It feels a little weird writing a Tourist Tuesday about London as I spent nearly two years doing that while I lived there. However, two weeks ago I was in London visiting my friends, I had a blast, and I wanted to share the highlights. If you’re interested in past posts about London, you can find them all here. Today’s post has some tourist highlights, some new adventures, and some mundane vacation fun. Strap in, it’s a bit of a long and rambling post. Enjoy!

I started the week off bridesmaids dress shopping with my best friend Sarah. I’ve been a bridesmaid on the other side of the ocean before, and it’s always a bit of a bummer that I can’t be very involved. But, I got lucky, and Sarah and I found the bridesmaid dress! I tried it on, we took pictures, we hugged, we squealed like silly girls. It was such fun and it meant a lot to me that I got to help. ”

We also did some goofy shopping too. The two of us went to H&M and tried on the craziest clothes available, and I tried (and eventually bought) a lipstick called “Lady Balls.” The cherry on top of this glorious day was sitting outside of a cafe drinking rosé and eating hummus and pita. It felt glamorous and fancy to be one of those women who is dining out luxuriously on a weekday. See Sarah’s pinky up? We’re so fancy.

The next day I was on my own a bit so I went to the Science Museum to catch up with some old pals. I was surprised by how many people I actually still knew. I was lucky enough to catch my grand-mentor Carlos, who was celebrating his 20-year anniversary at the museum. While I was there, I also wanted to check out Wonderlab, the new interactive gallery that replaced Launchpad (where I used to work). I thought a lot of it was nice, but I didn’t take any pictures. Mainly I had fun playing and chatting with people I knew.

After the museum, I went to the O2 to see Star Wars Identities, where they had awesome props like Han Solo in carbonite!! I also got to make my own Star Wars character and that was awesome too. If you’re in London before September 3, and you’re a Star Wars nerd like me, then you should totally go!

The best part was at the end of the day, SMAC, my girl crew, was finally reunited. Sarah, Charlotte, Abbie and I met for a picnic in Hyde Park. We sat on a blanket outside of Kensington Palace and had beer and snacks as the sun set. The weather was warm, the conversation was easy, and the company was perfect. It was one of those simple, yet immaculate summer moments, where everything is exactly right. The kind of wonderful moments that I have to remember during cold, gray winter months.

On Sunday, we went to a cricket match – Surrey vs Somerset at the Oval! My friend Anna, from DC, had arrived and Charlotte’s boyfriend Felix came too. Felix was integral as he told me everything that was going on. It felt weird to me that cricket is played in the center of the field, but overall I liked it. We saw a Twenty20 match, which is shorter than standard cricket, so not days long and no break for tea. This kind of cricket means 20 overs per team, and an over is six bowls – and I know what all of that means!

Surrey was the home team, and they won, but barely. So there was lots of excitement to be had. What was unusual is British people clap for both sides. That meant, as Somerset started to catch up, Anna and I were a bit confused. Why all this clapping from Surrey fants? Felix said you can appreciate good athleticism while wanting your team to win. Fair enough.

Anna and also I did do some proper touring. We went to Hampton Court, which was Henry VIII’s palace. I’ve written about it twice before, once when I made eggs in a hole and again when I went to the BBC Good Food festival.  I love this place. It’s gorgeous, full of history, and it feels like being in the country while only being an hour outside of London. My favorite thing during this visit was watching the interpreter roast meat in a huge fireplace. Sarah, who has been to training sessions at Hampton Court, said that staff can sometimes take that meat home! That is an awesome work perk.

That night, all the ladies went out for a fancy dinner to celebrate my birthday (which was back in June). We went to Le Meridien, which is a restaurant in a lovely hotel off of Picadilly Circus. The restaurant was beautiful, with a terrace and a curved glass ceiling. The five of us dressed up and had a three-course meal with bubbly and wine. At the beginning of the meal, the waiter was very together and professional, but somehow as the meal went on, he got more and more nervous. He spilled some wine, he kept coming back to confirm what we ordered, and he seemed generally a bit awkward. It was so unexpected, and therefore it was sort of endearing.

For food, I had a starter of seafood that included a scallop (yes!), fish for dinner (hake), and a key lime pie with elderflower cream (yum!). I love elderflower in everything and immediately back in DC I bought myself a big bottle of elderflower cordial. It was yet another night with my friends, and yet another wonderful evening.

True to my style, most of the rest of the trip was a mix of touring and eating. Sarah, Anna and I went to Camden Market (which I wrote about before too). There had been a fire there two days before, but we didn’t see any signs of it. I went to the market specifically to buy gin from Half Hitch, a small batch distillery. I am not so good with drinking liquor, but this gin is so good I would even drink it straight. In addition to the usual botanicals, Half Hitch also uses black tea. It adds a nice mellow flavor. I bought two bottles to ferry home for me and Ryan.

The three of us also ate halloumi fries from Oli Babas and doughnuts from Crosstown. Since neither Anna nor Sarah had been to Camden Market before I showed them the horse stables, piles of antique suitcases, and the always memorable Cyber Dog.

A little less fun, but totally worth mentioning (because I am crazy about it) is that we also went to Sainsbury’s to buy beauty products. I fell in love with Sarah’s face wash and so bought myself some. Anna did too.  The brand, Dirty Works, has turned into an obsession for me and Anna. Dirty Works is not sold widely here, but Anna’s been able to find it at TJ Maxx and Marshall’s. The face wash is so good, it’s creamy but not heavy and smells amazing. Go get it. You won’t be sorry.

On our last day, Anna and I toured the Globe. Unfortunately, we couldn’t see a show, but while we were in the theatre we did get to see rehearsal! It was so cool, even though we couldn’t take pictures. Anna said, the only bad part was that she was so mesmerized by the actors that she didn’t look around enough.

After, we met up with the rest of the girls and had lunch at Borough Market. I got a pie from Pie Minister, which doesn’t look like much, but is truly delicious. What more do you need than a flaky crust, tender beef, and rich saucy filling? Not a whole lot.

For dessert, I had a super rich and gooey brownie from somewhere else. I don’t remember the name of the vendor, but it was so good. Just go to the market and try them all. We then went to a nearby bar and I got a drink with St. Germain, an elderflower liqueur. The bar had a two for one drinks special, so what was I supposed to do? Not get two?! Obviously not.

