We arrived back in Chernex on Saturday the 27th after an easy and very familiar train trip from Visp to Montreux, then up to Chernex. Sabine and the girls were waiting for us at the train station, and it was such a nice feeling of familiarity. Sheila had arranged with Martina for us to return… Read more: Welcome Home

The shenanigans of Christmas Eve caught up with me—the perfect trifecta: I caught the bug Cedar had fought off last week, drank too much champagne, and definitely didn’t get enough sleep. It definitely wasn’t my finest Christmas morning… Still, both Sheila and I rallied (alright, Sheila rallied), and Cedar woke up to the magical discovery… Read more: Christmas & Boxing Day

In Switzerland, the tradition is to celebrate the big day on Christmas Eve instead of Christmas Day. And ever since the summer—when we were invited to join the Barbieros along with the Myers family—we’ve been preparing for an epic day. We started it like anyone else would: heading up the mountain for some snowboarding. We’d… Read more: Merry Swiss-Mas Eve

BIG DAY! I’m not sure exactly when he started saying it. We know it wasn’t Cedar’s first words, but we suspect it was one of the first phrases out of his tiny mouth. Since then, it’s become one of our favourite ways to describe upcoming adventures. It’s not unusual in the Lum household to remind… Read more: A Big (Bluebird) Day & Cedar Goes Back to School

We arrived in Saas-Fee on a Thursday, and after connecting with the Barbieros at the restaurant, decided to spend the next couple of days through the weekend stocking up on supplies in the apartment and decorating for Christmas. Being away from Canada for a major holiday is a new thing for Cedar and I. Sheila… Read more: Sledding into the Season

A must-have when travelling in—or transiting to and from—Switzerland is the SBB Mobile App. It’s been a lifesaver more than once when we’ve had to quickly adjust plans or reroute on the fly. After spending the summer here, we felt pretty confident navigating the Swiss train system. But connecting from Germany was newer territory. Sure,… Read more: Munich to Zurich to Bern to Brig to Visp to Saas Fee. Kein Problem.

It had been about 22 years since Sheila and I first set foot on the cobblestone streets of Munich. That trip marked my very first visit to Europe, and I still remember getting lost together in the beer halls and back alleys of this beautiful city. During our last European adventure with Cedar, we stayed… Read more: Magical Munich

I’ve genuinely enjoyed the opportunity to write during this trip. At first, I wasn’t sure how I felt about being “appointed” the documentarian of this adventure. Would it start to feel like a chore? Would anyone actually read this stuff?, or would my rambling posts end up lost in the internet wilderness, read only by… Read more: Odds and Endings

Our child’s obsession with trains is well documented by now, and clearly there’s no better place for him to get his fix than Switzerland. Just up the hill from Chernex lies the terminus of a beautifully restored steam train that runs on weekends between Blonay, the train museum at Chaulin, and Chamby. This weekend, we… Read more: Steam Trains & Sunsets (Montreux Jazz Style)

Thinking back seventy-eight-odd days and thirty-something blog posts ago to what I envisioned for this trip, I definitely didn’t have an overnight trek into the mountains to stay at a hike-in chalet on the bingo card. Of course, our regular readers will know that my feelings about hiking have evolved—from “no thank you, this isn’t… Read more: Overnight Hike to Chalet du Soldat

There’s an animal here we can’t, for the life of us, figure out the name of. I think it’s a mountain goat… maybe an ibex? A steinbock? We’re not sure—or at least the Swiss translation escapes us. Either way, it’s an impressive-looking beast that lives its life on the craggy, rugged slopes of the alpine,… Read more: Sheila Brosses le Dent De Jaman

We can see France from our balcony. It’s right there. I mean, there aren’t too many times in one’s life where you can say—“let’s head over to France for lunch and be back home in time for dinner.” Which is exactly what we did today. The plan was to take a scenic boat ride from… Read more: Mystery Pâté & Parting Ways with Sonya & Len

It has been a delight to host our family and friends here in Chernex. Having houseguests gives Sheila an excuse to build a weekly itinerary of events—something she loves—and it gives us the chance to “show off” some of the local insider knowledge we’ve gained while living here. Our next guests from back home in… Read more: Welcome Sonya & Len

Happy Canada Day from Italy! After breakfast this morning, we decided to walk into town and check it out. There was an interesting old stone road that looked like it led down to the lake, so we ventured down and ended up on the lakeshore. Lake Maggiore and the Borromean Islands really are a sight… Read more: Italian Breadcrumbs

