The Swiss Life

Don't worry, I've found it. My true love that is- It's gruyere fondue. Read on for all the cheesy moments from my weekend in Switzerland.

Swiss bliss. That’s what I’m calling the feeling of being full of fondu, with a gorgeous view of the alps, surrounded by friends and fresh air. My weekend was full of these sweet blissful moments.

But, like all great things we had to work for it- in order to reach our final destination of Interlaken, Switzerland, we took 4 trains- and yes we missed two connections.

But alas, riding the train into the quaint alpine village was nothing short of magical, as the snowy alps towered into existence against a bluebird sky.

After checking into The Adventure Hostel, a chalet style house with major Swiss milkmaid vibes, we wandered through town in search of the only thing that got us through all those train transfers- the Funky Chocolate Company.

Decadent chocolate covered strawberries and rich hot chocolate topped with a donut and a cute little Swiss flag cured all our travel woes. Sweet tooth satisfied.

We walked off our chocolate indulgence with a hike to Lake Brienz one of the two lakes that bookend Interlaken and give the town it's name sake, 'village between two lakes.'

Lake Brienz is the more intimate lake of the two with small sailboats and an astounding view of the towering alps. Quite the spot for a picnic. We sat on the shore laughing and taking pictures as the sun set.

As darkness fell on the cozy mountain town we tucked into Restaurant Taverne for our first taste of gruyere cheese fondu- and let me just say NOTHING was the same. Don't let the cow-ish smell of the melting cheese fool you, these Swiss fondu chalets are gastronomic heaven.

Between the accoutrements- bread/pearl onions/potatoes/pears, and every mouth-watering cheese pull, I was infatuated and full. Very full.

What a way to ring in day 1 in this foreign German-speaking land.

On day 2 I woke up with a view of the mountains and the thrill of preparing to check paragliding off our bucket lists. Bright and early we drove up the mountainside to meet our tandem pilot.

The town looked like a child’s toy from above as we marveled over the turquoise waters. Then the moment of truth came- I attached myself to the paragliding sails.

Upon takeoff I had two orders-

1.) Don’t be too scared

2.) And run until your feet don’t touch the ground anymore

I think my mom told me the same thing when I left to go abroad!

What a ride it was! Soaring weightless eye level with the mountain range. I felt like a feather slowly drifting to the ground- there was such a peace in how quiet it was. We even pulled some tricks during the final descent.

And then in a whirlwind, literally, my feet were back on the ground- it felt like waking up from one of those spectacular dreams where you can fly.

It took a coffee or two to bring us back to reality and start our trek to the other Lake, Thun. We strolled, passing kids ice skating, and even a Hooter’s- Interlaken really has character.

At Lake Thun we took in the vista and boarded a ferry to a nearby village for a hike back to Interlaken- a stroll through the forest revealed loads of colorful alpine flowers hidden away.

Feeling very outdoorsy, we grabbed sandwiches at the Neuhaus Hotel and boarded a train back to Geneva.

Our night consisted of tapas and chocolate fondue. What a combo!

With a sunny Sunday morning to spend in Geneva we made sure to see the famous jet stream of water that shoots out from Lake Geneva and creates a brilliant rainbow.

The lake also has an absurd amount of swans- I even saw one fly under the jet stream’s rainbow- it was so magical I half expected a unicorn to appear next.

Then we meandered through old town Geneva and marveled at the cobblestone alleys filled with artisanal shops and restaurants. We even stepped inside the great cathedral.

We ended our Swiss adventures eating chestnut gelato on the dock, taking in our final views and holding on to them with the hope that someday we'd be back.

...surely that gruyere is already calling my name. For now, Auf Wiedersehen.