Switzerland

As I looked through our travel photos of Switzerland, an inevitable question came to my mind.  "Why did we visit Switzerland only 3 times?  We lived so close [a 3-hour drive], and it was amazingly beautiful."  My wife's response was straight to the point: "because it was unbelievably expensive."  Yes, if I had to sum up Switzerland, it would be "beautiful and expensive."  Our three trips (9/2007, 7/2008, 8/2008) left us- and our bank account- wanting so much more.  The cheapest meal I saw- at McDonald's- was the equivalent of $11, and even cheap meals in better places ran $30 or more for the basic entree.  The general lesson- when visiting, bring your camera and pack a lunch.

Lucerne

One of many quaint Swiss towns nestled in the mountains by a lake.  Regular readers (if I have any) should instantly recognize the Lion of Lucerne monument.

Bern

The Swiss capital, Bern felt busy by the country's standards, but still had its fill of charm.

Lausanne

On Lake Geneva, Lausanne felt like a mix of Mediterranean and Alpine climates . . . I loved it, though the tight passages and steep grades made good viewpoints/pictures difficult away from the lakefront.

Chillon Castle

Also on Lake Geneva, the oft-photographed Chateau Chillon was amazing.

Interlaken

Strategically located, Interlaken is a great base camp from where you can easily explore the surrounding area- especially Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen (covered in the next sections).  We stayed in a tent village- full of a different kind of charm- and enjoyed evening strolls with cows (it gave us some idea of the origin of "till the cows come home").  Note the enormous cowbells . . . poor things.

Grindelwald

Grindelwald is spectacular, and if you ever get there, take the lift up to the mountains between it and Lauterbrunnen.  Most of the photos below are from that particular excursion- amazing views abound.

Lauterbrunnen

Also a great day out, Lauterbrunnen features sheer cliffs and an impressive 'underground' waterfall.

The next pictures are from the underground waterfall- from its beginning to the view at the base.

Conclusion

I hope to visit again some day, if I reach a level of affluence I don't anticipate achieving . . . but Switzerland is worth it, if you can afford it.

UPDATE: We were able to visit here again in the summer of 2019, as summarized here:
First
Mannlichen
Interlaken