Cheese, Chocolate and Christmas!!

This past Saturday we arrived back in Dublin after spending a week traveling around Switzerland.  I can't even begin to explain to you what a beautiful country it is!!!

We flew into Geneva and hopped on a train to Montreux (our first stop).  We had bought a Swiss Pass which let us use the train as much as we wanted.  Now of course we didn't by the first class pass....I mean who needs to be in first class on a train right.  Well we got on our train, found a seat and were thinking we were pretty savvy travelers.  That was until the ticket checker guy came around and informed us we were sitting in first class, ha!  I did snag this pick of Chad in the "nice" seats before we moved to the "less nice" seats.  Second class was just fine and we had a good laugh about it.

You're always first class to me Chad!

When we arrived in Montreaux it was after dark so we checked into the hotel, grabbed some dinner and went to bed.  Well, the best surprise in the morning....waking up to this view over Lake Geneva!!  Because it had been so dark when we checked in, we had no idea the mountains and lake were just our our window.

Lake Geneva

Eden Palace, our hotel.

After breakfast in the hotel we walked along the lake to Chillon Castle.  There was a small amount of snow on the ground and the mountains were white capped.  All of the plants an flowers that were still blooming amazed me....why do all my plants die after the first freeze?

How are these still alive!!

Boats on the Lake

All over town there were sculptures made out of Evergreen branches.  We spotted this fox as well as a dinosaur, whale, chess pieces, and a lion. 

 And look what else we found strolling along the water.  He wouldn't stop long enough to get a shot of his cute little bully face!  He had more important things to do...like make yellow snow. 

Grape vines

As we came around the curve in the lake we spotted Chillon Castle against the mountains.  The castle was built in the 11th century and has been beautifully restored.  For Christmas they were having a medieval festival with food, singing and period dressed characters. 

Crossing the mote to enter the castle

When we entered the courtyard they had a huge tree, carolers singing and small pen that housed the goats and donkeys.  They had fires burning all over that made the entire castle smell so good!  We wandered around taking in the sights and truly felt like we were in another time period...or maybe a Disney movie.

Chad made a new friend!

Practicing her archery

Ladies cooking in the kitchen

This guy and his chicken...maybe lunch?

Doesn't that ham look SO YUMMY!?!

After the castle we walked back along the lake and headed for the Christmas Market.  I just couldn't take enough photos of the view and none of them did it any justice!!!!!

The Christmas Market was sooo much fun!  The lights, decorations, yummy food, things to buy and people to watch made for one excellent afternoon.  Now I have to apologize for the photo dump below but I just couldn't cut any of them out.  Trust me you want to see them all : )

Pretty star lights

Scarfs and blankets

Soaps and candles

Chocolate : )

Homemade sausage

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire!!!

Hand blown glass ornaments

Candy

 

 

The market was also on the edge of the lake.  The whole thing was just AMAZING!  Really, if you can, just go!

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This guy was too funny

...and his little dog too!

Our last stop at the market was the waffle stand.  This might be the best chocolate chip waffle I have eaten.  The dough looked like bread dough and they "smush" it into the waffle iron then give it to you hot in a little paper holder.  I would go back to Montreux just for another waffle.

After our snack we went back to the hotel to rest before checking out the Christmas lights that night.  Stay tuned for the market after dark and all the beautiful decorations.

Smoking hot...

Happy Friday y'all!  I am so very excited because Chad and I headed to Switzerland for our very last trip before we head back to the States.  We leave tomorrow afternoon for snow, Christmas markets and everything winter wonderland!  I can't wait to get back and blog all about it. 

Now you are probably wondering why I'm talking about Switzerland when the title of this post is "smoking hot".  Well I have to tell you about Chad and his Dad's purchases before his parents headed home.  First of all, let me say I am very much against smoking....cigarettes or anything else for that matter.  We all know it causes cancer, emphysema and other health conditions.  That being said, Chad has always had a fascination with pipes and loves how they smell.  This stemmed from his Papa (Cathy's dad) who smoked a pipe when Chad was little.  Chad has frequently told me how much he wishes he had Papa's pipes.

Papa and Big Mama

There is a pipe shop here in Dublin and each time we walked by it Chad would mention Papa and his pipe.  While his Dad was here they went in and bought Paul a new pipe.  Chad came home and I could tell he had wanted to buy one too.  I knew exactly what he was thinking...."I want one but Megan won't want me to".  Well I couldn't be that wife who tells her husband what he should and shouldn't do.  He's a big boy!  So while he was at work we went back to the pipe store and got him the one he wanted.  Chad was soooo surprised when he came home.  He never thought I would be ok with him smoking a pipe.

All this being said, I still have my same opinions about smoking.  Chad is a doctor as well and knows the risk.  I think this pipe is more of a novelty to have and maybe smoke once in a while.  I'm glad is makes him happy and brings back wonderful memories of Papa.   That night Chad and his Dad went out on our balcony and smoked their pipes.  While the smell wasn't quite as appealing to me, he loved every minute.   He hasn't smoked it since but just having it makes him happy...which makes me happy!

Look at that grin!

Also smoking HOT....my hubby in his new snow boots for Switzerland and Irish wool hat.  He threatened me when I told him this picture was going on the blog but I told him he had no choice!  I love this man soooo much : )

Hope y'all have a fabulous weekend and I promise to post tons of snowy pictures when we get back from Switzerland!!

Glendalough and Malahide...

With all the company we have had visit us in Ireland it still wasn't a challenge to find new things to see and do.  Chad and I had heard that Glendalough in Wicklow Mountains National Park was beautiful and not to be missed. So we loaded up the car for a day trip to check it out. 

