Hell in the Air and Other Travel Tidbits (Josh, July 18)

Moscow Airport

God knows what time it is. My clock says 12:20 AM. I think that's what it is in America but not sure why that matters right now. The clock on the wall says 8:20. I believe this is the first time I've been in a time zone east of Israel. In Switzerland I think it's 6:20 and in Israel it's 7:20. But I'm not in any of those places so who cares. Anan is flipping super goal cards with glee. Yadin is finally asleep after staying awake all night. I don't know if this is good or bad in the long term. For now- definitely good. I just paid 250 rubles for a coffee. I suppose that my grandfather would find that ridiculous. He probably could have bought a goat for 250 rubles. I think that that's 8 bucks. Who knew Moscow was so expensive. But I feel much better. Aerotranset the Russian airline we flew sent the stroller to baggage claim. But you need a Russian visa to get to baggage claim. I told them my grandfather was Russian. Didn't get the stroller. Supposedly it will show up in new York. So far Russia is helping me understand why so many Russians moved to Israel.

Been writing this note for about ten minutes. The pic at the beginning was taken before I started writing. Here's one at the end. The reader will kindly note that Anan remains focused on task at hand.

New Lounge - No Seats - Somewhere in the Moscow Airport

So now we are in a different lounge still waiting. Some observations on the kids. Zoey seems to be at her best when taking responsibility for others. It is extremely crowded here (we're sitting on the floor). She waited patiently in line for bathroom with Rakia. Twice.

Anan can be a good sharer. He gave Yadin some of his cards without batting an eye. In general he is one if the easiest guys in the world to get along with.

I wish Yadin could sort out his sleeping problems. He really stays awake all night and is now fast asleep.

A general observation- Russian women don't age well.

Anan is now playing supergoal cards in the third waiting area. I bought these cards before Switzerland. Glad I saved them.

Hell in the Air 

The good news- personal tv's! The bad news- they don't work.

The good news- the kids slept for two hours at the start of the flight. The bad news- the flight is about ten hours.

My attitude was just to ignore them going wild. This worked okay until Anan deposited his gum in Zoey's hair. His excuse- I couldn't find the garbage. Hmm. How do I handle this one? The best I think I can muster is to make him feel really bad. Heavy guilt.

Peace and Harmony Restored to the Galaxy

Their fury spent, the two feuding parties return to their usual endeavors.

Lessons learned- don't put gum in your sister's hair.

More important lesson learned- forgiving grants power to the forgiver. Opportunities for future manipulation abound.

Only two hours till we get off this goddamn plane.

Final Count (since I'm from a family of accountants)

29 trains (31 for Josh, 30 for Zoey)
 6 trams
 3 buses
 2 gondolas
 2 cable cars
 1 funicular train
 1 glass elevator up a glacier

4 children
2 adults
4 suitcases
1 bicycle
1 stroller
1 baby backpack not really meant for a heavy 3 1/2 year old....

I Liked Everything (Anan's 4 days in Zurich)

There's me on the left, running after Abba
(on the right)

Mommy woke me very early for the start of the swim and race. We didn't see Abba because everybody looked the same with the hats (editor note: bathing caps). We had a breakfast picnic on a bench. After that we saw people starting to get out of the water. We saw Abba, then we went where they start to ride their bikes and we saw him go out. We needed to go really fast to see him, but we didn't miss him, and we cheered him on. We did signs for Abba and then we brought Adi and Zoey and Matan to the IronKids. When they started to warm up it was pouring hail and nobody was really warming up. Then after five minutes they started. I was excited for Zoey and I was kind of wet. After the IronKids we went to where they run and we were looking out for Abba and Daniel. After a couple minutes we saw Daniel, and we also saw Zack's Dad, and Zack's Dad said to us that Abba was five minutes away because he went to the bathroom. After that we saw him and he gave us a kiss and a high five. After a while, I got about 50 hand slaps and then I got about 56 and I got six girls' slaps and 100 boys' slaps. We saw Abba running two more times around and then we came to the finish line and after 15 minutes we saw Daniel finish and after 14 minutes after that we saw Abba finish. Abba looked tired and happy.

