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We thought a train ride through Germany’s Black Forest would be a nice way to enter Switzerland and got off the train in the small town of Freiberg. Surrounding the cathedral there was a lovely outdoor market with fresh produce, cheese, eggs, meat, bread and colorful mushrooms but the cold weather and rain prompted our somewhat hasty retreat to the train.
Interlaken is somewhat notorious as an American rich kid playground of sorts, but it is impressively situated surrounded by jagged mountain peaks and we hoped to take in some great vistas on our train ride and perhaps do some hiking. Unfortunately our timing was off and we got the bad without the good. The weather was horrid and snow blocked the view of the mountains the entire time we were there. It was however spring break for Americans studying abroad and the place was worse than a student union; large groups of drunken Americans stumbled around in their sweatpants and straightened hair. We couldn’t afford to go skiing with them and the weather was too poor for sky diving so we were off. However, on the train ride out of Switzerland we had the unique experience of seeing an avalanche, safely behind the receding train (I think it’s the most excited I have ever seen Adrian). Picture of which to come!

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