It would seem inopportune not to take advantage of Switzerland’s central geographic position in Europe. Bordering France, Italy, Germany, Austria, and Liechtenstein means travel to and from these countries is incredibly convenient. Even though Switzerland isn’t technically an EU member, it is part of the Schengen Treaty—making border crossings seamless, and sometimes so much so… Read more: Riding out the Heat Wave, Stresa Style

It’s me, Sheila, again! I wanted to jump back on here to share a few experiences I’ve had without the rest of my crew. While it’s been amazing to spend so much time together as a family, it’s also healthy to take a little time apart… I’m afraid we’d drive each other crazy if we… Read more: Sheila & Swiss Walks

There are a lot of ways to spend Father’s Day—some dads like to go golfing, some get socks, some get to sleep in. Since Sheila had already volunteered to help out at the Fête Fédérale de Gymnastique, I spent most of actual Fathers day at the apartment cleaning, vacuuming, dusting, and mopping (like a good… Read more: Fathers Day at Rochers-de-Naye

While you’ve grown accustomed to the writing style of our other posts, this one will be a little different since I, Sheila, am writing it. I can’t guarantee it will be as funny or filled with historical facts and dates. But I do think I can give pretty good descriptions—so bear with me for this… Read more: Team Chernex

I’ve reflected before on the benefits of long-stay travel. Without a fixed schedule and the pressure to cram everything into a tight window, you get the freedom to be spontaneous—to go with the flow. Honestly, I feel like I’m built for this kind of travel. Sure, we’ve had to plan around workdays and visitors, but… Read more: Fliri und Flora

We arrived back in Chernex, trading the rain and clouds for the sunny Riviera. Sort of. For the past week, the air quality has been very poor throughout Switzerland. (Bern actually had the second-worst air quality in the world yesterday.) The cause? Wildfire smoke—coming from Canada! A scary reminder of how interconnected everything is, and… Read more: Les Planches, La Tour, La Gorge… and Au Revoir, Nana & Poppa

I might get this story wrong, but I’ll attempt it in good faith anyway. I was told, years ago, that my Grandpa Hugh Coulter had always wanted to visit the Alps. Maybe not the Swiss Alps—I think it was the Austrian ones—but to be honest, there aren’t huge differences in size, scope, or beauty. I… Read more: The Pearl of the Alps

Lizee left on Sunday morning, and we’d planned to spend the rest of the day cleaning up the house and getting ready for our next guests. But first, we had an important job to do: as the official cheering squad for Sabine, we needed to make our way to Lutry (another beautiful lakeside village) to… Read more: Our Next Guests (or: Dave Discovers the “Fun” in Funicular)

We obviously had big shoes to fill after our epic day of chocolate and cheese tasting. But we’d heard a rumour about an attraction that had potential — and it was only a short boat ride away from Montreux in a little lakeside village called Le Bouveret. We’d kept Cedar in the dark on purpose.… Read more: Swiss Vapeur Parc, Bye Bye Lizee

Part 1: Geneva We have planned this trip for ten years. Friends and family will attest that, while serious planning started in the last couple of years, for ten years we’ve set goals, set aside money, and took tangible steps to make this trip a reality. One of the must-haves for the trip was an… Read more: Our First Visitor, Geneva, and our EPIC DAY

A lot of people ask us why we chose Switzerland for an extended stay—especially those who’ve never been here. It’s surprising how many people back home have never travelled to Switzerland, instead favouring the more well-known European metropolises. There’s even a dedicated group on Reddit committed to proving that Switzerland doesn’t exist, along with a… Read more: Ina, Andrea, and Freddy Mercury

From the first time we set foot in Chernex, we’ve felt welcome—and at home. Not only by Sabine, Yvan, and family, but by a growing circle of friends who have gone out of their way to invite us into their lives, share meals, and show patience with our lousy French skills, all while making our… Read more: Raclette Party

I awoke still riding the high from last night’s Swiss cheese shooting adventure, to another picturesque morning. The sun, through patchy clouds, creates a pattern of mixed blues across the wide expanse of Léman. Kind of looks like Cedar’s paint kit when he gets bored and starts mixing colours. I will never grow tired of… Read more: AllTrails.com be damned (or) How to Hike the Gorges du Chauderon backwards

