Every Friday 
But this time it is an easy topic, or so Galen said. I mean he is not wrong, I agree that it is much easier in the respect that you don't have to think about it too much unless you like to dive in deep which, of course, you are welcome to.
On the other hand, this week's topics are so varied and down my alley that I could write a post about each of them. Over time I probably will. But today I choose topic #3:
If you could transport yourself to any natural environment outside of your own country for a two week vacation where would it be and why. Who would you take with you and what would you do there.
Personally, I like to answer this kind of question quite spontaneously. And right here and now I would love to go back to
Switzerland
Who would I take with me?
The love of my life, my hubby
I know that sounds cheesy but - we didn't meet until we were in our mid/late thirties now we both have passed the big 5.0. and we're still going strong together.
If you read the 1st part of my story (for another for Galen's challenges) you already know that hubby and I met when he had moved from the US to Germany while I was working in Switzerland. After around two and half years we had had enough of the long-distance (4 hours one way) weekend relationship and I left Switzerland to live with him in Mannheim, Germany.
We had a great time during our stay in Mannheim, surrounded by like-minded friends and in the middle of town i.e. walking distance to wonderful restaurants and bars. Life was good - together.
If it hadn't been for my shitty job. Well, not so much the job, but the owner of the company. He was one of those people who when they got it into their minds just couldn't shut their mouth... actually, I just asked the hubs how he would describe him: 'A dickhead, a spoilt brat who has grown up to be a spoilt adult'. I hated his demeanor e.g. he would dress someone down in front of others - for no reason. I hated, hated, hated it. To the point that I was crying at home and hubs was punching walls. Literally, not kidding, he broke his hand - sigh - just before we went on vacation.
Anyways, this is supposed to be about Switzerland, right? Soooo, one day, I came home from another late night working for dickhead and hubs said, let's have dinner in the little fish restaurant around the corner. FYI - that 'fish restaurant' was a top-notch restaurant, unfortunately, it does not exist anymore. I wasn't really in the mood for it after work, but... o.k. sure. We got there, ordered an aperitif, champagne when now-hubs pulled out a gift from a bag, asking me to open it 'you have had a rough time, hon'.
Right, I did and I opened the present, it was - a stainless steel soap dish. Whaaaat? Okay, I know my now-hubs can be a bit wacky at times. No matter. He pulls out another, bigger present for me to open. I am now somewhat suspicious, but started to unwrap when I saw a conspicuous round and stainless steel 'nope! I am not going to open this in front of all the other guests!' NB it was a little stainless steel bathroom bin - granted I loved and still love stainless steel, still - in a restaurant, dude? what's wrong with you? I was getting seriously irritated.
'Okay there is one more present for you' - he said. I really did not want to have anything to do with it. But the good sport that I am... hey, this looks like a DVD, what am I getting? The latest movie? Unwrap and (sorry - no smartphones to snap a pic back then) a DVD case, opened it, it was empty, except for a ring.
Next thing I know - now-hubs kneels in front of me asking me to marry him.
Yeah, lol, that is exactly how we roll 😍.
Back to this week's topic - hubs is American, I am German, we met in Switzerland so we decided to get married on 'neutral grounds' in - Switzerland.
And we did. But why I am bringing this story up for this week's WE topic is the fact that I found a love for the Alps. Growing up we always went to the ocean - and I am still in love with it. But there is something very pristine about the mountains, the Alps. I got to love it when I lived and worked there, but even more so after I met hubs and we went skiing together. I learned skiing in my mid-thirties!
Our wedding was in Interlaken and we had a wonderful couple of days with only the closest family who could make it to Switzerland. It was awesome, of course, I am biased but I have heard it from others too.
So, yes, I would love to go back to the mountains, lakes, and nature of Switzerland with a side of the old towns which I dearly miss living here in the US.
I'm apologizing for these very, very few selected and somewhat lackluster photos from Switzerland, needless to say, I have got tons more, however, my computer decided to be difficult tonight i.e. the hard drive with all the photos disconnected - arrrrgh. So, I'll be posting this without many beautiful photos of the Alps - my apologies.
Cheers,
(Ocean)Bee
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