Looking back to 2006...then and now

In 2005, after dating 5 years, Michael and I got engaged in April and were married in December. Somewhere in that time, Michael presented me with the intriguing idea of going to Zurich for the 2006 baseball season, about which I was both excited and apprehensive. The excitement was because I had always regretted not studying abroad in college, so this would be the perfect chance to make up for that and see Europe with my new husband. The apprehension was from worrying about moving to a foreign country where we knew no one and didn't speak the language! But in the end we decided the risk was worth the adventure we'd have together, whether it be good, bad or somewhere in between. So off we went in March of 2006 to Zurich! (All of the pictures in this post are from 2006).

Downtown Zurich on Limmat River, Winter '06

Largest clock face in Europe is in Zurich!

We arrived in what looked like a snowy wonderland. Michael and I had never lived in snowy conditions, so this was all new to us! This was one of the snowiest winters Zurich had seen in a long time, and it stayed longer than normal, through April. I remember it snowing on Michael's birthday because he was a little intoxicated after our dinner out and he slipped on some ice and fell in a small fountain near our apartment! I laughed so hard I cried!! Nor will I ever forget all the video segments Michael took in which he sounded like a broken record while talking about the endless snow over and over again! The team practiced indoors until spring arrived. Zurich is just as beautiful in the winter as in the summer, especially on the water with the snow covered mountains all around.

Me & Bailey in downtown Zurich

Watching it snow from our balcony

First hike, Winter

Lake Zurich & the Alps, Winter '06

At the lake

Waterfall in Zurichberg Forest, Spring '06

Hike in Spring time

Our poor dog Bailey, who we brought with us, was sooo miserable in that snow! We pretty much carried him the first few weeks until he finally started adjusting to the cold ice on his paws. Doxies are very sensitive to cold and he burrowed under the covers or in our jackets any chance he had during that winter. But when it began warming up, Bailey had a new world to explore, and he eventually traveled all over Europe with us when my family came to visit. He fit right in here and was really relaxed about going everywhere. We have shown Jake all the pictures of Bailey in Switzerland, which he loves seeing!

Bailey walking in the Zurichberg Forest

Bailey at Lake Zurich, Spring '06

When we began going stir crazy waiting for the warm weather in Zurich, Michael planned a surprise get-away for us to go south to a beautiful lakeside town near the Swiss/Italian border, called Locarno. It was a three hour train ride amidst mountains and lakes, which was gorgeous. Noted for its Latin charm, the famous Piazza Grande, 2,300 hours of sunshine per year, and a hilltop church established after an appearance of the Virgin Mary, Locarno also boasts the warmest climate in Switzerland, so Michael picked just the right place! It is located on the northern shore of Lake Maggiore, and our hotel, the Esplanade, had the most relaxing indoor pool that was scented with peppermint! It was in Locarno that I set foot my first and last time in a smart car...and don't ask me what I was on when I allowed my crazy driver of a husband to get behind that wheel! I think we nearly drove off dozens of cliffs that day in our "Flintstone mobile", as I sarcastically refer to it, but we saw some beautiful sights, including the Sanctuary of Madonna del Sasso (Locarno’s Mountainside Pilgrimmage Church) and the Verzasca Dam, which was featured in the James Bond Golden Eye movie starring Pierce Brosnan.

Water font in Locarno

Lake Maggiore & mountains in Locarno

Mountainside church in Locarno

Verzasca Dam

 Our smart car... Never again!!!

Once the baseball season started, I remember Michael getting thrown out of his very first game in '06 because he challenged a call the umpire made...it was a bad call, and the umpire was not very good, but unlike in the US, in Switzerland you can't really question the umps, which Michael quickly learned! Michael's main goal in coming to Zurich was to help the team get into the playoffs and win the Swiss championship in the fall. This is the reason all European baseball clubs recruit Americans; to win and to promote the sport with the hope that it eventually becomes mainstreamed. Although the Barracudas didn't end up making it all the way, Michael still had a great season and loved being a part of that team. He was even awarded "Top International Pitcher" in the Foreigners vs. Swiss Nationals game! We made fast friends with everyone on the Barracudas, and really enjoyed all the team get-togethers each week. It felt like a big family, comprised of team mates, wives, girlfriends and kids. We quickly became very close to Ueli and Julia. This was when their relationship was just getting serious, and now they are happily married! We spent lots of time together, always laughing and having fun.

