Day 12

Waking up in a beautifully rainy day never felt so nice! We are here in Meiringen at Hotel Victoria after a day of driving, napping, exploring, and eating! My room is gorgeous - very minimal with deep indigo accents and crystals from the local mountains in the room.

After breakfast yesterday we all jumped in the car. On Saturday evening mom had an excellent idea to combine all our dirty clothes so that we could leave one of the bags in the car. We had a ball watching her eyes water while she listened to “Eye of the Tiger.”

Our drive was long but smooth. We were going to stop in Verbania but felt that a drive through the town was sufficient. Our next point of interest was Intragna. We got out and had a cappuccino at La Stazione, a cafe near the train station. The place was so cute and felt like you were in someone’s home. Following this, we walked up into town and explored the church, the town square, and the cute and colorful alleyways. We even saw the name “Madonna” a couple times. 

After Intragna, we kept driving and went through the longest tunnel and stent of traffic we’ve experienced thus far in Europe. Seriously long! We stopped at Hotel La Perla to say hello to the Bassis but nobody was home so we kept on driving. 

The pass to get here was pretty crazy. We trusted mama completely but it was a bit hairy at times with the high mountain roads, cars and motorcycles speeding around us, and the occasional biker to carefully avoid in a dark tunnel. 

Needless to say, once we made it to Meiringen we were all in want of a drink. We stopped for lunch at a cute and yummy place called the Sherpa? We were really hungry! After that, we checked into the room and made ourselves at home with some American tv (friends) and a nap. When we awoke we took a little walk downtown to see the various shops - most of which were closed - and make it back to the hotel in time to shower and get ready for dinner. This meal was the best I’ve had in a very very long time - perhaps ever - and undoubtedly the best I’ve had since being in Switzerland. We started with a ham mouse and lentil amuse bouche and then had the best salad I’ve ever tried (pineapple salad, bean shoots, pickled onion, REAL bacon, pear, raspberry.... amazing). For dinner I had the spätle, mom had the veal and dad had the venison. Our meals were out of the world. Daddy’s and my plates also came with some delicious chestnuts which are a special treat because they typically aren’t offered in the summer. For dessert, I had a creme brûlée number with caramel ice cream and mom *finally* had ice cream... both delicious.

After dinner we had a night cap with Simon and a nice conversation about what to do this morning for hiking and sight seeing. The weather is cold and rainy but it feels so perfect now that it’s officially Autumn. Another season, another stage. Love is all around!