It was a misty August day when my sister-in-law Kendra, our friend Amy and I set out on a grand road trip from Kendra’s home in Boblingen, Germany. We had some guide books, a large bag of candy and snacks, and a rather finicky GPS system that liked to randomly send us off into the hills or meandering through strange neighborhoods.

Through much confusion, hilarity and sheer nerve, we managed to find a guest houseย  just over the border in Switzerland, then decided to take a drive down to Zurich, stopping wherever we liked along the way.

For a while road construction and detours thwarted our initial searches for interesting stops, but finally we spotted a simple brown sign featuring a waterfall and off the highway we went. You really can’t go wrong with a waterfall!

It was raining in earnest now, but that didn’t stop us. Out came Amy’s umbrella – I ALWAYS forget an umbrella! – and we climbed down stone steps to the river’s edge.

We were greeted by the thunderous boom of cascading water and bursts of mist shrouding the nearby hills. Not only had we found a waterfall, we had inadvertently found Europe’s LARGEST waterfall: the Rheinfall in Neuhausen, Switzerland.

I have since heard warnings of large crowds and hordes of tourists shoving and clamoring for a good view, but that was not our experience. Perhaps the rain kept most folks away, because we nearly had the place to ourselves.

Although we were content to amble along the shore, stopping by damp stone walls to take it all in, you can also take boat cruises, and clamber around at Schloss Laufen on the other shore.

It was a gorgeous, awe-inspiring sight, but after a while we were cold, wet and hungry and off we went to Zurich in search of sustenance. We happily wandered the riverfront, then found a marvelous fondue restaurant where we warmed up quickly with good beer and savory fondue.

What is your favorite thing to eat after a rainy day of exploring?