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I loved Switzerland!!

I would say this trip was a close second in terms of favorite trips since we got to France (Wales still being first). But, the Switzerland trip consisted in meeting up with our friend Oliver, whom we had met in Yemen, and spend a week on snowshoes and alpine skis in the Swiss Alps, with a few stops here and there for a hot chocolate or a delicious meal, so it’s a bit unfair to compare it to other trips. It was much more fun than your average visit to a new place.

Lüzern, where we stayed, was gorgeous. Set along a lake with mountains all around, cool churches and classic Swiss architecture. I found the people in Lüzern to be fit, healthy looking and relaxed. Not relaxed in a slow and stupid way, as the French have for a stereotype about the Swiss, but relaxed in a content way that probably stems from their knowledge that they live in one of the coolest place on earth.

I didn’t like Bern as much. It was great to see the buildings where Chuck used to live, work and the places where he used to hang out when he lived in Bern, but I found the town to be a bit grey, less lively, than Lüzern. The Berneses seemed more stressed and they frowned more. Chuck was a bit disappointed to find out that all his favorite Swiss restaurants had been turned into over-crowded fast food pizza joints. We ended up finding a Japanese restaurant at the heart of town and had sushi. First sushi in nine months, it was like heaven! We also went to see the Bern bears in their pits. I didn’t like that part at all. Chuck said he remembered the bears to be happier and better cared for. I took one look at them and got really sad, so Chuck quickly took me away and we drove back to Lüzern.

So, all in all, we spent 8 days there, 6 in the mountains, one in Bern, and one resting. We were planning on coming back through Italy and do a bit more climbing there, but the weather was grey and oppressing and Chuck has a blister the size of a small egg on his foot, so we figured we’d get back to la Cadiere and recover before going off on more adventures. We pulled in last night at 11pm. Distances in Europe still baffle my mind. I can have breakfast in Lüzern, and still sleep at la Cadiere that night (albeit after a 12 hour drive, but still). I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that.

Oh yeah, and the Clio turned 200,000 km last night, at about 10:30 pm. We sang it “Happy Mileage to you”, of course. It is now officially un-sellable. I wish we could keep it; I have grown very attached to the Clio.

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Here is the summary:

Worse thing that happened to us in Switzerland: Absolutely nothing bad happened. It was all good. The worse part was to have to leave Lüzern. It’s about the closest town to our dream town. Queenstown in New Zealand is even closer, but it is very difficult to immigrate to New Zealand. Lüzern would make a good alternative. And in the meantime, we’ll take Bend.

Best thing that happened to us in Switzerland: Being able to use the snowshoes that we have brought with us from the States and that, up to now, have been gathering dust in Provence. Seeing the Alps. Having real Ālpermagrone, though I still like the one Chuck makes best. Hanging out with Oliver. Meeting his friends. Many other things.

Coolest thing I can say in Swiss German: “Grützi”. It’s really not that cool, it just means “Hi!”, but it’s hard to pick up any Swiss German since the Swiss’s English is almost as good as mine, and so is their French. It was interesting, for once to be the one who doesn’t understand and have Chuck be the main interpreter.

Favorite town in Switzerland: Lüzern, you had gotten that by now. Mountains, lakes, great people, endless outdoor activities, rich cultural life, great restaurants, peace, quiet, public restrooms cleaner than my kitchen floor, and even a Buddhist monk feeding swans by the lake, in the late afternoon light.

Coolest climb: They each had their own charm. The first day we had great weather and view over a valley dotted with “Heidi” farms. The second day we went with Oliver’s neighbor Pascal. It snowed most of the day, but we still had a lot of fun. Pascal had brought some instant mocha drinks, which we shared at the summit. The third day we went with Oliver’s girlfriend Susan and one of his British coworker, Andy. Both Andy and Susan were on skis, Oliver and us were on snowshoes. That climb was fun because we got to take a gondola straight over what would be a six hour long approach if this climb was in the Cascades, and get deposited directly where the snow is fluffy and the sun shines, turning what would have been a gruesome climb into a pleasant couple of hours stroll to the summit. Then we took the gondola back to the restaurant where we stopped for a hot Chocolate. Swiss mountaineering rocks!! The fourth day we went a bit further south and rode four up on a two-person snowmobile to a hotel high up on the mountain. I had frost in my teeth from laughing so hard when we got there. We were the only guests that night and the guys (Chuck, Oliver and Andy) had Swiss fondue with so much kirsch in it that I was getting drunk just from the fumes. The next day we went up on Alpine skis to a pass from which the Alps stretched as far as the eyes can see. My legs were already very tired from the previous days and I was cramping a lot on the way down, but after a stop at the restaurant on the way down, I found a second wind for a good schuss all the way to the car.

Coolest meal: It wasn't really a meal, but just a stop for beers and hot chocolate one the way down on the last day. We stopped at the restaurant on the mountain to rest my legs, and we sat in the warm afternoon sun with our drinks, while at the table next to us a man with a large mustache played the accordion and the group at his table yodeled along. Then, I really knew I was in Switzerland.

Most eaten meal: Those yummy nut rolls you can get at the Migros supermarket, and are so good to eat as a snack on the mountain. We also came home with a stock of Chocolate and beers.

Weirdest quote: “Slowly slowly”, which all the Swiss say, with a bouncing tone on the ‘o’. It’s only weird because though they say that a lot, and seem to be taking their time for everything, they are always on time, and first on the summit.

Weirdest souvenir: I have not brought anything back. We were too busy having fun in the snow to remember to stop and get souvenirs. If we had been thinking though, we would have brought back potatoes. The Swiss have about 10 different kinds of potatoes more delicious one than the other. In France they only have one kind, and it’s not really that great.

Worse disappointment: I would have liked to drive through the Emmental area on the way back, but it was raining and grey and the visibility very poor. I also wanted to stop by Gruyère, but it seems the Germans were starting some holiday and the roads were packed with German cars filled to the brim with ski equipment, so we took a side road through Neuchâtel, and missed the road to Gruyère by several hundred kilometers.

So there you go. I don’t think I will write any story from this trip. I have some of Oliver and Andy’s photos, which I will put up soon (they were shooting digital, so they get to see them right away). I am still working on the Tunisia story.

I think we are off to Brittany next. But I am not sure when, I need to look at the calendar. It probably won’t be for another week. We both need to rest for now.


Aufwiedersehen


XOXO

Melissa

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