last summer getaway

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Just two weeks ago, I left dark and stormy Zürich on a Thursday morning to join Martin in Nice for our last summer getaway. Martin’s final big meet of the season, Les Jeux de la Francophonie, was the perfect excuse for a long weekend along the French Riviera, and after just 45 minutes in the air I was already looking down on the last summer sun sparkling of the Mediterranean. I was content with nothing more than just a weekend alternating lazing by the pool with lazing by the sea. And so that is what we did. (See instagram for more photos from this spot.) Read more →

florence by foot

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In Italy we took the travel exploration approach we almost never take–near aimless wandering. I am a big fan of planning for trips, and one of my favorite ways to plan them is to compile all the sights to see on a custom Google map. From museums and viewpoints to shopping and restaurants, my thoughtfully curated Google maps have made our trips to Paris, Vienna, and London, extra fun and efficient. One of the best reasons the maps work is that they highlight the neighborhoods we want to explore and make it easier to match sightseeing, shopping, and eating in one area and one day. Read more →

a slow start to spring

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Once again I am falling behind as a blogger. Work catches up with me and when I get home it is all I can do to throw something together for dinner and spend a few hours with Martin before climbing into bed. Ever since we got back from the US in January my routine has been off. I’ve been too tired to get up as frequently for the gym in the morning and the lack of consistent exercise limits my energy level even more.  It hasn’t helped that the beginning of Spring in Zurich has been so wintry.  Given this, I couldn’t have been more excited to join Martin at a spring training camp in Tuscany for 10 days and recharge my battery. Read more →

fränkisch-crumbach throws a party

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Each year the little town of Fränkisch-Crumbach, Germany, throws a big party for hammer throwers. They welcome a field of international throwers, including competitors from all around Europe, South America, and even China. World records have been broken on this field which, for the rest of the year, is merely an empty expanse of grass behind the local grocery store. On this May weekend, the field becomes a reason for all the locals to come and enjoy some beer and bratwurst and see some of the best in the world throw. Read more →

hallo heidelberg

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The last weekend of May was the last of the long weekends peppering our holiday calendar thanks to the public observance of so many Easter-related holidays. In April and May alone, we had 6 public holidays not including several shortened work days in advance of the holidays. For those feeling jealous, keep in mind that we are now without public holidays until Christmas except Swiss National Day in August. While days off are nice, I do somewhat miss the spread of holidays in the US. Read more →

a lux weekend

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One of the side benefits of Martin’s competitive season is that his meet schedule is occasionally an opportunity for short weekend mini-breaks. As you may recall, last year we visited Pietrasanta & Pisa, Italy, where Martin had a Spring training camp. This year, we spent two consecutive weeks away in Luxembourg and Germany. I’ll tell you more about last weekend in Heidelberg & Fränkisch-Crumbach in another post, but first you must visit Luxembourg with me. Read more →