Dear Europe (Day 6)

The day I leave my travel companions behind in Switzerland and jet off to Italy had finally arrived. I was super nervous and super excited all at the same time. I was up early to make sure all my stuff was packed and ready to go and then all 6 of us jumped on a bus to Zürich. The plan was that we would lock up my suitcase in a locker at the train station in Zürich (as I would need to catch a train to the airport from there later in the day) and explore Zürich (read visit the Lindt factory) for the day.

Zürich is an incredibly beautiful city, and I’d be lying if I said that I wouldn’t love to live there. It is an interesting mix of old and new and not a second goes by without feeling safe and secure…even when you’re a female walking all on your own. There are fresh water fountains throughout the city, everything is CLEAN and we were amazed to find tons of people just swimming or floating along the river going through the city. Apparently this is the “in” thing to do during summer in Zürich.

How awesome is this piece of "art" I found in a shop window? — How awesome is this piece of “art” I found in a shop window?

The view from one of the many parks....those dots in the water = people swimming/bobbing — The view from one of the many parks….those dots in the water = people swimming/bobbing

Proof that I was there... :P — Proof that I was there… 😛

Fresh water fountains everywhere in the city

We spent the day visiting little markets and exploring and finally spent a good amount of time and money in the Lindt factory. Guys….this place is heaven…I swear. You can smell the chocolate from blocks away and because everything smells like delicious Lindt chocolate even the lampposts and side walks look good enough to eat. And then you walk inside and there is just chocolate EVERYWHERE…more kinds than we could ever imagine here. Right in the centre is a Lindt ball pick and mix bar with so many different balls…..the choices seemed endless. I bought a fortune of chocolate….for me, as gifts, for my folks…for me.. *side eyes*.

A rather limited view of the inside of the store at the factory...Lindt FTW — A rather limited view of the inside of the store at the factory…Lindt FTW

And then it was time for me to catch the train to the airport. I was a little sad to say goodbye to my friends…it had been an amazing week with them. But I was super excited to see Italy and France and to meet new people. Switzerland had stolen my heart. It is an amazingly beautiful country. EVERYTHING about it is awesome…and even now as I think back I can’t recall a single thing I didn’t love. But my Alitalia flight was waiting and Italy was calling my name. Tonight I’ll be sleeping in a hotel room in Rome and tomorrow…tomorrow will be filled with Italian adventures.

Love
Ruby
xxxxx

Dear Europe (Day 5)

On day 5 we got up early and hopped on trains and buses to Bern to meet up with one of my travelmates’ sister and her husband who were joining us for the weekend from the UK. After a rather sweet emotional reunion between brother and sister we made a mad dash back to Lucerne in order to catch the ferry to Mount Pilatus.

Now Pilatus had been one of our pre-decided destinations for various reasons. a) The view is AMAZING! b) The top can be reached with the world’s steepest cogwheel railway and c) During the summer months you can ride the longest toboggan track in Switzerland. Basically a non-ice version of bobsledding…I mean really..who wouldn’t want to do that?????? We decided to experience this particular tourist attraction in the “Golden round trip”, being the Ferry from Lucerne, cogwheel up, cable cars halfway down, bobsledding!!!!!, cable car the rest of the way down and bus back to Lucerne.

It is hard to try to explain the view and the steep climb as the cogwheel train ascends the mountain. One moment you’re right next to Lake Lucerne, and the next moment it is WAAAAY below and everything is looking small.

Heading into one of the many tunnels on the way up

The view from the top is unbelievable…in fact I don’t have any words to explain just how beautiful it is, so I’ll just post some pictures and you can see for yourself:)

The view from the top...that little red dot is the first cable car we will be taking down — The view from the top…that little red dot is the first cable car we will be taking down

This little church can ONLY be reached by foot.

