After getting settled, we walked to the Pepperdine house (where she goes to school) and I met a bunch of her friends and we went to a park to drink a bottle of wine. Just look at where we got to hang out.
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There was just a beautiful haze over the mountains, it was a perfect temperature, and I could not have been more happy to be in Switzerland (or Sweden as I kept referring to it..NO idea why). We went out to a club called Le Darling and had a fabulous night. Was slightly stalked a little bit by a man named Rodriguez who wore a shark tooth, but was with some guys and a lot of people and it was just kind of a joke so no harm done. Decided to turn in so we could get up to take on the Alps!
Me and Shelb outside Laussane train station
The next morning we went to Zermatt with every intention to hike in the Alps. Although I had initially wanted to ski (shocking .. I know) the snow was just not in good condition at all so Shelby her friend and I decided to wear capris, sweatshirts, and tennis shoes and do some hiking trails. After a 2.5 hr train ride alongside of Lake Geneva and through the mountains we made it to our first stop. (as you all know I can NEVER get enough of the mountains pictures...)
From here we had about another hour and the scenery just got more and more beautiful. We finally arrived to Zermatt and I am going to let the pictures below do the talking for me. It was everything you picture a Swiss town to be and more. Lovely scenery, buildings, people, etc.
Entrance to a hotel...so cool!
My favorite picture of the city (well, while in the city still...read on!)
So like I said before, we had every intention to hike. After putzing around the city for a while we asked around and tried to figure out how to find the hiking trails. We were told to take a cable car up to a side of the mountain ... the lady failed to leave out the fact it was underground BUT we found it eventually. We had to eventually, it was only a town of 3,700 (but they get about 2million tourists a year!) We paid 15 franks (I am just giving you side notes to let you know how incredibly expensive it is there... a frank is about equal to a dollar) and we get out to see a long dark tunnel...and we followed people dressed only to ski. Well, things were not looking up. We got to the end of the tunnel to discover a ski run..and that's it. We asked where the hiking trails were and someone said "You're on it." Okay then.... a lady kindly pointed out to us that there was a restaurant nearby, figuring that is what we wanted since we were not dressed for anything else. We went up to the restaurant (only cuz the girls wanted to, I was all for stealing these old school sleds we saw) but had some good chocolate so it was worth it. We were literally surrounded by mountains and it was just the perfect spot. We asked the manager about hiking trails and he proceeded to show us just where they were... This is what he showed us.
Alrighty then. That is when I lost the interest of my friends and I knew hiking was the furthest thing from their minds. Especially when the manager solidified their decision by saying we were in no way dressed to hike and to rethink taking cable car back down. Well, not one to turn down a challenge/adventure, I was more adamant than ever to take on the Alps, skis or not. Shelby insisted I take her phone down with me and we had a meeting spot for 90 minutes later.
The hiking trails were part mud, part dirt, part snow, but all completely worth it! I will let the pictures describe my adventure down... Enjoy
Here goes nothing...heading to the unknown!
So everybody does these pics and I felt the need...incase it was my last chance to
Literally looked like I was dropping off the side of the earth...
First leg of the journey=complete. No snow..so far so good. That is until I came to the end of the path and literally ended up on a ski run. No biggy, just sloshing along in my tennis shoes sinking into my knees while I got weird looks from people on skis. Good thing I loved every moment of it (And good thing I do not embarrass easily! I just smiled and waved at people) Luckily my path I needed was right around the corner.
Hello Matterhorn..again
This was what the next leg of the hike looked like.
The path took me right through a cute little swiss town! Notice mtns, flag..nice picture capture I like to think! Things were going great and temperature outside was perfect. Also, wasn't even that wet (yet!)
Came to a fork in the road and saw this sign. I asked a lady what way she had come from. One road pointed slightly uphill and the other downwards; she told me she came from the downwards part, so naturally I wanted the challenge and went up!
I was raging to my iPod "high" on life (get it?) and traversing across the mountain for about 45 minutes. Here is looking down on city of Zermatt from above. Meanwhile, I had not gone downwards for some time now, so I was just slightly hesitating on my decision to take the high route. I could turn around and back track, NAHH I would wait another 10min and see where I would end up. I went through this motion about 3X, I would stop and think, then just keep walking. I decided after another 30min of this to turn around while it was still light out and I ran into (then strangers..now friends) Ziggy and Edith, professional Zermatt hikers. Said a little prayer to God for that one, and hiked down the rest of the mountain with these two. They were middle aged hikers and very knowledgable on Swizterland, Zermatt, and everything. It was so great talking to some locals (not to mention I knew I would get to the bottom safely..I was on the right track for the record!) and once we were to the bottom got a "sip." It was a little rocky on the way down but we managed. This is the end of the hiking trail..
Yup another ski trail! This is where I got wet but did not mind at all. I am so glad I did that hike for all of the above reasons! (Edith in front and then random skiers)
After that 2.5 hr hike I was hungry, so had to have some traditional Swiss food ..Rosti. It was basically like a delicious hashbrown dish with ham ... but SOOO good! Door County girls..they serve this at a local restaurant. We MUST TRY (Kays..they have cheese ones too!)
After a fabulous day in Zermatt we took bus ride home with Pepperdine students and had a blast!
The next day I went with some of Shelby's friends on a walk around Lake Geneva for a few hours. It was absolutely beautiful!! It was breathtaking to just walk on the lake, see the mountains, watch a rigada, aka the perfect Sunday afternoon. After that we just kind of relaxed for the afternoon and toured Lausanne at night.
