Everyone should be a teacher!

I don't know why everyone isn't a teacher.  I can't think of a better work schedule in the world!  I work 186 or so days a year, and have 10 weeks off during the summer.  I guess if you don't like kids you shouldn't teach, but everyone else should get on board.  Here's just some of the great stuff I've been doing with my time off:

1) tubing the boulder creek with Drew Frank (from top of kayak course to 17th St.)
2) riding bikes with Katie to Louisville to get gelato
3) going to Oak Creek to visit with the Risers
4) going for hikes with my bible

Secret plans for the 4th right now, but will be revealed soon.

Katie works hard all day to bring home the bacon!  She is still really enjoying running group (obviously).

Tubing the Creek!  The water was high, but it was a blast.

Cody in the grocery store.

Cody at the beach in Stage Coach.

Summer in Colorado

Now that we're back and have overcome our jet-lag, we're excited for summertime in Boulder.  Katie has joined Running Group again and is training for the Rock n' Roll Denver Marathon on October 17th.  This will be her 3rd Marathon, 3 days, after her 30th birthday.  Mike decided not to join the running group, but may run the 1/2 Marathon.  Mike has already started on some projects around the house.  He's completed the garage by building a ski rack, bike rack, ripping out and rebuilding shelves, and building a workbench.  Other projects include cleaning and staining the deck and painting bathrooms.  Katie is enjoying her stay at home husband!

London to HOME (Day 19)

Well...we're home!  London to Philadelphia (8.5 hrs).  Philadelphia to Denver (4.5 hrs).  DIA to Boulder on the RTD ( 1hr).  Walking from the bus stop to our house (20 min.)  With customs, layovers, baggage claim, etc... we travelled for 23 hours today.  We made it home at 10:20, and were able to sleep until about 5:00 a.m.  Not bad considering.  Good to be home.

By the way, keep tuning in to the blog.  We'll be updating it from time to time even though our trip is over.

Paris to London (Day 18)

We woke up this morning, packed up our packs and headed for the train station for the last time.  That’s right…today we took our last train ride in Europe.  The train ride was a quick 2 hours and 15 minutes.  Twenty-five of those minutes are through a tunnel that goes 150 ft below the floor of the English Channel.  Crazy!  We got to our hostel, dropped off our bags, and went to grab some lunch.  After lunch we walked around Leicester Square and Covent Gardens.  We went back to the hostel and crashed for a good 2.5 hours.  Woke up, went to dinner, then went to an expensive movie!  Tomorrow we head home.  This has been an amazing trip, and we’ll be sad that it’s over but coming home is always great too!  See you soon Colorado.
  

Canyoning in Interlaken (PHOTOS)

Here are some pictures from our Canyoning adventure in Interlaken, Switzerland.  The pictures are of Mike and the group because we only bought his personal CD full of pictures, but Katie did all the same CRAZY stuff!  This was definitely a highlight for us. It was intense, and so fun!

Getting some instructions on what to do next.

What a beautiful canyon!

Our group!

Rapelling!

Jumping!

Swinging!

Superman!

Bottom of the Rappel!

Thumbs UP!

Wadenswil to Paris (Day 17)

We were originally supposed to leave really early (7:00 am) this morning for Paris, but decided it would be better to extend our stay with the Beutel’s.  Good choice!  We woke up and had a great breakfast with Klaus and Uta.  Everything from fruit, cereal, spek (prosciutto), and even toast!  The coffee was great too.  We packed up our bags, and headed out for the afternoon.  We went to a beautiful park, Klaus bought us some groceries for our travels, and had lunch together.  Then we headed to Zurich where we’d be catching our train.  We walked around the parts of Zurich we hadn’t seen yet.  We walked up to an old Fort and had a great view of the city.  Then it was time for us to start our journey back to Paris.  We had to change train 3 times along the way on our 6.5 hr journey.  The trip was smooth, and we even made it back to Paris in time to catch the Eiffel Tower light up!  Thanks Klaus and Uta for a wonderful time.  We wished we could have stayed longer.  Tomorrow we take the Chunnel to London.  We plan on relaxing our last day in Europe. 

