Our third week abroad took us to the heart of the Bernese Highlands in the Swiss Alps. A well known tourist destination, Interlaken sits at the bottom of a valley inbetween Lake Thun and Lake Brienz. It is a popular destination due to its close proximity to the mountain villages of Lauterbrunnen and Grindlewald, and the Jungfrau and Eiger summits.

While in Interlaken, we stayed at Balmer's Tent Village. The view was great, but the tents were cold and damp. Sleeping on the top bunk, I was greeted with cold water droplets seeping through the tent each morning.

A short train ride up into the valley and we were in Lauterbrunnen. We spent the whole day hiking and hiking until our legs gave up on us. We were greeted by breathtaking views and lounging cows. In one direction we would see grazing cows in the greenest grass. In another we would see imposing snow capped peaks. Turning our heads once more would reveal stunning waterfalls. It was truly a surreal place to be in. I could feel all my worries disappear under the calming sounds of running water and cow bells ringing.

The Swiss constitution does not explicitly define a state capital, but the de facto capital of Switzerland is Bern. The city of Bern lies on the river Aare, and sits atop a hill offering picturesque views in all directions. Leaving Interlaken Sunday morning, we only had a few hours to spend in Bern before we had to take a train back to Metz. However, we had just enough time to explore the beautiful and historic city by foot.

Bern is also home to the former residence of Albert Einstein. Einstein briefly lived in Bern from 1903 to 1905 while working as a clerk at the Federal Patent Office. It was here in Bern he wrote and published his Annus Mirabilis papers. His apartment has been converted into a small museum, Einstenhaus; I do regret a little not stopping to go inside, but we simply did not have enough time.