For dinner was Wagamama, which I know isn’t a big deal in London but is a big deal to me. I love Wagamama. Does it exist in the US? I need to know. It’s fast casual, not too expensive, and I can get some delicious spicy ramen – yes, please. Also they have some good choices for vegetarians, and vegans like Charlotte, so that’s a plus too.

The night ended with us walking across the Thames, taking photos in the dark, and ending at one final pub. It was such a beautiful night, with some of my most favorite people. I always get a little upset saying goodbye, but I left feeling so content. They are wonderful friends and we were together, full of yummy food, laughing, talking, and feeling so happy. Out with them, I loved London just a little bit more.

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Happy Fourth of July!! How are you celebrating today? Me, I’m going to the baseball game. Baseball, hot dogs, beer, and good company – that’s a perfect Independence Day.

Ordinarily a Nationals Game wouldn’t be Tourist Tuesday worthy because it’s a pretty normal thing to do. But last week, Ryan, Ryan and I got to watch batting practice behind the dugout and I just had to share photos. I brought my nice camera, with the telephoto lens, and I went crazy taking photos. It was seriously too exciting. 

My favorite player is Jayson Werth, but since he’s injured I knew I wasn’t going to get to see him. Still, I wore, my new Werth jersey to the game anyway.

However, my favorite hitter is Daniel Murphy (above) and so I was thrilled to see him. Almost everyone who knows me, knows that I talk about Daniel Murphy’s batting stance all the time. I’m so impressed with his stillness. He holds the deepest squat and then barely moves when he’s at bat. It’s incredible; and with an over .300 batting average it’s effective too.

As a result, of this deep squat, I call him power thighs. You have to have strong legs for all that! The name is slightly catching on as I’ve gotten our trivia team to be called Daniel “Power Thighs” Murphy. And while, I’m gushing about him, when we got to our seats the girls in front of us were wearing these really cute Daniel Murphy tank tops. They said they bought it on Amazon, so naturally I went home and immediately bought one for myself.

Very different in batting stance, but still a beloved player, is Ryan Zimmerman. His batting stance has lots of moving parts, including the leg kick, which I was able to capture in the photo above.

I loved this experience watching batting practice. It was so cool seeing my favorite players up close – working hard, and messing around a little bit too. We saw the pitchers in the outfield chatting, and occasionally getting a fly ball. And we saw Adam Lind swaying to the music as he waited for his turn.

Part of the enjoyment for me, was that it looked like the players were having a good time. Look at Anthony Rendon, above, he’s always smiling and I caught it! And while we’re talking about Rendon, when you’re done reading this post, how about go vote for him so he can make his first appearance at the All Star Game? Great, thanks.

Also, another big smiler and overall happy looking guy is Dusty Baker. He looks like he just loves life. As you can see from the photos, Ryan, Ryan, and I were in the stands. But there were some people on the field. Those people got to meet the players and some even got a Dusty Baker hug. I want a Dusty Baker hug!

We also saw Mike Rizzo, general manager, and a few of the television commentators. That was pretty exciting. However, I’d been hoping to see F.P. Santangelo. He is my favorite. I think he’s funny, super passionate about baseball, and I really enjoy his commentary. Maybe next time.

And speaking of next time, the three of us started talking about next year. For next year, how do we become baller enough to get invited onto the field?! That would be truly awesome. If someone knows how, please tell me.

We were getting hot and hungry so we left to get some food. My favorite thing to eat is a pretzel dog from Curly W Pretzel in section 106. I also like a normal hot dog loaded with ketchup, mustard, and relish. But this time we went to Shake Shack because the line was short. Then we went for a beer at the Miller Lite Scoreboard Walk. Did you know they have happy hour there until 45 minutes before the game starts?! I didn’t know! But now I do, and now you do too. Select beers are just $5!! That’s a crazy steal for baseball.

In our seats, I enjoyed my beer and  I prepped my score book while I snacked on some peanuts. We also got to see a few players who hadn’t been out during batting practice.

We saw pitcher Stephen Strasburg warming up. I took photos using a really fast shutter speed so I was able to get practically a flip book of photos. Let me say – pitching looks really uncomfortable. His body was contorted in such crazy ways! But I guess, it works.

We also saw Bryce Harper. If you’re a Nationals fan, you just have to love Bryce don’t you? He’s so talented, such a showman, and he just loves baseball. Look at this photo above! He’s smiling, like what a joy it is to be playing catch. I think that’s awesome.

And while I’m at it, just one more of Bryce. I love this photo because he’s small in this big expansive green field. He’s shifting to run, and he’s going to cover a lot of ground, and he’s going to catch the ball for an out – and it was awesome. Baseball is awesome.

Part of the reason baseball is awesome is the food. So yes, I’d already had some junk – but I needed dessert. I finished the game off with cotton candy. A classic, slightly messy, treat that makes me feel like a kid. It’s also just amazing. How can sugar be so fluffy? And because I’m me, I somehow stained my jersey with a pink smudge. I was so upset! My new jersey! If you’re messy like me, don’t fret, the cotton candy came out and my jersey is looking fresh.

And then the last photo I’ll share is of the sunset. How beautiful is that?! The game was awesome, from batting practice, to food, to a Nats win. I had a great time! I’m looking forward to another great time for 4th of July. And whatever you’re up to, baseball, barbecue, fireworks, or something else, I hope you have a great Independence Day.

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Two Tourist Tuesdays in a row?! I know, it’s crazy. But I can’t help myself. A few weeks ago I got to go to Infinity Mirrors with some friends from work and it was awesome. I had to share it before it leaves the Hirshhorn on May 14th. So get excited my friend, this is a photo heavy post.

I was certain I wasn’t going to see this exhibit. Two of my friends went day-of and told me the lines were crazy long. One week, Brannah and I tried to get tickets. They were gone in one minute. ONE MINUTE! But then the next week, Brannah got lucky. She got four tickets and chose to bring me and our coworkers, Amanda and Ashley. 

We had tickets for late on Wednesday and only had to wait a few minutes in the ticket holders line. Once inside, we were giddy. The artist who created these rooms is Yayoi Kusama. She’s Japanese and became famous in the 1960’s. She is known for her dot motifs, nets, soft sculptures, and of course – the infinity mirrors.

The first room we went in was called Phalli’s Field. It’s also the first on Kusama created back in 1965. Kusama tried to create the infinity effect on her own by sewing each individual “tuber.” Fatigue set in and the use of “infinity” mirrors let her create the effect in a less physically taxing way.

