A Letter To My Love

Dearest Switzerland,

I owe you an apology. Over the last three months, we've been spending a lot of time together, and honestly I started to take you for granted. You've been nothing but good to me since we first met in early January. That first week in Lugano was magical. I will forever cherish how special you made my 21st birthday. Our first weekend together was one for the books. Skiing Zermatt was hands down one of the best experiences of my life. You certainly inherited Mother Nature's best traits. 

Since then however, we've drawn apart. I take full blame. I started seeing other countries. First it was Italy, drawing me in with its delicious food. Then Germany with its endless supply of beer. Then England and its irresistible accent. Ireland stole my heart. I celebrated Valentine's Day with France. I went on a second date with Italy, who continued to woo me, this time with pesto. Belgium made me the world's best breakfast. Hungary was a cheap date. I gave Germany a second go. Prague and I really hit it off. Italy was determined to show me the wonders of Rome last weekend. 

I realize this isn't the best apology, but rather a list of my recent conquests. Keep reading. 

It had been over two months since our marvelous weekend together in Zermatt. Honestly, I was slightly bitter you wouldn't show me the Matterhorn, but I now realize you were simply playing hard to get. We had only just met, you weren't ready for that type of commitment. Clearly, I wasn't either. 

I realized that despite how long we've known each other now, we hadn't spent quality time together in quite a while. This weekend changed everything. Italy was practically begging me to visit Cinque Terre. Frankly, Italy was getting a little too clingy. Instead, I stayed with you. It was just the two of us and you showed me the world.

My journey to Interlaken was beautiful. You continue to teach me that it's the journey, not the destination. We were finally starting to click, and Friday you proved that. 

I woke up early Friday morning excited for my journey ahead to Jungfrau, the top of Europe. With stops in Lauterbrunnen Valley and Kleine Scheidegg, I was already blown away. Jungfraujoch took the cake. Words cannot describe your beauty, Switzerland.

Getting to Jungfraujoch required a simple train ride. Getting to it's peak at Mönchsjochhütte however, was not. You challenged me and I accepted. After an hour hike up the mountain, I made it. It's there that I fell in love with you all over again. I enjoyed a terrific lunch and one of the most beautiful views in the world.

Just when I thought the day couldn't get any better, you did this:

Thank you, Switzerland. While our time together is coming to an end in a few short weeks, I want you to know how great you are. I promise to come back and visit you, if you promise to be nicer to my wallet. 

With love,

Con amore,

Mit liebe,

Avec amour,

Bijan

Cliffs of Moher and More: Dublin, Ireland

The people of Ireland have hearts of gold. Of all the cities I have visited so far, I haven't met a group of people as friendly as the Irish. It seemed as though everyone I met had a smile on all of the time and it was contagious! We arrived in Ireland around noon on Monday. I started the trip with a traditional Irish meal, potatoes, cabbage, beer, and more potatoes. After lunch we visited the Guinness Factory. The museum within is shaped like a gigantic pint of Guinness. Inside we learned of the history of the brand and how to pour the perfect pint. I am proud to announce that I am an official graduate of the Guinness Academy. We explored the city more after our tour, and settled down for a nice dinner and live music.

Tuesday was my favorite part of my entire trip to Europe so far. Over thirty of us woke up for a 7am cross country bus ride to the Cliffs of Moher. I have never been somewhere more beautiful. The view from the top of the cliffs was astonishing. The cliffs overlook the Atlantic Ocean which was a crisp, clear blue. On our 3 hour trip to the cliffs, it rained and hailed for about 2 hours on and off. Upon arriving at the cliffs, the weather seemed to magically clear up. We suddenly had blue skies and winds strong enough to knock any of us off of our feet. Being blown off of the cliffs was a legitimate concern. Words and pictures give you an idea of the scenery but until you go there yourself, you haven't seen beauty.

On our way back we stopped a few times at other smaller cliffs and eventually made a stop at what was described as the party capital of Ireland, Gallway. Gallway is a small town with a great atmosphere. While we only spent about an hour there, I enjoyed every second. While there I learned of the history of the famous Claddagh Rings that originated in the small town. To make the trip home even better, our tour guide played U2 music the entire way home. It was indeed a beautiful day.We returned around 9pm and made our way to an Irish pub soon after. The live music in Ireland made the experience even more enjoyable.