Me & Julia swimming in Lake Zurich

Ueli & Michael at the bar!

Me & Julia

Michael pitching, '06 

Michael at bat, '06

In April we went to Spring Training, which was in Rimini, Italy, a little beach town that reminded us of Myrtle Beach in the states. We took a bus overnight with the whole team to get down there, and it was refreshing to be in the sun and sand. Unfortunately, Michael had an accident in Rimini... During practice one day he got hit in the face with a ball, and it broke some cartilage in his nose! I recall the team getting back to the hotel and not seeing Michael with them, which evoked a feeling in me that something bad had happened. Someone told me he had gone to the emergency room to have his nose looked at because he'd gotten hit really hard. I will never forget seeing Michael when he got back from the hospital. He was still bloody-- it was on his hands, face, shirt, pants-- everywhere. I immediately started trying to clean him up while he told me the harrowing experience he'd had. And sorry to be crude, but he had what looked like a tampon up his left nostril! He was really swollen and bruised around his eyes and nose. Suffice it to say he looked pitiful! He had an appointment back in Zurich a few weeks later to have the packing removed. He was so scared his nostril would not go back to the same size as it was before, which was humorous! Today we laugh about how silly he looked, and thankfully he has no permanent damage.

The girls in Rimini at Spring Training; Me, Julia, Nicole 

Poor Michael in Rimini with his swollen nose!

Not long after summer arrived, my family came to visit. After showing them around Zurich for a few days, we set off on a three week Euro-trip, organized by my mom, the "All-Star trip planner". My entire life, I remember going on the most incredibly fun vacations because of what an outstanding job my mom always does on planning trips! This was our longest trip to date, and I know she spent months coordinating and organizing everything to make sure we saw as much as possible, which we absolutely did!

Ash, Mom and me on bridge over Limmat river in Zurich

Our first stop was Austria, which my mom, sister and I were soooo excited about because of going to Salzburg, where our favorite movie, The Sound of Music took place. It's still one of our favorite places. We all fell in love with this quaint and charming city, full of cobblestone roads and neat little shops, amidst mountains, lakes and fields of green. Salzburg was also the birthplace and residence of Mozart. We spent a day on The Sound of Music tour, which took us to all of the beautiful places filmed in the movie. On the bus they had the soundtrack playing and I think I even caught Michael singing a few times! Austria is Red Bull headquarters (the energy drink), and Michael, Ash and I enjoyed eating at the restaurant in Salzburg. This was a very friendly city, which was so refreshing. (Hotel in Salzburg: Goldener Hirsch). Our next next stop was Vienna, which is a much bigger and bustling city. Our hotel was surrounded by snipers because Condoleeza Rice was staying there for a political function, and my sister even found herself in a stairway with her! We went to the Museum of Art to see the thousands of crown jewels on display, and St Stephen's Cathedral was spectacular with its Romanesque Gothic style. Touring the Hofburg Imperial Palace, once home to the powerful Hapsburg dynasty, was also interesting. I also remember another hysterical and slightly inebriated moment when my mother read a drink menu and asked us what "wodka" is! We explained through our laughter that its vodka in German, ha!! (Hotel in Vienna: Hotel Bristol).

