Beauty & Kindness on a Swiss Train

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask!

We fly to Zurich to save time so that we can enjoy the trains throughout Switzerland! Our expectations were to enjoy some amazing alpine hiking and enjoying the famous dairy based cuisine that is imprinted in our minds when we think of Switzerland! After purchasing a 1/2 fare card we start to make some impromptu plans! No… we have no booked places to stay and a bare-bones plan for what activities or even which cities to hit! Sometimes no plan is a good plan. And it seems to serve us well this time!

After booking a hotel in Zurich for a night, we hop on the train from the airport to check-in. Now mind you, the “eurorails” are different in each country so I need to adjust to language and systems. So we settle in the train and chat about our plans. In our excitement, we realize that the train is not stopping and is going on twice as long as expected. Fearing we missed our stop, David asked some passengers about our next destination. The girls kinda giggled and said we just missed it and will be on our way West for another 1 1/2 hours!! Laughing as we discuss our at our situation, one of the young girls offered to host us at her college apartment! Couchsurfing the old fashion way! David is all for it! Ironically she lives in a town we planned to be in 2 days from now!

Fribourg

In return of her kindness, we go to buy groceries so that she would cook us a traditional meal! Treated with a short tour of Fribourg, we had a quick authentic tour of this old town! The evening ended with a wonderful dinner on her balcony over good wine, clean air, and good conversation! We ended up staying another night and exploring the town leisurely on our own. That evening we met one of her roommates. So not to overstay our welcome, we booked a nice apartment/guestroom for the next few days so we can visit some other nearby attractions.

We learn that Fribourg is is an old town that has turned into a quaint college town. We learn that in Switzerland there most people speak French and/or German. Many can speak English or even Italian. Located on the Swiss plateau extending on both sides of the Saane/Sarine River, Fribourg is less touristed and maintains some charm of a small town. Perfect for David and I to leisurely explore and enjoy more cafe time!

No plan is a good plan indeed!