From Milan, we took a high-speed train up to Zürich to visit some close family friends. Right as we got into Switzerland, I noticed the entire landscape changed. Everything I saw out the window looked just like a painting. Quaint towns and villages with idyllic little houses huddled in valleys with rainbows and sheep - and as if that weren't enough - the Alps in the distance topped with a tiny sprinkle of snow on the very peaks. We spent most of our time in Switzerland just drinking, eating, and hanging out in our friend’s place where we were staying. It was on the more suburban outskirts, so we didn’t see too much of the city; but from what I can tell, everything around Zürich is very organized and well designed (as expected). It’s also very expensive. The day we did go into the city, we walked through the old town for a bit and then we went up the hill to Lindenhof for a great view of the city. We also went to take a peek at the colorful Centre Le Corbusier and then walked around to the nearby park “Blatterwiese.” The park was filled with people hanging out, drinking, sunbathing, and slacklining all with a great view of the lake. We walked around the park and found an adorable little pond with round stone posts just peeking out from the water. The daughters of our family friends loved jumping from one post to another to get to the other side. Seems like the perfect way to spend a sunny Summer day!

The surrounding areas of Zürich are truly breathtaking. Our friends took us to a nearby mountain with a beautiful view of the lush green landscape hugged by the surrounding lakes. We had a beer and a delicious glass of the local white wine, then we hiked down to have a picnic by the bright blue lake. We jumped in for a quick dip and jumped right back out a few minutes later - it was so cold! But the locals didn’t seem to mind the cold water at all. In the summer, many people also frequent little public "beach" clubs called "seebads" or as the girls called them, "badis" surrounding the lake in Zürich. The public baths are a beautiful place to unwind and sunbathe while kids jump off the trampolines into the water. We went to the one in Thalwil and had a great time. Next time I go I’ll have to practice some Swiss German and hit up some bars in the city!