the cruise ship balcony

This summer, we embarked on a special family vacation spending days on a cruise ship sailing the scenic Mediterranean Sea.  We were excited to travel in a new way.  Keeping my camera always close by, I quickly learned that one of my cruise highlights was peeking through my stateroom curtains in the early morning or evening  light just to look and see if their was anything photo worthy. I quickly learned that my cruise ship balcony vantage point was amazing. I'd never have these photos if we'd traveled  by land. The water, clouds, sun and land entertained and mesmerized me so easily.  A journey to never forget. 

the other side of the valley | fairhope family photography

As many times as our family from Fairhope, AL  has been blessed to return to our "happy place" Switzerland, we've never visited the other side of the valley. We've always stared at it perched and hanging onto its cliffside. Getting there was definitely part of the adventure. Riding a cog train down to the bottom of the valley, then a tram lift up to another high elevation train on the other side. The five of us discovered an even quieter and quainter feel on that "other side". It was a refreshing day walking through Murren, Switzerland and then riding a tram even further to Gimmelwald. Just maybe my most favorite meal of the entire trip. A simple dressed salad with goat cheese eaten in an outside beer garden perched high above as we watched storm clouds roll in. Glorious!