Swizterland - Gimmelwald

This was our first day in Switzerland, and the amazing weather in Barcelona followed us right into the Swiss Alps. We took a gondola up to the town of Gimmelwald and started our day of hiking from that point. This was definitely my most favorite day in Switzerland, despite having to learn how to pee in the trees for the first time in my entire life (I know, I know, I´m such a city girl). Still, it was a blast!






Dan, below, with his mistress. Damn that internet phone.


In the above picture, you can barely see the little town of Murren--at the bottom of the photo. That´s how massive the mountains are and how high we were hiking!


This is me, saying "yo mama," at Dan´s suggestion that we hike the other side of the mountains--the side with the jagged snowy cap peaks. (Actually, he probably wasn´t suggesting that. I was probably just spontaneously having sassy attitude.)



This puny electrical rod gate was the source of much discussion.

I know it doesn´t look that formidable in this photo, but a very gnarly-looking electric fence ran on both sides of it, and there was no other trail in sight. So passing through this puny little electrical rod gate was the only way to keep going on the trail.

Well, as you might imagine, City Girl Sassy Catalina stood back and did what any smart woman would do. I let the man crawl under the electrical rod gate--first.

Swizterland - Vorsicht!

Okay, so this was the point in our hike when I got a little bit nervous when we came upon this sign: the evil sign with TWO directions to Gimmelwald. One plain Gimmelwald. And the second to Gimmelwald (Vorsicht!).

Well, as you might imagine, I instigated a very long discussion about what the heck (Vorsicht!) meant.

I mean, Vorsicht by itself, fine. I think I could have handled Vorsicht-plain. But Vorsicht- exclaimation point! That freaked me out. So I was not feeling good about the path to the right. Meanwhile, Dan was 100% for Vorsicht!

Minimally, the translation seemed OBVIOUS. Dan didn´t agree. He thought it probably just meant "Careful!", or "Steep!"...or "Nice Views!" (or something benign like that).

I said, "what if it means ´bear´?"

Dan said there were no bears in the Swiss Alps.

"Mountain Lion?"

Try again.

Well, in the end, there was no getting out of Vorsicht!. So I followed Dan and we took the Vorsicht! path, and below is the photo of Dan--at the start of the path--waving gleefully about never being seen or heard from again.


And then we stumble upon our first clue, and it dawned on me.

Of course... it is obvious.

Vorsicht! = "Oh Schit!"


Yeah, this is me, hanging back and taking the pictures while simultaneously encouraging Dan to keep forging ahead.


Ahhhhhhh Vorsicht!

I must admit that it was a pretty amazing view from behind the waterfall.

Below is me, smiling after our success, because Dan--the Vorsicht! master--was right!

Switzerland - Down the Gimmivalt!

After a long hike, the Vorsicht! master claims his prize: A beer bigger than his own head.

Switzerland - Grindelwald

Later in our trip, we moved to up into the mountains to stay in Grindelwald in order to do some mountain biking. Below are the views from our room in the mountain hotel.




We we didn´t realize it, (and found out later), that all the trails in Grindelwald go UP--and not just with a little incline. Apparently, like, UP--at a complete vertical.

We were told by a professional biker, (who was also the woman who ran our hotel) that unless we were used to biking in the mountains, we had "NO chance. Absolutely none."

It´s nice to know that Swiss people never sugarcoat the truth.

So, we stayed at the base of the mountain and road around the paved paths and enjoyed the scenery before we were overtaken by the Perfect Storm.



The Perfect Storm.

Switzerland - The Swiss Know How to Travel in Style

Besides, their crazy super-efficient train system--that really puts any other countries´ rail systems to shame--the Swiss also have a few other clockwork forms of transportation that really show off their propensity for traveling in style.

Case in point: the funicular.



The ferry yachet.



The apline gondolas.


And last, but not least...the paraglider.

Below, is Dan taking it easy during an afternoon glide.

Okay, not really. But there was much discussion about whether we should or shouldn´t try the paraglide.

In the end, time and a lack of sufficient euros won out, but it was amazing to watch these guys soar around and then land on the edge of the mountain.

Barcelona - First Impressions

Reflections on Barcelona: after hearing about how great Barcelona is my whole life, and after traveling to Spain over a dozen times, and still never having the chance to visit the Promised Land until now...I have to say, that in the end, I still very much prefer Madrid.

Dan, on the other hand, preferred Barcelona (which, I did NOT tell my Spanish family when Dan finally met his future in-laws at the end of our trip. Considering the huge rivalry between the people who live in Madrid vs. the people who live in Barcelona--(which is not unlike the rivalry between the people who live in Minnesota vs. the people who live in Wisconsin ((okay, maybe it´s not exactly the same, but still...)), I figured there was no need to bring it up, or else risk subjecting Dan to some authentic Spanish debasing. At least, not yet...

This is Dan, in front of a Gaudi lamppost (Gaudi´s first commission in Barcelona). If you don´t know who Gaudi is, then see below blog posts for the "Who in the Heck is Antoni Gaudi" tutorial.

This is me, in front of the Mercado, off of Las Ramblas.

These are the narrow, dark streets of the Gothic Quarter. Barcelona, I have to say, has a seedy underworld feel about it that I was NOT anticipating. I got harrassed by a drunk homeless man while Dan was standing right next to me. We popped into the Raval district and discovered prostitution row within the first 2 minutes of exploring the neighborhood. And Dan boasts that he´s pretty sure that he felt someone try to pickpocket him. Like it´s a badge of honor.

Dan says there's an "edge" to the city--which he likes. (This is Dan saying this, the oh-so-edgy boy from Minnesota). I don´t think it´s an edge. I think it´s just the sleazy side of a city that attracts way too many tourists and too way too many slim-shady characters who prey on them.

However, I must say that we did see an awesome hip-hop jazz band the first night we were in the city, and Barcelona definitely has a young, hip, urban, international flare to it.

This is the Port Vell, and the spectacular weather that followed us our entire vacation.