A hop, skip and a jump through Europe

Way back when, in the beginning of June, we enjoyed a fantastic 4 days in Switzerland.  The Best family wins the prize for being great hosts, for not only did they spoil us--rotten, in fact--but they also allowed our friends, Diana and Tiffany to join in on the fun. (They came to meet us from Hungary and Germany, respectively).  While Taylor enjoyed reconnecting with old Colorado friends and getting a taste of their life in Switzerland, the rest of us were thrilled to meet such warm, new friends and to experience such a gorgeous country. 4 days might seem short, but we sure packed in a lot.  We strolled over the flower-covered wooden bridge in the city of Lucerne, drove up and down the vivid green hills, feasted Swiss-style at a family barbecue, and sipped countless lattes from Tanya's in-home coffee shop. What a treat it was to be both in Switzerland and with the Bests (Corey, Tanya, Livia, Silas, and Sarah).  En route to Brazil, with Tiffany along for the ride, we had a one-day pit stop in Lisbon. And man--what a COOL city. With colored plastic chairs along the ocean, cute cobblestone streets, and statues galore, we thoroughly enjoyed our time there. It was great to escape the airport and soak up some Vitamin D, all before crossing the Atlantic--and the equator. For the first time in 6 months, we will be now on land connected to the good 'ol US of A (in the words of Taylor).