It was great seeing Shelby and I had so much fun meeting her friends and Sunday night is where we parted ways and I was on my own to tour Geneva the following day. I woke up and took the train back into Geneva where was my first (of many) times I defied the law. The train conductor came up to me as I had to pay 30 franks for getting to Geneva, he asked my destination, I mistakenly said airport where he left for 30sec and I realized too late I was at my stop. Needless to say I had to get off, and I could not pay, so I just kept walking and about 30sec after getting off the train I literally ran into a cop. Bad sign? I thought so. Walked about 50 meters and literally (accidentily) walked into the police station. I needed to get outa there! Walked around for a bit (completely lost trying to find tourist office) and realized I had gone completely wrong way and had to go back through train station. No problem..got through it and on other side there were policemen on horses. You could say I was a bit paranoid (which I had no reason to be, it is not like I snuck off the train. Okay well I did BUT I TRIED TO PAY!) Found tourist office and made a plan for myself for the day. Would do "Old Town" Geneva on one part of the lake for the morning and head the other way later.
Geneva from one side
Clock made of 6500 flowers...and has the largest second hand in the world
Another shot..do not mind the tourist map
Geyser shooting water 7500M into the air!
The Promenade (very similar to one in NY)
The Reformation Wall. I was just walking down the promenade enjoying the view.. did not realize this wall was here!
Me in downtown
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The lake :)
After enjoying the morning in Old Town I ventured to the Red Cross Museum since Henry Dunot, French man, had started the Red Cross. It was SO interesting. Learned all about it back from WW1 and to its uses today. I will not bore you will all the details, but will show you the few pics I did take.
The entrance to the Museum
Book written by Henry Dunot
Amputation kit in WW1!!! Yikes
Next up walked to United Nations... and had a slightly stupid American moment. I saw the gorgeous building and wanted to see what it looked like inside..who wouldn't? So I walk in..minding my own business. Turns out.. you aren't supposed to do that! I was getting yelled at in a few different languages..none of which were english. I turned around to see people in business suites with badges going through security...the whole nine yards. WOOPS definitely was not supposed to go through that gate. You live..you learn.
UN
Random oversixed 3-legged chair. Have NO clue what that represents
After that I was calling it a day. Time to get back on the bus (both ways I did not pay for..again defying the law..I tried but there was no place to put the money!) Got on the train and got into airport. Went through security, passport check, and through the line to get onto my plane, ALL OF WHICH MY PASSPORT/TICKET WERE NEVER CHECKED. I was getting away scotch free -- and I did nothing wrong! Sat towards front of plane since I knew I only had a 30min layover in Barcelona, plane took off on time..and things were going great. And as you all know my story never quite ends on a good note... this is where everything went downhill.
Got off the plane and ran to check the computer for when my flight was out (praying that like all my other luck, the plane would be delayed.) Did not see it on the computer, so ran to nearest INFO desk where I had to ask what terminal we were in. 1. My flight was in T2. Clock check-- T-25 min until take off, T-15min until gate closes. $%^&$ GOTTA RUN! I sprinted to the bus I was told to take where I begged the man to please hurry, but don't worry, after he had his smoke we were good to go. Got to the other terminal with 7min to get through security. Thank the lord no line, but of course I had water in my bag that set me off (got away with it in Switz. airport...apparently can only defy the law in one country__Noted!) Anyways, grabbed my stuff and sprinted to check what gate I was at. (I seriously was putting all Amazing Race competitors to shame..sweat was pouring..thanks for those genes dad!) This is where you have to trust me that I am not exaggerating even in the slightest. I saw the lady at the gate, I yelled (mind you,,all in Spanish) that I was on the Sevilla flight and to please wait. Well, the lady looked at me, and proceeded to shut the door so that I could not get onto the airplane. I pleaded with her, told her my plane was late (white lie..) and that I needed to get on that flight as it was last flight out that night and I had early class. I pulled the "alone, American girl" card.. AS IF that worked! Lady looked at me and told me she was not working anymore and there was nothing she could do. I cursed the language barrier and asked her where the office was. Do you have any idea how awful it is to look out the window, see the hallway thing still attached to the plane, knowing I could LITERALLY BE IN MY SEAT BY NOW, but there is nothing I could do? Fighting tears only worked so long -- had my first break down in Europe. Talked to the man in the Vueling ticket booth who made me pay 85 euro to switch flights (my 4th flight change at this point .. extremely upsetting) and told me I had no choice but to pay that or more with another flight since it was so last minute. I was to depart BCN at 7am and that I should get comfy in the airport for the night. Well I did just that...as comfy as you can get on an airport floor and trust me, I have slept in my fair share of European airports, BCN is the worst. Well, that situation was the worst. Not to mention I woke up in the middle of the night (or morning?) with food poisoning. TRUCE -- I had had enough and just wanted to be home...and too many hours later I made it home.
As I have been reminded by so many, "Hey at least it is a good story!" Yeah, okay looking back it sounds so surreal that I lived that alone... but I did. And what does not kill you only makes you stronger, right? Well I was thinking that, when I saw this sign at the airport.
YEah..I can refute that statement.
And so the story goes... my bad luck continues to follow me. How am I 100% positive? Because the forecast for Sevilla was supposed to be warm, but when I got off of my bus finally getting home, it was down pouring. I know the life I am leading over here is close to fabulous, but man oh man, one trip without a travel mishap would not be so bad! I made it, I was completely enamored by Switzerland, and once again, I thank my lucky stars for this wonderful live I have been given. I am fairly convinced my roommate Lauren is starting to get slightly nervous that she booked a flight to London with me -- seeing as she has had to relive every single one of my travel nightmares everytime I am skyping with someone. She has been warned -- she can still switch her flight.
Hope you made it to the end. Next up -- Africa on Thursday :)
Peace, Amor, Espana, y un poco chocolate de Suiza :)
Ana
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