Switzerland

Hi everyone! We are in Switzerland and on the verge of France. Tomorrow we leave for Nice and emerge from cold and German. We have been in German speaking land for about a month and are looking forward to trying to figure out other languages. It has been cooler than we have liked the last while and it's Nice to know that warm weather is on the way.


Switzerland is really a beautiful country. We can say that about every country we have been to so far, but the Swiss do the mountain thing well and great Alp scenery is like nothing else. After our first Swiss night in St. Moritz, a mountain resort town, we hopped aboard the Glacier Express bound for Zermatt, another mountain resort town. The train ride was eight hours long, but felt much shorter. The Swiss Alps are incredible and seeing them by train is the best way, we think. We went low through river valleys, high through snow covered peaks, and many levels in between. It really was a great ride, complete with a three course lunch and some Swiss wine and cheese.








Zermatt was an interesting stay. We were in the small mountain town for three nights, staying in an old, cramped, and somewhat dirty hostel. It forced us to rough it a bit more than we are used to. Character. Night three was our most interesting night that starred a somewhat drunk German staying in our room. When he was awake, he exhibited some clumsiness, some awkwardness, some bum crack, and some interesting conversation (if you call it that). When he was sound asleep, however, he exhibited loud (and we mean LOUD) and consistent snoring with the occasional (sometimes not so occasional) fart. He definitely made the night one that we won't forget, considering we were awake for most of it.

Even though our hostel stay in Zermatt was less than ideal, we tried to make the most of the days. We got in some hiking one day and some snowboarding the next. Apparently, Zermatt has some of the best year-round skiing in Europe and so I was able to rent a board and head up to the top to meet some snow. Ang decided it wasn't worth the money, cold, and effort, so she stayed on the ground and enjoyed a day of cafes, including reading and coffee. The snowboarding was awesome. It was very foggy and blowy at the top, so I only managed to get in about four hours in because they opened the hill late. My face was grateful that I wasn't out there longer because I received a fairly intense wind/sun burn despite the heavy fog. The experience of snowboarding the Alps is one I will always remember.

Zermatt had some pros and some cons for us during our time there. Pros: great scenery, hiking, and snowboarding and a lovely mountain town atmosphere. Cons: weather that hovered right around 2 degrees, the steapness (of the price, not the trails), and the lack of the Matterhorn. Zermatt apparently sits right underneath of the Matterhorn, but due to some low clouds during our stay, we're convinced the mountain is a hoax.


All we saw of the Matterhorn


Zermatt from above

Snowboarding. This was one of the more clear moments of the day.

The last stop in Switzerland was flatter. Not in experience, just in terrain. We ended in Bern, the capital of Switzerland, and stayed for two nights. It is a very nice, small city with great buildings and streets. Because of its size, we didn't need a lot of time to see many sights, but enjoyed a couple of days just taking in the character of the city and relaxing in its parks.





Bern's Bear Park including two full grown bears and two cubs. A great, free half hour of entertainment. Bern's official animal has been a bear since it was founded in the twelfth century.


The Aare River



Now, our trip turns southward to the French Riviera and then on to Italy. We are looking forward to some sun, some sights, and some Italian cuisine!