fantastiche Forelle!

Swiss math:

Today we had a free day, and the kids (predictably) said they wanted to go to Alpamare, a big indoor water park about half an hour down the lake. I looked at Alpamare's prices and decided that we could have a pleasant Sunday for something less than the $120 entry fee plus overpriced snacks plus guaranteed parental headaches. Right?

So after some (unusually productive) internet research, I found a short hike (walk, really - anyway this one) with a well-equipped indoor pool nearby, and we piled into the van for a hike-with-the-promise-of-pool-afterwards. At our house it was sprinkling; on the way there it was sleeting; by the time we parked at the starting point for the hike it was snowing. But not to be discouraged by little things like snow or unconvinced offspring, we set off. In the wrong direction, due to my crack navigation skills and/or what turned out to be serendipity, but since the trail was a loop we figured it didn't matter.

I have to say, particularly given the unpleasant weather - the kids' whiny phase did not last as long as it usually does at the beginning of a hike. There was of course some complaining, but the walking was easy and the area is beautiful and by the time we were halfway around the loop we were all in decent moods. We came to a restaurant and decided to stop and eat. I was expecting the ubiquitous bratwurst or schnitzel with fresh-from-frozen french fries but - surprise! - we'd happened upon a hidden gem of a place that specializes in trout, raised on the premises. I'm sure it's popular when the weather is nice, and when the trail to it isn't closed due to a landslide (good thing we went the wrong way around!!), but as it was we were the only customers for most of our visit. The trout was delicious. The desserts were delicious. Even my completely ordinary-looking lettuce salad was delicious. $120 later...we learned, again, that life in Switzerland will cost you one way or another. But this was a particularly good way. In my opinion.

Christopher was...not impressed at first. Even when we passed these cool sculptures.

This picture maybe doesn't capture the mood very well, but it was pretty! All rural and white.

We got to the bridge over the Sihl in good spirits.

And then we found *this* amazing place.

Caroline was not overly impressed by the food but very excited about the resident donkeys and...their waste? She's a special kid.

Thank YOU, completely unexpected delicious fish restaurant! We will be back!