Switzerland- More Than Just Chocolate and Cheese

This past weekend we traveled to Interlaken, Switzerland. After waiting on an hour delay, we swapped trains in Geneva, then again in Bern, and then finally arrived in Interlaken- the adventure sport capital of the world. Here, tourists have the option to go sky diving, river rafting, canyon jumping, paragliding, hang gliding, canyoning, and any other activity that involves a rush of adrenaline. We decided the best option was canyoning, since we prefer to not tempt fate TOO much. But that is for the next blog.
This trip was different from our other weekend trips in that we were with a large group of the lsu law students for the majority of the trip. This was nice as it allowed Roy and I to meet (or get closer to) those people from other sections that we didn't know before. There was a great cohesion to the group, as everyone had no problem agreeing on Hooters as our first meal in Switzerland since we got in so late, and nothing else was open (nothing that anyone knew of- but Hooters was just bound to be open!). This Swiss Hooters was much more over-priced, and not quite as tasty (though I realize American Hooters does not set the bar high either).
The next morning we woke up early and went canyoning (which is an adventure fully deserving of its own blog entry). After worn out from canyoning, everyone was excited to get clean and get warm. We did this, grabbed a quick bite of pizza, and headed over to watch the LSU-Arkansas beating at a lounge that had only opened last week for the first time. This place was run by the most hospitable bar owner we're sure to meet this trip. Her place almost resembled a living room, with various black leather couches positioned around the TV, and gave the feeling like we were watching the game at a friend's home. The Swiss owner, who told us she used to live in New York City, was the perfect host- filling baskets with delicious chips and placing pints of peanuts on the tables. At the fear of not seeing the whole game due to the long rain delay and time difference, the owner agreed to stay open past closing and turn our event into a "private party" as she put the sign on the door. The room was overflowing with people (and rather hot since air conditioning is a rarity in Europe), but it was great to enjoy LSU baseball among friends and fans.
The next day we woke up, aching with every movement from the day before, and decided to take today slow. We went down to meet others, and laughed at those in our group signing up for white water rafting or canyon jumping. Our plan only involved one extreme activity: an extreme massage. Before this, though, we needed to get refueled. A small group of us walked to Hotel Tell for Switzerland's tradition dish, rosti. Rosti is a plate of potatoes in the form of soft hashbrowns that have been mixed with swiss cheese, bacon, onions, and topped with a friend egg. It was delicious and filling, but I could not finish it all. I felt bad for this, as the Swiss seriously look down upon anyone who does not finish their entire plate. If they don't appreciate wasted food, maybe they should decrease their portion sizes! Now fully prepared for the day, we set off to see the city of Interlaken. We came across the elegant Hotel Victoria Jungfrau, where we had heard about the promise of an impressive spa. We had not been lied to, and Roy and I booked appointments for that afternoon. After that we enjoyed the afternoon breathing in the luxuries in Switzerland- the view, and the chocolate. We sat for a while in a park that gave a great view of the Alps on all sides. This is where the paragliding landing area was, so the group of us watched and tried to imagine ever being crazy enough to try it. Landing and being safe on the ground seemed like the only enjoyable part to me. We then walked over to a chocolatier and bought some Swiss chocolate, then sat for a glass of hot chocolate. The hot chocolate was welcome, as it had been a cold, rainy weekend. This was no Swiss Miss -it was served in a tall glass, with the chocolate poured in at the bottom, and steamed milk resting on the top. Once you mixed it all together, the drink was complete and ready to be devoured...which it was in a matter of seconds.
The spa was nicer than we even imagined, ranking in the top 50 Hotel Spas in the world!!! I was given an option of light color, music, and aroma before receiving my massage, which was the perfect solution to our soreness situation. After the massage, a relaxation and sauna room was available. The sauna room was especially cool, as there was a steam sauna, a dry sauna, a crushed ice maker to be used to cool off (I actually used the ice for my water as well- classy), and a vapor shower. The vapor shower consisted of a regular shower where you could press a button to induce drops of hot tropical vapor, making it smell like someone had bottled the scents of the Bahamas, and dumped them on your head. It was interesting.
Refreshed and relaxed, it was hard to tackle on another night of partying that the rest of the group had planned. Roy and I instead opted for cheese fondue and an early bedtime. We woke up early, and unwillingly got on the train back to Lyon, with the light ahead that reminded us....we'd be in Paris next weekend!