I originally planned to stop in Zurich then head to Italy, but seldom do a hobodrifter’s plans ever stay solidified. After talking to various people I came to the conclusion that I needed to seize the opportunity to test the snow of the beloved Swiss Alps. I had come this far, so why not stretch the edges of my wallet and make it worth while? I had learned a secret from a travel friend in Munich on how to utilize an erasable pen on my Eurail pass… it works amazing. I’ll fill you more on that when I finally get to my future post on how to make things “free”. So with extra travel days under my belt I can afford (time wise) to explore the more mountainous regions of Switzerland. But let’s start the story on the northern edge of the violent uproar of earth and stone known as the Alps in Zurich.

The central part of Zurich is split by the Limmat River and then proceeds to spread itself along the banks of the Zurichsee (Lake Zurich). As far as physical sites to see, such as museums and cathedrals, there is not a whole lot. There are a few worth poking your head into and taking a glance, such as the Grossmünster (Great Cathedral). It’s the biggest cathedral in Zurich with a simple interior, but I would look into the Fraumünster (Our Lady’s Minister Church) for a more elaborate interior and recently added sections of stained glass. One last place I would attempt to stop at would be the Botanical Gardens. I simply happened to stumble upon these during an excursion around the lake, but it is a beautiful green space placed up in the hills on the East side of the lake. Of course most of the plants were not up to their full potential, but there were 3 domes that featured a tropical, semi-tropical and temperate climate. Other than that, just cruise the lake and the central streets if you’re into shopping. The city is very clean and very well run, the trains and buses are always on time and the Swiss are well known for the efficiency for a reason. Be forewarned that it is a very expensive city for tourists, so if you are planning on spending money, bring even more than you think. I had a very pleasant stay and it was also home to my first couch surfing experience. I was lucky enough to stay a great guy from New York, Philip, who prepared me a very delicious meal at his home. We got to chat most of the night and it was great to share some of my experiences with a native English speaker. So I would like to thank Philip again for the great experience and of course for letting me borrow you ski goggles as well. Hopefully we’ll cross paths again in the future.

The next part of my trip was a long anticipated stop, but became a last minute decision as to whether or not I was actually going to make it. Boy am I glad I did. Interlaken was purely amazing and gorgeous. Even if I wouldn’t have made it to the slopes it would have been a great trip none the less. The actual resort or ski area is known as Jungfrau (the tallest of a hand full of peaks in the area). That’s good to know because for the longest time I always thought it was Interlaken… wrong. The Jungfrau region is split further into three main areas. You have the Grendelwald-First and Kleine Scheidegg-Männlichen areas that are semi connected to one another at the base, and then you have Mürren-Schilthorn (where I skied). Supposedly Murren is the most difficult area, and it does have it’s cliff filled parts, but I’ve seen a lot more treacherous terrain in Colorado. The skiing was good, yet for some reason everyone was rather strict about staying on the groomed trails. This was great for me because I had the freedom to roam all over the mountain without anyone getting in my way. As for the snow, it was reminiscent of Mammoth, a very wet and heavy snow, making it a little harder to carve. I did happen to seek out some day old powder that I shred for a short while before eating it and providing myself with a healthy dose of dense snow in the face. After a great day of charging the mountain hard, I spent the night warming by the fire at the hostel; Balmer’s is a pretty great place to stay by the way. Nothing special in terms of the beds, but a good price for a great mountain/cabin feel. The next day I trekked to the edges of Interlaken to capture some photos of the two lakes that sandwich the city, Lake Brienz on the West and Lake Thun on the East. Undoubtedly worth the hike for spectacular views of the surrounding area. If you don’t like skiing or snowboarding, there are a ton of other activities to choose from given the time of year. Look to go rafting, skydiving, bungee jumping, hang gliding, or hiking. Interlaken is an outdoor paradise, so grab your gear and go if you love the wilderness. The snow is good, but the scenery is magnificent.

From one mountain town to the next, I decided to stop into Zermatt. A smaller town than the previous two, Zermatt offers what looked like great skiing in one of two countries, Switzerland or Italy. The ski resort splits the border of the two countries just like it’s famed Matterhorn mountain. This was the main reason for my trip to Zermatt, but unfortunately I was only capable of snapping a few shots the night I arrived because a maelstrom of snow and wind tackled the slopes the following day. The town is rather expensive, and had that feel of Aspen mixed with parts of Vail, if you happen to have any idea about those two resorts in Colorado. Either way, the small resort town tucked into the corner of Switzerland was still worth the extra time and money to enjoy the Alps for one last time.

That sums up my adventure in Switzerland, giving you a little urban feel with Zurich and then taking you to the fresh mountain air of Interlaken and Zermatt. The next stop is Italy (where I happen to be right now) and I can’t wait to explore all it has to offer, see you there!