In each room, we had 30 seconds, which for this first room felt like enough to me.  The line for this room was also the shortest.

Some of the lines for other rooms were much longer. But it wasn’t just the rooms. In between rooms, there was information about the artist, works in other media, other immersive pieces like the one in the photo above. This one is called Love Forever. It has two peepholes so you can peer in, see yourself, and see the other person who might be looking in. The lights change color. Some colors were really beautiful. Some, in my opinion, had a bit of a boardwalk fair vibe.

Most of the rooms allowed for just 2-3 people at a time, so we had to split up. Above, Brannah and I are in a room called The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away. The lights are supposed to remind the viewer of stars in the sky. It’s meant to be a quiet place for contemplation.

While I see that, the desire to connect with the natural, looking at the photo now it reminds me of looking over a busy city at night. All the buildings, the activity, the people out there – it’s immersive and far away all at the same time.

In between rooms, there was other art by Kusama. All of it pretty bright and interesting. And fun to look at while waiting in line.

Overall, I didn’t mind the lines. Some of them were super long, but I enjoyed the time to talk with my friends about what we saw. It was also less stressful than some lines because we knew people were being moved in and out. Because remember, 30 seconds per room only.

I’ve thought about the 30 seconds thing. There were rooms where I wanted to spend more time. I wanted time to look at everything, watch the lights change color or brightness, and just enjoy the space. I also wanted time to take photos of the art, the details, my friends, and of course a selfie too. It’s hard to get all that done in 30 seconds.

However, I appreciate that it’s the policy. Keeps people from being selfish, and thereby making the lines really long.  I like it also because it made me spend time with the art I liked less. Phalli’s Field and All the Eternal Love I Have for the Pumpkins (where you can’t take photos), 30 seconds felt just fine. It felt like plenty of time to take it all in.

In grad school, I remember reading something about how people look at art for about 15-30 seconds. I remember thinking, oh that’s so quick! While that does seem short, how long should we be looking? What is enough time? While I was totally guilty of being selfie and Instagram focused, I also loved the art and enjoyed talking about it to my friends. Maybe then that’s it. If you look at it, enjoy it, take something away from it – maybe time doesn’t matter so much.

The room above is called Love Transformed into Dots. It’s the biggest room so the four of us all go into together. I liked it too because you could wander a bit more, instead of stay on a single runway. Also how great is Amanda’s happy face behind me in the photo above?!

My favorite room was Aftermath of Obliteration of Eternity. The photo at the top of this post was also from this room and photo credit goes to Brannah. I loved this exhibit because I was immersed in the art. We were physically surrounded by it all. I love art that makes me want to touch it and be a part of it. This room did that.

It was the darkest. The lights flickered gently. The floor, the seams in the mirror, all seemed to melt away. That was a room I’d get back in line to see again.

Ok, so actually the last room is the biggest. Before entering we got a sheet of colorful dot stickers. Inside, we joined the dozens of other people and helped decorated the white room. We were warned the stickers were part of the art and could not leave the room.

The four of us split the stickers and explored the room. The room is basically a nice first floor of a house, with a kitchen, sitting area, bookshelves, and a piano. People layered stickers, made them pour out of cups, and took selfies. There was a working piano, which people played, while others sat on the couch and talked. It was a fun, really social way to end the exhibition.

I loved it. From start to finish we were there for about 2 hours, which I think is often plenty for a museum visit. There was so much to enjoy too – the colors, the lights, and most of all, I loved getting to be in the art. I had a blast with my friends, and so lucky I got to go. For me, Infinity Mirrors was worth they hype.

As the same time, I get why this might not be for everyone. Lines, and hype, and 30 second changes can be a barrier. But again, adored it. So if you’re curious and have the time, I highly recommend it. Try for walk-up tickets here in DC before the 14th. Otherwise, Infinity Mirrors is traveling, so maybe it’s coming to a city near you!

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For the last couple of weeks, my friends from London have been in town. It has been amazing! Museums, monuments, restaurants, shopping – we’ve done it all. After an amazing time in DC, a few of us (Charlotte, Abbie, Felix, Ryan and me) took a trip to Philadelphia, PA.

I was looking forward to it because I’d get to be a tourist too. In fact, this trip was so good, and so jam-packed with activities, that I just had to bring Tourist Tuesday out of retirement. Since I wasn’t expecting a reprise of Tourist Tuesday, all photos were taken on phones. They’re not the greatest color and quality. But I’m sure you can power through because this trip was really fun. 

We arrived late on Friday night and after dropping our stuff at the rental place we went for a cheesesteak at Jim’s Steaks. South Street was busy, and so was Jim’s. We joined the line and were soon hit with the smell of onions. Behind the counter, a guy was chopping onion, after onion, after onion. He slid the finished onions into a hip-height trashcan, and then kept chopping. All of our eyes were watering. And well… so was my mouth. I ordered a cheesesteak with whiz and onions. We took our food back to the apartment and had a really great late night snack (though could’ve used more cheese). Then to bed, Saturday was going to be a big day of touring.

In the morning we walked over to the Italian Market and had breakfast at a Gleaner’s Cafe. Coffee was good, the women who worked there were incredibly kind, and my friend Charlotte discovered that pb&j on a toasted cinnamon raisin bagel is super delicious. So far, food in Philadelphia was winning.

After breakfast, we walked around the market. I was impressed with the enormous wall mural dedicated cheese. I want that in my future house. That’s barely a joke. I’d love that.

We were also impressed with the lush variety of fruit and hugely affordable prices. $5 for a box of mangoes?! That’s incredible. And I’ve never seen papayas so big. It made us all want to cook.

While I was constantly salivating over the pasta, produce, and meats in this neighborhood, the highlight was actually Molly’s Books and Records. My friends were intrigued by the records. I was in love with the cookbook section. My favorite was one called “Early English Recipes,” which was written in Old English. I really loved the spelling, small drawings, and variety of recipes listed side by side. I left without a cookbook but did purchase a button of a woman looking blasé as she baked a cake. Felix left with a record. I think we all could have spent more time in that shop.

Next, the Liberty Bell. I knew beforehand that the Liberty Bell is a symbol of freedom, but I didn’t really know much else about it. I enjoyed the small exhibits leading up to it which demonstrated its history, importance, and preservation. My favorite part though was a sign that discouraged people from touching the Liberty Bell. [Side note, I thought, “how could anyone touch it? It must be blocked off.” It’s not, it’s just got a rope around it. I thought that accessibility was cool. ]

Anyway, I digress. The sign said, and this is a quote, “If you have the urge to touch Liberty, reach out and feel this actual casting…” Charlotte and I had a good giggle over the use of the word urge. As if the National Park Service is saying, “we get it you have desires, and you should control them, but if you can’t, here is an outlet.” Needless to say, we touched Liberty.