Six girls slaps and 100 boys slaps

A day before he taught me about the bike. He taught me about road bikes, mountain bikes, and triathlon bikes. And he had the Cervelo bike. There's P5 and E1-18. And the guy that told us about P5, it was a disc wheel and he also loves 404 and also Abba loves 404. 404 is one of the really good wheels. Matan also told me about the racing bike.

Here comes Abba. The first time we saw
him on the run.

Here's my sister making
signs. Isn't she cute?

The next day (Monday), we went to the zoo and we bought Abba two kinds of ice cream for his birthday. And he didn't really came to the zoo because he was tired because the day before he did a big Ironman. He came to the zoo for a little while but he didn't really see everything because he didn't have sleep. I liked also when Mommy bought us ice cream and I was sorry for Mommy that I was yelling every minute because Yadin and Zoey were bothering me. We saw animals. We saw the female lion, and then we saw another female lion and then we saw a real lion. I also liked the seals and the snake. I also saw a big snake and I saw a crocodile but not a big one, a little one, like Rakia.

Rakia loved the gorillas. This is the point that I was screaming
 because I wanted to go see the snakes and crocodiles.

When we were in Zurich two days ago, so we went to this place that has like, a net, and a lot of balls, and paddles. Also on that day we went paddling. And we did boys and girls (boats), with the Pearlmans.

I liked everything!

IronKid (Zoey, July 15)

Yesterday was a really good day. Me, Mommy, Anan, Rakia, Yadin and the Pearlmans went to see Abba and Daniel doing an Ironman. It was really fun watching. First we saw them doing the swim and then the bike. And during the bike, me Matan and Adi did an IronKids. It was so much fun.  It was a swim and then run. Before we got to the lake to start swimming, we had to jump up and down to warm up. And it was pouring rain and a bit hailing. When we got into the water it was freezing cold. We had to do three laps and then run out of the water and start running. It was pretty easy but because it was colder it made it harder. After the race, I got a medal. We went back home and took a shower rested a bit. And ate lunch.

Then we went back to watch Abba on the run. Abba was doing really good. We saw him do a lot of laps. Then I went with Matan and Adi to the bouncy things. Then we saw Daniel and Anna finish. It was a really happy moment for both of them. In the end of the Ironman, we got some ice cream and went back home.

Conquering the Ironman (Josh's post, July 15)

Yesterday I did my second Ironman triathlon with the kids there to watch. Julie brought them in the early morn for the seven AM swim start. I saw Zoey and Anan when I got out of the water. Then I mostly saw them again on the run. The excitement they showed while I was racing was infectious to me and to other athletes as well. Some guy even told me there were some kids giving high fives to him all day not knowing they were mine. Anan claims to have given high fives to over one hundred guys and six girls.  He was pretty psyched about that one. Knowing I would see them every lap made me work harder to look positive through the heaps of physical and mental suffering I and everyone was undergoing. And I hope it showed them that will can conquer anything. It was one if the best days I've had and it capped off a great week here in Switzerland. 

The Long Waterfall with a Big Rainbow (Anan's day, July 12)

Nobody but the fish, not really sharks.
Not sure where he got that one from.

Trummelbach Falls: Slippery, noisy and wet

We started to go on the train. And then when we got off in Lauterbrunnen we started to do a little hike. In the hike it took us about two hours instead of 45 minutes because Rakia was always stopping. And then we went on a trail that starts from somewhere that has water and it ends in the ocean. In the start we saw waterfalls six til ten and then we went all the way to the top from a big elevator inside the mountain. And when we went all the way to the top where the water comes from, so we saw a big hole that has a lot of cold water in it. It was like nobody could live there except from the fish and not really sharks. It was slippery, noisy and wet. It was cool when we went to waterfalls five through two, there was really cool stuff and in the end we saw another up and it was a little up and when we came up we saw a big waterfall and you could see a rainbow on it and the other side you could see another waterfall like its shooting a gun but it shoots water.

