Vegan schnitzel with a side of seasonal depression

We spent this week in Switzerland and I immediately regretted all those times I complained that Spain was so hot. Its been rainy nearly all day, every day. Other than San Diego's famous May Gray and June Gloom, which gives us a thick marine layer in the morning in the beginning of summer, I've never noticed a more sustained feeling of seasonal depression. So instead of twirling on the hillside belting out "The hills are alive with the sound of music...", every day we've found something on the "things to do in Switzerland in the rain" and made lemonade with our lemons. We are in the tiny beautiful town of Sigriswill, perched on a hillside above Lake Thun. We are across from a local church which reminds us every 15 minutes what time it is. Thankfully, the church bells go down to once an hour in the middle of the night. There are adorable goats and cows with bells on their necks noshing on the greenest grass I've ever seen.

Our favorite rainy day activities if you are ever lucky enough to be here during a torrential downpour include:

1) Travel to the top of Europe - Jungfrau is one of the main summits of the Bernese Alps. It was raining at the base, but after 3 train transfers and one gondola, we reached the top and enjoyed some light snow while catching views of the alps from within the clouds. One brave soul entertained us by stripping naked for his photo.

2) Hot Tug - On the Brienz lake, we rented a "hot tug", a floating hot tub powered by a wood burning fireplace. Easily one of the coolest experiences in my life. Tyler and I took turns jumping off in to the freezing lake.

3) Aquabasilea - Indoor water park in Basel. We had an absolute blast on the water slides, both indoor and outdoor. Swim up bars and restaurants, a wave pool, lazy river, and really fast and very dangerous waterslides without a single lifeguard to be found. California would NEVER allow such a facility to exist. I haven't had so much fun in the water since I was a kid. My body aches from head to toe from being slammed in to the slide walls about a hundred times, but it was worth it.

Bodhi definitely didn't enjoy much of Switzerland. He went on a poop strike for the first few days, refusing to take cues from the dozens of mountain dogs we'd see on walks. Instead he'd stop and shiver in the mud until I took him back to the hotel where he slept alone most days. The closest bustling town to us is Thun which is stunning, on a river, right out of a postcard. The restaurant patios are packed with people eating schnitzel and fondue, and they have rain covers and blankets so you can enjoy the outside while staying relatively warm.

Today, we woke up to blue sky for the first time since arrival. We packed upped the car for the last time and drove to Zurich, stopping at the Chateau Gutsch with a beautiful panoramic view of Lucerne. Final stop in Switzerland, the Home of Lindt Chocolate! See you next time Switzerland...hopefully with more sun.