Switzerland

View from our B&B
taken early in the morning

Switzerland is an amazing country with majestic mountains and vineyard-filled valleys.  My vocabulary was suddenly diminished to, "wow", "ahh", and "gorgeous".  This might not be so surprising to you (especially after viewing the pictures we took), but I've been before and I was still stunned by the beauty.  There is no doubt I would return in a heartbeat.  In fact, Kevin and I wandered through the alpine village of Leysin and dreamt of owning a chalet and escaping the pressures of the world within those four log walls.  Although owning a chalet will not likely be in our near future, we found respite and retreat in a wonderful B&B.  Our time in Switzerland was brief but memorable.

The storms a comin'
(view from our room)

 
 
 

Chimneys in Bern

View toward the center of Bern

Chateau de Chillon

Lake Geneva

The day we arrived in Geneva, we (and when I say we, I mean Kevin) drove to Bern and we wandered around the city for a brief time before heading back toward Lake Geneva and the Chateau de Chillon.  Bern is beautiful and quaint with a river that winds its way through the city.  There are incredible views with green hills, red-roofed homes (with wonderfully unique chimneys) to gaze upon.  I could've stood in awe for hours, but alas, we needed to continue onward.  Chateau de Chillon is a 12th Century fortress on Lake Geneva.  We sat in its shadow for a short time and chose not to go inside.  In my mind, it was almost more magical to imagine than to experience the narrow, winding corridors, cold, damp cells, and views of freedom from the small, square windows.

The following day we were in the car again, headed toward Zermatt to catch a glimpse of the Matterhorn.  The trip risked disappointment as the Matterhorn is often enveloped with clouds, but to our amazement (and delight), there were few clouds in the sky.  The snow-capped Matterhorn clearly pronounced it's dominance over the valley.



Our evening was incredible (probably my highlight) as we had fondue in a chalet in the alps.  The chalet restaurant was nestled in a valley surrounded by rocky mountain peaks.  As we walked from the parking area to the chalet the ringing of cow bells was all that could be heard.  In addition to the incredibly picturesque atmosphere, my heart and mind reflected on the time I'd come with my family several years ago.  I felt incredibly blessed to be able to share this special place with my dear husband.

At the top of the gondola ride
(Lake Geneva in the background)

The third day in Switzerland we let the car rest and put on our hiking shoes.  Sadly we didn't do much "real" hiking, but we did breathe some fresh mountain air as we explored Leysin and took a gondola ride up the mountain to view our surroundings from a different perspective.  Our relaxed evening included a bottle of the local wine and a pizza.  It was a perfect way to bring our time in Switzerland to a close.

As I write this note, I reflect on the time in Switzerland and am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to see a bit more of this world that our Lord created.