Switzerland

It's Monday.  I woke up at 7:00.  The blinds were drawn this morning so I didn't see my favorite three mountains, the Eiger, the Mönch, and the Jungfrau.  Nevertheless, my heart was happy in just knowing that they were still there--they hadn't gone anywhere and they weren't about to.  They have been established by God's power;  He has robed them in strength (Psalm 65:6).  

I borrowed Debralyn's adaptor so that I could straighten my hair and threw on some make-up.  The breakfast bell rang at promptly at 8:15 and I headed down the hostel's large spiral staircase.  If I'm being completely honest I had been ready for this mornings cup of coffee since last night.  In fact, over the course of this European pilgrimage, I've fallen pretty hard for coffee.  But before you picture me drinking straight espresso, let me clarify that most of my friends that have tasted my coffee concoction say that it is more comparable to hot chocolate than coffee.  The ratio is about one-third coffee and two-thirds hot milk with a substantial amount of cocoa and sugar.  

Despite friendly banter from those around me, I enjoyed my coffee and was now ready for class.  I gathered my notebook, pens, and laptop and headed downstairs to the basement for a European Reformations lecture from Dr. Quiggle.  I went into this class assuming I wouldn't love studying the reformation as much as I love studying the ancient church--I was wrong.  If anything it is intensifying my love for the ancient church and is completing my view of and love for church history as a whole!

After a sumptuous lunch of pasta, salad, and bread I caught a train to Interlaken with friends.  We shopped around for a little while and then headed back to our little village tucked up in the foothills of the mountains around Wilderswil.  

This afternoon holds the possibilities of reading about Luther, playing soccer with friends, dinner, and one last evening of sitting and soaking up the beauty of the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau mountains.  

Tomorrow we head to Germany, but before I leave Switzerland here are a couple (and by a couple I mean 49) pictures and favorite memories from my time in this magnificent country that I have come to love.

Beautiful flowers around every corner and in most window sills.  

Credo, the hostel in which we are staying--nestled in the base of a mountain.  

In the above picture Jin is pointing to the valley we are staying in and the mountain to which we were headed.  Actually we were headed to the Jungfraujoch.  Also known at the Top of Europe, this observatory is the highest train station in all of Europe.  It is located between the Mönch and the Jungfrau peaks.  Below is the Jungfraubahn (Jungfrau train) that we took all the way to the top.  

Pictured above are the Eiger and the Mönch (from left to right).  The "left-est" side of the Eiger can be more intelligently identified as the famous Northface.  Some incredibly awesome man climbed the Northface in 2 hours and 47 minutes on February 13, 2008.  I want to meet him.  

The view from the Top of Europe was astounding.  The heavens, without a doubt, declare the glory of God and the mountains speak of His majesty, rather they shout it!  

After some time at the observatory, we hiked on a glacier to a restaurant about three-quarters of a mile away.  

I don't really know how to caption the above picture other than the following:  these guys were really cool and their climbing up the side of this glacier was incredible to me, therefore, I asked for a picture with them.  The end.  

Being in these mountains speaks so mightily to me of what God must be like...

Indescribable.  Majestic.  Powerful.  Beautiful.  

We made it to the restaurant!   

Ashley, Nick Rick (an Australian touring Europe that we met on the glacier), me, and Dustin.

Some of us got off the Jungfraubahn halfway down the mountain so that we could hike the rest of the way down.  

With views such as these, this hike climbed quickly to number one on my list of favorite hikes.  

The trail we hiked is named the Eiger trail for it winds around the base of the Northface of the Eiger.  

Although absolutely delightful, the hike was also tiring as we trudged through snowfields and down steep rock hills.  Dustin took a little nap as we waited for the train to take us back to Wilderwil.  

Here it is.  The Northface of the Eiger that we walked around.  

The next day (Friday), we took a gondola up to First (pronounced Fierst) Mountain.  

We enjoyed a remarkably beautiful hike to an extraordinary lake.  

The guys...

and some of the gals.

My favorite, best, most incredible friend and roommate Lauren Downey.  

Me being all mom-ish on the way down from First with Ashely (whom I love) and Megan (whom I also love).

Gourmet Swiss chocolate with friends.  

Saturday we hiked to the waterfall (below).  

We took yet another gondola up to Mürren and spent the afternoon hanging out at this park.  Swinging in front of my favorite mountains.  The one visible in this picture is my most favorite, the Jungfrau.

A picture with "4 Bouchées" in honor of all the Booshes that Lauren and I love from 10 West.  

Sunday was spent in Geneva.  This is the church at which Calvin pastored:  St. Peter's.  I am absolutely loving learning about the reformation.  And by loving, I mean LOVING.  

Lauren and I rested in a park by the waterfront until it was time to head back to Wilderswil.

I am enjoying my last night in Switzerland with my awesome friends.  A day trip to Zurich to learn about Zwingli in the morning and then on to Germany for the first time in my life.  I can't wait to see how much I will love it there.