And then we went back. That's it.

10 Waterfalls in One Mountain (Zoey, July 12)

Today we woke up pretty late because Mommy and Abba let us sleep in. Afterwards, we took a train to Lauterbrunnen. At Lauterbrunnen, we took a walk to this really cool waterfall that you could walk up and then go under it. It was really cool. Then we walked for a while and sat down at some picnic tables and had some lunch. After lunch we walked to this really cool place with a lot of waterfalls. Its called Trummelbach Falls. At Trummelbach Falls, to get to the waterfalls, we had to go up the mountain. We took this elevator inside the mountain that was going fast. The water was going really fast and it sprayed us a bit. It was pretty cool. It was really loud, but it was fun. We walked down all the steps, but on our way down we stopped for more waterfalls. We saw 10 waterfalls in one mountain.

Afterwards, we walked back to Lauterbrunnen and took the train back to Wengen.

At Wengen, we went to the pool and me and Anan jumped on the trampoline for a while. It was really really fun. I love the trampoline. Then the pool closed so we went back home to eat some dinner and pack up because we're going to Zurich tomorrow. Afterwards I'm doing the blog and soon I'm going to bed because I have to wake up early tomorrow to get the train.

Coolest Waterfalls Ever (Yadin's day, July 12

There is a rainbow behind us. Cool!

Today I woke up at about 10 in the morning. I ate breakfast and got on the train to Lauterbrunnen. When we got to Lauterbrunnen we went to see the Stalbach Falls, which is a really cool giant waterfall. Then we went on a hike to Trummelbache Falls. During the way we saw a couple of guys jumping off a cliff and pull their parachutes right before they landed. It was really cool but scary to watch. When we got to the Trummelbache Falls, we went up a glass elevator inside the glacier. Then we went to see the waterfalls inside the glacier. It was really really cool. Then Anan and I went ahead of everyone all the way down the glacier. Them we reached a really cool waterfall which also had a rainbow. The waterfall reminded me kind of how penguins slip and slide. It was the nicest and most awesome waterfall I've ever seen. I started getting a headache on the way back. Now we're waiting for a train back to Wengen, and when we get back to Wengen, I'm gong to the pool.

Lunch in a Treehouse (a whole family post, July 11)

Zoey: I am having lots of fun. We went in a hike and an omega. And now we are eating lunch in a treehouse.

Anan: before we came we went on a funicular train.

Yadin: we got the treehouse abba found an omega and I went on it three times.  And I walked on a balance beam and I discovered a very nice waterfall.

Josh: our house in Modiin is nice but the treehouse is way more fun.

Anan: what's that קשור? There are no beds in here!

Rakia: I really needed help to get in the treehouse and I want you and abba comes, and I was going on the treehouse all by myself. There's no monsters here.

Julie: the "children's adventure trail" had a lot of pretty wild flowers and not much adventure, but then we found this cool hideaway in the woods. We are definitely off the beaten track here. Gotta go, I need another turn on the omega.

Okay, this wasn't in the treehouse, but later in the day. R hasn't wanted to blog lately.

Flying, diving, and jumping (Zoey's day, July 11)

Today we woke up and went on a train to Lauterbrunnen. When we got to Lauterbrunnen we took a short cable car ride. It was pretty fun. Then we took another train and got to Murren. When we got to Murren we took a funicular train to get to our hike. It was fun and fast. In the middle of the hike I found the entrance to the Children's Adventure Trail. There was a treehouse there, an omega, a seesaw and little playground. I went on the omega 10 times. It was really fun and fast. Mommy couldn't look at first because she thought we were going to go flying off. Then we ate lunch in the treehouse. Yadin find thus really cool waterfall so me Yadin and Anan put our hands in the water. It was reaaallly cold.

