Jungfraujoch, Switzerland

Jungfraujoch is the highest train station in all of Europe. To get there we had to take SIX different trains (TWELVE roundtrip!) it ended up being a sixteen hour daytrip, with only four hours at the summit. But, we got a crazy good price of train tickets (nearly free!) so I couldn't turn down the opportunity. 

Fun facts: Jungfrau is one of the main summits in the Bernese Alps region. 

The Jungfrau mountain borders Mönch and Eiger, two of the most recognizable mountains known for their challenging ascents. The brand of clothing North Face supposedly derives their name from this as well. 

My hometown, Salt Lake City, is surrounded by mountains, I love hiking them, skiing them, etc. The mountains are kinda my jam. So seeing all that pristine powder and blue sky made me want to hit the slopes like none other! Good thing ski season is right around the corner!  

Oh, also worth mentioning: most of our group (myself included) became terribly altitude sick after we were up there for two hours, turns out that gaining 10,000+ feet (3,000 meters) in less than 8 hours is not advisable.. duly noted! But the Alps were gorgeous and totally worth it! 

'Tis the Season: Part Two

Christmastime in Europe can be so magical! Lugano may not be a big city, but its tree is the largest one I have seen yet, so props to you Lugano! It dominates the city's main piazza, towering above the nearby buildings! Curious about how it arrived in this little town square? Well by helicopter of course! Scroll to 1:00min and check the video out HERE as captured by a local news crew!  Oh Switzerland! 

For eighteen years of my life I was missing out on the warm and yummy goodness that is a roasted chestnut. Sure, during the holidays I would sing THIS carol with the phrase "chestnuts roasting on an open fire", yet I never realized that people still ate chestnuts.. I don't know what my deal was, but I thought that chestnuts were something that people only ate back in the 1890s.. Yeah, don't ask me where I got that idea from! I am happy to report though that they are in fact far from "extinct"! In fact, during the winter season, chestnut stands can be found all throughout the city of Lugano. If you ever pass by one, do yourself a favor and spend a few francs on a small package of warm and yummy goodness. But don't even bother buying them from a stand that cooks the chestnuts in anything but a big black cauldron, it's the only way to go! 

^^ The Christmas tree in all its beauty (see how small the people are in comparison!) + pretty Christmas lights

I can hardly believe it, I will be back stateside in ONE WEEK for the winter holidays!  So, now that I am all stocked up on groceries and christmas cheer, I think this may have been my last trip downtown for the year :( catch ya on the flipside Lugano! Buon Natale to all my Lugano friends, see you in January! 

'Tis the Season: part one

Christmas Bobbles  //  Spiced Cider  //  Swarovski Crystal Chandelier 

Christmas in Switzerland can be a magical time, nearly every city has a christmas market with homemade goodies, hot drinks, soft pretzels, sweets and more! 

We had a short stop in Luzern, Switzerland on our way home from an Alps adventure on Friday, so we took a few minutes to peruse the charming little stands and soak in some Christmas cheer. 

Life Lately in the Commune

Little known fact about my life in Switzerland: I live in a commune. 

Don't worry this is no '70s-flower-child-free-love commune, this is "Commune di Sorengo." In Switzerland communes are a subset of cities, kind of like neighborhoods in the US, but more official. For instance when I get mail it is addressed to "Sorengo" not "Lugano" and each commune has their own specific rules, coat of arms, etc. Which is pretty crazy considering how small communes are! Sorengo is only .33 sq miles and I can easily walk through four of the surrounding communes in an hour. WhenI go for a run it is through the commune Muzzano and back, for grocery shopping I go into Lugano, and for my job I walk to commune Collina d'Oro.  I absolutely love walking through Sorengo and if you follow me on instagram you know that I am taking time this week to appreciate "the little things" so I set out one afternoon to soak in the summer sun and document the scenes I see everyday but rarely take the time to appreciate and this was the result: 

There is a monastery behind my dorm that has the best view of Lake Lugano, I love walking up there when I want to just sit and enjoy the view. 

And some more snippets & tidbits of life around here ^

◇ Vineyards  ◇ Blues to Bop music fest  ◇ Chocolate Granola 

◇ The Swiss Miss braid  ◇ Moms  ◇ An Organized Closet 

Happy Weekend! T-minus 4 days until Bri/Mom/Dad arrive. Can't wait!!

