Cheese, Knives, Watches, Chocolate, Bank Accounts and all things Swiss

Switzerland!
Dad and I both landed in Zurich on the 12th and we were off on our Swiss adventure! I dint understand anything!!!! Who thought German would be so difficult! Luckily we were basically in French Switzerland the whole time, so we got by.

Day one we picked up our car and drove into Zurich.  I'm not bragging but I'm not that bad with directions, even with street names I can't pronounce. It also helps that the Swiss are insanely organised (and clean) and everything has a direction sign.

Dad was pretty jet lagged so our night in Zurich wasn't too late, plus we had drivin' to do the next day! 
Day 2 we started our drive West towards Gstaad. Dad went to school in Les Diablerets and worked in Gstaad in the early seventies so that was the reason for our destination.
I noticed a few things early on about Switzerland:
1. They love English pop music. Every radio station played it. But not recent pop, it was either something you'd never hears before or a song that you'd heard but went "oh yeah THIS song!" when it came on. The parking garages though were a different story: Kylie Minogue, MJ and Madonna reigned supreme down there. I like the garage music, it adds to the bleak atmosphere.

2. Air Conditioning. This trip has proved to be A LOT hotter than I thought it would be, liked wicked hot and nowhere I've been believes in air conditioning! Hotels, stores, department stores, no one, there's no escaping the heat.

Anyway, back to day 2 we drove to Bern and had a nice lunch. Switzerland is great! Different than I thought but awesome.
After Bern we made our way to Chateau d'Oex, the village in which we'd rented our apartment. The Swiss country side does look lime how I pictured it, mountains and farms and Swiss chalets, no rotisserie chicken and fries though. All the small towns look just like ski resorts too, but that's because they are!
For the next few days we'd get up have our breakfast, wandered into town past the sounds of cowbells and head overflight Early Beck bakery/coffee shop to take advantage of their free wi-fi. We did a lot! First up was the medieval town of Gruyeres where we learned all about the castle and the battles. Now the Swiss are awesome and have translated everything touristy into several languages.... However, I feel like there is always a little something lost in the English translation.... But still great none the less. After the giant hills in the town we went to the fromagerie! I LOVE CHEESE. I think I may have been Swiss in a past life, cheese and chocolate are found everywhere and actually encouraged! We learned all about how they make the cheese from the audio guide guided by Cherry the cow.... Cherry was a little condescending and had a bit of an ego but got she got her point across. Plus we got free cheese.

Then we discovered a chocolate factory.... Fantastic the next day we set out early and learned all about chocolate and ate and bought tons. The Swiss are very tidy and clean however being here has made me realised just how crazy we are about cleanliness and safety precautions we are in Canada. For example, in the chocolate factory there is a tasting room where you can taste as much chocolate as you want. There was one staff member. The tasting pieces are full squares and they are just laid out on plates... Who knows how many people have looked at, touched or even breathed on them. Dad and I quickly realised it would be MUCH different at home. When are free samples EVER full size?! And everyone would probably have to wear gloves... So lame just give me the chocolate.
This chocolate factory also encouraged (real) chocolate eating so things were great.

We drove down the coast of the lake and ended up at Lausanne! And what's in Lausanne?!?!? The Olympic MUSEUM!!! So great! Room after room of information and people who love the Olympics just as much as I do! And a gift shop FULL of pins.... Those pins traders would loose their mind!!! The gift shop also so TSNs Hockey GOld DVD set.... But not the actual Olympic set which I thought was pretty funny.  No I didn't buy it, Switzerland is wicked expensive....
Yeah Insanely expensive! Dad and I paid 12 francs for two cokes. The exchange between CAD and the CHF is about 1.25 so you know just dropped approximate 7. 50 for a coke, NBD. (I did that math right, right?) either way, everything is expensive.

Continuing through the week we saw all the sights. We took the massive gondola up the mountain in Les Diablerets to check out the Glacier up top. We hiked through the field to a waterfall that dad had gone too in his youth! 
Switzerland is FULL of hiking trails. On our last day in chateau d'Oex wetook a different gondola up and hiked down the side of the mountain.... Who would have thought hiking down would be so much work! Mountains can be deceiving. But it was great, we walked through farmers fields and past the cows and through some farms and down some steep cliffs!

Our final night was topped off with dinner and a tour of the Palace Hotel in Gstaad where dad used to work... Whoa.  Gstaad is the place for people with money... And lots of it. There was a polo tournament happening this weekend so the hotel was crawling with polo players and Bentleys. The hotel itself is fantastic! And once I get my dream job I'll be able to affordthe penthouse suite complete with a sauna in the tower for a simple 9700/night. It holds 6... Who's coming?!

We ate our great dinner sitting outside enjoying the Montaigne s and the owner, grandson of the owner when dad worked there came and introduced himself as well as the head waiter who'd worked in the nightclub when dad worked there. It was great! Even better was after when we asked for the bill and to our surprise it had been covered by the management. Thank you!

Side note.... The Swiss don't bring bills.... It seems like you always have to ask for it.

After our fantastic evening at the Palace we made our way back to Zurich last night night and had our last Swiss dinner. 

It was a great week and Switzerland is like nowhere I've been before! Even the airport I'm in right now is tidy and overly clean!

I'm on my way back to London before a quick turnaround to Iceland and then I'll be on my way home!

Until then. 
Have a great day!
Kate