Living the Simple Life in Switzerland

People like to ask us all the time what our favorite experience of the trip has been so far. It’s a really tough question. Every experience has been so different that it’s hard to compare them. And we each seem to gravitate towards our own favorite moments. That said, it’s hard to top hiking in the Swiss Alps. And I think I’m ready to go on record by saying that it’s been my favorite experience thus far.

The scenery of Switzerland was beautiful. And over the course of 10 days of hiking, from Engelberg to Griesalp, we saw a lot of it. There were towering mountains, rushing rivers and so many wildflowers that I nearly wore out my camera trying to capture them all.

 
   
  
  
And let’s not forget the cows. What goats are to Turkey, cows are to the Swiss Alps. They’re curious creatures. And we hiked through a lot of private cow pastures (the trail winds through them; farmers just trust that you’ll open and close their gates responsibly). So there were times when we were completely surrounded by cows. At first, it was kind of scary, especially when they started following us. But we soon got used to their company.

  
  
  
But it wasn’t just the scenery and the cows that made the Swiss Alps so unforgettable. It was going–you could say walking–back in time, to a simpler way of life. Many of the places we stayed were working farms with tiny guest rooms (mattress rooms, really) added on–and no electricity. So most days for us looked like this: wake up, eat a big breakfast, hike all day, have a victory beer at the highest point, get to a farm, take a bird bath and rinse out our clothes in the trough, eat a big dinner by candelight, go to bed. Repeat. It was an unlikely heaven.

  
  
  
  
  
  
But heaven it was. I loved having so little to think about that my mind could wander freely; I looked forward to evenings of talking over candlelight instead of checking email on my iPad.

Although each day followed the same rhythm while we were hiking, there were always charming surprises along the trail. One day we hiked past a self-service farm stand and a little boy in shiny lederhosen.

  
  
Another day we came upon a folk musician carrying an alpenhorn. He stopped to give us an impromptu concert and even let us try the instrument for ourselves.

  
One night we got really lucky and had a whole alpine hut–and a knock-out view–to ourselves. Everything at this hut seemed magical, especially the sunset that poured in our painted windows.
  
  
Other highlights: finding a fresh milk machine on the trail, taking time for a Sound of Music moment (or several) and being swallowed by a field of wildflowers.

  
  
  
All too soon, our hiking came to an end. But our time in Switzerland wasn’t quite over. We spent a few days in Zermatt checking out the Matterhorn, then wound our way cross country once again, this time via the Glacier Express panoramic train.

  
  
  
  
  
  
I’ll tell you one thing. The cure for a busy life–and a busy mind–may just be hiking in Switzerland. In my next life, this is where I want to be.