Street in Salzburg

Cloudy but still beautiful in Salzburg

City of Salzburg

Wedding chapel from "Sound of Music"

Ash & me in front of "Sound of Music" fountain

Gazebo from "Sound of Music"

"Sound of Music" estate

Imperial Palace, Vienna

Inside St Stephen's Cathedral, Vienna

Exterior of St Stephen's

From Vienna, we boarded a sleeper train that took us to Venice, Italy...and my what an experience! The five of us, and Bailey, in a teeny train car with four bunk beds (Ash and I shared). I don't think anyone really slept, haha! I was actually trying to keep myself from falling off the top bunk all night! Arriving in Venice was pretty cool. It looks exactly like it does in the movies. It's such a unique city, made up of over 400 bridges and more than 150 canals, so boats are the main mode of transportation. My parent's anniversary was during our time there and we had a great night celebrating at a yummy restaurant in Hotel Danielli overlooking the water. Most notable to see was Saint Mark's Square and Basilica (think LOTS of pigeons!), Doge's Palace, and Rialto Bridge. Sitting outside for a drink in Saint Mark's Square one evening was incredible-- the water, lights and music made it totally idyllic. Hugh Hefner was there with his three girlfriends, who we saw riding in one of the iconic gondola boats. One day Michael and my parents took a boat to the island of Murano, renowned for its hand blown glass creations, of which my mom and dad ended up purchasing a mirror, a lamp and a rooster for their house! Venice is really a city you could have fun getting lost in, just navigating your way through the mazes of streets and bridges and stopping in at various shops along the way. (Hotel in Venice: Gritti Palace).

Dinner at Hotel Danielli, Venice 

St Mark's Square, Venice

Venice Main Channel

Mom & Dad's Anniversary, Venice

Venician canal

After Venice, we went to Florence. Our hotel had a great view of the Arno river and Ponte Vecchio bridge. We had some of our best meals of the whole trip in Florence! Italy definitely has a different feel than Austria or Switzerland. Its more go with the flow, unorganized and lively. Our hotel had an awesome band that played American music in the evenings, which we really enjoyed. Highlights include seeing Michelangelo's Statue of David in the Galleria dell Academia, and the illustrious Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. We also enjoyed touring Piazza della Signoria, Baptistry of John the Baptist, Boboli Gardens and Pitti Palace. Ash, Michael and I had fun bargaining at the street markets too. One day we took a day trip through the Italian countryside, all the way to Pisa, where we climbed to the top of the famed leaning tower! The drive was gorgeous and we even got to see the Adriatic Sea. (Hotel in Florence: St Regis).

Front view from our hotel room in Florence

Looking down river from our hotel

City of Florence, with view of Ponte Vecchio Bridge

Cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence

Palazzo Vecchio, overlooking Piazza della Signoria & copy of Michelangelo's David statue

Another scenic view of Florence

Leaning Tower of Pisa

Looking down at Pisa Baptistry from the tower

Dad's corny tourist pic "holding up" the Leaning Tower of Pisa!

Outdoor cafe in Pisa w/ view of Leaning Tower 

Family pic at Adriatic Sea (sea got cut off!)  

Adriatic Sea between Florence and Pisa

Our next stop was Paris, France, which we flew to. I definitely want to go back to Paris someday, I loved it! It's a breathtaking city and was probably the most Americanized as well, although the French may not like hearing me say that! Seeing majestic Notre Dame, the Arc de Triomphe, Moulin Rouge and the Eiffel Tower was spectacular, and shopping on the celebrated Champs-Elysees was paradise for Ash and me! We went through the Louvre Museum, which was amazing and overwhelming because there is SO much to see, most notably the famous Mona Lisa! Ash, Michael and I also toured the incredible Versailles Palace one day. John McEnroe was staying at our hotel with his family, and we also saw Tyra Banks and Jason Lee, who Michael yelled "EARL" at! According to Ashley, Jason Lee stopped in his tracks and shook his head but did not turn around, ha! Those two were also the only ones to make it to the top of the Eiffel Tower! On our last night in Paris, we took a boat cruise and ate dinner on the Seine River, and I did not want it to end. It was sad knowing my family was about to head home and our amazing trip was over. (Hotel in Paris: Hotel George V).

