Charlotte and I are flying today to Zurich, Switzerland hoping to experience Christmas cheer in the foothills of the Alps.  According to the forecast, it is going to be cold with snow.  We can’t wait!  For us Floridians, any chance to get into the chilly weather and snow is an adventure.  Our itinerary is somewhat flexible, especially since I do not have a group to lead around, but here is a rough outline:

First, we will drive to Schwangau, Germany and visit King Ludwig II’s boyhood home (castle) know as Hohenschwangau.  We will stay overnight with my hotelier friend Hermann Weidinger in Reutte, Austria.  Then we will travel through Germany’s Black Forest and set up in Freiburg, Germany for four nights.  I call this region the “Smokey Mountains” of Germany.  There are a lot of Christmas markets to experience and  maybe we’ll do some hiking too.  Finally we will return to Zurich, explore the old town, and be home by Christmas.