I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve never paid much attention to the military history of Switzerland. Of course, everyone knows about famous Swiss neutrality. The country hasn’t been involved in a war for centuries. So it felt a little incongruent to learn that military training is still mandatory here. Almost all Swiss men… Read more: Obligatorisches Schiessen, or as Jason translated it – Mandatory Cheese Shooting

The weather here in Montreux has been very pleasant, reminds us of Spring at home, with a mix of some beautiful hot days, and some rain. When the rains come, the mountains across the lake disappear—you can still feel their presence, but wrapped in clouds there’s nothing but a white wall. We’ve also learned not… Read more: A Day Without Laughter is a Day Wasted

For over a century, narcissi flowers have been a symbol of Montreux and the Riviera. Their flowering in spring is a pretty big deal—celebrated by the Swiss and also a magnet for tourists who come to see the famous “May snow.” Fortunately for us, one of the best spots to see them is the little… Read more: Wake up and smell the Narcissi

We got an early start with breakfast at the hotel and a quick tram lesson from the bellman before heading out to meet Angelo. The plan was to meet him in the “main hall” of the Zurich train station—which turned out to be easier said than done. Between the renovations and the fact that Zurich… Read more: Zurich Part 2: WOW of a Weekend

We arrived later in the evening on our train from Interlaken to Zurich. One of the amazing things about train travel in Switzerland is that if you play your cards right, you might end up on one of the intercity trains with a dedicated family car—complete with its own indoor playground. Cedar was stoked, and… Read more: Arrival in Zurich: Day 1 – Playground Train, Tricky Trams

4,340 feet and 6 inches, to be exact. After an exhausting hike (to the funicular station), we made it to the top of Harder Kulm—and were rewarded with absolutely breathtaking views of Interlaken, Lake Thun, Lake Brienz, and the snowcapped trio of Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau (aka the Ogre, the Monk, and the Maiden). I… Read more: Interlaken Experiment: Does Beer Taste Different at 4,340 Feet?

One of the defining features of our little apartment is the generously sized balcony overlooking the lake. Perfect for al fresco dining. This morning, Cedar (with a little—okay, a lot—of help) prepared a Mother’s Day breakfast as a surprise for his Mama. Fresh baked croissants, fruit salad, and all the accoutrements you’d expect for an… Read more: Mother’s Day, Swiss Style

Had you told me a few months ago that I’d find myself running in not one, but two races in Switzerland during our trip, I would’ve laughed you out of the room. And yet, here we are: two weeks in, and the Lum family has somehow become a family that runs. And not just when… Read more: Beautiful Bern, and More Running…

Pretty neat that Cedar’s first real castle experience—and no, Castle Fun Park definitely doesn’t count—is within walking distance of where we’re living. And walk we did! The lakeshore promenade (the same one we ran/scootered earlier in the week) stretches all the way from Montreux to the drawbridge gates of Château de Chillon. The castle and… Read more: Chateau de Chillon – Cedar’s First Castle

One of the great things about being here for an extended stay is that we’re not rushed to ping-pong between cities and experiences. That said, our first week in Switzerland has already been a whirlwind. On Saturday, we hopped on a train to the UNESCO World Heritage village of Epesses (pronounced Eh-pess). While excavations have… Read more: Savouring the Slow Travel Life (and a little Wine) in Epesses

Now that we’re settled in a bit, we’d love to take you on a quick tour of the town we’re calling home: Chernex. Nestled between Lake Léman and the surrounding vineyards, Chernex is a small hillside village about a 30-minute walk (uphill!) from Montreux. Home to roughly 2,000 residents, locals are nicknamed “The Lanterns.” Depending… Read more: A Little Tour of Our Village: Chernex

Geez. It didn’t take long for us to get swept up in the very active Swiss lifestyle. Exactly one day after we arrived, we were already participating in a local race along the Riviera—Sheila running, while Cedar and I joined on scooter. Imagine a version of Vancouver’s seawall, but even more spectacular: beautifully landscaped, dotted… Read more: Running, Swimming, Scootering Our Way Into the Swiss Lifestyle—Ready or Not

Part 1: We’ve arrived safe and sound to our new home in Chernex, Switzerland. Surprisingly few hiccups (just a bumpy landing in a Montreal thunderstorm) along the way. Cedar is a great traveler, he couldn’t believe his luck to learn all the rules about screen-time are out the window on the plane ride. I’m pretty… Read more: We’re Here!