I’m back with the second batch of my Switzerland photos! I still had trouble narrowing them down, so here’s another picture heavy post. On a particularly rainy day up in Flims, we decided to drive down into the valley to a small town called Maienfeld. I lived in Maienfeld for several years as a tween and teenager and it was very interesting to go back to the old stomping ground and show my kids where I went to school, the path I walked home, the small town square and expansive vineyards.
Maienfeld is an odd little town. It’s the third city on the Rhein because it has remnants of the historic city wall. While it’s history shows it as an important city back in the day – the town hall, the castle and many historic buildings – it also has a farming community surrounding it. Both worlds seem to collide in one small place and you can find a majestic vineyard mansion and turn the corner and see a working farm next to the elementary school. 
Due to it’s favourable climate and south facing hills, Maienfeld is a large wine producing region in Switzerland. I remember enjoying wonderful fall weather, which would help the grapes ripen to their full potential. I also remember picking those sticky grapes, one of the toughest jobs I ever had. We only stayed in town for the afternoon, strolling from street to street and picking up some wine at my old winery. It was lovely to be back.
Our last stop was Zurich. We stayed at my mom’s apartment and explored the city a little. We didn’t overdue it, just walked the streets one day and visited the zoo the next day. Other than that we met up with a few of my friends and spent some quality time together as a family. Probably the place I miss most in Switzerland is Zurich. It’s the city I spent part of my adult life in, where I got my first real job, my own apartment, where I have friends and an identity shaped outside of my family unit. It’s a really beautiful city and has so much to offer.
My kids were fascinated by all the fountains they found on our trip through Switzerland. They took every opportunity to drink some water! This concludes our Swiss leg of our Europe trip. I’ll share photos from our visit to Spain soon. I really hope we manage to get back to Switzerland soon, we had the best time!
Photos by Giulia Doyle and Bruno Doyle
