ahoyne9Leaving Munich in the morning, I finally had the chance to drive on the Autobahn, which had always been a goal of mine. However, I quickly realized that while there are sections with no speed limit, these stretches are not very long. By the time I accelerated to a high speed, I had to slow down again for the next speed restriction—so it wasn’t quite as thrilling as I had imagined.
This was my first time crossing a country by vehicle, aside from trips to Canada from Minnesota. It was unique because Paul knew of smaller border crossings that had random checkpoints, making the journey much quicker. We crossed into Switzerland with no border patrol on duty and headed to his town, Widnau, a suburb of Saint Gallen.
On the first day, Paul showed me around his town. I got a haircut and enjoyed some reasonably priced Turkish food, which was a welcome find in expensive Switzerland. While not as costly as Iceland, Switzerland was still quite pricey.
On the second day, I visited Liechtenstein, which I’ll post about later (link will be added here once available).
On the third day, we went to Zurich to pick up Paul’s brother and my dad, who coincidentally arrived at the same time on different flights.
Exploring Appenzell 07.29.2021
Having spent a few days in Switzerland, with brief trips to Austria for dinner and a visit to Liechtenstein, Paul wanted to show my dad and me a traditional Swiss town called Appenzell.
Today was the first day with good weather, as it had been raining and cloudy since my arrival. The sunny skies were perfect for enjoying the scenic countryside drive.
In Appenzell, we took a fascinating cheese tour at Appenzeller Schaukäserei, where we witnessed the traditional art of Appenzeller cheese-making. The tour costs CHF 12.00 (about $12 USD) and includes watching cheese being made from fresh, regional milk, learning about Appenzeller cheese traditions, and tasting various samples. After the tour, we enjoyed a meal and a cheese platter at the on-site restaurant and purchased local cheeses and products from the shop.
Next, we hiked up to Seealpsee, a beautiful Alpine lake. The hike is moderately difficult but rewarding, starting from the Wasserauen train station. You can choose between a steep service road or a less steep forest path, both offering stunning views of the lake, which reflects the surrounding Alps like a mirror. Along the way, I saw several Swiss cows and observed parasailing activities at the trailhead.
We ended the day with a visit to Liechtenstein, which I will detail in a separate post.
Tomorrow, I’m taking a train to Innsbruck, Austria to visit a university of Wisconsin friend, Daniel, who will show me around for eight hours before I return to Saint Gallen. Afterward, it will be time to say goodbye to Paul as my dad and I continue our Swiss adventure in Lausanne.
Cheers to Paul for being a great host and showing me a side of Switzerland I wouldn’t have experienced on my own.
Cheers!