Though Switzerland is a very small country, the weather can vary drastically between regions.  In Basel, we have enjoyed clear skies and 70-degree weather.  It has been so lovely that we spend most evenings playing backgammon down by the river [insert: joke about us being a married couple in their 80’s].  On the other hand, the mountains (a mere two hours away) have seen freezing temperatures and decent snow.  So even though we had “put away our boots” back in February, we decided to squeeze in one more ski trip. Bright and early on Saturday morning, we headed to Andermatt, Switzerland to meet up with some other ex-pat friends for yet another skiing adventure.

Saturday was an absolutely beautiful day for skiing – clear skies, decent powder, and 35-degrees.  Wanting to have our cake [springtime] and eat it too [skiing], we both wore pretty ridiculous outfits.  Chris (master of silliness and protégé of Billy Madison) chose to wear the penguin onesie we had purchased for Fasnacht.  Knowing that wiping out while wearing a dinosaur onesie would be horribly embarrassing, Sarah opted for a less preposterous Hawaiian shirt.

There was one major accomplishment from Saturday: Sarah went down a black run (most difficult) with (almost) no objections, and she made it to the bottom without falling or freaking out.  Clearly, she should have worn the dino costume.

We had planned to ski on Sunday as well, but we woke up to very dense fog and a mixture of rain and snow.  Wanting to end the season on a high note, we called an audible and bailed, but the day was still a success:

1. We finally bought skis.  Due to some bad advice, we didn’t actually bring our skis to Switzerland. We each purchased new ski boots after Christmas, but we have been renting skis in the hope that someone could bring ours over before next season.   After sending both parents on a wild goose chase to locate them, we discovered that our skis are unfortunately in storage and therefore inaccessible.  Given this information, we asked to purchase our rental skis, and because we are nearing the end of the season, the rental company was happy to offload them for a pretty decent price.
2. Though the weather was terrible in Andermatt on Sunday, it was spectacular back in Basel – blue skies with a high of 65.  Still wearing our ski gear and carrying our new skis, we looked a bit out of place when we first got home; however, after a quick wardrobe change to jeans and t-shirts, we were off to the park.  We spent the afternoon soaking in the rays, napping on our picnic blanket, and playing backgammon.

Sunday was a little taste of what spring and summer will bring, and now that we are officially done with ski season, we are ready to embrace longer days and warmer weather.

 

 

 

We finally understand why the Irish drink.  It’s rainy. It’s cold.  It’s windy.  The pubs, however, are always warm and dry.  Each day, they beckoned, and each day, we obeyed.  Many Guinness were drunk and lots of food of the stick-to-your-bones variety was consumed.  Needless to say, we both left Ireland one belt loop looser.

Rocky Start

Despite extensive planning months prior to departure, we realized that our trip was off to a rocky start before we even reached Dublin.  1) Chris forgot his license.  This wouldn’t normally be a problem, but with plans to rent a car in order to travel the countryside, we were a little panicked.  Luckily, with Sarah’s license and Chris’s gold status at Hertz (and general Ferris Bueller luck), we managed to get off the lot with the stick shift we had booked (Chris wanted a manual for the curving Irish roads). 2) Sarah forgot to pack tons of things: proper adapters, glasses, cosmetics, and even clothing for day 6.  We both just channeled our inner Man Kim and turned clothing inside out on our last day (just kidding … sort of).

Dublin

We arrived in Dublin pretty late on the night before Saint Patrick’s day, and (no shock here), the city was very lively.  We went in and out of multiple bars until we finally found one that wasn’t monkey slammed and settled in for some phenomenal people watching.  Saint Patrick’s day itself wasn’t quite what we expected, but we still enjoyed ourselves immensely.  We learned that: 1) Saint Patrick’s day was traditionally a day much like Thanksgiving in that it was meant for family time 2) Americans “ruined” Saint Patrick’s day.  It wasn’t until Irish Americans starting migrating back to their motherland that it became a boozy event. 3) To keep American exchange students from getting blackout drunk in the morning (and to honor point #1), the city doesn’t sell alcohol until 12-pm. 4) Parades are fun, but certainly less so when it’s cold and raining.

While in Dublin, we also visited the Guinness Storeroom (entertaining but again slammed with people), and the Kilmainham Goal (a jail with an interesting insight into Irish political history and specifically the 1916 Easter uprising).

 

Our general impression of Dublin: it’s a big city with a fraternity, basement party vibe.

Doolin

Doolin was about a two-hour drive from Dublin, and it was our favorite stop on this trip.  It was a tiny village with a small cluster of homes (all bed and breakfasts), a few shops, and a couple of pubs situated a stone’s throw away from the most breath-taking seaside.  Until we visited the Cliffs of Moher, we had not witnessed the sea’s beauty and fury juxtaposed so perfectly in one location. On our first afternoon, we climbed around some of the lower cliffs and watched the ocean crash into the carved, stone shoreline for hours.  Neither words nor pictures will ever do this place justice, though this video is pretty decent.

