A Switzerland Wonderland

After a 3:40 wake-up call, Megan, Cecily and I were out the door and on our way to Switzerland. In Geneva we were greeted by Megan's kind Aunt Linda who drove us through the beautiful countryside to her home in Salvon. On arrival, we were greeted by Megan's Uncle Pierre, and her three wonderful cousins: a bright 12-year old, Jules; a lovely, smiling 9-yr old, Zoe; and an energetic and sweet 4-year old, Tristan. We also met 4 adorable kitties only weeks old!

That afternoon we became aquainted with our surroundings and our hosts by taking a walk in the Alps with the whole family... just headed down the street to a path only minutes away which led us into the woods and upwards to a lovely flowing waterfall. Although we were quite tired, the surroundings kept our eyes wide open... majestic mountains stood in all directions... some covered with trees, others topped with snow, and more with barren rocky faces. The glorious mountains present such a still and powerful presence that they almost seem like a make-believe backdrop at times... too good to be true.

On our way back from the walk, we stopped by a local farm to pick up fresh milk, homemade yogurt, and a block of cheese (if only they had ice cream, we would be set!). For dinner, the neighbors, Ann and Alan, came over and we were introduced to raclette... a local favorite where we melted pieces of cheese (fresh from the farmer) to put on top of potatos. To accompany our raclette, we ate mushrooms which Alan picked from the surrounding woods (yum!). It was quite a treat to have such an authentic Swiss meal on our first night in Switzerland.

That evening, we made our way down the street to a spare chalet (thanks to Ann and Alan) where we have our own rooms with comfy beds and splendid views overlooking the Alps... quite luxurious for budget travellers.

I had no expectations for our Switzerland journey, but in my wildest dreams I wouldn't have thought I would end up at this small wonderland in the mountains.