The Editing Eagle

Before I travelled to Switzerland, I thought that the most serene place I had ever seen was in the southern region of Western Australia.

Now don’t get me wrong: the southern region of Western Australia is beautiful, but that July weekend I spent gazing at sheep roaming in green pastures was just a foretaste of just how beautiful some places can be.

Enter Switzerland.

The first moments of awe started when I was on the train: glimpses of mountains framed the train windows, and better yet, snow! The kind that gets you all animated and excited as you turn to your loved one and exclaim, “Snow!!”. A rush of serenity hits you as you realise you are in for the views of a lifetime—except you’re not quite there just yet; these sights are a taste of what’s to come.

Choosing to stay in a local town (Wilderswil) just outside the popular tourist destination (Interlaken) was a great idea. Wilderswil is like the less-known sibling who downplays their success—a humble little village. Interlaken is like the popular sibling that everyone knows and wants to hang out with. Both are great, but for those with introverted tendencies, Wilderswil gets you. Because Interlaken is on the gorgeous lake, most people tend to stay in the centre of the sights; whereas Wilderswil is a further ten-minute drive, but it means fewer people and more of a local experience. So, it’s the kind of place you stay when you want a local vibe without the tourist popularity.

Arriving in Wilderswil

After arriving a few minutes later than expected, I stood outside the bus stop on a call to our bed and breakfast host, explaining how we just missed our bus. The voice on the other end of the phone met me with warm ease as they politely said they would wait for the next bus to pick us up.

As we got on the bus, my husband and I soon questioned whether we were indeed on the right bus and voiced our shared concerns about the situation. A kind stranger heard us second-guessing ourselves and looked our way with a smile: “Where are you heading?”

We explained where we needed to go, and she kindly told us that we were on a bus that was doing a loop and would return to the bus stop we got on at. In other words, we were not on our way to our destination. This kind stranger, a local, told us what time the next bus would arrive and, to the minute, exactly what time we could expect to arrive at our destination (which was totally accurate). So off we found our way to our home away from home.

We reached the village of Wilderswil in less than 10 minutes. I guess the usual thing to do when you arrive in a new area is to look up places to eat on google maps—thankfully, we didn’t have to do this and could relax, take in the views and walk a few minutes down the road to some local eating spots.  

As we entered the restaurant (or more like a local pub), the sweetest woman greeted us and took us to our seats. It felt like we were in a movie—one where all the people in the local pub/restaurant/diner know each other, and everyone knows when the visitors walk in. Yeh, that was us.

Everyone went out of their way to make us feel welcome and at home. Our food was delightful. My eyes lit up when I saw that the meat on the menu was from a local village nearby. The kindest 84-year-old woman came to check on us while we waited for our meals, and she told us her son was out the back, cooking. She told us it was a “slow meal”. Aka, it would take time, but it was worth it. The taste revealed that—it felt authentic and homecooked. Sustainable and delicious.

Exploring like a local

To get a taste of the local experience, you need to explore like a local. While experiences such as going to the top of Europe (also known as Jungfrau) are absolutely amazing, it’s often the little streets or the local shops or the friendly lady passing you in the street that give you a taste of the community and culture.

Walking back to our bed and breakfast after an Italian dinner early one evening, I was intrigued to see two men ploughing an empty garden patch. As a keen gardener, I wandered over to the fence to see what they were working on. Peering into the open garden, I asked the men what they were working on. The kind gentleman replied, “Preparing to plant potatoes… in ten months, we’ll be harvesting them!”

I stared in awe at the mulch for a bit longer. It looked so well-tended and healthy. The kind of mulch I dream about having in my Australian backyard but forever spend bags of mulch trying to produce. These two men had that soil cultivated and ready for sowing potatoes! It felt like a community experience to be a part of. Inviting your mate over to help you plant potatoes—that’s the kind of garden experience I like!

A beautiful lifestyle

Switzerland continued to awe me. The scenery is like nothing a photo can capture. It’s better in real life.

The open lifestyle with a lack of fencing between houses made me think about how different it was where I’m from—high fences surrounding all perimeters of most suburban properties. But here, everything was open and felt welcoming.

The sweet German-inspired wooden windows were inviting; the grass looked well-tended, and the space between neighbours: it all communicated a message of relaxation, ease and community. A slower pace of life with people at the core. A life shared with others, a preserved beauty to the land and a peace that is felt in thriving nature—Switzerland: a peace of home.