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the lazy travelers take europe: the romantic’s highlights

theromanticIt’s still hard to believe that less than one month ago, the wino and I were frolicking through the snowy streets of Switzerland, trying to pinpoint our next meal drink. Unsurprisingly, we’ve spent the better part of the past month regaling our friends with stories from the good ol’ days. We’re those girls, telling anyone who complains about New York, “it’s nothing compared to Switzerland.”

Yeah, we’ve been really popular ever since we returned.

As with any good getaway, when I think back to our weeklong adventure, it’s all a big blur of snow, cheese, wine, and French accents. But there are a few key things that stick out as the major highlights.

The views from the Swiss Rail.

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There’s just something about train travel, no? It lacks the same appeal in the states… I blame Penn Station, for one. But in Europe, I feel completely at ease riding through the countryside from city to city. We’ve mentioned our Swiss Passes before, so I’m sure you get the gist of how much we loved them, but it wasn’t just their ease that made them such a necessity. It was also the scenery. There were tiny towns that we never would have stopped to visit, but seeing them hustling and bustling from the train gave us a little taste of life in the Swiss countryside.

FROMAGE.

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It is a grave injustice that there is a country on this planet where it is not only possible, but ENCOURAGED, to sit around a table with friends and dip things in melty cheese late into the night and I was not born in that country. There was actually a day on the trip where I said the words, “I am cheese-ed out.”

I have met my match, Switzerland.

Challenge accepted and we will re-cheese again someday.

Verbier

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When we originally settled on Geneva, we had one thing in mind: a snowy, wintery, bundled-up escape from New York to get us ready for the holidays. Though we agreed that Verbier would have logistically worked better as the finale to our time in Switzerland, kicking off our trip in this ski town definitely set the tone for the rest of the week.

Château de Chillon

 

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I’m not entirely sure if Chillon would have had the same impact if we hadn’t arrived on the snowiest, grayest day of our trip. But our self-guided tour was perfection thanks to the dreary overtones. There was literally no better way we could have spent that afternoon! And how many times can you say you’ve felt grateful for less than stellar weather on vacation?

Standing in the snow, looking past the stone castle across Lake Geneva, I felt completely transported back in time (you know, aside from the Canon DSLR and iPhone I was juggling). I’m now making it my life’s work to attend a wedding here. Honestly, I don’t even know if they DO weddings, but it needs to happen. I’m actually afraid to research this because if it’s not possible, I might be crushed. SIGH, it’s clearly just the romantic in me.

The view of Skerries from Ardgillan Castle

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We were more than a little excited to escape from Dublin and get out to the countryside. I think we both had visions of a mini-escapade akin to our cross-country drive to Dingle circa 2009. But it just wasn’t the same. It wasn’t as green, we only saw, like, two sheep, we were hungover from the night before. WE couldn’t fathom a pint at our lunchtime pub stop! But then, we got to Ardgillan and saw the view out ahead and I fell in love with the Emerald Isle all over again.

Stay tuned for the wino’s highlights. I’m going to go sit and stare at my photo album while I drink a bottle of wine and maybe cry a little. CURSE YOU, WANDERLUST.

xo!

the romantic

The Lazy Travelers are two transatlantic best friends who have mastered the art of exploring a new city. Though Ashley is based in London and Carolyn is in Philadelphia, we'll use any excuse to reunite around the world. We’re professional bar hoppers, pub crawlers, and food testers, and you’ll never see us zipping around, checking things off a list of “must-sees.”

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