Road tripping, Swiss-style

Ah, the open road! Windows down, feet resting on the dashboard, coffee breaks, bathroom breaks, chocolate (lots of chocolate), and belt-it-out-at-the-top-of-your-lungs-kind-of-music blaring from the speakers. This road trip was so not like that. Well, minus the chocolate part and bathroom breaks. We listened to the same CD approximately 100 times over the course of two days and had our seat warmers on full blast nearly the entire time because the temperature barely raised above 0 degrees Celsius.

But considering the fact that Switzerland is smaller--much smaller--than the state of California, I'd say that we did well for ourselves. And our beloved silver station wagon, Skoda, was a real trooper in the ice, snow, rain, everything. Parting ways in Montreux was no easy task, and I know that I'm speaking for all parties when I say that there wasn't a dry eye in the parking lot. Skoda, we will always have you in our hearts.

So then, where did we stop? What did we see? Who did we meet? Well, to make things easier, I figured, why not include a handy little map so you can also learn a bit about this small but seriously impressive country. Okay, directions: the red line is the train route the we took from Montreux to Zermatt and then Zermatt to St. Mortiz. Then the blue route is where Skoda laid her tracks, all the black dots in between being the places that we stopped to walk around.

In only two full days on the road, we experienced the joys of French/German/Italian-speaking radio stations playing awful American music, came upon at least five closed mountain passes, went through 30 tunnels easily--some more than 20 km long, mastered the art of the European round-about, lost and found a camera, got stuck behind an enormous tour bus on a tiny mountain road where passing was like a death wish, and hit only one curb (my bad).

And thinking back to all the little villages we passed and the lakes and mountains and snow we saw, it was a spectacular drive. It may have been slightly non-traditional by American road trip standards, but the pit stops and the photos and the laughter and the company made it one for the ages.

Just getting started. It was so cold that the anti-freeze windshield wiper fluid was freezing anyway. Wait a minute. . . That doesn't sound right. Exactly my point.

Driving into Ticino, the Italian canton of Switzerland. Ticino definitely wins the award for having the friendliest residents. Oh, and also for people who stare the most blatantly. Who knew that three blonde girls in a silver station wagon would attract that much attention? I know that we smile and laugh a lot more than most people, and that we were all wearing brown UGG boots and North Face fleeces, and carrying cameras like armed weapons ready to shoot at any moment. But really? Is all that staring necessary?

The castelgrande (translation: "big castle" . . . bet you couldn't figure that one out!) in Bellinzona dates back to the 6th century. WHOA is right!

Taking a break in the sunshine above the city of Locarno. This was the first (and only) time the temperature went up to 3 degrees. OMG is right. For a minute there, it felt like San Diego or something like it.

After walking around aimlessly and starving in Locarno (not a good combination), we settled on pizza which we took to-go to make sure that our car didn't get towed. Now, I say this next statement in complete sincerity. . . It was the best pizza I had EVER tasted. Absolutely orgasmic. If only they delivered to other cantons.

Family portrait in Valle Bavona, a deeply cut valley that runs North from Locarno. Because the mountains rise so high above the valley, the stone villages that are settled down below get no direct sunlight from November to February and are therefore uninhabited during the cold--okay, freeeeezing-- winter months. With the dim lighting, grey stone houses, and snow covered trees and streets, the setting was eerie, like out of an old black and white horror film, thankfully without the drama but maintaining all the intrigue and mystery. It was one of the coolest places I've ever been to, and I can only imagine how incredible the valley must be in the spring time when the river is raging and the wild flowers are blooming.

Prepping for our second day on the road at the bed and breakfast in Locarno. Cozy, warm, and comfortable, it was heaven!

Diving through a mountain somewhere in Switzerland. The tunnels were intense and started playing tricks on my eyes--not such a great thing when you spend about half the day driving in concrete caves. One suggestion: don't even try to hold your breath going through these babies. * * *

So our Swiss road trip was ultimately a success, though another CD would have been a great addition. But hey, you can't have everything. And although I would have thought that hearing those songs would make me go absolutely crazy, it actually has the opposite effect. I can't help but smile and get immediately transported back . . . Alexi Murdoch's melancholic voice fills the silence, his lightly strung guitar singing the song of this road. Leaning against the cold glass, I stare out the window letting the sunshine hit my face and I wonder which road I'll decide to take next. Where will it go? How will I get there? I may not know for sure, but if I have these two people close beside me, well then I know it's going to be a wonderful adventure.