maddi's gap year: Easter break part III: Germany and Switzerland

I'm sorry for any grammatical or spelling mistakes...

Amsterdam to Cologne - 6th April

We began our day after breakfast, where we drove into Amsterdam for a diamond tour thing. Apparently the Netherlands are renowned for their diamonds so we were shown some and how they're cut and then encouraged to buy some. We didn't, although dad was quite the jokester and "offered" to buy mum the €30,000 ring.

We then had free time, so nan, mum, dad, Mitch and I wandered around the beautiful city and had lunch at a tapas bar before getting back on the coach. It was such a short stay so we couldn't see everything we wanted, like Ann Frank's house and museum, but my TopDeck tour in the summer goes there so I will get to see that then.

We drove to Germany, and stopped in Köln to see the huge, old Gothic cathedral there. It was quite magnificent. Then we went back on the coach to our hotel. Mum and dad were quite annoyed that Mitch and I got the best room with a gorgeous view over the lake and park. We were quite happy about it however. Dinner was provided that night - unfortunately it wasn't schnitzel.

Dad, mum and I on the canal cruise in Amsterdam

Koln Cathedral (there is scaffolding wherever I go)

Germany to Switzerland - 7th April

The next morning, we drove to the Rhine river, where most of the bus got on a boat and had a two hour float down the pretty river. We stayed on the coach, and saw the amazing countryside, and we were able to have free time in an old city called Oberwesel - it was absolutely adorable. We had coffee and cake, and checked out the quaint town before the bus took us all to Heidelberg for lunch.

Cobblestone streets in Oberwesel

Oberwesel

Coffee and cake at a cute cafe in Oberwesel

Heidelberg is also gorgeous. All cobblestone, pedestrian streets with cafés and shops - lots of young people too as there is a famous university there. It's situated on the river, and up the mountain there is a large castle/palace that we walked up to. It was all just really lovely. For lunch, we had schnitzel and beer. That afternoon, we drove to Switzerland! As we drove to Lucerne, we could spot the snow-covered Alps in the distance which I was VERY excited about. Plus, it was just picturesque. For dinner, we ate at a restaurant on the lake in Lucerne.

Mitch and I walking to the castle up the hill in Heidelberg

Dad and Mitch at lunch in Heidelberg

Panorama of Lucerne

The Swiss Alps - 8th April

I could barely contain my excitement. Today we went into the Swiss Alps, and up Mount Titlis. The beautiful sunny weather from the day before was gone, and it was raining and cold, meaning the top of the mountain was snowing! As you know I was dying to see snow since leaving Australia in January. I was practically jumping out of my skin the whole way up (bus ride, train and 3 large cable cars)!

When we got out at the top, it was snowing heavily, and it was just absolutely magical. We walked through a glacier, climbed up to a bridge overhanging the cliff and then played in the snow, making snow angels and attempting to make snowballs. We forgot gloves unfortunately, so that was short lived as the snow froze our hands.

Dinner that night was a Swiss folklore evening, complete with cheese fondue, yodeling, flag throwing, etc - it was a very entertaining night, especially when Mitch nominated dad to go up on stage and yodel in front of everyone.