Happiness: A Manner of Traveling: Chocolate, Cheese, and Gliding through Trees

I decided to go to Switzerland. Because who doesn't like Swiss Chocolate or Swiss Cheese...Swiss Army knives? I know, we all do. This time around I rented a car from Munich and went on a road trip. I reserved a cheap compact car that was automatic... As you may or may not know a majority of the cars here are manual, it cost a little more to reserve an automatic, but I really wasn't sold on driving a manual all over the Alps, the Swiss Alps to be more specific. They are kind of a big deal. When I arrived at the rental car location they took a while to get me the car making some complaints about finding an automatic, but gave me a set of keys a few minutes later. I went out to the car... It was not a car. It was a large van... that ran on diesel. I went back inside. There were more complaints about finding an automatic to which I responded that I had reserved an automatic compact car and they knew I was coming. It was fun. They told me to wait a little while longer. Then about 15 minutes later they said...we got you a car, its an upgrade...

So then I left in my Mercedes. On my European road trip.

Yeah, I know...I couldn't even make this up if I tried.

First Stop....

Are you wondering what sort of fun ride I am at? I hate to disappoint, but it was not a ride...its the bathroom. In Europe they make you pay to use the restroom at gas stations...and well, everywhere. So these lucky people are just paying to go use the potty. In other news they were totally German and I wondered to myself if he actually knew what Camp David is...

Then I drove until I got to this place...

otherwise known as my super cute hotel nestled in the Swiss Alps.

What happens when you order a grilled cheese for dinner here?

You get two slices of bread slathered in cheese, with an egg on top. I feel pretty good about that.

Took a walk around the delightful town of Thun, which looked a little something like this...

Yup, I'm being serious.

Then I got back in the car and drove to my favorite place to go which looks a bit like this:

(although each one varies...)

The Bern, Switzerland LDS Temple

I thought to myself, does life get any better than this?

And then I decided to go hang gliding over the Alps with this guy...Birdman Bernie. In case you can't tell from this picture, he's Australian.

Hang gliding fashion...inspired by Harry Potter.

Does he look worried? That concerns me.

There was a fresh layer of snow on the mountains...

So Bernie shoveled us a runway.

This is how Bernie snow proofed my running shoes so that my feet wouldn't get cold and wet on the walk to our takeoff point...or at least this is what was left of it after we landed. Duct tape for the win.

Going through the clouds...

Flying with the eagles.

I'm being totally serious. There was an eagle.

Then I went for a lovely walk around the lake....

Where I ran in to this delightful family just out on a walk with the family GOATS...

No big deal.

And then just when I thought there was no way life could get better than this...

I found Mango Fanta. Which is proof in and of itself that God loves us.

You should all visit Interlaken. In case you need more convincing here are a few more photos...

I could not get enough of the Cows.

No wonder they have such great chocolate. Chocolate Milk anyone?

I was so excited when I got my own parade.

Cow vs. Mercedes? When the Mercedes is a rental the Cow wins.

Then the morning I went back there was ice all over my windshield. And I did not have a scrapper. So obviously I did what any normal person would and took advantage of my AAA membership. Roadside assistance even in the Alps. Now that's good service.