Beautiful Switzerland

"In Europe then we thought of wine as something as healthy and normal as food and also as a great giver of happiness and well-being and delight. Drinking wine was not a snobbism nor a sign of sophistication nor a cult; it was as natural as eating and to me as necessary." -Ernest Hemingway

 Having wine in Lucerne

The cities of Switzerland and my love for them:

Bern: The capital of Switzerland: adorable, cozy, and full of history. This is where Alice's home is, and my home too for the majority of my stay. I love Bern and think it's beautiful in the most delightful way. Cities for me are always quite overwhelming, so the small size provided a sense of comfort, especially after a month in Madrid. I could stay here forever, if only I spoke Swiss German. Alice says most people here know each other and of all the cities in Switzerland people here are said to be the most kind. I love kind, and I love Bern, so love it is.

Interlaken: Where all the tourists and backpackers flock too. Indeed it is very beautiful, but there are countless other less popular places that a more scenic.. and there is less of a chance you will encounter Chinese tourists who think you are pretty and want to take endless photos with you (happened to me on three different occasions!) 

Despite how some may see it as overrated, I love it. Perhaps because it is seen as the European adventure capital.. Bungee jumping, canyoning, paragliding, and one of only three canyon swings in the world are offered here (Fortunately the highest canyon swing in the world is in Nepal for half of the price of this one… so I will wait till I get there… and go twice! ;)

The Stockhorn Bungee jump in Interlaken is insanely beautiful! Out of all the places I could admire dizzily upside down, this makes the top of my list. Unfortunately with my budget and the immense Swiss prices I will have to wait till Asia to get my adrenaline fix-- but I vow to come back here in the future.. perhaps to tandem jump with my partner like this: 

Zurich: Alice has an apartment in Zurich where she goes to school, so I had the chance to explore here. It is very expensive, but very pretty. I really liked the atmosphere, and if I had more money I would love it more. 

Geneva: Possibly my favorite city in Switzerland.  I couldn't help but fall in love. I had the opportunity to visit the Red Cross Museum and also the UN headquarters here.. and they were both incredible! Geneva has a history of peace making and neutrality that I barely even dabbled in. It was a day well spent. This is also the French speaking part of Switzerland, so it was easier for me to understand and navigate. It just feels French walking around, It's like a mini Paris, but Swiss :)

The flower clock which is apparently a huge tourist attraction in Geneva and a must to take pictures by. Yeah, I don't get it.. but why miss out? ;)

Lucerne: This is another place that tourists love, and I can't blame them. My Spanish family told me I had to go here, and they were right. It's beautiful and also really cozy. I enjoyed a gorgeous (and free!) boat ride and a scenic glass of wine.

I love Switzerland. The end.