That evening, we cozied up in the pub around the corner from our bed and breakfast and enjoyed many pints, live Irish music, and the company of locals who have lived in Doolin their entire lives. (Wildly enough, in addition to the Doolin locals, we ran into another young couple from Bethesda, MD.)

Early the next morning, we drove up to the iconic cliffs to hike around.  We saw a rainbow up close (unfortunately no gold), tried to outrun a rainstorm (the source of aforementioned rainbow), and took in truly breathtaking views (the wind actually takes your breath away).

Doolin to Killarney

We decided to take the long way from Doolin to Killarney, stopping at Bunratty Castle and driving the Ring of Dingle.  Bunratty Castle reminded us of the Red Wedding from The Game of Thrones but was otherwise relatively forgettable.  The drive around the Ring of Dingle, however, was very memorable.  It was both beautiful and terrifying.  Winding up and down mountains, there were many times when the road was only wide enough for one car.  Chris, always calm, cool, and collected, loved driving our manual Fiat 500 around the tight turns.  Sarah, on the other hand, often closed her eyes and “tested the door for structural integrity” [Read: held on for dear life].

Killarney is home to many national parks.  Though it was too cold and windy to fully embrace the great outdoors, we visited Ross Castle and Muckross Abbey.  The Abbey was definitely our favorite adventure in Killarney.  We loved exploring the ruins and imagining what life was like as a monk in the 1200s.

Killarney to Kilkenny

On our way to Kilkenny, we decided to stop at Blarney Castle.  This castle was less restored than the previous castle, but (perhaps therefore) captured our attention more than Bunratty.  The castle dates back to 1210, and much of it lies in ruin.  We loved looking into the depths of the dungeons and climbing up to the highest towers. The surrounding gardens were also lovely (and no, we did not kiss the famous Blarney Stone).

After Blarney, we made a pit-stop in Middleton for a tour of the Jameson Distillery.  It. Was. Awesome.  Our tour provided extensive detail about the whiskey making process, the history of Jameson, and a heavy-handed tasting at the end.  Of the three distillery/brewery tours we went on, Jameson was by far the best. (Further adding to our small world experience, the other couple in their 20’s on the tour were Wake Forest class of ’15.)

Once in Kilkenny, we explored the Kilkenny Castle and happened upon Kells Priory.  This Augustine Priory dates back to 1193 and is a walled fortress occupying nearly 3 acres of land.  Currently, it serves as a pasture for sheep and a playground for ruin-loving travelers like ourselves.

We loved Ireland, but after six days of Guinness, heavy food, and non-stop traveling, we were exhausted.  Back to balmy Basel for some salads and Swiss sport.

 

 

 

Despite our exhaustion from Fasnacht, we ventured to Lisbon, Portugal (known locally as Lisboa) on Thursday for a long weekend celebrating our buddy Mike’s birthday.

Of all the places we have visited so far, Lisbon is arguably our favorite.  For starters, the weather was wonderful.  Each day gifted us 70-degree weather and sunshine – both of which were a lovely break from the 50-degree rain which has pestered us in Switzerland lately.  We enjoyed rooftop bars, outside lunches, and even a two-hour sailboat tour.  Having spent as much time as possible outside, we left a little sunburned and wind-whipped (see Chris’s crazy hair below), but a little burn and a few tangles of the hair were well-worth the needed dose of vitamin D.

The food and drink scene was also spectacular in Lisbon.  Despite a terribly unimaginative name, one of our favorites was a place called Wine Bar.  There was obviously lots of yummy Portuguese wine, and after a small tasting in which we learned about the various regions from the house sommelier, we selected a bottle to share over a fancy snack plate of local meats and cheeses. One of our other favorites was found while exploring the Belém neighborhood after our sailboat tour on Saturday.  We made a stop at Pasteis de Belém for their famous custard tarts.  We had to wait in line for about ten minutes, but the delicious sweets were totally worth it!  We could go on about the amazing food (seafood, coffee, sandwiches, etc.) but the food is only a sliver of what makes this city great.

When we traveled to Budapest, we found ourselves craving more information about the history of the city.  As a result, Chris read the entire Wikipedia page on the history of Lisbon in preparation for this trip, and was, therefore, able to serve as our personal tour guide throughout the weekend.  He taught us about the Moorish occupation in the 800s, the explorers who helped grow Lisbon as a trade-mecca in the 1600s (the most famous of which is Vasco da Gama who is buried in Jeronimo Monastery), the longest-lived dictatorship in Western Europe which lasted until 1974, and the general peaks and valleys of this historically rich city.  Having the background of the city truly helped us to better appreciate the city’s architecture, culture, and people.