The most fun part of our day was without a doubt the bobsledding. I must admit that while I was awaiting my turn my nerves got the better of me. This is like a rollercoaster ride except that you control the speed and nothing is actually keeping you attached to your ride I had to wait quite some time as most of my companions had chosen to go down very slowly and the waiting just made me more and more nervous. The operator gave me one look and asked me what car I drive back home. Upon hearing I drive a Cooper S he laughed and said I’d be fine once I start, I obviously love speed…and he wasn’t wrong:) I LOVED it! AND I clocked one of the fastest speeds going down. Once you reach the bottom your little sled is connected to a cable and they pull you all the way up again..giving you some well deserved time to take in the breathtaking view.

And I'm off on a summer bobsled ride! — And I’m off on a summer bobsled ride!

Being pulled back up...almost at the top again — Being pulled back up…almost at the top again

I was heading off to Italy the next day, so we spent the evening preparing and enjoying a Swiss delicacy at home. A gorgeous cheese fondue prepared by G. I couldn’t have asked for a better week in Switzerland….but the most exciting part of my adventure was yet to come and this time I’ll be on my own. I was nervous and excited all rolled into one.

Love
Ruby
xxxx

Dear Europe (Day 4)

The one thing I had insisted on doing while I was in Switzerland was to visit the Jung Frau. And while I was the one who originally insisted upon it during planning, everyone was super excited about by the time we got to Switzerland. So we woke up super early on day 4 and raced to our local bus station to catch the first bus out of town. Now a lot of people will suggest that you buy tickets to go up via the internet the day before. This is a brilliant plan as long as you’re not African. You see…we tried very hard to book our spots before hand, but none of the African countries were listed as “approved” on the website, so we were unable to secure our tickets and therefore had to leave as early as possible and hope for the best. Sadly….this particular dream of mine was not to come true.

We were super early and managed to catch the sunrise en route...it was spectacular! — We were super early and managed to catch the sunrise en route…it was spectacular!

We were there super early, but all the spots for the day had been filled. For a while we walked around town feeling all sulky and miff and without any real plans for the day. We had been so sure that we’d be able to go up that we never even considered the possibility of failure. Then finally we decided to have a cup of coffee and a croissant at one of the little coffee shops. I’m not sure if it really was the very best coffee and croissant I’d ever had…but it certainly felt that way and the friendly manner of the people around us and the realisation that we were in Switzerland and surrounded by beauty no matter where we went soon dawned on us again and we were determined to save the day.

The water around this area was very different - still en route — The water around this area was very different – still en route

Attempting to cheer each other up...our sulkiness was quite bad...I won't lie — Attempting to cheer each other up…our sulkiness was quite bad…I won’t lie

With some advice from my friend’s mother (who knows Switzerland better than most) we hopped on the first train to Murren. This little town was super beautiful and had amazing views, and while it might not have been going up to the Jung Frau, it was still pretty spectacular.

How gorgeous is the little town of Murren?

The train going up the mountain from Murren

More glaciers! It's a bit ridiculous how excited I got every time I spotted one of these — More glaciers! It’s a bit ridiculous how excited I got every time I spotted one of these

We ended the day with a beautiful ferry ride across Lake Lucerne from the station in Lucerne to the port closest to home. I could help but think how awesome it must be to live and work there. Take the trains/buses to work in the morning, then after work you take the ferry home, have a drink on board and see the beauty all around you. I would be the calmest and nicest person ever. No traffic, no rude people..amazing no?

Because sometimes you have to look at the world through rose tinted glasses — Because sometimes you have to look at the world through rose-tinted glasses

Dear Europe (Day 3)

Right! So on day 3 of our European adventure we traveled to Titlis, the (I think) 3rd highest peak in Switzerland. We were super excited as it would be our first chance to play in the snow.

After 3 cable car trips in total, roughly 45 mins of travel, we arrived at 10 000feet and were greeted by breathtaking beauty. The cable car ride took us through various clouds and at times visibility was zero. But the view and the experience was worth the trip. What surprised me most was the fact that it wasn’t nearly as cold as we had anticipated, despite the snow I was waltzing around in a pair of jeans, a short-sleeved shirt and a fleece top. To be honest it was a bit of a mind-boggling experience. When we started on the first cable car ride it was clearly in the middle of summer with over 30 degrees, yet there we were 45 minutes later standing on a mountain top with snow as far as the eye could see.

