09.04-06.09 – Interlaken, Switzerland

First weekend of travel of the semester. Sure the five day study trip was adventurous and touristy, but this weekend we planned, we organized, we conceptualized, and we executed, which as we anticipated correctly, was twenty-fold more gratifying. I literally just returned from the weekend journey. It took almost 12 hours to make it back but it was well worth it. Let me tell you how weekend Interlaken, and Team Goedemorgen (Chu-de-mor-chen) went.

Shari, Christine, Kelly and I left the guesthouse on Friday morning at 5:15 AM in the pitch black and cold frigidness on our bikes for a 5:45 AM bus to Aachen Hbf station. In Aachen, at 7:50 AM, we boarded our first of many trains leading us towards Interlaken. By 4 PM, and three train transfers later, we had made it to our destination, unfortunately to be greeted by some unfriendly clouds and rain. We trapsed from the train station, each one of us with a backpack and an additional bag of food provisions on our backs, to our beautiful, all encompassing hostel, the Backpacker’s Villa. This hostel I would recommend to anyone. It had clean linens, full kitchens, internet, free printing, drinks, a great breakfast, and the staff was outstanding – really anything and everything you could ask for. From the hostel we went out into the city. A little about Interlaken: Nestled at the base of the Swiss Alps, in front of Jungfrau Mt., its snow caps make it the highest point in all of Europe, Interlaken is a little city, within the valley of mile high mountains. Its main industry is noticeable tourism, which is driven by its beautiful scenery and incredible outdoor adventure opportunities, such as skydiving, zorbing, paragliding, hiking, climbing and of course skiing. The water in Interlaken is the bluest, greenest water in the world. My theory is that there must be little people who every morning put Gatorade Glacier Ice flavored powder into the water to give it such a euphoric tinge. People in Interlaken are from all over the world. Everyone’s got their own story. Although we came ironically the weekend of the national marathon up Jungfrau, most of our time was spent walking around, catching the various glimpses and angles of the surrounding breathe-taking scenery, and indulging in the Swiss culture. The highlights of the weekend were the following events in order:
1. Without a question: Canyoning check out the video (http://www.outdoor-interlaken.ch/en/tours/detail/tours_id/17) Along with six other Berg guys that were also in Interlaken, the ten of us, plus Steph and Jon, our guides, (so total = group of 12) spent two hours sliding, swimming, hiking, repelling, jumping and flipping down and around the canyon, in and out of water. Keeping us warm throughout the whole excursion were full wet suits, shoes, helmets, life jackets and harnesses... and of course our body warmth. Once dressed in our outfits we were referred to solely by the names on our helmets – mine was ‘Lips’. Personally, I was very nervous for a series of the free fall jumps, mostly the 20 plus foot jump from the rocks into the water below. But once we got to this one specific jump, after slight deliberation, a prayer, a short, redeeming, but probably unnecessary story to Jon, and a promise to Jon to drive from his native New Hampshire to my hometown in Jersey to tell my parents if I didn’t make it, I plunged 20 plus feet free falling into the depth of the water below me. Never had I thought I would do something of that magnitude. For many of my peers on the excursion the jump was cake, but for me, it had been something that I had been saying I had to do ever since I planned to go to Europe. Abroad is all about doing some crazy (within limitations) things. Other memorable moments during canyoning was jumping about 8 feet off a rock, while flipping mid air into the waters below. It was like a full out front roll. Also balancing rocks on top of each other for good luck, the same way the Indians apparently did it centuries earlier. And swimming under the ‘waterfall of reclaiming virginity’ (not exactly sure why this names applied to these falls). I don’t know how or why I did some of the things during canyoning, but thanks to the guides, especially Jon, and thanks to my friends’ encouragement, I was able to conquer the major fears. What an experience!
2. Sunday morning Kelly and I woke up very early for 2 and a half hour much anticipated hike to the top of the nearest mountain, Harderkulm. We took the red and white, medium ranked, trail straight up. It was great exercise; we loved our much needed and highly helpful hiking sticks and loved the intermittent stops and unbelievable, and highly motivating, views even more. The ultimate hike, with the ultimate view for a reward at the top, the view, truly capped off an unforgettable Interlaken weekend.
3. A tie between following a band of Swiss clowns and dinner at Des Alps. Adrain, the lead trumpet player/clown/professional technical cheese expert (no joke) and his Country’s band of clown instrumentalists serenaded us and many locals with classical Swiss polka music, mixed in with the occasional American pop song. Afterwards, we eventually settled on dinner at Des Alps. Best DINNER EVER!

Overall, choosing Interlaken for our first travel weekend couldn’t’ have been a better decision. The weather was perfect, topography and scenery calming and rejuvenating, and the carefree atmosphere was very pleasing. Just not having to rush form museum to monument made Interlaken very manageable as well. Plus, if we would have waited any longer the water would have been too cold to do a lot of activities. The Maastricht semester has had its crazy fun and challenging acclamation, therefore a relaxing weekend in the Swiss Alps was exactly what we needed. I just wish that the gun to start the marathon didn’t scare the crap out of us at 9 Am on Saturday morning and that we didn’t miss our train from Cologne to Aachen (both not our fault). But, even though we were forced to endure a 12 hour commute back to Maastricht, Interlaken was still worth it, incredible and somewhere I definitely recommend to all and hope to return to. The Swiss Alps are unlike anywhere else in the world!