It just so happened that there was a pottery shop on the way that Cathy had wanted to check out too!  Kill two birds with one stone : ) It was the neatest little shop and pottery studio that was on the backside of the artist's home. 

We wandered around for a while and I spotted this little vase below!  I was in love.  I also loved the little elephant but couldn't quite justify getting both.  The vase though now has a new home in St. Louis!!  I can't wait to put some flowers from my garden in it next spring.

 There were so many beautiful and unique pieces.  Cathy went home with a few too : )  If you make it to Ireland and are anywhere near Glendalough you should go say hi!

After leaving the potter's shop we headed to the park.  Just a short hike down the trail, through gorgeous trees covered in moss, we came upon the ruins of a Monastic city. 

Tower off in the distance

This Christian monastic settlement was first established by St. Kevin in the 6th century.  AMAZING that it is still standing!  The monks abandoned it centuries ago due to religious and political upheavals but somehow it managed to survive all these years.  They just don't build things like they used to, huh??

Monastic tower and chapel

Little stream covered in trees

There was something so peaceful about this place.  With autumn colored trees surrounding us, the sound of the stream in the distance and the dampness from all the rain...it made me want to curl up by a fire in a log cabin and drink hot chocolate.  No cabins in sight though!  We did find a little restaurant though to grab some lunch (and some hot tea) before heading back to Dublin. 

Later in the week, while Chad was at work, Cathy, Paul and I took the train out to Malahide.  Chad and I had been out there before (remember this) but the castle was closed at the time.  Well, it reopened recently so we went to take the tour.  First we walked through town along the Marina and stopped for a little lunch. 

Sadly we couldn't take any pictures in the castle....they never let you take pics of the good stuff : ( But here it is from the outside.  The 12th century castle was owned by the same family (the Talbot's) for over 800 years.  The Talbots lived in the castle until 1973 when the current inhabitant passed away unexpectedly.  The castle was left to his sister who couldn't afford to pay the death taxes.  She was forced to sell the property to pay the taxes and it was purchased by the Irish government.  Now it hosts tours and a gift shop. 

Venice under water....

After we had returned from our drive along the coast, we were scheduled to leave the very next day for Venice.  Well, Mother Nature had other plans!  Venice was flooded!  While rain and high water levels are common this time of year we weren't feeling like swimming through San Marco Square.  Note to self...don't schedule Venice trip in the fall/winter!

So, sadly we called the airlines and the hotel and canceled our trip.  Cathy, Paul, Chad and I had been so excited to ride in a gondola and see the beautiful Venetian architecture.  Hopefully some day we will make it there...before they are permanently under water.

With Venice cancelled we had to come up with a new agenda for some extra time in Ireland.  Since Cathy and Paul hadn't seen much of Dublin yet, we started there. 

The Liffey in the background with the Jeanie Johnston

First stop, Trinity College.  Chad hadn't seen the Book of Kells yet (remember this post) so this was the perfect opportunity. 

Front gate of Trinity College

After Trinity we went the to the Queen of Tarts for lunch.  I had read about this place on Trip Adviser and had been wanting to try it ever since.  It was excellent as described.  They had sandwiches, quiches, savory tarts and soups and of course yummy desserts.  I can't believe I didn't snap a picture of our decadent desserts.

Our next stop was the nearby Dublin Castle.  Chad and I had walked by it's gates many times but never ventured in.  From the outside it doesn't look like much of a castle...and all in all it doesn't once you get inside either.  All that is left from the original castle is a round tower that was used a jail back in the day.

The castle was originally a Norman defense post of the city of Dublin.  Later it was occupied by the Viceroy of Ireland (the monarch of Ireland).  The majority of the buildings were destroyed in a fire in 1643.  The tower below is the lone survivor. 

 The complex of buildings was rebuilt and housed the parliament and other State offices for a while.  Now is serves as a tourist attraction, hosts State dinners and the location of the Presidential Inauguration every 7 years.  There was limited photography allowed : ( Sorry for the lack of exciting pictures.

Probably the neatest part of the tour (which of course I got no good pics of) was the excavation taking place below the current buildings.  They located the foundations and parts of the old 12th century buildings which they are currently exploring.  We were able to see some of the original walls and part of the stairs that would have led into the castle square from the the mote.

The next day, I wasn't feeling well but Chad, Cathy and Paul headed out to explore Christ Church Cathedral and St. Patrick's Cathedral.  Christ Church was originally built in 1028 and at one time housed both the Archbishop of the Church of Ireland and the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin. 

Christ Church Cathedral

Christ Church also contains the largest cathedral crypt.  The crypt holds the oldest known secular carvings in Ireland as well as the "Cat and the Rat".  

The cat and the rat presumably became trapped in an organ pipe in the 1850s and were mummified.  They were later found during the Church's restoration.  Makes you wonder if for a period of time people were wondering "what's that smell"  when ever the organ was played. 

St. Patrick's Cathedral was their next stop.  At this point Chad must have gotten tired of taking pictures for me because this is all I got : ) 

Since 1870, the Church of Ireland has designated St Patrick's as the National Cathedral for the whole island, drawing chapter members from each of the twelve diocese of the Church of Ireland.

 

So while it wasn't Venice we did see some new things in Dublin that we hadn't yet explored.  While I continued to not feel well, Cathy and Paul took a bus tour down to the Blarney Castle and Cork (remember this post).  They had a great time kissing the Blarney stone (well Cathy did) and exploring the grounds.  It was definitely one of Chad and my favorite places so we wanted them to see it for sure!

Loving the fall colors!!

Cathy kissing the Blarney Stone

After a few days of rest I finally started feeling better and was able to rejoin all the fun!