Months before, Hallie requested being in Switzerland for her birthday because she wanted to experience some “real Swiss Chocolate”.
With Salzburg being so close, we picked up a rental car and made a weekend out of it. She had no idea where we were going or where we were until we announced, “welcome to Switzerland Hallie!”. We drove through many long tunnels, enjoyed lots of incredible scenic views, vast mountains, and aqua blue waters. I love Switzerland so much! Phil and I traveled through last summer and enjoyed every minute of it. We’d love to have a permanent home here- if only it wasn’t so expensive.

We stayed up on a hill in a small town of Giswil and we highly recommend it! Our host was so great, and the location is in-between Bern and Zurich, just more on the southern end, near Interlaken. Below is the view we woke up to each morning!

We took the opportunity to attend the Bern Temple while there and had the pleasure of running into a couple from our ward in Italy. It was so great to see them, my heart just feels so much love for the people in the Ladispoli Ward!

After the Temple we headed to a town where my great grandmother lived before she moved to America. We tried to find the home where she grew up with no luck, but enjoyed the lake and found a great burger place, known for their black buns, on our way home.

Hallie’s Birthday was on Friday. We found some balloons we could blow up and decorating the place with as well as the cards Hallie’s friends and family sent for her. She LOVED it! We made her some crepes for breakfast, then headed out to a place called, “WOW!”, an illusion museum in Zurich.

And then, Hallie’s big surprise, the Lindor Chocolate Factory! We got to tour the discovery, history, and making of Lindt chocolates as well as partake of many samplings! Hallie was thrilled to use some of her birthday money to buy her own chocolates as well.

Saturday morning before we headed back to Salzburg, we went hiking on a trail near our Airbnb. It was beautiful. We even came across a couple curing cheese shacks on the trail. Afterwards, we nearly broke the bank at a local cafe to enjoy a delicious, authentic Swiss lunch. It’s amazing to me with all the locally grown, raised, and made ingredients in Switzerland and the prices are still outrageous! Regardless it was delicious and a great way to end the trip.

The Sunday we got back, we invited our next door neighbor and the Sister missionaries to share some birthday cake with us. Hallie had a wonderful birthday, thanks to everyone who contributed in making it so!

Here’s Hallie in her new, birthday dirndl dress.