Au Voir Paris, Welcome London!

Three days in Paris was a good enough stopover for us. Any longer I think our healths would seriously be in danger.

It was all aboard the Eurostar towards London.

Paris

This time, it was a real whirlwind experience of Parisian life. In just one day, we visited the Centre of Pompidou, enjoyed the buskers, walked past River Seine, headed to the Louvre and found ourselves at a Christmas Parisian night market that ran forever. Literally forever. It was a complete day and our legs were sore. Forgot to bring my phone out so photos are only caught on my camera.

The next day we got more Parisian (with our food). We walked about 8 km to revisit Luxembourg Gardens and popped by Polidor. After lunch, we were off to the Eiffel Tour and Galleries Lafayette and finally to Chartier, a French restaurant which is a must visit not for the quality of food but more for the experience. What an experience! A mischievous waiter recommended Veal with of course sounded delicious only to know when it arrived that it was the Head of Veal. So on Dan's plate was the tongue, the cheek and other indescribable stuff all intact. 

It was a great 3 days in Paris -  and my opinion of the place has not changed - a smoking and urined laden city which does mean desserts and pastries. Well, my mom in law has aptly described it as an "International Toilet".

Jardin Luxembourg

Polidor Restaurant

Polidor: Duck

Polidor: Foie Gras

Panthenon

This is as far as we got to the Eiffel

Chartier: The Infamous Paris Restaurnt

Yummy Desserts

Disgusting to Us: Delicacy to the French

Goodbye Switzerland, Bonjour Paris

Enroute to London, we decided to do a short stopover in Paris. It was a gd experience on the trains as we boarded the Golden pass again.

Sarah's Doodling while being bored on the train

Switzerland in a Few Words

Spectacular Scenery
Superb Systemization
Sky Rocket Prices
Speeding Monsters
Snowy Slopes


We will be back:))

A day at Le Gruyere

It was another full day as we headed to Le Gruyere and I must say it was a most enjoyable day.

First stop, it was to the Chocolate factory at Broc. An impressive historical tour about chocolate and the innovation of swiss that incorporated milk into chocolate. Sarah found the tour scary. Daddy Dan and mommy Joann were impressed at how automated Swiss systems are as we were ushered from one stage to another without the presence of a physical human guide.

The saving grace for Sarah has to be the final section of the tour that allowed visitors to eat all the chocolate you want at their display store. Sarah said, "this is a very special day!" I couldn't help myself laughing in the midst of stuffing my face with chocolates too.

Sanmy was busy eating and stuffing his pockets with chocolates to take back to Hannah and Josiah and Auntie Cc and his Shu Shus.

Second stop, we headed to the Le Gruyere Cheese factory. Very educational as we witnesses again how swiss automated systems work.

Finally, we found ourselves at Chateau de Gruyere. It was a beautiful castle set on a hill.


A full and a great day.

Up Glacier 3000

Chateau D is a picture of white in the months of Dec, Jan and Feb. But for Nov, it's still pretty much green. So we headed up to Glacier 3000 a thirty minute drive to see the snow.

A very thrilled Sarah and Samuel we witnessed. Sammy was especially delighted. We saw some spectacular sights that day.

More Walking at Chateau D

We are keeping things simple here in Chateau. Taking our walks, having our home cooked meals and literally chilling out. Tried more walking today and ended up at our fave cafe again. So much for the calories that we lost ;)

Chateau D Walking Trail

It was a simple morning of kids waking up at 6 am (it's getting better) and hitting the gym for a short while before embarking on our walking trail. Not a difficult trail but truly a picturesque one. Walks in Chateau are popular and I can just imagine that walking here in Spring must be one of the most breathtaking experience. Then it was a stopover at our fave cafe place where we cld rest our feet, warm our bodies over a hot cuppa and let the kids play in their 'ikea' corner.

A most delighted Sarah with a frost covered grass patch. 

Exploring Chateau D Oex

November in Chateau D is known to be rainy and muddy and thus it really is a quiet period. I must say, the weather has been extraordinarily great (according to a mommy I met at a playground). And the kids are having a great time. Sarah wants to touch all the frost and Samuel wants to see the cows. Train rides n bus rides offer great views of the mountains. Today we explored the neighborhood and had our cheese fondue unexpectedly as we headed to a cheese factory that was closed in winter. But that simple bus ride up the spectacular mountains was most refreshing. That bus operated like a school bus picking up kids along the way to their school in the mountains. I would love to send Sarah n Sammy there. Kinda like one that Charlotte Mason probably have love to teach in. Sarah was very intrigued at the school kids and I think Sammy our cheese lover had the best time of all at our fondue stopover.

We Are On our Rail Adventure

I am writing this in our dining room at a self catering apartment at Chateau D'Oex overlooking a stream and the mountains. Its pretty surreal thinking that just a day ago, we were at tropical Singapore. Only thing is its 6:34 am, and our two curious George's have been up at 5 am and running about non stop. I wouldn't mind only to think that they would knock out when we ate really exploring the area.

On that note, I must say that Emirates is great. Near empty flight to Geneva and they took a beautiful Polaroid for Sarah and me. I am easily impressed.

There's wireless here so I think I will blog as I go.

Our Extended Bible Study Fellowship

It was fun hosting the new friends I made in my BSF. I am thankful to meet a new bunch of friends of different ages from different walks of life and from different churches.

Blessed Birthday to our best Daddy

Daddy Daniel's Birthday Celebration

We headed to a well reviewed French Restaurant for Daddy Daniel birthday dinner. It was Darrell's treat :)

Enjoying the Neighbourhood

Finally, I upgraded my iPhone. Looking forward to better pics n quicker blogging. Here is our family enjoying the Neighbourhood on a lazy morning