After the Liberty Bell, we thought we had some time before our 1pm tickets to Independence Hall. We wandered over to Penn’s Landing where we stumbled across a Science Festival and checked out the water and some boats. Then we trekked back to Independence Hall. It’s at this point I finally ready my confirmation email fully. It said we needed to pick up tickets 45 minutes before our entry time otherwise they’d be released to the public. Oops.

Ryan and I did some speed walking to the visitor’s center and thankfully they still had our tickets. But, the woman behind the desk said maybe we wouldn’t make it. We had less than 10 minutes to get across the green, across the street, into the entrance, and into the group of 1pm entry.

So we ran to meet Abbie, Charlotte, and Felix. We ran across the street. And we ran to the wrong side, which was the exit, and then we ran to another exit. Finally, we found the entrance and panting and sweating, they let us in for the 1pm entry. The ranger took pity on us and told us where to stand to get the best AC breezes, which helped a lot. Thank you kindly, Park Ranger!

On the tour, we saw two rooms (in low season, visitors also get to go upstairs) and were led by a Park Ranger. He had a slow measured delivery that clearly showed his passion for the subject. Similar to most visitors, my favorite room was the one where America’s Founding Fathers would have debated and decided on our founding documents. I love being in places that witnessed history. I like imagining that people I’ve learned so much about actually sat, worked, and talked in this room. We’d also been to the National Archives in DC earlier that week to see the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution – so we enjoyed coming full circle on that.

After the tour, we were ravenous so we went to Reading Terminal Market for lunch. I always want everything I see from spices, to produce, to chocolates. On the walk over, I said I wanted a sandwich as big as my head. Ryan and I found it at the Original Turkey. I had an enormous sandwich with turkey, stuffing, bacon, and cranberry sauce. Ryan had something that looked like a turkey cheesesteak. Charlotte, Felix, and Abbie went elsewhere and came back with amazing looking chili dogs. For dessert, Ryan went to Flying Monkey and got us whoopie pies to share. They went so fast that I forgot to take a picture!

Fed and happy, we decided to walk over to the Philadelphia Museum of Art so we could see the Rocky statue and walk the steps. Something I loved about Philadelphia is that there was art everywhere.

I really liked this plaza filled with oversized game pieces. As well, this fountain with spitting turtles was adorable. The weather was in the high 80’s, so I was especially jealous of the kids frolicking in the water.

We never made it to the steps because the NFL Draft was blocking our way. There was definitely a way to walk around and/or through, but we never found it. Instead, we walked through the festival.

I took a photo with the Baltimore Ravens helmet. We got free Skittles, refilled our water bottles, and sat under a tree and people watched. In the end, we were tired and ready for a treat and a rest.

Abbie had been lusting after a big ice cream so we went to Big Gay Ice Cream. It did not disappoint! Everyone had something good, but I think Abbie and I had the most impressive order. We went with the Salty Pimp. It’s vanilla ice cream in a cone, with dark chocolate covered pretzels, and a chocolate dip. It was decadent and perfect.

We went back to the rental for much-needed naps, showers, and rest. After that, we went to Brauhaus Schmitz for drinks and snacks. The highlight though was Abbie and Charlotte taught me how to play darts.

Officially I mean. I know that in darts you throw the dart at the board, but I had no idea about scoring or anything. I had some good shots, but I lost by quite a bit. We decided we’d rematch next time I was in London.

After a quick trip to Whole Foods for some dinner, we called it a day. According to my Fitbit pedometer, we walked 28,122 steps for a total of 11.62 miles. Needless to say, all of us slept soundly that night.

Sunday was more low-key. Abbie, Charlotte, and I went to Magic Gardens. The $10 entry fee made us a little bit nervous, but the money was well spent because we loved it. Loved it.

Created by artist Isaiah Zagar it’s an outdoor installation with indoor exhibits as well. The best way I can describe it is that it’s an immersive mosaic made using tiles, plates, bottles, mirrors, folk art statutes, and found objects.

My photos and my words cannot do justice to what I saw with my eyes. Every corner has something interesting to see. Some objects are beautiful as they are. Some are better because they come together to make a figure or a phrase. I liked finding surprising things, like the tile with a sign language message saying “art is strange.”

I also liked the bathroom, where every surface was covered. But my favorite was the toilet saying “R. Mutt,” a nice reference to Marcel Duchamp’s Fountain.

Although I loved the small individual tiles best, there were also some really impressive large mosaics that took over the sides of walls and buildings. It was so cool, and I left wanting to know more about his process. How much is planned? How much is randomly generated as he went?

The best thing I learned though, was that Zagar started this space while he was renting it. Later, the community helped him purchase the space. But before that, it was a pretty bold thing to do!

To end our trip, we took a leisurely walk back to the bus station. We sat at The Porch, next to the train station and rocked in oversized porch swings. We chatted about trip highlights and all the fun things we saw in Philadelphia. The iconic “love” sculpture was gone for restoration this trip, so we made due with this cute XOXO sculpture. Finally, time for the bus ride back to DC, our busy and awesome weekend complete.

This trip was a blast and left me wanting more. I’m hoping next time to eat more cheesesteaks and visit the new Museum of the American Revolution. Anything else I should add for a future Philly trip? Share it in the comments!

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It’s the return of Tourist Tuesday! I mean sort of, as it’s Thursday. It’s been months since my last Tourist Tuesday so you can tell I’m a bit rusty. However, I decided it was time to bring this series temporarily out of retirement because Colonial Beach, Virginia is incredibly cute and charming. Last weekend my friends Ashley, Anna, Charlotte and I went to Colonial Beach for a girls weekend and I just had to write about it. This little town, with only one stop light, is less than two hours from DC and has fun things like a beach, a trolley, a vineyard, and excellent wildlife. 

We rented a house called The Pointe, which is owned by Ingleside vineyards. The house is next to the river and has an amazing view. Our first morning we saw eagles flying and fish jumping. Pretty idyllic! As you can see from the photo above, there’s no driveway to the house, which we found hilarious. You can find the house after a state maintained road, after a dirt road, and after a nursery. There’s also a dock next to the house if you wanted to rent a boat. We walked out there to enjoy the sunset and beautiful view. 

