[2013] Steamboat Springs, USA

The first time I visited Steamboat there were a lot of firsts for me. This time around there weren't as many, except for snoeshowing. It was very hard work though. Laying the track down was like being on a stair master but with beautiful surroundings. Poor Renni had trouble staying on top of tracks because her small paws kept poking through. I think the hardest part for her was going at such slow speeds, since she is geared to run.

Most of our afternoon was spent just lounging out on the deck with a beer and some nuts. We also went down the mile long driveway on a sled...it was almost like Swiss sledding ==> very dangerous. Another upside to winter sports here is we get to borrow grandma and grandpa's one-piece snowsuits!

Colorado is so blessed with sunshine, I can't help but be jealous since Basel is usually so dreary and grey during the winter. We only stayed for one night, but it was so relaxing that the long drive was worth it.

[2012] Jerusalem, Israel

This is probably in my top 3 places to visit as a tourist. It was absolutely jam packed with history and life. I was surprised at how spiritual this visit was, which sounds dumb now that I think of it. I guess, I wasn't planning on it being spiritual for me. Amidst the myriad of religions, people, tourists and just business of the city, we fell in love with it. I found that seeing people's faith so overtly in their actions and emotions was really moving for me. I'm so glad that I was lucky enough to visit this sacred place. 

I think one of the best decisions we made before traveling to Israel was using AirBnB. This was our first time to use it and we ended up staying with Barak and Idan. They were the best hosts! The price of the room was so reasonable and we got very good tips on places to eat and really enjoyed getting to know them. We stayed in a few times because Hayes was really sick from a stomach bug he caught in Egypt, so we watched the Amazing Race Israel, baked cupcakes together and were even invited to join them for Shabbat with their friends.  We enjoyed great food and even better conversations. We have yet to have as good of an experience with AirBnb, but we understand that sometimes you just click with people.

Another highlight on this trip was the food! Especially the local meals that were recommended to us. I think Israel makes the best salads in the world. They had the most surprising combinations of fruit, nuts, vegetables and cheese. Hayes' highlight were the fresh juices that you could find on every street corner with pomegranates that they would squeeze in front of you for just a few dollars.

Hopefully we will make it back to Israel. We have plans to visit the Sea of Galilee next time.