Our absolute favorite part of this trip was just getting lost and roaming the streets, particularly in the Bohemian neighborhood of Barrio Alto.  We had plans to visit highly rated lunch spots and cocktail bars, but after falling in love with the winding streets, we went for a more organic approach.  We popped in and out of bars, lunch spots, and cafes to our hearts’ desires.  On Thursday, we found a swanky rooftop lounge with views of the city, on Friday, a hole-in-the-wall bar with live music, on Saturday, a sleepy little pub, and on Sunday, a unique lunch spot on the water.  As Type A people, we usually do tons of research before leaving and generally over-plan for travel.  The planning of this trip was no different but the throwing of the plans to the wind (again, see C’s hair above) certainly was.  We are starting to find a balance between planning/preparation and authentic travel experiences.

Fasnacht is the most head-scratching but exciting Swiss custom we have experienced.  The best way to describe it is Swiss Mardi Gras in that the city turns into one massive street parade/party for 72 hours, and yet, there are many differences in Basel’s Carnival:

1. Chienbäse: This actually isn’t part of the famous Basel Fasnacht, but it takes place in a small suburb (about a 9 -minute train outside of the city) and can best be described as a fire parade. This hour-long event is a procession of people (men, women, AND children) carrying flaming bundles of sticks, nay timbers, or pulling massive, blazing wagons.  There were lots of fire marshals and all the participants were wearing flame-retardant clothing, but they were still parading fire through narrow streets.  Insurance companies would never allow such an event in the states.  Ever.  Most crazy of all was watching the fire wagons come through the archway of a wooden clock tower.  The fire department had to hose down the archway before and after to prevent it from burning down.  The last wagon’s fire was so large that it surged up the sides of the tower and forced all of the on-lookers to duck for cover as it passed.  By the end of the event, we were covered in ash and felt like we had smoked 10 packs of cigarettes.  Honestly, words don’t do this event justice, so here are a few videos to better explain:
   1. Fire coming through the archway
   2. Fire wagon up close
   3. One more fire wagon
      

      

      

      

       

2. Morgenstreich: Fasnacht officially begins at 4 am on the Monday after Ash Wednesday with Morgenstreich.  The entire city goes dark (you actually get fined if you are caught with lights on) and cliques parade through the city with “lanterns,” piccolos, and drums.  Cliques can range in size from 5 to 40 people and are basically groups consisting of pipers, drummers, and a vanguard. Each clique selects a theme every year and designs their lantern and costumes to match.  This year, there were quite a few Donald Trump groups (all of which were negative), a few Brexit groups, and a hell of a lot of “I have no idea what those are supposed to be.”  We are trying to fit in locally, but understanding Swiss German/Basel humor has yet to be tackled …We are very lucky in that the parade route comes right by our windows, so we invited a few friends up to watch from the comfort and warmth of our apartment.  Sarah welcomed the opportunity to play hostess and made quiche, french toast, mimosas, and bloody mary’s to help fuel our group through the early hours of the morning.  Around 7 am, the cliques started to disperse in order to rest up before the day geared up again, and we too decided to nap while the streets were relatively quiet.  Here is one video from the morning.
3. Parades and Waggis: Starting around 1 pm every day (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday), there is a MASSIVE parade around Altstadt.  All of the cliques march in the streets and are accompanied by parade floats featuring Waggis, who are basically clowns /jokers.  Sometimes they give (mostly throw) you candy; seasonal vegetables/fruits such as onions, carrots, and oranges; toys; and if you’re lucky, airplane bottles. More often, though, they shower you in confetti. There are also Waggis who roam the streets – they are usually teenagers who shove confetti down your shirts, pants, jackets, etc.  On the first day of Fasnacht, we tried to avoid the Waggis’ confetti bombs, but by day two, we just realized it’s part of the fun.  To avoid them is to miss out on the excitement and tradition.  Fun fact, Cliques/Waggis are only allowed to throw confetti of one color.  If you have thrown confetti of multiple colors, this means that you picked it up from the ground and you have thus violated everything the Swiss value (cleanliness and paying for things).  The parades go until the wee hours of the morning.  Never was there a time during the 72 hours that we looked out our window and DIDN’T see parades.  This video was taken around midnight – you can see that the streets are packed.

4. Guggenbands: In our opinion, Gugegnbands are the best part of Fasnacht.  Neither of us is particularly gifted in music, but we both certainly enjoy the musical skills of others.  Sure, piccolos and drums of the traditional cliques are neat, but three days of the same two songs over and over gets old rather quickly.  Luckily, Guggenbands (the non-traditional brass groups) often play modern music (AWOLNATION, Nathaniel Rateliff, Neil Diamond, etc.) to rejuvenate the crowds.  On Tuesday, the city actually set up two stages and arranged for the Guggenbands to perform for a few minutes at each location.  Unfortunately, we weren’t able to see all of the groups, but we LOVED dancing and singing along.

We had an absolute blast watching this typically sleepy and orderly town come alive with celebrations, but after 72 hours of constant noise and partying, we are exhausted to say to least.