Part of what drew us to Colonial Beach was actually going to the beach. It’s not the fanciest beach you’ll ever visit, but it’s clean, the water is calm, and it’s quiet and relaxing. The beach is a little pebbly but not terrible. The water, because you’re on the Potomac River and not the ocean, was so warm! It was really delightful and comfortable. We spent a quite a bit of time lounging in the water and in the shade just hanging out. I’ll also be honest (and nerdy) and say there was some pretty great Pokemon catching too.

If you visit Colonial Beach, be sure to wander around town. We rode the trolley, which costs just 50¢, and the driver provided commentary as he drove. It was informative and wonderful to listen to someone so proud of his town. He showed us restaurants, beaches, and even the road where he lived. There are also a number of cute looking restaurants, ice cream stands, and thrift shops.

While we were there they were having a car show which was fun to walk through. There were so many beautiful, shiny, impressive, old cars. The one above, from 1904 caught our eye and the owner let us get in!! Best of all, he let us honk the horn. It was a bigger rubber ball and when you squeezed it, it made a wonderful deep goose-like honk.

Our real reason for visiting Colonial Beach was to check out the vineyard. Ingleside Vineyard offers tastings for $8. It’s an incredible deal because get to keep the glass and you get 8 tastes. Although, we definitely got treated to a few more.  The vineyard also has free tours of the wine making facility, a museum, and a gift shop.

After we did the tasting, we decided to take it easy. We bought a few bottles of wine, some cheese, sausage, and crackers and had lunch in the beautiful courtyard. There are a number of tables, lots of trees, cute decorations, and a gorgeous fountain. We ate, drank, and talked until the cheese was gone. It was the most pleasant afternoon.Before leaving the vineyard we had to check out their museum. The museum is one tiny room with colonial-era wine bottles and seals, Native American artifacts, waterfowl decoys, and taxidermied animals. The museum is a bit random. I think the point is to show a collection of things having to do with the history of the area, but the objects aren’t specific to the vineyard. We each found as least one thing we liked in that quirky space. And we decided to add to the quirkiness by taking a picture of ourselves sitting on the floor in from of the decoys. So who am I to judge what’s quirky? The wildlife was an expected treat. On the first morning we opened the door to sit on the deck and the roar of the cicadas was amazing. We also saw eagles, osprey, herons, and even a little salamander. I really liked the huge spider in a web near the front door of our house. Charlotte actually saw it catch a fly and wrap it up in its web! It was pretty cool.

There’s also lots more to do that we didn’t get to. There’s George Washington’s birthplace. It’s free to go. We didn’t. I think because I want on a small rant that the house there was built in the style of the time but there’s not evidence his home would have looked like that. This was all based on a book I read in grad school six years ago, and actually I bet visiting there would be pretty nice. There’s also Stratford Hall, the home to the Lee family – like William Henry Lee and Robert E. Lee. Entry is $12 for adults. And there’s the Voorhees Nature Preserve, where we intended to go but then it started raining.

I highly recommend a visit to Colonial Beach! It’s less than two hours outside of DC and offers a charming, slower pace for the weekend and there’s lot of fun things to do. People were nice, the restaurants were good (try Lenny’s for breakfast), and there’s lots to do!

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Today is my last day in London. Ryan and I fly back to Washington, DC later today. We’ve been here nearly two years and it’s felt both quick and long. In that time we’ve had jobs, made friends, traveled, and adapted to a new place and culture. And there’s lots to say about it, but writing too much might make me cry. So let’s just say, it’s been a truly amazing adventure!

For me, a big part of my adventure was working as an Explainer at the Science Museum. My last day at work was a week ago, and I meant to post this a week ago, but I have been too busy packing/cleaning/hanging out with my friends/being emotional to actually post this. And again, I thought if I wrote about it I might cry. But it’s gotta be done.  Working at the Science Museum has been a lot of things for me. Sometimes (many times) I’ve absolutely hated it. When being yelled at by parents, guarding vomit to be cleaned up, or after being on my feet all day – there were times were I thought, “what am I doing with my life?!” It has been an exhausting and frustrating job.

But there were also great days and more importantly great people. The job was so social and I made lots of friends. I also had children tell me that I made them want to be a scientist, I made bubbles and was called the Bubble Lady, I blew things up and had kids treating me like a rock star, learned more about science, and learned about English foods and words and holidays. I left with a crew of three amazing women who I will love forever. And I bonded with people over Star Wars, chanting USA, baking, and Lego. I have made friends who took care of me when I was ill, who teased me about everything, and who made me laugh hysterically. I have met people who I can talk to about absolutely everything and who I know will be in my life forever. And I feel confident that WhatsApp messages with funny pictures, sweet messages, and weird videos will continue to fly across the ocean.

Overall, it wasn’t always an easy job or one that I always liked, but now that it’s over I can look at it fondly. And completely honestly, it has brought me a lot of love and I’m glad it happened. So in tribute to my Explainer family, below is a little slide show of photos from my time on the job. There’s lots that hasn’t been captured, but it’s a lovely taste of some of the best bits. And don’t worry, it’s not goodbye, it’s just see you later.

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I know I’ve been lazy (and late) when it comes to Tourist Tuesday, but hopefully you’ll forgive me today because this post is Christmasy. Last Friday I went to Winter Wonderland with a bunch of my work friends (and one friend from college!) and it was a festive good time with food, drinks, games, and interesting sights. 

I did try to go to Winter Wonderland last year with Ryan and our friends Sarah and Ben but the queue was so incredibly long that we went to the pub instead. This year, my friends and I were smart and we went during the day to avoid the crowds. However, it really is more magical at night when all the lights are bright – but actually it gets dark here at about 3:30pm so “night” is relative.

Anyway, Winter Wonderland is a fun place to go with a group because it’s nice to just walk around and look at things. It’s free to get in, and then it’s easy to just wander around and take it all in. To me, Winter Wonderland is a mix of Christmas market and the Boardwalk in New Jersey. That might not sound appealing, but I think it is. There are rides, games, food, shopping, and even the circus. While we were there we saw some interesting stuff. We saw a pub/carousel (bottom right above) where drinkers were sitting on horses and riding around in a circle. It looked both fun and a little sad. In the Bavarian area we saw this really tall statue of a man with a bird (top left above). It was creepy, and worse his mouth and eyes moved and his hair blew in the wind. How is he Germany or Christmasy? I don’t know.