A group selfie as we wait for our next cable car...you'll notice that at this point we had to don our jackets:) — A group selfie as we wait for our next cable car…you’ll notice that at this point we had to don our jackets:)

: Titlis – 10 000 feet

: From the top..the cable car disappearing into the clouds

After playing around in the snow for a bit and taking about a gazillion pictures we ventured over to the Cliff Walk…the highest suspension bridge in Europe. We had been talking about this particular experience for days. I am beyond scared of heights but, as I explained it to everyone afterwards, I think my fear of missing out on a once in a lifetime experience is bigger than my fear of heights and I was determined to cross that bridge. As it turns out…i was the only one out of the four of us brave enough. The boys took all of 4 steps, took a picture and got off the bridge as fast as they could as soon as it started swaying. The other girl wouldn’t even try. So there I was, all alone with my fear but determined to conquer, and conquer I did. I walked all the way to the other side without hysterically bursting into tears and proudly got another single traveler to take pictures of me, I of course returned the favour. On my return journey I even helped a girl who was stuck in the middle of the bridge sobbing hysterically. I felt so sorry for her because I understood exactly how she felt, and everyone was just walking past her and ignoring her. During our time on Titlis the clouds would, from time to time, completely cover the mountain and for a few seconds you wouldn’t be able to see anything. This happened while we were on the bridge too and I’m not sure if not being able to see how high we were made it better or worse. But I was on a super high for the rest of the day. What an incredible experience!

Standing on the Cliff Walk. The picture gives you NO idea how high it actually is. Those tiny rocks at the bottom that almost look like gravel...bigass boulders. — Standing on the Cliff Walk. The picture gives you NO idea how high it actually is. Those tiny rocks at the bottom that almost look like gravel…bigass boulders.

That's me posing on the bridge while being swallowed by a cloud. — That’s me posing on the bridge while being swallowed by a cloud.

Proudly posing on the other side of the bride...I DID IT! (Picture courtesy of Ivor - the other single traveler) — Proudly posing on the other side of the bride…I DID IT! (Picture courtesy of Ivor – the other single traveler)

More epically thrilled smiley pictures...I came, I saw, I conquered — More epically thrilled smiley pictures…I came, I saw, I conquered

Playing in the snow.....I was hit by a snowball like 2 seconds later...luckily I noticed it when taking the picture and managed to save the camera:) — Playing in the snow…..I was hit by a snowball like 2 seconds later…luckily I noticed it when taking the picture and managed to save the camera:)

After I returned and found my friends, who patiently waited around playing in the snow while I was being brave, we headed on over to the glacier to do the glacier walk. Yep, I got to walk inside an actual glacier. It’s weird experience, knowing that you’re walking inside ice that is thousands if not hundreds of thousands of years old….being able to touch history…I was, and still am, in awe.

Our antics in the snow were followed by a lovely meal on top of Titlis. And of course we had to try out another of their local brews:) Here are some of the pics we took from our table out the windows that pretty much form the entire wall of the restaurant…i suspect it may have been the meal with the most spectacular view I’ve ever had the pleasure of experiencing.

Dear Europe (Day 2)

On Tuesday 13 August I woke up, no longer a weary traveler, but with the realisation that I WAS IN SWITZERLAND! You are welcome to assume that waking up and hearing the cow bells softly chiming and running outside onto the balcony and watching the green GREEN grass and smelling the fresh air brought on a bit of a shriek. SWITZERLAND!

We had spent the weeks before our departure as well as the night before, setting out a “more or less” plan i.e. there were certain things we really wanted to see and which days would suit those things best. So on Day 2 we were heading out to Zermatt, the little town where the Matterhorn, fondly known as chocolate mountain, is located. Now if you’ve ever had a Toblerone chocolate you would have spotted the picture of the mountain on it…that, my lovelies, is the Matterhorn.

