Switzerland

Geneva. Case and I dropped of our bags off and were on the hunt for some food being that we had been up for over 24 hours and turned into a couple of jet-lagged hungry puppies. We found the famous grocery store that would feed us for the remainder of the trip in most places. The Coop. Similar to a 7/11, they had all the snacks but also fresh fruits and veggies but also fresh bread and pastries both warmed and room temperature…..these little treats became a daily requirement. We sat at our little table in our shared floor Airbnb, smiling at one another with our new discoveries but also for the adventures that lay ahead. We woke early, about 0330, troubles by the jet lag and excitement, we found a coffee and pastry shop that opened fairly early and walked over there. Our first interaction in French, we were able to enjoy our first Switzerland meal, ham and cheese croissant sandwiches with a very plain latte….figured out that’s just how the Swiss do their coffee.

Having not dealt with the train system yet, it was quite easy! Going from a very French influenced area to a German influenced, Lucerene was magnificent, spectacular and romantic. With its gothic themes, lured people in by its mid-evil architecture and history. The lake was absolutely stunning, it gave me a similar feeling to Coeur D’Alene, Idaho but on a much grander level. Casey and I spent most of the day walking around the sights, appreciating the old moss-covered bridges and the historical ruins and statues that at one point protected the city and represented heroism during the French Revolution.

The train rides were lovely. If there’s anyway to travel Europe, the best way is by train.

With only one full day in Lucerne, we arrived to Interlaken next. Interlaken was a bit bigger than expected but still small enough to be squished in the valley. A beautiful and powerful river flowed on the side of the town with grand little cobblestone streets and quaint, yet modern, shops. Here, Casey and I experienced our first fondue pot, Swiss cheese fondue. With the sharpness of the Swiss, we dipped little vinegar onions, pickles, tomatoes l, potatoes and bread in our pot….we ate all of it to say the least but with the last piece of bread approaching, instead of the asking for the check, our language barrier asked for more bread. After finishing that load, we finally requested the check correctly at this point. Casey and I walked away feeling like the fondue pot was interesting…the Swiss cheese mixed with alcohol actually surprised us, I think we were expected something more along the lines of the Melting Pot type cheese. But alas, we caught the train to our tiny and quaint little farm house out in Gystweiler where our worm and cozy bed awaited.

The next morning was brisk, no snow but a chill in the air. What came over us I do not know but our jet-lagged selves worked up the energy to put on our early-bird running shoes and go for a jog in the fresh, chill Gystweiler air with a view of the mountains I don’t know if I’ll ever forget. We ran up….and up. On one of the routes we picked we ran past a somewhat aggressive dog and it’s dairy farmer. We quickly realized we were running up their driveway…we turned around, getting barked at once again with a friendly wave and “Gutton morgen” from the dairy farmer milking their cow. It seemed like maybe we weren’t the first couple of runners to turn onto their driveway.

From there we hopped on the train and adventured on to our day in Grindelwald. Awh, what a lovely little mountain town it was. Just beautiful and quaint. We took the gondola up to the cliff walk where we walked along a skywalk pretty darn high up. It was snowing somewhat hard so it was a bit hard to see the mountains but there was a small bit that it cleared. We then took the tour to the Top of Europe! A fun glacier tour with a overlook that was just breathtaking…at least once the blizzard cleared. We ended the day taking the train to Murren and seeing the sights up above the town of Lubberken.

Following Grindelwald, was our favorite, Zermatt. We didn’t want to admit it, but it was just too good to not be. The famous pointed Matterhorn was majestic, the pictures really do not do it Justice…. It’s something you have to see in person for yourself. We checked into our little village chalet and took off for the mountain for some skiing. Snow fell and we got to enjoy a decent days worth. We got back to our chalet and walked the little cobble street village, the smell of pastries in the air and the sound of the River splitting through the middle. This snowy little town and it’s high chalet village captured our adventurous hearts. The next day was a full and beautiful day of fresh powder skiing. The sun hit the Matterhorn and the slopes were endless. As we were riding the chair back into town we met the owner of our chalet’s brother! He asked us to stop by the bakery/coffee shop across from our chalet, only to find out that his wife was behind the counter. The gentlemen grew up in Zermatt and had been a ski instructor for 25 years, him and his wife opened the bake shop just a year prior. The shop was lovely, everything I would want/desire in my own.  His wife said she was a nurse before but the shop of what brought her joy, or was a risk with money but very worth it in the end. A wonderful couple, felt like we could be good friends had we also lived in the little mountain neighborhood.  We ended our trip with a fancy cinnamon latte and pastry from the Main Street and took off back to Geneva where our final days to our wonderland trip would await us.

Geneva was a great place to end because it was not our favorite so it made the country a bit easier to depart. We stayed in a little French area called Old Town, a cobblestone covered historic district surrounded with the sound of laughter, glasses clanking, cathedrals and the smell of homemade chocolate. Our first morning in the area we figured we could use a hardy breakfast, although to our dismay, it seemed like breakfast wasn’t a thing. We finally came across a shop called “Little Kitchen” were the owner handed us his breakfast (two croissants) and made us double shot espressos…a very nice gesture but not exactly the eggs and bacon we were hoping for.

Geneva, the lover and creator of good chocolate. Many of the city’s history was surprisingly influenced by the love of chocolate from fellow prominent leaders…viewing chocolate as a medicine almost. We were grateful to learn about this history during a chocolate tour….we were taught to place the chocolate on the roof of your mouth, breath slightly though your teeth to aerate the flavor and to let it slowly melt to taste all the different notes….my favorite was probably the think hot chocolate cup….it was like drinking Christmas.

Switzerland. You did not disappoint, the views were incredible, beyond anything we could imagine. The imagery and sounds of the dairy farmers early in the morning, the cow’s bell clanking as it gets milked and the fresh water coming out of the public sprockets are moments I will cherish. They’re moments that we do not see on the daily but lovely to know that life outside of ours can be lived simply and slowly….and be just if not more, joyful.