Livin like Heidi

Gimmelwald

Somewhere in Lauterbrunnen...

Seriously. Why are the Swiss so obsessed in Gnomes??

In Switzerland ascension is a Sunday. The holiday is auskunft, I think, but it's the holiday that Jesus Christ ascended back into heaven. It is so interesting how steeped Catholicism is in the European culture even though many Europeans don't attend church. Anyway, SO! What to do with my day off? Woke up this morning, looked out my window, and what did I see? SUN SHINE! Definitely not a day to bub around the house so within an hour my Friend Nadine and I were off to Lauterbrunnen. This is an area with all of these little alpine villages, waterfalls, and spectacular views of the alps.

Lauterbrunnen

Yet again, Lauterbrunnen

noch ein mal! (Lauterbrunnen, again.)

We first went and saw the Trümmelbachfälle. These waterfalls have carved incredible and cork screwy paths all the way through this mountain and you can walk along side of them and view this for yourself!

If Gollums really existed, this is where I imagined one would be.

Rainbow :)

Gimmelwald

From there we walked to another village and then took a Gondola Ride up to this village called Gimmelwald. One can only reach this village by this Gondola! There are no roads that lead up to it! It was very peaceful and probably one of my most favorite places in all of Switzerland so far. There was just such a calm and sirene feeling. Whilst walking Nadine and I came across Chickens (that frolicked to us.. not going to lie I was a little scared) a couple of actual Billy Goats, and lambs. Then we came across a sign that read Alpkäse! Or cheese from the alps. Thank gosh Nadine speaks Swiss German (well she is Swiss) because I was much to shy to ring the doorbell (if I were to be by myself.) So this cute little lady pops her head out of the window and then says no problem that of course we can come and buy some cheese! So we go into her Käserei, sample some, find out that it's amazing, and buy some! She even gave us a discount and gave it to us for only 4 Francs. She said that Käserei's like hers are becoming more and more difficult to find. Well yeah... it's not everyday that you stumble across one when you just happen to be trekking through the Swiss Alps.

After this we headed up to Mürren which was even higher and saw the back side of three of the most famous mountains in all of the Swiss Alps and THEE most famous actually in all of Europe. The grand Jungfraujoch! The highest peak in all of Europe. We got some hot cocoa here and I was quite shocked when the waiter couldn't understand Nadine when she ordered in Swiss German... he was only English! This was a very touristy village.

Couldn't help not to Frolic.

Friday (today for me) Nadine, her brother, and I went and hiked the Guggershörnli. There is a true (at least that is what they say) story that goes along with it and was even turned into a song called the "Guggisbergerlied." Here is a link to the song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aBmxZVoDL0

What happened was in the 1600's there lived... ok I am going to let google explain it haha... "This chant is probably one of the oldest folk song from Switzerland. It tells the possibly true story of two lovers that did not come together because of a fight between the poor Hans-Joggeli and a rich man who also was interested in the girl (Vreneli). Hans-Joggeli thought he killed his adversary in a fight, and fled the land to join a foreign army, like it was usual in that time. When he heard that the adversary was not dead, he returned, just to find Vreneli has died from sorrow." 

Was für eine tragische Geschichte! So we climbed this hill that is supposed to be the very same hill that separated where these two lovers lived. THEN. Nadine's mom asked me if I would like to try on her Trocht (Traditional Swiss dress.) Well ok, why not!

Parents, I hope you're enjoying this.

Hallo!! Mein name ist Heiidi.