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Interlaken, Bern, Zurich, and Wadenswil (Day 16)

This morning we checked out of Happy Inn Hostel in Interlaken, and took the train to visit the Beutel’s in Wadenswil, a small town overlooking Lake Zurich just 20 minutes from Zurich by train.  On our way we stopped for a couple of hours in Bern, the country’s capitol city.  We enjoyed our walk up and down the main street in Bern, stopping to take in the beautiful buildings and architecture along the way.  We weren’t sure where to eat, and in an effort to save money just decided on Burger King.  Then we were off to Wadenswil.  Klaus and Uta were there to greet us, and take us to their home.  We chatted a little while, and upon their suggestion took a ship from there to Zurich to meet Valeska.  It had been 13 years since Katie had seen her, but she spotted her as soon as we got off the ship.  Valeska was nice enough to show us around the old part of town, and as we were walking Switzerland scored a goal against the Spanish in the World Cup, something that wasn’t supposed to happen.  Valeska said it was a miracle, and all of Zurich went crazy!  It was a lot of fun to see.  We then headed back to Wadensil on the train to have dinner at the Beutel’s.  We had a great meal, and after watched some old videos of the Fischer/Beutel kids playing in Midland, MI.  Definitely a blast from the past!  After a great night of catching up and reminiscing, it was time to say goodbye to Valeska and Jurg, and off to bed we went.

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Interlaken (Day 15)

Today we started the day out right…LAUNDRY at an actual laundromat!   We then set out on our hiking adventure.  We weren’t really sure what to expect, as the information desk told us that trail 50 was a “lovely hike”.  We hopped on a train headed into the mountains.  About 30 minutes later we arrived to a small town.  It took us a good  45 minutes to find the trail head (45 minutes of searching uphill).  Eventually, Mike, the fearless leader found trail 50.  The hike was beautiful with flowing waterfalls and green all around us.  However, I would not call it “lovely”…it was pretty much straight uphill for 2 hours…OUCH!  Luckily there were AMAZING views and a Snickers bar awaiting us at the top.  We thought about taking the train down but ended up hiking back down.  We are so hardcore :)  So, here we are blogging in our pajamas, drinking beer and eating brie.  Life is good!  Tomorrow we head to Zurich to see our friends.  It has been 13 years, we are excited!!!

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Interlaken (Day 14)

This morning we went to the grocery store and picked up some cereal and milk among other things!  First time that breakfast wasn’t bread!  After breakfast we walked around Interlaken just exploring the town.  It’s such a beautiful place, and the people are SO nice.  We went back to the hostel, and ate some microwaveable spaghetti bolognese before heading out for our CANYONING adventure.  If you don’t know what canyoning is let us tell you.  We got all dressed up in wetsuits, lifejackets, and helmets and drove 20 minutes up a canyon.  Our group was prepped about the crazy stuff we’d be doing in the water, then we were off.  It’s a mix of rapelling, sliding, and jumping through the rapids flowing through a narrow canyon.  It was INTENSE!  We had so much fun.  We will be sure to post pictures when we get back to Colorado.  We got a cd full of snapshots.  By the time we got back, we were EXHAUSTED.  We took showers and an hour nap.  We decided to go grab a drink before dinner at an outdoor cafe.  We then headed to the bar under our hostel for some DELICIOUS ribs and wings while watching the World Cup.  Tomorrow we’re going to go hiking up in the mountains!

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Cinque Terre to Interlaken, Switzerland (Day 13)

Long day of travelling.  We took a train from Monterosso to Milano, Milano to Spiez, and Spiez to Interlaken. We arrived in Interlaken late and ate McDonald's for dinner (only cost us $17).  Katie had a salad though that she was really excited about because she hasn't had salad on this trip because it's been so expensive.  Katie has already planned the first week of our dinners back in CO; different variations of salads!  No pictures today, but the train ride coming into Interlaken was beautiful!

Cinque Terre (Day 12)

Today we decided to hike AGAIN! Our legs were pretty tired from the nearly 4 hour hike we did yesterday, but we were psyched to do some more hiking. We wanted to hike up to a church overlooking the town of Monterosso. Mike led us down the wrong trail to start. It was beautiful for a little while, but then we would have needed a machete to get anywhere so we turned around. We found the correct path and started hiking UP! It took around 50 minutes to get up to the church. It was definitely worth it; beautiful church and beautiful view. We came down, and decided to explore the town of Manarola. So we got on the train. The wrong one apparently. It took us to Riomaggiore and from there we had to buy another ticket and wait for the train to Manarola. Once we got to Manarola, we were starving so we got some slices of pizza and ate on the steps right along the main street. We spent a little time walking up the main street before heading back to our room for a nap. We were spent! We woke up, went to dinner and then to the pub to watch England vs. USA! 1-1. The English gentleman we were watching the game with was not happy about the tie. Another great day in Italy. Tomorrow it’s off to Interlaken, Switzerland!