Eiffel Tower, Paris 

Drinks at a sidewalk cafe in Paris

Notre Dame, Paris

Beautiful window inside Notre Dame

Notre Dame at night

Arc de Triomphe from the Champs-Elysees

Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Paris

Ash & Michael at top of Eiffel Tower

Replica of Statue of Liberty on Seine River w/ Eiffel in background

Dinner & boat cruise with Eiffel Tower in background 

Last night of vacation, Eiffel Tower lit up behind us

I feel so fortunate to have gone to so many incredible places with Michael, my parents, and my sister. Kudos to Michael for surviving three weeks sharing hotel rooms with my sister and me! It was an unforgettable trip and I want to give all the credit to my mom for planning it so well. She always puts so much effort into making our vacations special and fun, right down to finding the most unique hotels, restaurants and activities. THANK YOU MAMA, I will always be SO grateful to you for the precious memories you have made possible for all of us over the years on our wonderful vacations, I love you very much!!!

Looking back, our first time in Zurich was very different than now. Having traveled so much throughout Europe the first time around, we mostly stayed within Switzerland this time, aside from our fabulous time in Italy. Jake's presence obviously changes things a lot as well, for the better. I hope he can read the blog someday and see the great pictures we have from our summer here and feel happiness over the memories. At two years old, he has already seen more of the world than most people, and I'm thankful he's had this experience with Michael and me. He has certainly fallen in love with the "Barratunas" and Swiss chocolate!

The first time around we weren't so lucky with our neighbors (notably one prostitute and a grouchy, meddling old lady). But, this time, we have the BEST neighbor, Uli, who has been so kind and fun! She lives across the hall from us and Jake absolutely adores her. She has played soccer and baseball with Jake and joined us at the park too. She has such a fun-loving, cheerful nature and we could not have asked for a better neighbor! Our apartment this time is also in the best location we've had. It's very central to everything and we have a school just a few blocks away where Jake can play every day on the playground, basketball court, or soccer field. The university is also nearby, which backs up to the forest with trails that are are great for exploring. We have spent much more time on our own this summer than in 2006, and we've done more family and kid friendly things this time around. Our friendship with the Comas has gotten even stronger now that we each have kids, who have really come to love each other. Samije is an excellent cook and on our last night together she spent over an hour making by hand a traditional Albanish meal called "pet" that was soooooo delicious!

Thinking collectively about everywhere we've been between 2006 and now, I feel incredibly blessed! We have been to Switzerland (Zurich, Locarno, Bern, Lucerne, Beinwil), Austria (Salzburg & Vienna), Italy (Rimini, Venice, Florence, Pisa, Peschiera del Garda, Verona), and France (Paris)...that's 14 cities in 4 different countries!!!!! What I love most about Europe is the beautifully old architecture and the relative ease of traveling between countries, which allows you to see so much! We have experienced different cultures and met many wonderful people along the way. Zurich has been a great central hub for us and we also recognize the convenience of it's international tone. I will never forget all of the breathtaking places we have been to and how lucky I feel to have seen them.

One thing remains though, and that is America will always be home, about which I'm so unbelievably thankful. Traveling has made me love and appreciate my own country even more, especially regarding our freedoms and opportunities. Comparatively I also think the USA is a friendly nation, which makes me proud. I'm sure someday we'll visit Europe again. I don't know when, but it will happen eventually, since there are still many other places that we want to see! I think top on my list are Rome and Greece, and I would love to see England too.

Thinking of how Zurich in 2006 was our beginning as a married couple is significant, in that this summer we are starting anew as well. Perhaps that is how the Lord meant for it to be, that we came back here to where we first began in order to make a fresh start moving forward. I am ready to get home and live our life as a family, the life that God had planned for Michael, Jake and me all along, in spite of the detours... I think this summer away has anchored our roots deeper in each other and in our future, and my prayer is that this feeling of inseparability serves as the bedrock of our foundation when we get home, along with our faith. I hope everyone has enjoyed looking back to 2006 with us, I know I had fun putting this post together and reflecting on the first time around!!