I know I said I’d try to write more about Switzerland, but the truth is, like I briefly wrote yesterday, it is incredibly difficult to articulate colors, sounds and sights like you find here. I can write about taking the Rigi Bahn train up to the top of the mountain here in Vitznau and tell you about how we saw 13 lakes and 3 different countries from an elevation of over 6,000 feet and that it was simply breathtaking. However I think the photo entitled, “Top of the World” says it better than I ever could.
As I mentioned several days ago, we spent four days in the town of Interlaken. Now the draw of this town is that it is supposedly set at the base of the very famous Jungfrau Mountain, or what I’ve been told is one of the largest peaks on the continent of Europe. Our hotel, the beautiful Victoria Jungfrau Hotel, faces directly towards the mountain…we think. However due to some very rare, very unseasonal weather, we never actually saw the majestic glacier peak that has been called “one of the top 100 places to see before you die.” What we did see was the base of a beautiful, green & lush “hill” and then about 5 miles straight up of clouds. I’m still not convinced the mountain even really exists. It’s probably all just a very brilliant marketing scheme to boost a small Swiss town’s local economy! : )
Nevertheless Interlaken still was a worthwhile stop after we took a train up into the Jungfrau’s neighboring peaks and it truly was one of the most beautiful sights I’ve ever seen. It’s probably been 15 years since I’ve seen the movie “Heidi” but I’m pretty sure she still lives (along with God!) in the area we passed through. It was everything you think of when you hear “the mountains and meadows of Switzerland.” The photo “From the train going up the Mountain” is just an example.
From Interlaken we then made our way to the town of Vitznau, which is where we end our trip. It’s hard to believe this time tomorrow Ryan and I will be on a plane heading home. The town of Vitznau, situated on the unbelievably beautiful Lake Lucerne, about one hour from Zurich & 30 minutes south of Lucerne, is one of THE most picturesque places I’ve seen literally in my whole life! (I know I’ve said that about a million times, but you really can’t blame me!) I wish you could see my view this very moment: I’m watching the rain fall down on the lake with green hills and pastures in the distance and the still snow-topped mountains being swallowed up by smoke-like, white wispy clouds. In the distance I can hear the bells clanging on the cattle probably looking for someplace to shield them from the rain, and also the pitter patter of the rain hitting our balcony. It’s interesting how much rain we’ve had here in Switzerland, every single in fact. However only once did we really get affected by it and that was walking to our hotel from the ferry dock after spending the day in the town of Lucerne. I don’t know if you’ve gotten caught in a rain storm lately, but I think it’s something everyone needs to experience from time to time. Ryan & I were just talking about it while we enjoyed lunch on our balcony a little bit ago. He said that getting caught in the rain has a softening affect on you. It makes you have to laugh and just enjoy it for what it is, and really creates such a simplistic moment. It was so refreshing.
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about our adventures and seeing the moments we’ve forever captured with our cameras. I will be posting more photos here on this blog in the days to come once we return stateside and readjust to life back home. I will also be posting a new travel gallery on my official website of more of my professional photos (Julie & Ryan kissing photos will not be included!) at
http://www.journeyofthelens.com/ sometime soon. In addition to the new travel portfolio I hope to have another photo expo in the months ahead, exclusively featuring my work from this trip. I will keep you posted on the details. Thank you again for sharing in our Journey. All the best to you.
