Swiss Alps
Day 4-Day One in Switzerland
Day Run-Down
-Free Time for our Last Couple Hours in Beaune
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Had my last croissant in France :(
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I chose to simply wander around and explore Beaune with no particular plan except to take in and admire what was around me.
-Hotel Check Out and Back on the Bus- Goodbye Beaune, Hello Switzerland
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Scenic drive through the French and then Swiss countryside
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On our drive, Colleen gave each of us Toblerones, a famous Swiss brand of chocolate made to look like the Swiss Alps.
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Break Stop- during this stop Colleen had us play a name game, where we each went around in a circle memorizing each other’s names. It was extremely helpful and very fun as well.
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Total Time on Bus: 5 Hours
-Arrival at Hotel Oberland in Berner Oberland's Lauterbrunnen Valley
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Check into hotel, get room assignments
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Berner Oberland's Lauterbrunnen Valley is an authentic Swiss town wedged between towering mountains. It looks like a town out of a storybook; like a hidden corner of the world. Only having one main street, it is very easy to navigate and felt almost like a mini ski resort town.
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We had great views of the quaint town and stunning mountains from our rooms.
-Downtime to Get Settled In
-Traditional Swiss Dinner Together at Hotel Oberland
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Learned about and ate cheese fondue, a traditional Swiss dish, as a starter, and then enjoyed other types of Swiss cuisine!
Sights We Saw
The Eiger, Monch,, and Jungfrau mountain peaks; some of the 72 waterfalls in Lauterbrunnen Valley.
Memorable Moments
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Wandering around Beaune- I really enjoyed walking along the winding, cobblestone streets, getting lost in the quaint alleyways, venturing into the shops. I spent much of the time finding benches to sit on to just take in the scenes around me.
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Cheese Fondue- One of the owners of the hotel explained to us the tradition and popularity of cheese fondue, and was kind enough to share their with us. We then got to try some ourselves, and it was delicious!
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Dinner together-More great conversations, learning more about each other over traditional Swiss dishes.
Overall
It was a more relaxed day, which was nice to have after three very busy days. The word to describe Switzerland is STUNNING! The beauty there is jaw-dropping.
Day 5- Day Two in Switzerland
Day Run-Down
-Hike through the Swiss Alps Led by Colleen
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For those of us who chose to join, Colleen first took us up the mountain on a gondola lift, then led us on a hike towards the town of Murren.
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We got to see cows grazing on the mountain wearing traditional Swiss cowbells!
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We had a number of different opportunities to split off if we wanted to go on different excursions.
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Stopped to pick up and eat lunch in Murren.
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We then hiked back down part of the mountain, going through the town of Gimmelwald before taking a gondola lift back down to our hotel.
-Visit to Trummelbach Falls
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A huge, unbelievable waterfall hidden in the mountains.
-Free Time including Dinner on Our Own
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I wandered around the town for a bit and bought some Swiss chocolate (because of course I had to try it!).
-Surprise Private Swiss Music Concert
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Colleen surprised us with a private concert in the town's church in which two phenomenal musicians played traditional Swiss music.
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One of the most memorable activities of the entire trip! I was laughing and smiling the entire time!
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At the end, Colleen surprised us again with some Swiss liquor to try!
Sights We Saw
Murren, Gimmelwald, Trummelbach Falls, the Eiger, Monch, and Jungfrau mountain peaks.
Memorable Moments
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Hike through the Swiss Alps-We saw breathtaking views of snow-covered mountains that soared above the clouds. It was incredibly cool to stumble upon a huge group of cows grazing on the mountains (we got so close to them!) and watch people paragliding down the mountains. I also enjoyed wandering around the traditional, rustic Swiss towns and farms. Towards the end of the hike, we all sat at a scenic spot in Gimmelwald, enjoying the view and the conversation.
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Some of the group members wanted pictures of me with the group so that my family could see that I made friends and was well taken care of! They were so sweet!
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Seeing the Tradition of the Cows Being Led Through the Streets- one of the small pieces of their culture that I loved experiencing.
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Surprise Swiss Concert- This was one of my absolute favorite nights of the entire tour! There were two musicians, one who played the accordion and the other who switched between playing different Swiss horns and yodeling. They performed music that was characteristic of different regions of Switzerland and so we were able to learn more about Swiss culture and its history. One couple, who were amazing dancers, got up and danced to the music, and even at one point got me up and dancing with them as well which was nerve-wracking but very fun! The musicians also invited some of our group members to play the horns and yodel which is such a once in a lifetime experience! My favorite song the man on the accordion played was Edelweiss from The Sound of Music. It was so peaceful and beautiful, and it really grounded me in the moment, and was my "pinch me" moment of fully realizing that I was in Switzerland. It also allowed me to reflect on how fortunate I was to be on this tour. It was truly just such a fun night, my smile was from ear to ear the entire time.
Overall
Very active and very memorable day! One of my favorites of the tour! Switzerland is absolutely breathtaking!
