Interlaken Day One

I was finally able to slip away for a weekend. 

I originally planned on doing SO MUCH more touring of Switzerland... I don't know how I let so much precious European time slip through my fingers!!!!! 

But whatcha gonna do.

So for my first weekend voyage, I wanted to go somewhere superrrr Switzy.  THE EPITOME OF SWITZERLAND!! What do you think of when you think of Switzerland?? I think of tall grassy fields speckled with yellow wild flowers, deep blue lakes and the alps dusted with snow. I've also been missing the outdoors quite a bit lately (get me outta dis concrete jungle!!) which led me to my weekend destination: Interlaken! 

I booked a trip with bus2alps, a tour company designed specifically for students studying abroad. They pick you up (from either Rome, Florence, or they give you the option to "fly in" and pick you up at a nearby airport), book your accommodations, and get you there ON A BUS (GO FIGURE!). They set up little optional activities, and have guides kickin around in case you have any questions or need a bit of help. It was perfect because I didn't have time to research hostels or make travel arrangements. I was PUMPED! But then, THE TRIP GOT CANCELLED. NOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO. PURE DEVASTATION!! They didn't meet the required numbers for the "fly in" group leaving from the Geneva Airport :( HOWEVER I was given the option to continue with the trip, I just needed to arrange my own transportation (TAKES THE BUS OUT OF BUS2ALPS DON'T U THINK??) but that was okay cause trains are way cooler anyway!! WOHOO. Interlaken imma comin 4 u.

My train ride to Interlaken was funny. I got on in Geneva, which is deeply situated in the French speaking part of Switzerland. Slowly as the train moved further and further east, EVERYONE STARTED SPEAKING SWISS-GERMAN. Like now that I'm reading what I'm writing here this isn't that crazy, Switzerland has like 4 official languages, it's to be expected, but at the time MY MIND WAS BLOWN. It was the first time in Switzerland I literally had NO IDEA what the hell was going on. Like the train could have caught on fire and I wouldn't have had a clue. I never thought I'd say this, but I missed the Frenchness!!! But more importantly this made me realize how much my French has improved over the past few weeks (wewwww April u go gurl). 

I arrived in Interlaken pretty late at night, headed str8 to my hostel (shoutout to the old couple AND the Canadian couple who helped me get there!!) and went to bed. We stayed at Balmer's, the 1st and oldest hostel in Switzerland! Apparently the guy who owns it is like a Swiss celebrity, he acts like everyone's grandpa and everyone just loves on him. The beds were super comfy and the staff was super helpful when I was trying to plan activities! I'd definitely go back. 

The next morning, it was go time. I had a 10:45 reservation: mama was going PARAGLIDING! 

So I won't lie, when I made this reservation I thought I was going hang-gliding. WHOOPS. Turns out those are different things. Whatever tho this was fine too. 

Paragliding was AWESOME!! My lil buddy's name here is Fab, and he was awesome too!!!! 

I was a little nervous before take-off. It all happens so fast!! Paragliding Interlaken picks you up, whisks you off in a van up, waaaaaay up into the mountains, harnesses you in and then BAM it's take off time! Take off is actually the stupidest looking thing in the entire world. The instructor tells you to go, and you literally just start running down this hill, but you can't because you have a harness/diaper thing on so you take these tiny quick little baby steps until suddenly you are up in the air and you have no idea how you got there with that weird little baby jog but it's happening. One girl in my group sat down too quickly (didn't baby jog long enough)and her bum skidded along the ground and she didn't make it up hehe. But I was obvi a pro baby jogger and made it wohoo!! 

WE WERE SO HIGH!!!!!!!! 

Like holy shit I did not think we would go that high. 

And the view... OH BAYBAY god DAMN Interlaken you be good looking. 

We swayed back and forth, catching the wind and rising higher and higher with every gush of mountain air. I remember just looking around, trying to take it all in and immerse myself in my surroundings. 

It was time to head back to earth, and Fab asked me if I wanted to do some "turns". 

Ummmm, hell yea I do!! 

WELL WHAT A MISTAKE THAT WAS!

We spun around and around in these super tight circles that were probably just normal circles before finally touching the ground. 

And then, it happened. I barfed. In a big open field where other paragliders have to land. I'm not proud, but it happened. You live and you learn. No turns next time. But I'd still do it all over again in a minute!!! 

Since I'd just emptied my stomach contents it was probably time to fill it up again so I decided to grab some lunch! 

Feeling a little weak and woozy, I hit up the first patio I saw. Not a bad view if you ask me!! 

This weekend was all about doing "Swiss things", so I ordered rösti: grated potato that is fried and mixed with whatever (cheese, bacon, apple, onion, u kno) and is kind of in a patty form. It was like eating a giant hash brown in a skillet with cheese and bacon!! I approve. 

I literally have no idea what this restaurant was called (now that I look back I was pretty out of it after the paragliding incident, and that glass of wine on an empty stomach probably didn't help haha #yolo) but I really liked that there was a lil baby orange tree at the centre of each table. I remember when I was little my momma had a potted orange tree in our house. She used to crumple up the leaves and make me smell them. Sounds weird but it was nice and these lil baby orange trees reminded me of her :) so I crumpled up a leaf and smelled it! Love you mama!! 

After lunch I decided to wander around the town. 

It was cute!! A little too touristy for me but cute. So cute it almost seemed fake u kno?? Like it blows my mind that people actually LIVE in it! 

Souvenir shops, swiss army knife shops, watch shops, chocolate shops, all the stereotypical tourist traps by the dozen. But me no mind. U kno why?? Cause I'm a tourist!!! So why the hell not. I wouldn't spend more than a couple hours here, but why not. 

I like pretty graffiti! 

On a serious note: where can I find a deer like this to hang on my wall?? I WANT! #deerhunt 

I spent the afternoon wandering in and out of stores, picking out some postcards and watching the other tourists. 

Before I knew it the day had slipped away and it was time to head to THE CHOCOLATE SHOW!! 

Bus2alps organized a little chocolate show for us to attend. It was in the basement of one of the local shops. A real life chocolatier taught us about chocolate, cocoa beans and how cocoa beans --------> chocolate!! 

But I was really only there for one reason: to taste test. 

So although this probably looks disgusting (giant tubs of chocolate = not so photogenic) this had all of us DROWLIN!! At the end of our little chocolate lesson we got to make our very own chocolate lollipop by dunking it into one of these bad boys and decorating it in whatever we wanted. I chose sprinkles, sprinkles all da way!!  

All high on sugar (coocoo on cocoa you might say, hehehehe) I decided to wander around Interlaken a little further before stopping for dinner. 

Continuing with the theme of Swiss indulgence, I had fondue. 

FINALLY. 

It's like basically the only thing I've wanted to eat the entire time I've been here and I haven't been able to convince a SOUL to come with me. I've been too scared to eat it by myself because fondue is kind of an ordeal but I am running out of time so SCREW IT!!! I deserve it. And it was delicious!!!! 

It came with bread, potatoes, pickles, apples, and some hot pepper things. TOTALLY worth the wait!! I'm so glad I bit the bullet and just did it on my own. And I don't even feel weird about it!!! I saw all these people walking by, eyeing my fondue. They totes wished they were me. I can see how fondue is kind of a winter thing, but why discriminate against cheese like that I dunno??? Just doesn't make sense to me. 

P.S. What happened after the explosion at the cheese factory??

All that was left was de brie. 

Hehe.