Family in Switzerland

It had been years since I saw my sister! Sofi is now living near Bern, Switzerland, in a small country town called Villarepos. Amy and I were lucky to get to spend 4 days with Sofi and her family. It was so nice to catch up, get another snapshot of her 3 beautiful children growing up, and getting a tour of the pristine Swiss landscapes with Serge (her husband).

A drone shot of the Château de Gruyères. We did not go inside, but the town and exterior of the castle are a magical place stuck in the Medieval times.

Watch the Life as a Drone in Switzerland movie! If you don't know Switzerland well, you will be surprised at its beauty :)

We spent most of our time chatting, making almond milk (very simple!), playing with the kids, and walking around the beautiful country side. The drone shots of the fields and Roman walls in the movie are from the farmlands of Villarepos (my sister's town). One day, Amy and I borrowed a car to travel around rural Switzerland. We made a beautiful circuit through farmlands, Medieval towns, and the Cailler chocolate factory where we overindulged in delicious chocolate! If you want to visit rural Switzerland, a car is a must.

Sofi and I on the Nydeggbrücke bridge.

The Aare river from the Nydeggbrücke bridge.

A short video of how chocolate is made :) Yummm

Switzerland is a unique and perfect country. The cities are clean, the food is well balanced, the people are respectful, and of course the chocolate is to die for. Amy and I both joke about how we should just cancel our trip and move to Switzerland, and sometimes the hesitant laughs make me feel like it's not a joke! I understand that living in Switzerland can sometimes be stressful, whether it is the hard working culture, pursuit of perfection, or infallible order to life. On the flipside of this coin lays a pristine beauty and deep rooted sense of respect and good nature that makes the Swiss society superior to its neighbors. The Swiss do not check your bus ticket because it is outside of the realm of possibilities that someone would not pay their fare. Amy and I stayed in Saint Genis while visiting my friend at CERN and Geneva (thank you for the amazing tour Aviv!). It is common for people to stay in Saint Genis while visiting Geneva because it is much cheaper. This was an eye opening experience because I was able to see the stark difference between French and Swiss society and quality of life on a daily basis. Although I love France, and very much enjoyed the little town of Saint Genis, I must say the Swiss standard of living is much higher. You notice it in the parks, the public services, and the buildings. The cost of living in Saint Genis is about half, yet the income is a quarter of that in Geneva. It is important to note that Saint Genis is not the flagship city of France (I guess Paris is), Geneva is SUPER expensive even for Swiss standards, and I'm sure you would find similar trends at the Italian border (probably not the German one).

The Parliament Building

A burned down diner in Barberêche.

Amy in the Medieval town of Gruyères.

Sofi's beautiful blonde children!

A Roman amphitheater in Fribourg renovated for modern music performances.

Drone shot of Serge, Mateo, and Amy among Roman ruins.

Drone shot of Amelie, Mateo, and Amy on Roman ruins in Villarepos.

Thank you for reading!