alpine bliss.

Winter’s prelude held back its usual curtain of cold rain and low-draping clouds for one last weekend, much to our surprise and delight. The long-anticipated trip to Interlaken welcomed our weary bodies with crystal clear skies and 75 degree sunshine. Not far from a Durango-esque summer (only trimmed with Sound of Music Swiss Alps) the weekend articulated perfection, in a ‘this-cant-be-real’ kind of way. With a utopian facade, the place felt completely out of harms way, and Maegan and I found ourselves laughing in the absurdity of the dream-like encounters that graced our time.

Beginning with an evening in the “hammock” room of our mountain-town hostel, and ending with a spontaneous headphone, team-MAIT dance at the Brig railroad station, Switzerland sandwiched an incredible line up…

-Canyoning, clothed in 4-inch thick neoprene (a 4 hour excursion through melted glaciers’ deep cut ravines…repelling, cliff jumping, floating, sliding and swimming through icey Alpine waters).

-Hiking a serene, Swiss heartland-valley surrounded by wooden cabins, babbling brooks, grandma gardeners, musical cows, glistening waterfalls and turf-colored grass.

-Lying, face up, in Stechelberg, as flying humans jumped off the 1,000+ ft. cliff above our heads. (somehow we found ourselves at a professional, World-Tournament for Base Jumpers?)

-Devouring chocolate truffles, with the “Mochatine” as a first-place contender.

-Sipping coffee while communing with our Maker’s presence at the famous Mountain Hostel in Gimmelwald, at the highest altitude of our climb.

-Listening to a private concert (upon request) from a friendly, Lauterbrunnen yodeling group en route to their next village concert…my favorite birthday present.

-Yoga-ing in the park near an aqua river before embarking on our charming train rides home…

As Maeg noted, the ease in which our mentalities fell into a subliminal, awe-struck appreciation of the beauty around us, proved refreshing. We have seen and touched some of the most monumental art in all of history during our stay abroad, yet still nothing compared to this natural panorama.

Human hands have re-constructed and re-created exquisite splendor over the years…learning to profoundly re-order what already exists…

Yet only One crafts and creates out of absolute nothingness…and His work cannot be rivaled…