After the children's trail, we went back to Murren and then we went back to Wengen. When we got back home, we went to the pool. The water was really really cold. There was a diving board there and I dove from there and jumped all kinds of other jumps. There was a big trampoline there so me Yadin and Anan went there and jumped. Then Rakia joined us too. It started raining really hard do we walked back home.




Here I am, on the omega

After dinner we went to Interlaken for some ice cram and a walk. We came home on the train and I wrote this blog.



Please, please, please get us a trampoline!

The Most Downhill Hike I've Ever Done (Zoey, July 10)

Today we took a train and the we went on this cable car, just the six of us and it was fun. When we got off the cable car we took a hike to a lake and at the lake we ate lunch. When we were done we walked back and it started to rain. Me Yadin and Anan walked by ourselves and we took a lot of shortcuts. We met somebody that knows Uncle Seth and their daughter went to Camp Ramah one year. For the way back we took a cable car. It was really fun and it was raining when we were inside.

When we got back to Wengen, me Yadin and went to play mini golf. We played two games. The first game Yadin was first place I was second place and Anan was third. The second game Anan was first I was second and Yadin was last. Then me and Yadin played some chess and then we went back home.

We ate some dinner and Abba and I took a hike to Lauterbrunnen. It was the most downhill hike I've ever done. It was pretty steep. We were going to get there ice cream and coke but everything was closed. It was really annoying. We missed the train by three minutes and then we had to wait there a whole hour. It was pouring rain and we had to wait for the train. Finally we got home and I had some ice cream and went to bed. I was tired!

We were inside a cloud (Yadin's day, July 11)

Today we went to Murren. It was really cool. We were inside a cloud. Then we went on a funicular train to Allmendhubel. Then we went on a hike back to Murren. Everyone picked wildflowers. Then we saw a cool omega and treehouse. I went on the omega six times and we ate lunch in the treehouse. Poor Rakia, she had nothing to do there. There was also a balance beam and a tunnel. I also found a waterfall, and for Anan it really was a water fall. After that we continued on and saw another nice treehouse with a slide.

Then we split ways with our parents and Rakia, and we went down to Murren on separate paths. It was a bad idea because Mommy ended up searching for us even though we didn't get lost. When we got back to Wengen we went to the pool. There's a diving board there maybe 2.5 meters tall. I jumped off of it three times. The first time was really scary. The water was really cold. We went on the trampoline but it started raining so we had to go home. After dinner we went to Interlaken and ate Ben and Jerry's. Now we're on the train home.

Me and the Omega (Anan's day, July 11)

We started the day by eating cereal and getting ready. For our tiyul we started to go on the train, after a couple minutes we got off and then we went on a big cable car and it was much bigger than yesterday's. Then when we got off we took another train and then a funicular train. When we got off we saw a playground and the we started to go. The tiyul was named the Children's Adventure Trail. And we went keeping on, keeping on we passed something then we came back. And then Zoey founded a little treehouse and Abba found an omega. When we went on the omega it was really fun and I went on it a few times. In the start of the omega it went really fast. Then we bumped into a bumper and we went back. After the omega me Yadin and Zoey went to a waterfall, we went past it and then we went back and while we went back my foot got really wet. And also my sock. Then we came to lunch and after a couple minutes we went back on the trail. We found a little park and next to it another little treehouse and we found somewhere to sit and eat. Then abba told us to put our legs without or shoes and socks down in the water. But zoey and Yadin put their hands in the cold water of the waterfall. Then we went back home, and that's it! Now I'm on a train on my way to Interlaken!

Schone Alpen (Beautiful Alps) - Julie's first post of the trip

The Swiss Alps might just be the most beautiful place I've ever seen. Lush mountain foothills constrast with imposing, snow-capped peaks of the Eiger, Jungfrau, Monch and "lesser" peaks of Wetterhorn, Schreckhorn and many more. Wildflowers are out everwhere (except the snow-capped peaks), waterfalls in abundance, clouds that wrap themselves around the mountains at times and then, when they break and you can see the peaks again you feel like you've been given a gift. The view from our chalet, and just about anywhere in this entire region, is literally breathtaking.

