Invasion of the relatives!

Mom & Squeeze invaded for a week and we all survived!  :)

Part 1: Zurich

We started the great European adventure with a tour of Zurich.  As luck would have it, we had the best weather we've seen all year.  Check out mom and Squeeze in front of lake Zurich:

We walked their butts all over Zurich.  They got to see the main train station (built in 1871) and the Grossmünster (construction started about 1100) where they got to see a giant gargoyle style statue of Charlemagne who is said to have commissioned the church.

and a shot of the view from the Lindenhof with the Grossmünster in the background:

Part 2:  The UK!

On Sunday, we headed to Weymouth (a seaside town in Dorset, UK) to visit my mom's cousin and her fiance'.  We had a fantastic dinner and took a nice stroll down to the beach.

View from the beach looking toward Portland

everybody (and their ghosts) trekking back to the house

on Monday, we got up and Squeeze and Colin headed out to run a quick errand.  I think this was Squeeze's first time on a bike in a few years - look at him go!

After Squeeze and Colin got back safely, we all headed over to Portland to check it out.  Portland is famous for its Portland stone and was the site of the 2012 Olympic sailing events.

a view of the harbor

adults misbehaving

ooo - so tell me, what's that there??

and of course, we had to stop and visit a pub for lunch!  The Cove House Inn has been around since the 18th century on Chesil Beach.

cheers!

we did some more wandering

this old dude stopped to give us a history lesson on this chain - thanks man!

Colin took us to see a fort!

contemplating life / napping

rock climbing  :)

made it!

and Andre made a new friend...

and now Colin's turn to try and lift the giant chain

 check it out - cannonball in the wall!

On Tuesday, Donna cooked up a fantastic British breakfast.  We ate too much and then headed back to Zurich.

Part 3:  Bellinzona and Lugano

On Wednesday, we got up and started our drive down to Lugano.  We drove down via San Bernardino and made a stop in Bellizona to check out the castles.

some views on our drive

some castle shots in Bellinzona

of course Sophie came!

don't do it!

a view of the other two castles and a really old church

now if you'll look over there, you'll see some more old shiznit...

Sophie LOVES castles!

finally, we made it to Lugano!  ahhhhhhh Lugano

check out the dorky tourists

look closely...find the tourist....

On Friday, we headed to Monte San Salvatore.  Once we got to the top, mom and Squeeze got to enjoy a short little snow shower.  Bwuhahahahaha.

check out how tiny we are in the lower right corner

Mom and Squeeze enjoying the weather  :)

We returned to Zurich via the Gotthard tunnel.  10 miles in a tunnel - that's enough to give someone some claustrophobia.  For your future travel plans, I would recommend this drive over the San Bernardino drive.  The views were amazing.  Too bad the camera was packed in the trunk!

We had a fantastic time!  It was so hard to say goodbye.  :(

Who's coming to visit next?!?!