Cinque Terre (Day 11)

Today we hiked the coastal pathway through all of the towns of Cinque Terre! We woke up early, got our hiking attire on and grabbed some coffee before boarding the regional train to Riomaggiore. We hiked without stopping through the towns of Manarola and Corniglia before stopping in Vernazza for lunch. That part of the hike was a good 2 hours and 15 minutes. We split a delicious pesto pizza, and Mike got the tastiest beer at a small pizzeria in Vernazza. We also climbed up to the top of the castle to check out the beautiful view. Then we were off to continue to finish the hike from Vernazza to Monterosso. This portion of the hike was very hilly, and took us about an hour and a half. When we got to Monterosso we jumped in the ocean and spent some time relaxing on the beach. For dinner we ate pasta again, then went to a pub near our room to watch France and Uruguay play in the World Cup. We’re tired! Goodnight.

Nice to Cinque Terre: Hello Italy! (Day 10)

This morning we woke up really early to catch our train.  We rode from Nice to Monaco, Monaco to Ventimiglia, Ventimiglia to Genova, and Genova to Monterosso.  We had booked some last minute reservations at a Bed and Breakfast in Monterosso the night before, and Mike thought he had a good idea how to get there.  Eh…we asked around and eventually found it.  Monterosso is beautiful though, and the beaches are nice.  So, as soon as we got to the room, we changed into our beach clothes and walked the one minute down to the beach along the main road.  We jumped in the ocean, and lay in the sun before our romantic dinner near the sea.  We ate Spinach Ravioli and Lasagna, and had a bottle of wine.  The scenery and the food were both phenomenal.  Tomorrow we plan to hike the coastal pathway from Riomaggiore (the Eastern most town) back to Monterosso.  Should be fun!

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Monte-Carlo, Monaco (Day 9) and Mike shook L.L. Cool J’s Hand!

We started off the day with some frustrating events at the train station, but followed it up with a hearty breakfast from McDonald’s.  Yum.  We caught the bus to Monaco to walk around the most glamorous city in the world, and hang out at the beach.  We had a great afternoon.  The water was amazing!  Walking around we noticed lots of fancy cars, big yachts, and high end shops.  On our way back to the bus stop, we noticed there were some interviews going on and some people taking pictures.  We didn’t recognize anyone at first, then Mike said, “That’s L.L. Cool J!"  So…we walked up and around where we could get a better look.  It was the Festival de Television de Monte-Carlo.  After L.L’s interview, Mike was able to get a handshake from the NCIS (I think) celebrity.  Other than L.L. we saw the rest of the NCIS cast along with the cast of Glee.  We stayed there a while snapping pictures as if we were the paparazzi.  It was pretty cool!  After the glitz and glamour we headed back to the bus stop, and back to Nice for our final night.  We headed out for dinner at a local restaurant on the pedestrian street in Nice for some Mussels and French Fries.  Best dinner yet!  Tomorrow we’re heading for Cinque Terre, Italy and we couldn’t be more excited. 
Current Katie status:  Seven BIG mosquito bites.  We keep our   window open at night and they bite her because she’s so sweet ;).  She also spilled HOT coffee on her leg this morning at McDonald’s and has a giant burn and blister.  I think we might sue!  Good news is we had ice cream twice today to make up for it.

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Eze (Day 8)

Today we got LOST!  It was bound to happen sooner or later, but it was a good day regardless.  Last night we decided that today we would take a day trip to Eze.  We didn’t know much about it except that there was a trail somewhere, and the village sat really high up in the hills overlooking the water.  We hopped on a bus, and literally guessed which stop we should get off.  We guessed wrong, but a friendly Frenchman (an oxymoron some would say) led us in the right direction.  He told us we could wait for the bus (a little less than an hour) or walk up to road (about 1.5 hours).  We started walking up the narrowest, windy road to Eze Vilage.  It was really scary as cars came screaming passed us around curves.  We made it half way up, and were able to catch a bus the rest of the way.  Eze Village was small, but we went up towards Jardin Exotique through windy cobblestone staircases lined with cafes and lots of people.  We got to the top where there were beautiful views then headed back down on the trail we originally intended to hike.  We hiked back down to La Plage (the beach) and soaked our feet before catching the bus back to Nice.  Long, hot, FUN day!  Tonight we’re dining in our hotel room, watching a movie perhaps on La iPod.