Don't let the baby carrier on my back fool you.
Josh is the one who has to carry her on all the hikes
when she gets tired of walking (about 2 minutes into the hike).

Before we left a friend (who is religious) said to me that going to Switzerland was literally a religious/spiritual experience for her, because the natural beauty is so great it renewed her faith in God, and I can see why.

Everything is steep here. Our "walk" from the Wengen train station to the chalet where we are staying is a good 10-12 minute "climb," most times with large 3 and a half -year-old on one's shoulders.

I won't go into all the contrasts with what we're used to (the heat of summer in Israel vs. the beautiful temperatures here; water, water, everywhere, and many more), but suffice it to say that (as Josh wrote two days ago upon our arrival) the Swiss have it pretty good.

We've learned about the Swiss climber Ueli Steck, who climbed the North Face of the Eiger in a record-breaking 2 hours and 47 minutes. (Watch a clip on YouTube). And we've learned about the dozens of people who have died trying (65), including two climbers just three weeks ago.

Yesterday we went to the "Top of Europe" -- the highest railway station in the world, a railroad that goes through mountains, up sides of mountains in half-tunnels, and gets quite close to the peak of Jungfrau. Again we saw a wall of plaques dedicated to all the railway construction workers who perished on the job. The Jungfrau railway was opened in 1912 so this is its centennial year. Quite amazing to think of what they were able to accomplish 100+ years ago.

We're learning a lot of German (Eismeer = Ice Sea; Jungfrau = Young woman; etc.).

One plane ride, five trains, a bus and 14 hours after we left
home we have finally made it to Wengen. Luckily we left
the bike in Zurich!

I'll let the kids' words speak for themselves about what they're experiencing but snow tubing was a huge hit, and of course the free mini golf (only for the week, due to some festival), cable cars, waterfalls and just seeing SNOW are high on their lists.

No Details, Just the Facts (Yadin's day, July 10)

On the cable car

Lunch at Bachalpsee. That's the lake in
the background. The hike was
kind of boring because it was just along
a path the whole time. No boulders or
real climbing!

So far our favorite place
in Wengen. Spent 2 1/2
hours there today
and 1 yesterday.

Today was kind of a fun day. First we went on a train to Kleine Scheidegg and after that we switched trains to Grindelwald. Grindelwald is much bigger than Wengen. Then we went on a cable car to First. We hiked for about an hour to Bachalpsee, a lake, and then an hour back. When we got back to Wengen, me Zoey and Anan played mini golf. I got a hole-in-one. Then me and Zoey played chess on the outdoor set. Then we tried to take a shortcut back to our house but it ended up being a longcut. Then we ate dinner and went to bed.

I Go Up in a Gombola (Rakia, July 10)

I had a tough day hiking

I see horses. I went on the train. I play with Zoey. I also play with Anany. I hiked on Abba's back. I talked to people. I see one people is down. 


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Here I am with Zoey on the gombola

I see some horses on the train outside. I go up in a gombola. What is gombola? Gondola. In 40 minutes it was raining. I sit in the tree with Mommy and I give her a kiss. I see a lake. I also see mountains. And I see also cows and just cows I see. Also I go on an airplane to go to Switzerland. Also I go with Anany with the train. I’m going for a little walk but with not Abba and Zoey. Afterwards to go for a walk.


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I love the train

I love the giant cucumbers here

I forgot to mention in my blog that I am having a blast
being a total wildtier (vildechaya/wild animal) here. The
poor Swiss and all the other tourists on the trains don't know what
to do with me. Here I am lying on our suitcase on one of our many
train switches on our way here. However I really prefer lying in the
aisles or standing on the seats of the trains.