Das Wein ist sehr gut

After spending most of the weekend in the German-speaking part of Switzerland, it is definitely a little harder to speak French around here…sometimes I accidentally throw in a German word or phrase!  Anyway, our weekend started off on Friday afternoon immediately after class.  We took the train to Nyon, bought some snacks for the trip (a.k.a. Nutella and bread), and set off on our 3-hour journey to Lauterbrunnen.  We had a minor slip-up on the first train, because we accidentally got off at Renens instead of Lausanne.  Luckily the problem was easily fixed after we bought some wine at the convenience store and figured out when the next train left for Bern.  Soon we made an amazing discovery: in Switzerland it is legal and acceptable to drink wine on the train.  Needless to say, the rest of our journey was very fun.  Somehow we managed to make all of connections through Bern and Interlaken Ost and finally arrived at the train station in Lauterbrunnen.  Lauterbrunnen is often called the most beautiful valley in Europe, and for good reason: quaint chalets are perched along the edge of a beautiful stream, and mountains and cliffs rise up dramatically on all sides.  There are supposedly 72 waterfalls in the Lauterbrunnen valley, and they are gorgeous.  In the distance you can see the very top of the Jungfrau, covered in snow all year-round.  We didn’t have too much difficulty finding our hostel after I called the owner to ask for directions (we were having trouble navigating the town in the dark.)  When we arrived, we were greeted by the owner, a little old lady named Greti who fortunately speaks English.  The hostel—called Matratzenlager Stocki—was definitely an authentic, Swiss backpacking experience.  I found it in Fodor’s, where it was praised for its low cost, beautiful location, and authenticity.  The sleeping set-up was just a dormitory: bunk beds all pushed together in long rows.  There was also a communal kitchen, living area, and bathrooms.  We were happy to learn that it only cost 15 CHF each for the night, and because we were planning on carrying all of our stuff with us the next day anyway we didn’t mind the dormitory set-up.  Luckily there was only one other couple in our room because it’s not the high tourist season.

Matratzenlager Stocki

After getting situated and changing clothes, we decided to explore Lauterbrunnen’s nightlife.  Greti directed us to a local festival, but when we arrived we soon learned that it had just ended for the night.  Luckily one of the guys working there showed us the “cool” bar in Lauterbrunnen where most of the young people hang out.  When we sat down, we quickly discovered that the people next to us were from North Carolina!  One boy went to UNC and now works as a banker in Luzern, and another has a friend who works at the Nasher museum at Duke.  Small world.  We also met some more people from America: CLIFF JUMPERS.  Yes, these people make a trip to Lauterbrunnen once a year to jump off cliffs with parachutes.  They were interesting characters to say the least, but all in all it was a funny night.  All three of us were big fans of German Switzerland so far.  

Kaity, Sophie, and me at the bar :) 

Sleeping right next to each other was a “rustic” experience, but the beds were actually very comfortable and we were able to get up and get going for our long day the next morning.  We were kind of rushed getting food from the grocery store for breakfast but finally made it onto the train to go all the way up to the top of the Jungfraujoch.  I am still amazed that we went all the way up there, because I have no idea how the Swiss built all the amazing railroads, cable car tracks, and tunnels that literally take you THROUGH the Alps up to an elevation of nearly 12,000 feet.  And when you get up there you find a complex complete with restaurants, an ice palace, various observation decks, gift shops, etc.  I am in awe.  Anyway, the ride up took just about 2 hours total, including changing trains in the town of Kleine Scheidigg.  As the train climbed up above the Lauterbrunnen valley, we passed cute towns like the ski resort town of Wengen, with chalets and hotels perched on the edge overlooking the valley.  All around the Alps were shimmering in the sun, and we looking to get a perfectly clear day.  

Quintessential Switzerland view from the train

Once we started getting up to the higher altitudes, we all got a little dizzy and made sure to eat enough and drink plenty of water.  Going from 1,800 feet to nearly 12,000 feet in 2 hours is kind of a shock to the system.  The final stretch up to the Jungfraujoch is mostly inside tunnels that go through the mountains, and the train station at the Jungfraujoch is actually inside the mountain.  The first thing we did when we arrived was climb up to the plateau, where you can walk around in the snow and take pictures of the amazing views in all directions.  Pictures really can’t even do it justice.  There is really nothing like being up there and taking in the sheer awesomeness of nature.  I would say that yesterday was an amazing combination of natural beauty and the power of human ingenuity.  I have never experienced anything like it before.  We decided that we were definitely up for the 1 ½-2 hour hike through the snow that takes you up to a tiny restaurant/hostel literally built onto the side of one of the peaks.  The hike was not easy at such a high altitude, and the uphill parts were challenging at times.  Unfortunately for me the snow reflected the sun so much that I got pretty badly sunburned on my face L  We finally made it to the restaurant and climbed up to see the views and have a quick snack.

 Hello, Top of Europe! 

Going back down the hike was much faster, but we had to be careful not to slip and fall over the edge.  On our way back we watched people zip-lining and sledding and would have done both if they had been cheaper.  Maybe next time.  I bought some postcards in the gift shop, and then we went into the ice palace to see the ice sculptures.  It really is just carved out of ice inside the mountain, which was awesome but also slightly scary because I am a tiny bit claustrophobic.  It was also slippery in there, because even the floors are made of ice, but I’m glad we at least saw it even though we didn’t stay inside that long.  Our last stop was the Sphinx Terrace, an overlook from which you can see the views from a little bit higher up.  By the time we caught the train back down just after 4 p.m., we were exhausted.  Unfortunately the train was PACKED, because this weekend was the annual marathon from Interlaken to the Jungfrau.  While I am extremely amazed that people run marathons up mountains at these high altitudes, I was not too pleased that the train was so crowded.  The train rides from Lauterbrunnen back to Gland were fine, but I was actually feeling pretty sick from the altitude, sunburn, and the bad cold that I now have.  But yesterday was completely worth the exhaustion!  It really was incredible. 

 Yep, we hiked that little trail down there!

Can't believe I was up here...

This afternoon after doing some schoolwork for a couple hours I went for a nice 1 ½ hour walk around Gland.  The weather was beautiful, and I still can’t believe that I am living here right now.  When I walked past the real estate office in town I looked at a brochure just out of curiosity.  All I can say is…YIKES.  Prices are ridiculous.  But when you look around this place, you can see why.  I spent the last part of my walk on the beach in Gland, and it was glorious.  I put my feet in the water, listened to my ipod, and wished I could have sat there all day.