Of Castles & Waterfalls

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Part One: Castles 

Nestled in between the Swiss mountains 45min north of Lugano is a charming city called BELLINZONA. Home to three different castles {all designated by the United Nations as sites of cultural importance} Bellinzona is an underrated gem! I have yet to see any American or Asian tourists here (which is really saying something because they are everywhere!) I just don't understand it.. I mean check out that view ^^! Plus if the prospect of exploring middle age castles wasn't lure enough, consider that Bellinzona is still in Italian-speaking Switzerland so you can grab some incredible gelato + a pizza after you explore the castles! My kind of place.

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Part Two: Waterfalls 

And from there the weekend only got better! The next day, we took the entire incoming class and headed to VALLE VERZASCA, a favorite region of mine, home to a massive waterfall + glacial rivers + quaint villages. Our large group of english-speaking students seemed so comically out of place in these mountain villages, I couldn't help but smile as one of the DOUBLE DECKER tour buses struggled to navigate a narrow cobble stone road lined with balconies.. #EuroProbs. Comedy aside, I was more than thrilled when the buses finally stopped to let us off for a picnic by the river and then a hike up to the base of the waterfall. When I came here last year I had no idea what to expect, whereas this year I was excitedly urging the incoming students along the path to the magnificent falls. Can you blame me? 

the view from a mile away! ⇡

see that little speck circled in the bottom right? ↗ that is a person. yeah.. this waterfall = gigantic.

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Part Three: The Plunge 

And then to wrap it all up I jumped into a glacial river  (like literally. it is glacier melt.) Interestingly enough, the night before said plunge ^^ I watched The Titanic..  coincidence? I think not. I feel for ya Jack and Rose!! My legs went numb after just two minutes in the water! But the thrill of it all was worth it. 

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And thus concluded my last weekend of 'summer'. Orientation is done. Classes officially started this week, so it is back to the daily grind of homework/work/classes/more work, etc. But I certainly am not complaining, because I have an inkling that this semester is going to be brimming with the best adventures yet.  I am ever grateful for this chance to live in such a breathtaking region of the world, for the escapades I have the opportunity to go on, the people I get to meet, the friends I have been able to make, etc. I can feel it, a tingling kind of sensation in my bones, I think that this is going to be my most exciting year yet! so bring it on world.

PS you can find last years posts about Bellinzona + Valle Verzasca here and here

2 Weeks of Year 2

And then before I knew it the summer was over, I said my goodbyes and I was on another plane to JFK..

But it wasn't all tears + goodbyes. The stars aligned to give me the best American send off yet! I didn't have to pay for baggage that was five pounds too heavy becuase the Delta employee sympathized with my plight as a student + in JFK there was a Shake Shack (best NYC burger!) right next to my gate + I got a rootbeer float (my favorite American treat). Living the dream! 

also by coincidence you can see "AMERICA" in the bottom right...

And then a mere 8 hours later ⇢ sunrise over Milan, Italy 

day one in Lugano = conquering jet lag while lounging at the beach with friends

adventure #1: Monte Tamero, home to the friendliest cows around! 

Also at Monte Tamero ⇡ an alpine coaster (so fast!) + a funicular + ziplines

✥ Lugano & Lago Lugano ✥ 

Cathedral Saint Lorenzo ⇅

Another Lugano favorite of mine: The newspaper tunnel under the train station. Fortunately I get to pass through whenever I am headed downtown for groceries, and every few months a new character is added to these walls, so it keeps things interesting! ⇅

The cutest little floral shop downtown

But really.. I will always stand by my statement that Lugnao is a summer kind of city. Warm weather suits it best. Check out those piazzas, that fountain, the lake. And don't forget to seize the opportunity for paddle boating/ swimming in the cold water on a hot summer afternoon. 

These first two weeks have absolutely flown by! I am so happy to be back in my home away from home. Moreover, I am grateful for the job I have working at orientation for Franklin. It has been a perfect way to transition back from Salt Lake to Lugano. Of course I am also grateful for all my family+friends back home whom made this summer an incredible one (more on that in an upcoming post!) One year ago I arrived uncertain, insecure, and confused. Now I confidently walk the streets of Lugano. I am at ease with my surrounding, and overwhelmingly appreciative of the beauty I get to experience on a daily basis. So that being said, I am committed to maintaining a positive attitude through the ups + downs of living in a foreign country thousands of miles away from home, I am committed to making this year the best one yet! So here it goes, the beginning of a new chapter of adventures.. Thanks for following along with me!