9/7 - 9/11
Oh Interlaken. Interlaken, Interlaken, Interlaken. I left a piece of my heart in that little Swiss town. Nestled in the Alps, our long weekend at Balmer’s Hostel was incredible. We lived simply, enjoying real hostel life with small rooms, red and white checkered bedding, and two showers per floor. We ate bread and jam for breakfast and kebabs for dinner because everything in Switzerland is way too expensive for our student budgets.
There aren’t enough adjectives in the dictionary to describe just how amazing this place is. Besides the beauty of it, there are so many amazing things to do in Interlaken that, if we had an unlimited budget, we could have stayed for a very long time. I did what I could. Paragliding. Biking through the Alps. You know, normal everyday stuff. When your Professor’s tell you it’s playtime, they mean business. You don’t question playtime on Eurosem - you just go.
So we went. The weekend was a nice mix of adrenaline and relaxation. I went paragliding for the first time – running off of a grassy hill until the ground beneath your feet has disappeared and enjoying the peaceful flight back down to earth. The views of the Alps from the air are incredible.
I wish I could capture the total beauty of this place, the rugged mountains steep and green, dotted with quintessential Swiss houses, each with different colored shutters. So. Many. Shutters. Peach and deep blue and green, purple and yellow and red.
This can’t be real. I must have stepped out of real life and into little piece of heaven.
I half expected Heidi to be sitting on a hillside as we biked up from Interlaken to Lauterbrunnen. I had never been on such an intense uphill ride with such crazy scenery in my life. 13 kilometers there and 13 kilometers back, with a quick hike to a waterfall in between.
Every 10 minutes I had to remind myself, “I am biking in the Swiss Alps.” This theme of thankfulness is repetitive, but it’s been the theme of my year. I thanked God for 1,000 gifts before coming to Europe, and I’m experiencing so many more of his gifts as I explore this place. This creation is beautiful. The fellowship on this trip is amazing. We had a hot tub, piano, and foosball and ping-pong tables at our disposal in the hostel, and we took full advantage of them. A quick game of ping-ping before bed, listening to someone play a song on the piano before leaving for dinner, spending out last night in Interlaken in the hot tub. And did I mention the relaxation room? Six or seven rainbow hammocks in a wooden room overflowing with natural light.
“I urge you to please notice when you are happy and exclaim or murmur or think at some point, “If this isn’t nice, I don’t know what is.” –Kurt Vonnegut
Well, if this isn’t nice, I don’t know what is. Yes indeed, I left my heart in Interlaken.
Oh Interlaken. Interlaken, Interlaken, Interlaken. I left a piece of my heart in that little Swiss town. Nestled in the Alps, our long weekend at Balmer’s Hostel was incredible. We lived simply, enjoying real hostel life with small rooms, red and white checkered bedding, and two showers per floor. We ate bread and jam for breakfast and kebabs for dinner because everything in Switzerland is way too expensive for our student budgets.
 |
| Our view for the weekend |
There aren’t enough adjectives in the dictionary to describe just how amazing this place is. Besides the beauty of it, there are so many amazing things to do in Interlaken that, if we had an unlimited budget, we could have stayed for a very long time. I did what I could. Paragliding. Biking through the Alps. You know, normal everyday stuff. When your Professor’s tell you it’s playtime, they mean business. You don’t question playtime on Eurosem - you just go.
So we went. The weekend was a nice mix of adrenaline and relaxation. I went paragliding for the first time – running off of a grassy hill until the ground beneath your feet has disappeared and enjoying the peaceful flight back down to earth. The views of the Alps from the air are incredible.
 |
| Sophie & I getting ready to go |
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| That's me running off the side of the hill! |
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| The view of Interlaken from the air |
I wish I could capture the total beauty of this place, the rugged mountains steep and green, dotted with quintessential Swiss houses, each with different colored shutters. So. Many. Shutters. Peach and deep blue and green, purple and yellow and red.
 |
| Our Hostel |
This can’t be real. I must have stepped out of real life and into little piece of heaven.
I half expected Heidi to be sitting on a hillside as we biked up from Interlaken to Lauterbrunnen. I had never been on such an intense uphill ride with such crazy scenery in my life. 13 kilometers there and 13 kilometers back, with a quick hike to a waterfall in between.
 |
| Riding through the Alp |
Every 10 minutes I had to remind myself, “I am biking in the Swiss Alps.” This theme of thankfulness is repetitive, but it’s been the theme of my year. I thanked God for 1,000 gifts before coming to Europe, and I’m experiencing so many more of his gifts as I explore this place. This creation is beautiful. The fellowship on this trip is amazing. We had a hot tub, piano, and foosball and ping-pong tables at our disposal in the hostel, and we took full advantage of them. A quick game of ping-ping before bed, listening to someone play a song on the piano before leaving for dinner, spending out last night in Interlaken in the hot tub. And did I mention the relaxation room? Six or seven rainbow hammocks in a wooden room overflowing with natural light.
“I urge you to please notice when you are happy and exclaim or murmur or think at some point, “If this isn’t nice, I don’t know what is.” –Kurt Vonnegut
Well, if this isn’t nice, I don’t know what is. Yes indeed, I left my heart in Interlaken.
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