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Annecy to Nice (Day 7)

Today is a travel day. We woke up this morning to a colder and rainier day than we were used to in Annecy. We got some coffee as usual, and set out on a short run. When we got back we packed up the packs, and watched top 25 interviews of Larry King Live’s career since it was the only thing on TV that was in English. At noon, we checked out and headed for the train station. About 8 hours later we arrived in Nice, checked into our hotel, and took a stroll to the beach. It’s beautiful here too, but definitely more of a city feel than Annecy. We stopped by a Pizzeria by our hotel and got a pizza to go to take back to our room. We broke open a bottle of Bordeaux Rouge, and chowed down on the pizza. We’re tired, but excited for tomorrow. We’re going to Eze to hike and hang out for the day! Details to come. And more pictures…promise.

btw – did anyone notice the book my masculine husband is reading? In his defense, it is my book and he had finished his book. (he is now on page 115) I love him! :)

Annecy (Day 6)

Cafe!  With creme please.  Woke up late this morning and grabbed some coffee from a nearby Cafe.  After coffee, we decided it was time to wash some of our clothes we’ve been wearing.  That was an adventure, washing shirts, underwear, and socks in the bath tub and sink.  I think we’ll be buying new socks when we return to Colorado.  After laundry we went for a run along the walking path next to the lake.  On our run we discovered a really nice beach that the tourism office told us cost money.  It didn’t cost money! So we decided that’s where we would spend most of our day, just lounging and swimming.  We really enjoyed the weather today, and swimming in a refreshing lake it always good.  Later on we headed back to the room to freshen up before dinner.  We ate at a nice restaurant, ordered a bottle of bordeaux rouge, fondue por deux, and creme brulee to top it all off.  Definitely have had to struggle a little more here than in Paris with the language; not as many English speakers but we’re doing well I think.  Tomorrow it’s on to Nice.  We loved Annecy.  We will miss it, but we’re excited for our next adventure.   

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Paris to Annecy (Day 5)

We woke up early and got on a 3.5 hour train ride to the town of Annecy, France.  Wow!  Annecy is BEAUTIFUL.  Katie has said multiple times that it reminds her of living in a fairy tale!  She’s right.  The Old Town filled with it’s old buildings and outdoor cafes sits right on crystal clear blue water.  The Lake is huge and sits right at the base of he Alps!  Ice cream on every corner!  We spent the afternoon walking around and lounging at a park.  Got dinner at a Pizzeria right by the water.    

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Paris (Day 4)

Last night we had dinner at Louise’s Cafe.  It was lovely, and so was Louise.  This morning we woke up and went directly to the Louvre, where we got our first cup of normal black coffee at none other than Starbucks.  Then, we bought the headset that spoke to us in English and spent the next 3 hours amazed by how big and amazing the Louvre is.  It was really great.  Then we went to our favorite sandwich guy, and got a brie and chicken sandwich and headed back to the room for some rest.  When we were all rested up we set out for a night on the town.  We went to a park and sat in the shade, ate a baguette and drank some wine on the lawn by the Eiffel Tower, had a fabulous dinner, and went back to the Eiffel Tower after the sun went down to watch them light it up.  It was really spectacular!  No pictures of that because our battery went dead on the camera.  We’ll get pictures next time we’re in town (the 17th!).  Time for bed.  Walked a lot today!

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Paris (Day 3)

Woke up late!  10:30…that’s probably the latest we’ve slept in in a long time, but I think we’re on a normal schedule now.  We got some coffee (latte’s because that’s really all they do here besides espresso), and set out to see the sights.  Today we saw Notre Dame Cathedral and went inside.  It was amazing how beautiful and detailed the whole building is.  After that, we walked to the Louvre but did not go in.  I think we’re saving that for tomorrow.  Then we went to a park and had some wine at a little cafe.  When we were fully refreshed we made our way to the Eiffel Tower, but stopped and saw a lot on the way.  Sat under the Eiffel Tower and talked it up with a hilarious old English couple, then got ice cream.  Now we’re back at the hotel resting before we go out for some dinner and wine!  Loving life right now!

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London –> Paris (Day 2)

Our second day of London was a busy one as well.  Lots of walking as we went to see the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, London Bridge, Tate Modern Art Museum, and St. Paul’s Cathedral.  After our long day of walking around, we rested awhile in the common room at the hostel we’d already checked out of.  Then it was off to the train station to take our first train from London to Paris.  We arrived in Paris around 10:15, rode the Metro to our hotel (which is small, but a private room is nice).  The picture below has our hotel door number (a ripped piece of paper written in pen and scotch taped to the door!).  Tomorrow it’s off to explore the city.

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We Made It!

Ahhh!  After a long flight over the pond we made it to lovely London.  After we landed we took to the tube to our hostel located in Picadilly Circus.  Since we landed at 7:00 am, we had some time before we could even check into our room.  So...we went on a free (2.5 hr) walking tour of Central London in the pouring rain.  Got to see Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, etc...  Checked in at 1:00 pm, and took a nap - woke up to a fire alarm and had to exit the building.  Dinner at a traditional English Pub and then BED!  We're writing to you now from a little coffee shop near London Bridge, and we're excited to head to Paris tonight!