Wednesday morning I explored Dublin on my own a bit before our plane to Paris that evening. My first stop was Trinity College, home of the Book of Kells. The campus was very enclosed and well designed. After a tour through the University's vast library, and the Book of Kells I made stops at Dublin Castle, St. Stephen's Green, and Christ Church Cathedral. Dublin Castle originally served a defensive role, it is now a major government complex. St. Stephen's Green is a public park in the city center, with over a dozen monuments dedicated to the lives lost during the famine. Christ Church Cathedral was established in the year 1030. Needless to say, it was incredible to be inside. I want to go back to Ireland as soon as possible.

Not only did I fall in love with Ireland, but I fell in love with an Irish girl for a few minutes as well. I made a stop into the Disney store, a territory of the Happiest Place on Earth, in order to double check my flight time. While there I was helped by a lovely employee, about my age, named Sinead (pronounced Sha-need). She was very pretty, her accent was adorable, and her kind nature instantly made my day. On my way back to my hostel, I passed by a florist. I stopped in, bought a bouquet of flowers and then made my way back to the Disney store and delivered the bouquet to Sinead. She was shocked and confused, with good reason, but was incredibly appreciative of what I told her was a random act of kindness. I then returned on my way to the hostel, knowing well that I likely won't ever see her again. Regardless, it felt nice to put a smile on someone's face, just as she had mine.

We arrived at the airport with plenty of time to spare thanks to delays caused by rain. While a little later than anticipated, we took off for Paris around 9pm. Updates from Paris are on the way!

Dublin in a photo.

Beannacht!

München in Munich

Fourteen of us ventured to Germany this weekend after an exciting week that included another soccer game with the locals, and a snow day trip back to Bellinzona. It took over eight hours, but we finally arrived in Munich around 11:30 Friday night. We explored the town a bit before calling it a night. In the process we found Finespitz's Fine Quality Hot Dog and Eatery, a small establishment that indeed made fine hot dogs. I ordered a veggie dog topped with guacamole and sprouts. It ranks high on the list of best hot dogs I've ever had, bested only by the veggie dog I had in Sweden a few years back which was covered in mashed potatoes and caramelized onions.

We woke up early Saturday for a walking tour of Munich. Our tour guide noted that it was unusually warm in for this time of year, as the temperature reached the high forties. Regardless, I was still cold. Our guide took us through the city showing us all of the highlights, including government buildings, royal palaces, churches, and lots of beer halls. The architecture of the buildings in Munich makes the city look far older than it is, as the city was almost completely demolished during World War II. Very few structures in the city remained in tact after over three million bombs were dropped on the city during the war. Our tour concluded outside of the royal palace, which completed reconstruction just over a year ago. If you have a chance to visit Munich, I highly recommend making time for one of the free walking tours.

Following the tour we got lunch at Augustiner Bräu Munchen where we tried our first German beer. The beer in Munich is incredible. As I learned on the tour, by law Bavarian beer can only contain the following ingredients: water, hops, barley, and yeast. It was delicious.

We explored the city a bit more, passing a NATO protest outside of the Glockenspiel in Marienplatz, before venturing to the world's most famous beer hall, the Hofbräuhaus. About three thousand drunk people fit in the Hofbräuhaus at a time, making the atmosphere unforgettable (or forgettable depending on how much one has to drink). The lederhosen wearing band played German music and the locals stood and chanted as we got a taste of life in Munich, including giant pretzels and beer. Nick & I made a trip back to Finespitz's Fine Quality Hot Dog and Eatery on our way back to our hostel.

On Sunday we visited the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site. Nothing I write can explain the atmosphere. Visiting the Memorial Site is an experience that cannot be described. As we took our tour, I couldn't help but think of the poor souls who spent countless days in the same spot being worked to the bone in the frigid cold air. I had read a lot about the camp in school, but being there brought on another level of understanding.

We returned from Dachau with about two hours until our train left. Kyle and I wanted to make the most of our time in Munich, and made a trip across town to another beer hall. We enjoyed a light lunch surrounded by FC Bayern Munich fans who were preparing for the team's 5-0 route of Frankfurt. Everyone in the bar was decked out in checkered red and white.

We caught the train back to Lugano in time for our first ever Super Bowl Monday! At midnight we went to Franklin College down the street to watch the Seahawks and Broncos play for the Lombardi Trophy. Our professor moved our usual Monday morning class to one in the afternoon knowing that we would all be up until around six watching the game. While it wasn't much of a game, it was nice to watch football again.

This week should go by quickly as we prepare for our Italian midterm and Marketing and Consumer Behavior final before getting on a plane to London Thursday night. Next week marks our first spring break during which I'll be traveling in London, Dublin, and Paris.

Ciao!