New England, charming me since 2004
Click for entire set: Vermont 2009
We went to Vermont for our (greater) Souzek annual vacation. We had been to Pennsylvania twice in previous years and picked a new location this time hoping to finally get into some real snow. Graciously, Vermont obliged and covered us in snow over and over again through the entire week. Imagine all the northeastern cliches of old villages with their Victorian houses and charming town squares, decked out in their Christmas best, covered in soft blankets of snow. Add all old and new wintersports you can think of. Then add family and the best version of a get-together that comes to mind. That about sums it up.
We stayed at a beautiful condo, with mountain views and a fireplace and let the kids take it apart with their new received Christmas gifts. We went sledding and skating and skiing (the last without children!). I didn't realize how much I had missed it. Given that I mostly work indoors, I was actually looking forward to feeling that exhaustion and relaxation that overcomes you after spending a few hours in the cold. I had plenty of that.
Connecticut does get snow, but not really reliably. Oftentimes it doesn't stay. I forget how close to the ocean it is. Vermont on the other hand... It's strange to find a place to correspond so much to its touristy stereotypes but in a good way. We stayed in Quechee, Vt, but visited Woodstock, VT several times - which is the most perfect example of a small fancy New England town with its shops and architecture and impeccable style.
We went to mass there twice and happened to have picked a parish, which not only offered parts of the service in latin (gregorian chant!), but professional opera singers breaking out in solos as well as a highly skilled organist improvising after mass had ended for at least another 15 minutes. It was a tiny church (of course), old (of course) and beautifully decorated (of course!). Lincoln and I were totally dumbfounded. Finding mass on vacation is always hard and most of the time a big gamble. This was totally unexpected. Stepping out into the snowy silence afterwards was positively surreal. Is this Vermont or the heavenly Jerusalem with a cold front?
I loved waking up surrounded by snowy trees every day. I can recall the atmosphere immediately... which is my favorite thing to bring home from vacation: the feel and time of a place. You end up with a great memory you love to revisit and you know will never disappoint..
How perfectly wonderful!! I wish I could see more photos. In Flikr perhaps?
Lilian, the link is on top, right under the title!
How amazing!! Sounds like right out of a movie!
Your family takes such lovely vacations. I wish we would prioritize that more, but the only trips we take are to Colorado (which we love) to see my grandparents (who we love very much) in the middle of July (which we do not love, it's just the only time we have as a family to drive there and back).
So, did you go over the 25th and then stay the week after that? I see you took presents along. Did you meet other family there, too?
We went 12/27 to 1/3 and met up with lincoln's family there.