For our first visit to Sydney and with a 10 month old in tow, we decided to stay local for the vacation portion of this adventure. Nevertheless, we did want to get out of the city for a few adventures, and the first being a overnight trip to The Blue Mountains National Park. We took the train two hours west to the World Heritage area, to the central town of Katoomba, which is in the heart of the main natural attractions. After checking in to our hotel, we walked over to the park to do some light hiking and exploring. You immediately are faced with stunning panoramas of the Three Sisters at Echo Point Lookout, jaw-dropping sandstone cliffs, expansive eucalyptus forests, waterfalls. The Blue Mountains gained it's name for the natural blue haze created by vast eucalyptus forests releasing tiny droplets of oil that mix with water vapor and sunlight. I don't know about you, but to me, that sounds like vicks vapor rub on steroids. First time on a train! ...