The best thing we saw  – or rather heard – was this guy in the photo above. At first, we heard him from afar and thought it was just recorded Barry White music playing over the speakers. I think he was singing Can’t Get Enough of Your Love. And then we got closer and we saw that it was an actual real person singing. He was pretty good, and a little bit hilarious to listen to. He was a little all over the place and hitting all kinds of high and low notes. He even had a small crowd of teenage girls dancing along at the foot of his pavilion.

Of course, while we were there we did stop to eat and drink. Some of us were drawn to German sausages, others got donuts, and I got some churros. Even though it wasn’t too cold, we did warm up with mulled wine and cider. I enjoy the festive gold foil stuck in this plastic cup. They really are pulling out all the stops to make it merry, am I right?

We also had a lovely time on the games. My friend Chi and I played one game where we shot arrows at balloons on a target. The vendor was somewhat un-supportive. I asked him to show me how to use the bow, and he did, but after he said he thought maybe he was going to need some protective armor. However, I showed him (sort of) I was able to shoot 2 of the 4 balloons. I actually shot one of the balloons on my first try! The last time I shot an arrow was in high school gym and I was awful. So, look at me now Mr. Randall, I am a semi-decent archer!

Anyway, I didn’t win a prize, but I felt like a winner. After Chi, Charlotte, and I played another game and Chi picked the winning number and won a giant Toblerone bar. In fact, it’s actually 58 small Toblerone bars but the giant packaging in impressive. Everywhere we went for the rest of the night people kept talking to Chi.

As for the rides, we were all tempted, though slightly fearful. We wanted to go, it looked fun. But after eating and boozing we were afraid of getting sick. In fact, I hate to say this, but I think we were also feeling a little bit old and lame. But, Chi, Imogen, Abi, Adam and I did eventually ride a medium-sized looking roller coasted called the Wild Maus XXL. The queue for the line was like a fun house with lots of obstacles. Instead of just standing in line, the floor had spots that spun around, boards that wobbled back and forth, and even a water area where you had to jump on logs. It was the best line I’ve ever waited in.

I’ve been on a Wild Maus ride before, but not one so big. Basically it’s a fast moving roller coaster and though it doesn’t go upside down, when it takes turns it takes them really really sharply. Basically as you go around the turns it feels like the car might fly off the tracks. It also has a lot of speedy up and downs. Needless to say we all did a lot of yelling and laughing. The photos of us afterwards were funny too. Our hair was flying everywhere and everyone was making crazy faces.

After Winter Wonderland we headed to a Christmas party hosted by our other work friends Dan and Dominique. I know there party has nothing to do with Winter Wonderland, but I wanted to tell you about the Christmas pudding. I wish I had taken more pictures of everything because they made everyone a big Christmas feast and there house was decorated with lots of decorations. But, the Christmas pudding (above) was my favorite thing because I had never seen one before. It’s a holiday tradition here in the UK and it’s basically a rich, boozy, fruit cake that you cover in brandy and light on fire. How beautiful is that?! I thought it was delicious and maybe next year I’ll try to make one for myself.

It’s almost Christmas, but Winter Wonderland is open until 3 January in case you’d like to check out some of this ridiculous fun for yourself.

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I don’t have a green thumb. Or to use the British phrase, I don’t have green fingers. Either way, I’m not good at keeping plants but I do enjoy looking at them and having them in the house. So recently Ryan and I decided to spend a leisurely Sunday morning browsing the plants and flowers at the Columbia Road Flower Market. 

The Columbia Road Flower Market is open on Sundays from 8am until about 3pm. Also, during December they have Christmas Wednesday with evening shopping. What I loved about the market is that it’s small but intense. One road packed full of all kinds of flowers and plants. And when you’re finished looking around and shopping it’s an easy walk to Brick Lane or Spitalfields Market where you can grab a bite or shop some more. 

Besides lovely atmosphere, my favorite thing about the market was all the yelling. Not angry yelling, but the attention-grabbing advertisement yelling done by the vendors. As the Columbia Flower Market website states, they all yell “everthin’ a fiver.” They also yell about how their flowers are better than those at the other vendors. The vibe is fun and animated. This may sound silly, but the market feels like the English markets I’ve seen in movies or read about in books. It’s loud, vibrant and alive. 

And so many things really are available for a fiver (£5). In the photo above you can see a bunch of thistles, an orchid, and some holiday berry branches are all out there for £5. I was also surprised to see a lemon tree, which was more than £5 but still seemed like a great deal given how many lemons are already on it! For whatever reasons I didn’t expect to see so much variety. I thought there would be flowers, house plants, and maybe Christmas plants. I was pleasantly surprised to see lemon trees, orange trees, and even a pretty sizable chilli plant.

I was right about Christmas plants though. There were trees, and holly, and berries. The wonderful smell of evergreen trees was in the air. But my favorite Christmas plant was the unexpected and hilarious Santa cactus. I nearly missed seeing it since he was hidden away, but thankfully Ryan spotted them and pointed Santa out.

The plants I ended up being drawn to the most were the succulents and cacti. And not just because they were dressed like Santa. Actually, some of the succulents were painted gold and bronze – I think also in an attempt to make them Christmasy. And did you notice, the succulents are good deal, at less than a fiver?

But I like succulents and cacti because they have such interesting shapes and colors. There are spiky ones and furry ones. There are colorful ones and plain green ones. Some are little bulbs and some have swirly arms. I find them fun and I enjoying looking at them. Also, not having a green thumb I feel like maybe I’d be able to actually take care of them.

Although tempted by many things, surprisingly we left without buying anything. But really, who wants to carry a tiny cactus home on the tube? Not me. Although maybe in busy times I could use it as a weapon…

But I digress. The plant that I was most tempted by was an amaryllis bulb. When Ryan and I lived in the US, twice his mom gave me an amaryllis bulb around Thanksgiving and early in the New Year it would bloom with its first flower. I loved it because it was so beautiful and because it was fairly easy to take care of. I didn’t take a picture of the bulb, but I did take a picture of some giant stemmed amaryllis plants. They were very impressive.

As we got to the end of the road we stopped for a bit and listened to a very hipster looking folk group. One of them was playing a washboard and another was dancing on a piece of wood. It was very hipstery, but also very pleasant to listen to. It was cold so we walked away towards Spitalfields in search of lunch and warmth. It was an absolutely lovely way to start a Sunday and I look forward to going back soon.

