switzerland

I left paris on friday and was on my way to Zurich switzerland. After being in 3 big cities I was excited to see some of the european countryside. The train ride was cool. I had a window seat and no one was next to me for most of the trip and I had one person across from me but they did not speak english so I used this time to take a little nap cause we where out kinda late my last night in Paris. Our train had some technical problems and we got stuck in the middle of nowhere for like 20 minutes but all in all the train ride from paris to zurich was nice...I got to see some of the french countryside which was nice and then a bit of switzerland.

Later on in the trip I had two guys sit across from me that where from budapest and where in basel CH for a business trip and where on their way home. We talked a bit and they where supprised that I knew that budapest was in Hungry....they thought many americans would not know...They where very interested in my euro trip and wanted to know what I thought about europe...best and worst parts...where I had been and where I was going. Very nice guys. It was fun to pass the time and hear about their thoughts of america. Everywhere I go they said they had parties throughout the cities once Bush was out of office and we got Obama into office. They siad most of europe was very excited even though we all agree he got the nobel prize too early.

Anywho, once I got to zurich I had to catch a train to Wil where Colin`s (the drummer of Northern Labour Party) sister in law, Fabienne, would pick me up in her car and we would go to Wattwil. Wattwil is a little village in switzerland which is very pretty and kinda at the base of the hills of the alps. The first night we grabbed a kebab for dinner at ate it at her flat and then took a walk around Wattwil which did not take very long as it is a small village. We climbed up a small hill and got a view of all of the village at night.

Wow, now im caught up to today...well, this morning anyways...hahaha.

This morning we woke up and had some coffee and fresh swiss bread with home made jam and a little bit of swiss cheese...not the swiss cheese we have but rather very good cheese from switzerland. hahha. After breakfast we hopped in the car and started our hour long drive through the countryside of switzerland...man oh man is it beautiful here. There are many little villages that are spread throughout the hills. Some of the villages are very small and homes are spread out on the hills... it would be sooo cool to live in one of them for an extended period of time and farm and do the county life where no big city stuff matter.

After driving through the insane beautiful switzerland countryside we made our way up to Hoher Kasten which is a mountain. This particular mountain has a cable car that takes u from Bruelisau (yet another small town at the base of the mt.) up to the top. From the top of Hoher Kasten we could see austria, liechitenstein, germany and well, we where in switzerland. well, this is a bitt different from anywhere in the states...i could se 4 countries at one time..haha nuty.

Also, from the top I could see the small village of Gams. Gams is the villege where my friend Desi`s mom grew up. I heard her talk about it lots of times and to see it was very cool. It is in a valley between the some of the alps and right on a river. Very beautiful...I did not get to go down to it but could see how beautiful it was just by seeing where it was nestled in the hills.

After taking a few photos we decided to go on a small hike from the top of the mountain and over to where we could see more of the countryside from the other side... We did not realize but we climbed down a good amount and then where only slightly bummed when we remembered we had to go back up...haha! Its okay becuase after the hike back up we grabbed lunch at the top where there is a small cafe and ate it ouside overlooking the valley where gams was.

After lunch we took the cable cart back down to the village. We hopped back in the car and made a trip to appenzel which is either a large village or a small city in switzerland... Either way we walked around a few shops and saw some traditional swiss painted homes that where very old. Some of them where very cool looking...very simple but classic. We where both a bit tired after hiking so we decided to get a coffee at a local cafe in appenzell...European coffee is sooo good.

After appenzell we went for a drive home a bit of a different way and Fabienne took me by the village where she works which is a cool village...very small and very pretty. After we made our way back to Wattwil. Pretty much everything closes at 5pm so we went back to her flat and she made cheese fondue that we dipped some bread from a local bakery that was very good and some veggies...with it we had some white swiss wine..mmmmmm such a great dinner. After we each had part of a swiss chocholate bar that was filled with almond creme...again, sooooo goood mmmmmmmmm...

Not a whole lot goes on in Wattwil at night so we just hung out and watched some tv and I was able to wash some clothes which was nice because now I will have clean socks and underwear..hahha...I was on my last set hahaha. Fabienne Gave me a beer from her home town in germany...the beer is called Detmolder and is pretty good. I guess its the only brewery in Germany that is run by women. Actually the picture on the label is drawing of a good looking german woman holding the beer while all the meen stare at the beer...hahha.

Tomorrow we are going to maybe check out a small castle and a monastey but for now im off to bed...