We set off on quite a long journey. First we travelled back towards Lucerne, where we missed our train (by seconds) and had to waste 45 minutes. It was well worth it though as we got to see the historic Chapel Bridge. it is the oldest wooden bridge in Switzerland and one of the oldest in Europe. There are original artworks on the bridge depicting historic events and walking across it is really quite the experience. Not to mention the beautiful bright flowers EVERYWHERE. A section of the bridge had burned down somewhere in the 90’s and had to be rebuilt, but they attempted to make it as close to the original parts that were left as possible.

This is without a doubt my most favourite pic from the holiday. It is puzzle perfect. The view from the Chapel Bridge

: On the Chapel bridge. See the triangles…those are original artworks

One of the original artworks along the roof of the bridge

And of course i had to get proof that I was actually there:)

From Lucerne we took several more trains until we finally arrived in Zermatt. Along the way we got our first glimpse at glacier water. It’s amazing how different it looks from the crisp, clear water at the bottom of the mountains. The glacier water is slightly grey and appears milky due to all the minerals. We also spotted our first glacier. Guys I can not begin to describe that feeling. It looks like water rushing down the mountain, only it is stopped in time. The difference between the glaciers and the snow is quite obvious, but unfortunately my pics aren’t of great quality as they were taken from a rather fast-moving train:)

Glacierwater...note the difference between this and the water from the pictures taken in Lucerne — Glacierwater…note the difference between this and the water from the pictures taken in Lucerne

Snow covered mountain tops in the background, glacier towards the front. The part that looks like water rushing down the mountain. It's breathtaking! — Snow covered mountain tops in the background, glacier towards the front. The part that looks like water rushing down the mountain. It’s breathtaking!

: This one is slightly more zoomed in. Bad pic I know…reflection from the train window kinda messed it up a bit

By the time we reached Zermatt we were absolutely starving. We had been busy all day and it was already way past lunch time so we stopped at The Brown Cow, where we had our first taste of the local brew and feasted on the Zermatter burger. The one thing we did notice is that the Swiss make incredible fries. It is probably the best I’ve ever had in my life. Odd, but true.

A street view of Zermatt from The Brown Cow. No cars allowed except for these weird, tiny little taxi things — A street view of Zermatt from The Brown Cow. No cars allowed except for tiny little taxis

My first taste of one of the local brews. As a non beer drinker no one could have been more surprised than I was when i realised it was really yummy...not like the nonsense they make here. — My first taste of one of the local brews. As a non beer drinker no one could have been more surprised than I was when i realised it was really yummy…not like the nonsense they make here.

After our rather late (understatement) lunch we walked out of the town and towards the foot of the mountain where we tried our very best to pose with this rather majestic lady. But she was very shy and the tip kept hiding in the clouds. We finally managed to get a 20 second glimpse of the mountain in its entirety and it was AMAZING.

Looking back at Zermatt from the mountain's side of the town — Looking back at Zermatt from the mountain’s side of the town

Our fist glimpse of the majestic Matterhorn

LOOK! I'm in Switzerland. I promise the mountain was in the background, but with all the glare from the clouds we couldn't actually get a picture of ourselves and the mountain together — LOOK! I’m in Switzerland. I promise the mountain was in the background, but with all the glare from the clouds we couldn’t actually get a picture of ourselves and the mountain together

After touristing around for a while we finally started the long journey home. Along the way i took this beaut…which will be part of the iPhoneography exhibition on Thursday (nudge nudge wink wink).

We traveled somewhere in the region of 13 hours in total on Tuesday and only reached home at around midnight. Tired but happy:) And excited, because tomorrow will bring Titlis and the skipark and walking inside a glacier and playing in the snow.

Watching the beautiful sunset from the train while sipping on red wine

As a side note. If you are traveling to Switzerland and you plan on exploring the whole country and not just the city you’re staying in, the Swiss pass is definitely the way to go. I made up the cost of my 8 day pass by the 3rd day of traveling. All public transport is free and you get a 50% discount at many of the tourist attractions and cable cars if you have it. Definitely worth every cent:)

Rubyletters

Letters……….

Tag: Switzerland