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A few weeks ago my parents were in London visiting me and Ryan. We did a ton of touristy stuff. We went to Borough Market, the British Museum, and the Victoria & Albert Museum. We went out to eat, went to the cinema, and hung out. We also did some things I’d never done before like visit Oxford. My parents had been there before but through Ryan and I would love it. There’s lots of stuff to do there but let me tell you about a few highlights. Spoiler: they are mainly Harry Potter and museum related. 

First, we went to the Great Hall at Christ Church College at Oxford University. Whew, that’s a mouthful and I’m not sure I even have the name correctly.This gorgeous hall was the inspiration for the Great Hall at Hogwarts in Harry Potter. Also, the stairway outside the hall was used in the first Harry Potter movie when the students were received by Professor McGonagall. The space is lovely and I think it is pretty cool that students still use it for meals. The room is dark and wood paneled with high vaulted ceilings and lots of portraits on the wall. The sheer number of portraits on the wall reminded me of the corridors in Harry Potter. My favorite portraits in the hall were of Henry VIII and William Penn.

Outside the hall is a door with the graffiti “no peel” written in nails hammered into the wooden door. This graffiti dates from the 17th century. There are lots of myths about the motives behind the graffiti, but the real reason is that it was done in protest of the Prime Minister Sir Robert Peel. Apparently it was because it was about his changing views on religious reformation. Mostly I like that they kept graffiti around for so long. Nowadays that stuff would get cleaned up pretty quickly I bet.

Generally though the buildings and land around Oxford are beautiful and ornate. It’s a nice place, and I’m sure as a student it must feel awesome to be a part of a long and illustrious history. However, I felt like it was sort of quiet insular place and didn’t have the excitement and bustle that I like about college campuses. But still, I think the opportunity to use and live in a space so beautiful and historic would be awesome. So often places that look like Oxford used to be used but are now just for looking at. I think it’s sort of refreshing that here the places are still active and alive.

After the Great Hall we went to the Cathedral. Again there was some beautiful architecture. The ceiling was pretty cool. It looked like a snowflake or an interlocking web of arches and ribs. What I enjoyed best was the stained glass. You can see an image of one large window in the bottom left picture below. You can also see my parents in the foreground looking at a tomb.

In that window above at the very top is a beautiful stained glass ship. I liked that a lot because it’s an unusual thing to see in a church window. In the photo below is another interesting window showing the beheading of Thomas Becket (center of photo). According to another blog about this window, I found out that Becket doesn’t have a face because Henry VIII found it too graphic. Apparently a plain piece of glass was used to censor it a bit.

After visiting these two places in Christ Church we walked around Oxford a bit more and then found our way over to the Oxford University Museum of Natural History. I love natural history museums because I think they have such wow factor. It’s so amazing to see things I’m familiar with but never seen up close. I also like getting to see things I’ve never known about before. Also, I love seeing dinosaurs because they are just awesome.

There was a big exhibit on insects which my family loved but which gave me a bit of the heebie-jeebies. I got a little nervous by seeing the big hairy tarantulas. One of the things I loved the most was the scale model of the earth moon and sun. In the photo on the left, below, you can see my parents all the way across the museum waving. My father is the one on the right and you can kind of see a golden ball in front of him. This represents the sun and it was about the size of a basketball. Now, the photo below on the right was all the way across the room from my parents (so where I was standing when taking their picture). And this model shows the size of the Earth and Moon. So they are to scale in both size and distance relative to the sun. I knew the sun was big and far away but holy moly! We are tiny and peanut sized and I loved seeing it.

I also love natural history museums for the animals. We saw a gigantic taxidermied crab. I’m not sure crabs can be taxidermied, but it was a crab formerly alive but now in a case. It was gigantic, and about as big as me! I also love seeing animal skeletons. I liked seeing how they are similar, how they are different, and also how bodies can be unexpected. For example they had an elephant skeleton and it’s so crazy to see an elephant without a trunk.

Also inside the museum is the Pitt Rivers Museum. I love this museum because it is so quirky and full of fascinating objects. Accessed through the Natural History Museum the Pitt Rivers Museum was founded in 1884 by Lieutenant General Augustus Pitt Rivers who donated his collection to Oxford. It’s such a traditional cabinet of curiosity style of exhibit display which is fun any unusual today. Meaning, instead of displaying just a few things in a minimalist and orderly fashioned, a cabinet of curiosities has lots of things packed closely together. I enjoyed that style. I liked walking into the room and seeing it jammed full of objects. It’s like being in a museum while simultaneously being in an antique shop. You just never know what you’ll find.

The objects in the museum are arranged thematically rather than chronologically which I think is delightful and sometimes a bit random. So there are cases about religious objects, about musical instruments, and cases about writing. I saw a totem pole, a shrunken head, and a pipe. As I walked around it was fun, and surprising, to turn around and be face to face with all kinds of objects. I loved the small gorgeously handwritten object labels. And I loved the surprising collection of objects. The photo above in the bottom left is an ivory ball of many layers all carved from one piece of ivory. Amazing right?

Overall, I had a lovely day out with my family in Oxford. There are a number of things to see and it’s a nice place to stroll around and stop at the places that catch your fancy. I loved seeing the history at the University, I was charmed by the Harry Potter connections, and I really had fun at the Natural History Museum. It’s just a quick train ride outside of London so I recommend considering it if you want to get out of the city for the day!

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Over the weekend Ryan and I went to Zurich to visit family. Ryan’s twin brother Aaron, his wife Katy, and their 1-year-old son Boden moved there a little over a month ago and we were excited to see them, explore the city a bit, and eat some cheese.

It was a whirlwind of a trip. We left super early on Saturday. So early in fact, that I was able to snap a lovely photo of the sunrise. And then we returned to London on Sunday evening. All in all, a fast weekend in Zurich however I’ve got 5 things about the trip I want to share with you. Four of those things you too can do in Zurich, and all of them are kid friendly. Here we go.

1. Go on a walking tour of Free Walk Zurich

Free Walk Zurich offers a number of walking tours around the city each with different content. You meet the guide at a designated spot, walk and learn for about 90 minutes, and then tip your guide (if you want to) what you think is fair. So, if can be free but tipping is a nice thing to do.

