BAM BAM Jungfraujoch Saturday

The Anseth family was pretty confident that Switzerland had shown us its best but on Saturday, Switzerland blew our doors off. 

Jungfraujoch is the top of Europe and it is amazing and spectacular, if that is possible.

Troy Butner runs a tight ship. Party of 10 up at 06:20 dressed, packed and in the 07:09 train.  6 different trains later we are at the top of Europe, Jungfraujoch. 

There was a Lindt Chocolate heaven and an Ice Palace.  The Anseth claim the top for themselves.

We saw Jungfraujoch, Moech and Eiger.  This is the same Eiger as Clint Eastwood's Eiger Sanction.  

The sky was clear blue and the wind was down.  Most of these photos look like something out of photoshop but they were taken today.

The best part was not the views or the trains.  It was time spent with the family we love.  It doesn't matter if they live 3 houses down or across the Atlantic.

Who would have thought a boy from Choteau, Montana and a girl from Minot, North Dakota would talk 3 beautiful daughters on such an adventure.

Here are the days photos 

This is a selfie with me and a version of the machine that massages the chocolate for 24 hours.  We should all be massaged like chocolate.

The Anseth family experiencing Chocolate Heaven.

This is a view from the top of Europe

Another view from the top of Europe 

Anseth and Butners at the Ice Palace

The Swiss flag and the crew on the top of Europe.

On the train ride down.

Selfie on the last train home

One last dinner at the Butners

Elle, Troy and I finished our day in Jungfraujoch by Paragliding over Murren and into Lauterbrunnen.  I love stuff like this and this was as amazing and AWESOME a time as I have ever had.

I will download some of those photos when we get home.

30 years ago if you would have told me I was going to Switzerland, I would have ask to see it on a map.  Today, I am blessed enough to spend 10 days in Europe with a beautiful, funny and organized wife and 3 amazing and independent daughters.  The best part is we did it with family who loves us as we are, make us better, laugh with us and enjoy the crazy ride all the way down from the highest spot in Europe to the largest clockface in Europe, the Butners.

One last selfie for the road

Rhine Falls Friday

Friday was a bit overcast, but Lara Butner's trusty iPhone assured us that it would be sunny in the afternoon.  The crew caught a train for Rhine Falls.  

Here is what my tripso says

Tourists have been awed by the Rhine Falls for centuries. In the 19th century, the painter J. M. W. Turnermade several studies and larger paintings of the falls, and the lyrical poet Eduard Mörike wrote of the falls:

I laughed at this description but it was true this waterfall was amazing.  On one bank the ruins of an old castle on the other a sweet alpine adventure course.

We did ride the boat out to the small platform and stair to the island.  Amazing!!!! The Anseth have now crossed the Rhine like some many other would be conquerors.

We then total dominated an alpine ropes course.  Katie and I were so impressive they ask if we were from Montana.

Here are some shots from a great day.  Still can figure out how to include video. We are very blessed to have the Butners as our guides.

The castle on the north side

The Rhine Falls from the boat

Selfie from the viewing platform in the center of the falls

My cousin Elle and I are surprised by the power of the Rhine Falls

A view from one of our zip line platforms 

Elle and Sophie after zip linepollozza

Selfies with Ashley and Katie by the River

One last shot of the falls

Thursday Flumsberg

Thursday was an overcast day in Switzerland.  Little rain, little sunshine, we had a great time regardless.

The Butners guided us to Flumsberg.  We enjoyed hiking in the Swiss Alps.  We had traditional Swiss lunches; Rosti, Alpermagronen and ???chicken nuggets??  You can guess what the girls had.  Rosti is like a hash brown smoothered in cheese and covered with an egg over easy.  It was delicious and super filling.  We loved the hike.  The vistas were amazing.  We then rode the alpine slide called the "Floomzer".  It was awesome.  Abby Butner likes to go fast!!!

After we returned to Zurich, the Anseth girls made a quick run to the Lindt chocolate store.  I will let you all guess which girl was the most excited.

Here are a few shots from the day

Here are Katie, Kari and I on a peak during our hike.

