To the country of chocolate, cheese, and snow, this past weekend’s adventure was to the small town of Interlaken, Switzerland. The town has a population of only 20,000 people and truly feels like you are living in a snow globe. On Thursday night I boarded a bus…that is right a bus…to Switzerland and after 8 hours!!! we arrived at Balmer’s Hostel. Balmer’s Hostel is one of the oldest and most famous hostel’s in Switzerland and as I have never stayed in one before, I was really excited to see what it would be like. I think because of it’s fame, Balmer’s is a little nicer than your average hostel and I really enjoyed the environment around it. So what does one do in a small town in the dead of winter in Switzerland? Well I don’t ski or snowboard so…
- Paragliding: now my original intentions were not to run and jump off the cliff of a mountain in the Alps. I was planning to do something a little more calm, maybe kayak. However, at the end of the day, a group of friends and myself decided we would paraglide. So, on Friday morning we geared up to drive to the top of a mountain in the Swiss Alps. Trust me, I was FREAKING out the way up. The views from the top of the mountain were absolutely stunning, but it was truly one of those take a quick picture moments, because before I knew it, I was strapped in and running down a mountain in the snow. Somehow, the wind picked up and I was seated in the air, flying. It was such a peaceful experience. After the original feeling of jumping and flying, I was just coasting through the crisp Swiss air in the snow. Remember how I mentioned the town was small? Well my pilot, Jeff, at one point, points to a red car and says, “see that car outside the house? That is where I live!”. The flight lasted about 10 minutes over mountains, lakes, and houses. When we finally landed, I was actually disappointed for it to be over (though a little dizzy).
2. Lake Brienz and Ice Skating: another stunning location and highlight of the trip was Lake Brienz, one of the two lakes in Interlaken. The name of the town actually means between two lakes. We walked the lake and saw some of the bluest and most clear water I have ever seen. Behind the gatorade blue lake were picture perfect mountains capped in beautiful white snow. Following our lakeside adventure we went to the middle of the town to complete our winter weekend with ice skating. I was surprised at how much I actually remembered how to skate! The snow filled activities were so peaceful and after having a snowless winter at home, was something I enjoyed tremendously.
3. The Real Swiss Experience: No trip to Switzerland would be complete without a dive into the Swiss culture through food, drink, and of course, costumes! We finished off our weekend in Switzerland at Heidi’s Photo Chalet, which is a green screen photo opportunity where you also get to taste traditional Swiss breads, cheeses, chocolates, and drink traditional beer, wine, and schnops. We dressed up in classic Swiss dresses and spent hours in front of the green screen posing with various props against various backgrounds, all while eating Swiss food. Personally, my favorite was the chocolate (duh). Overall, a hysterical memory to look back on.
At the end of it all, Switzerland was an amazing and beautiful country. I am still amazed at the sights that I saw and how peaceful the country was. At the lake, you could hear a pin drop and see blue for miles. At the top of the mountain, you could feel the fresh snow beneath you and look out over peaks of amazing mountain tops. From one cold adventure to the next, I will see you next week in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
But for now, ciao!
Sophia
Ciao for now 
Very very exciting adventures. You’re getting such a good education and certainly not only from books. And Boy!, are you learning to eat.
Such fun talking to you today. Love you much and can’t wait to hear the next travelogue.
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