I think we did the Downtown Zurich Tour. There were about 25 people on the tour and we walked up and down the lovely cobbled streets of Zurich. We saw the Fraumünster Church, which has some gorgeous frescoes. We also saw many fountains. The guide told us that there are over 1200 fountains and all of them give out clean drinkable water. Awesome right? I’ll admit, I wasn’t always so good at listening during the tour because the city is really beautiful. The trees were bright autumn colors, the water is gorgeous, and the building architecture was fun to look at.

What I really love about walking tours is that they make me look up. It’s easy to walk around a city and focus on where you’re going without looking at the details around you. On so many buildings there were beautiful statues, faces and animals carved into tiny ornamental flourishes, and lovely paintings like those you see below. The painting on the left is a painting of the old city of Zurich. The one on the right is of the three patrons of Zurich. Apparently two of the patrons, Felix and Regula are often remembered and depicted but the third one, Exuperantius is usually forgotten. Poor Exuperantius.

Now, Aaron and Katy might have a more informed opinion about whether or not this was a kid friendly activity – but I would say it was pretty good. There were some stairs during the tour but only one long staircase and a nice guy from the tour offered to help Aaron carry their stroller. The other participants were mainly young 20-30 something adults and all seemed to smile nicely at Boden (I thought). No one seemed too concerned with serious contemplative focus – I mean we were out in a noisy city for goodness sake, so a little baby noise wasn’t going to be bothersome.  Also we were outside so it was easy to walk apart a bit if need. Most importantly look how cute Boden is? Who could possibly mind him? 

Afterward we got delicious sausages from a nearby street vendor. Then Katy and I ditched the boys and wandered around, looked a flea market, bought cheese, and enjoyed the view of the boats on the lake. All in all pretty great. I recommend it.

2. Eat delicious Raclette

I was really excited about going to Switzerland so I could eat some delicious cheese. The only cheese dish I knew about was fondue, but wonderfully Aaron and Katy introduced me to something new – a different cheesy Swiss dish. They served us delicious, warm, and comforting raclette.

Raclette is a semi-firm cheese that’s used for melting. The machine above is also called Raclette. It’s awesome. Here’s how it works. You put a slice of the cheese into the tiny pans. Top the cheese with onions and bacon and then put it in the bottom layer of the apparatus. Leave it there until the cheese is bubbling all over and is temptingly gooey looking. The top shelf is like a grill and we used it for sausages and vegetables.

Once the cheese is melted and bubbling take your pan out of the machine and quickly pour the cheese over a boiled potato. Then you eat and repeat. Better yet, get another slice of cheese melting while you’re working on your first potato. Then you can have non-stop cheesy goodness. We had four different kinds of cheese: regular, garlic, chili paprika, and pepper. All tasty, a little bit stinky, and so satisfyingly good. This meal was hearty and filling without being too heavy. Also clean up was super easy. A really great dish and if you’re in Zurich find a restaurant, or a local, who will serve you this dish!

3. Take a cable car from Adilswil to Felsenegg Lookout

On Sunday we decided to take in some views and do some walking. We went over to Adilswil and took the cable car to the Felsenegg Lookout.

Ok, let me be honest. Before we could do any walking we needed caffeine. We sat in the restaurant right at the top and had the creamiest cappuccinos I’ve ever tasted. Finally ready to go, we hit the trails. There were a number of different walking paths of varying difficulties. We choose a 3km one with little incline. Katy had done it before so we knew we’d be able to make it with the stroller. There were one or two small, yet tiring, hills but the five of us made it.

This walk was my favorite thing we did in Zurich. We got lucky to be there while the trees were bright with autumn colors. Everything was gorgeous. Honestly though, I found this short walk breathtakingly beautiful. I totally recommend doing this. It’s a perfect half day activity. 

We walked up and down the hills and slowly the fog burned off and the sun came out. It was so amazing to be in a place so scenic only a short trip (about 20 minutes) outside the city. In addition to gorgeous countryside, we saw cows, charming Swiss homes, barns, and a mound of decorative gourds. I love a good knobbly decorative gourd. It really shouts autumn to me.

Mostly, I liked being outside and having the opportunity to just chat with my family. During the holidays I think we can get caught up with doing something and being busy. I like getting the chance to just relax and talk. It was perfection. When they come to London I’ll have to find some outdoor walking for us to do. (Any suggestions anyone?)

4. Have brunch at Fork & Bottle

Aaron and Katy had been to the Fork & Bottle lots of times before, but never for brunch. It has a large outdoor seating area with a playground so it’s perfect for families. Also, Katy said there is a playground inside too. The outdoor area is lovely. There are big gnarled trees in the center of the outdoor space which are beautiful and a little bit spooky. The tables are long picnic tables arranged in rows. Just outside the restaurant was a pen with tiny horses and mules (I think, but maybe they were donkeys?) 

Boden played nicely with the toys in the play area while we ate our meals and took in the sun. Seriously, I think Ryan and I may even have gotten a little color. As for the food, it was really yummy with fairly generous portions (by European standards, I know American breakfast burritos are as big as newborn babies). I had the breakfast burrito which was protein packed! It was filled with eggs, beans, and chorizo and topped with guacamole and salsa.

But the best part was the hot chocolate which was topped with a fluffy pillow of a marshmallow. That was the best part. It made me want to try to make giant marshmallows at home. I also really enjoyed the long shadows cast by the sun in the photo above.

5. Play with your cute nephew Boden. Oh wait, this one is just for me. 

Ok, so this is the part that you the blog reader can’t do. But, who doesn’t love photos of cute babies? Hopefully you don’t mind me being a proud and gushy aunt. The last time I saw Boden was last Christmas when they were still living in Colorado. Then he was a tiny wiggly peanut. Now he is a boy with a personality. He is smiley, shy at first then very warm, and he is so active. So active. 

This boy can crawl fast. Really fast. He’s everywhere and always getting into a new activity. He is curious, playful, and likes to look out the window. He played peak-a-boo with me in my scarf. He giggled at Ryan when Ryan pretended to be the tickle monster. And he let us cuddle up to him as we read him a bed time story. 

It was nice to spend time with him (and Aaron and Katy too – I feel a little bad I didn’t take any pictures of them). It was nice to get to feel like a real aunt and be a part of his life. I can’t wait to see him again. I think he might feel the same. Look how excited he is in that photo above!

Anyway, to end this post let me say that Zurich is a small city with beautiful architecture, scenery and food. There’s lots more to do there than what I did, but I think this list could you set you up for a nice weekend away. I for one look forward to going back.

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