Italy 22: – Well, Switzerland, actually.

At some point, our time in Italy had to come to a close.

We left Venice on another Acqua Alta day, walking with all of our luggage around the flooded streets until we could get to a working vaporetto stop.

We drove halfway home and stopped in Lucerne, Switzerland, so we could say we had stayed in another country!

We made the 12 hour drive to Italy in one day, and that was possible for two main reasons:  1.  We were excited, had energy, and 2. we were able to leave very early in the morning, arriving at 6:30 pm.

For our return trip, neither of those were in our favor.  After seventeen days of travel, none of us had 12 hours in us, nor were we able to leave very early.  We ended up getting on the road quite a bit later than we originally planned due to the Acqua Alta, so we were extra glad we had planned a night’s rest half-way home.

We ate a very expensive meal at McDonald’s and slept hard that night, very excited that the next night our heads would rest on our own pillows in our own beds.

The morning we headed home we walked around Lucerne with two goals:  to see the bridge that is so famous and to get a Starbucks Mug for me!  (Italy has no Starbucks at all, so the only mug I got from this vacation was from Switzerland.)

Here is my sweet Parker handling the bitter cold of Lucerne like a champ.  The hat he’s wearing was the one we purchased on our Disney World Vacation we took just before we flew to Germany.  I was still expecting him when I bought that hat and I just love to see him wearing it!

Our first view of the Chapel Bridge. Interior, triangular painting, part of what makes this bridge famous. Our whole family on the bridge, thanks to a nice local who offered! Switzerland is incredibly expensive.  We bought three mugs, two cups of coffee, and three cups of kids’ hot chocolate and our bill was over $100.  Pricey! The first and last time I plan to dine in Starbucks in Switzerland! I can say I’ve done it, and that’s all I wanted!  (Makes Matt’s “Hard Rock” visits seem inexpensive!)

What I think we’re doing today:

Something exciting, I’m sure!  In fact, it’s something VERY EXCITING!  We sign for our Fort Jackson house today!  We aren’t sure when we’ll start living here since our HHGS aren’t due until the 17th of January but we’re thrilled to have a place to call home once again!!