It's Easter weekend and the Swiss highways are packed with city folk escaping to their chalets. By the time you leave the city and weave through Bern, the cute lakes throughout the country, the night encompasses the mountain view and you're left driving through the pitch black windy roads trying to find a random address up in the mountains. Its springtime, and as you exit the car all the smells of cow and mountain air fill the stuffy car.
The night was filled with Paien, fondue, and laughter, so the next morning to get in some skiing is very tough. Finally the view of the Kleine Scheidegg, Männlichen and Pfingstegg mountains overcome the Jungfrau landscape. The infrastructure at the bottom of the hill is incredible with the Grindelwald Terminal having everything from rental skis to a ramen shop ready for visitors to brave the cold. As the gondola reaches the top, the ski hill crawls across the mountain top with views everywhere you look. Gondolas peak over east, west, north, and south connecting various cute towns like Wengen and Lauterbrunnen.
After your legs and back are sore from skiing, all you want is a drink and a fire to complete the après ski vibe. Getting back to the chalet, the woodfire starts and your friends and you enjoy the sunset on the patio wondering who's going to brave the chilly air the longest. Wild rabbits roam the mountainside and the smell of firewood grazes your nose but the smell of happy cows dominate your nose. Farms and chalets line the mountainside and all you can think about is "I can't wait to come back and go on a hike".
Grindelwald is quaint, quiet, and simple. It's the definition of Swiss living once you hear the cows 'moo-ing' with the fire going and the fondue being prepared. Easter weekend 2020 in the midst of covid was quiet and maybe lonesome for some. This year, covid persists but the good company of friends, the incredible views, aching legs from skiing, and the simple getaway will make the memory of covid a happier one, just like the cows.
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