Here is the Anseth family after lunch 

Kari hiking on the trail.  Very rugged

Here is a picture of Sophie and Ashley before they launch.

Can't import a video of the Floomzer.  Will try as a seperate post.

Katie, Ashley and Abby at the chocolate shop

The entire crew after conquering the Floomzer.

Zurich Wednesday

Switzerland is awesome.  Let me count the ways.

1. Clean 

2. Everything is super efficient.  The trains 

    run on time, the boats and trolleys are 

    all on time.

3. CHOCOLATE.  It is delicious 

    everywhere.  For some reason it is 

    extra tasty here

4. Beer.  They have great local beer.  

    They also get great beers from 

    Germany, Italy and Austria 

5. People follow the rules.

6. The history here is amazing.  We literally walked of the remains of an old Roman bath house.  We stood in the same spot where King Charlemagne stood.  The architecture of the churches was a classic gothic style.

7. You are in the mountains.  The views today were amazing.

It was a great day and our tour guide Elle Butner did a great job.  I think she may have gotten tired of the one guy on the tour asking questions but she did an amazing job.

Here are some shots from the day

View from Lindenhof hill.  These ladies could defend Zurich if necessary 

Panoramic view from one of the towers of the Grossmunster.

Kari and I at the Grossmunster.

St. Peter's Cathedral with the largest clock face in Europe 

The girls getting a quick music lesson

Cruising back to Butner's on the water taxi.

It was another great day.

  

Paris Tuesday

I forgot to set my alarm so the Anseth's got off to a slow start.  After breakfast we  took a cruise on the river.  It is really amazing how the city can look so different from different points of view.  We then pounded down some crepes.  Katie and Abby crushed the crepes consumption.  We stopped outside the Louvre and then walked Tuileries Gardens.  The sculptures there were quite impressive.  We grabbed some lunch, more crepes!!!!!!  Then it was the hotel, the train station and back to Zurich.  A great time with our family in a beautiful city. 

This statue seemed appropriate after spending 3 days in Paris with 8 girls

Abby and Katie dancing their way through the gardens 

One last photo of the tower at night

The game

On Monday, we divided into 3 teams:

1. Scott, Kari and Abby

2. Elle, Katie and Grace

3. Lara, Sophie and Ashley 

The goal was to take the most creative selfies with the people we met along the way in Paris.  It was crazy how much fun we had.  The girls were hilarious and we're all super into it.  I will let you all guess who won.

Here are a few shots from my phone.

The guard at the Arc de Triomphe 

German boys keenly interested in the iPhone 6

A girl in a gift shop

2 awesome French guys, check out the mustache 

Elle, Katie and Grace did all of their photos in black and white.  Lara, Sophie and Ashley took pictured with people wearing red.  At the end some of the girls even got a selfie with a mime.  Can you believe it a mime!!!!  Crazy.  I can't think of the last time I laughed this hard

Paris Monday

The wind blew away the rain.  The Anseth's and the Butner's enjoyed a sunny and breezy day.  Breakfast consisted of hot chocolate and chocolate  croissants.  We trekked to the Arc de Triomphe and climbed to the top.  There are some amazing views of the city.  A quick Starbucks break and we travel the hop-on hop-off bus to the Lock bridge.  We walked the east side of the river to Notre Dame.  I could not believe how beautiful it was inside.  The stained glass, the wood carving it was all amazing.  We finished the day on top of the Eiffel Tower looking over Paris at night is simple breathtaking.  Here are a few photos from the day.

Off to France

Sunday morning we got up early and took a Swiss air flight to Paris.  Ashley was very excited because this was a big ticket item for her.  We landed in France and made our way to the hotel and deposited our bags.  A quick 15 minute walk later and we were standing at the base of the Eiffel Tower.  It is an amazing piece of engineering.  We were also surrounded by 6,000 runners as this was the finish line of the Paris 20 km race.  We purchased tickets for a hop on hop off bus.  It rained fairly hard in the afternoon so everyone was glad to call it a day.  That evening we ate at a little pizzeria near the hotel it was delicious.

The Rodin museum was amazing for only 1Euro.  Here the girls are thinking things through.  Here are a couple more.

Just a great day with family.