Trip with Matt's mother-in-law Leslie - Jona, Switzerland - August 25-28, 2017

 We've planned for this for an entire year! A girl's trip to hike in Switzerland! We had the good fortune of being able to exchange apartments with our dear friends Brigitte and Urs.

Leslie during our first venture out by car - overlooking Lake Wagitalerdee

Still above Lake Wagitalersee

Leslie on our hike up to Mt Bachet - what is considered the home mountain of Rapperswil-Jona.

From the top of Mt. Bachtel

Delicious lunch at the top of Mt. Bachtel!

Hiking back down.

Seewen, Switzerland - during our drive south towards the San Gottardo from Jona. 

View of the Vierwaldstattersee Lake from Brunnen

In Brunnen

Driving over the San Gottardo Pass - the north side

On the left, the original road over the pass

The new road on top and old road below, north side of the San Gottardo Pass

Gail on the old road 

Leslie in a tunnel on the pass

Lunch outside here in Andermatt!

View looking down to the south side of the pass. The town of Airolo below, and Nante  up the mountain on the right.

I'm pointing to a huge landslide area on that far mountain.

Leslie looking south from the pass into Ticino. 

A cow on our path to my friend Marina's cascina - mountain house. 

Marina and Leslie in front of the cascina. 

A real "cadora" from Ticino. These were strapped to the back of people as they climbed the mountains to work. They would put wood and supplies on the arms that stick out - even a baby in a cradle has been carried up the mountains this way! 

Inside Marina's remodeled and modernized cascina.

Leslie on steps in town of Bironico

View looking south from above Airolo. 

We took a cable up to Lago Tremorgio, just south of Airolo and hiked around the lake. 

Gail at Lago Tremorgio

Leslie at Lago Tremorgio

View from the other side of the lake

The water was truly a mirror!

Hiking sign up at Lago Tremorgio

Lunch at the capanna at Lago Tremorgio - by far one of the best meals ever eaten in Switzerland! Osso bucco with polenta covered with a vegetable broth. 

Leslie drinking wine from a traditional Ticinese wine bowl, a boccalino with the colors of the canton of Ticino

Driving back north over the San Gottardo Pass. A small lake at the top.