Switzerland

In February I had to go to Switzerland on a work trip for a week, so I took advantage of the opportunity to check this off my bucket list by going a few days early to ski in the Swiss Alps!  My boss, who was supposed to join me for our ski weekend, couldn't join me at the last minute.  I was lucky enough to have another coworker (a Brazilian who now lives in Switzerland) be my tour guide for the weekend in Grindelwald before heading to Basel for business.  Matt held down the fort awesomely, as usual.

It was such an incredible experience.  Switzerland is breathtaking and I had such an awesome weekend being a tourist.  The work part was pretty grueling, but at least I had the weekend before that made it all worthwhile.

Slip sliding on the frozen snow, Matt was towing them on the lawn tractor!

Libertyville park

Snow!

Sledding on G&G's hill

Matt doing my accent wall!  Yay!  He's such a great carpenter.

The kids made me this beautiful welcome home sign.

I love the skiers

Love it!!

Glamour shot

View from my train ride from the airport, just as I imagined the Swiss countryside would look!

View from my hotel room in Grindelwald, in the Jungrau region

Such a cute town!

Indoor/outdoor pool and hot tub with great views at my hotel

First day of skiing blew me away!

Andy stopped by a local farm to get me some real mountain cheese!  It is called alpkase and can only be purchased in the Alps of Switzerland.

It was so yummy.

A cute town we passed on the way to Lucerne for dinner 

a mirrored lake

Dinner in nearby Lucerne

SO much chocolate!

Traditional Swiss fondue!  Had to wear my Yeti vest for that occasion

My hotel had this special butter contraption that gave you a perfect pat of butter cut off of a big block inside of this refrigerated wooden box.  It was so delicious!  I like how seriously they take their dairy products.

Lunch the first day on top of the mountain, eating outside. Weinerschnitzel, yum!  Look at the cute plate, too.

You just ski right by these adorable chalets on the mountain.

"Sledge" (our "sled") riding is a popular activity on the mountain, it can take hours to get down the mountain 

Igloo mountain bar - had to ski a black diamond to get to it, but it was worth it!

Sunning ourselves with a beer in hand

Cliff walk!

My coworker Vandy

Straight down!!  EEEK

360 views turning restaurant, Vandy likes the 'Rio' sign.

Where one of the James Bond scenes were filmed

traditional swiss rosti and sausage with champagne

The special restaurant was another one that you had to ski a black diamond run in order to get down from.  I did it!  Worth it!

Bus converted into apres ski bar, so cute!

Even the beer label was cute and Swiss with yodelers and goats on it

In Basel for work now, one of the nights I got a little tour from coworkers

Basel is on the border of both Germany and France.  There is a place where you are on the corner of all three countries.