Based on what I’ve experienced these past few days, there’s no question Switzerland is beautiful. However, today we got to experience a gorgeous and peaceful piece of paradise – The UNESCO Biosphere Entlebuch. 
They were awarded this status by the UN in 2001. The region contains the largest and most diverse moor landscapes in Switzerland and is home to a significant variety of flora and fauna. About 17,000 people live in the eight municipalities that make up the Biosphere. A walk through the biosphere allows visitors to get a first hand natural look at a large scale effort of sustainability. It won the 2008 “To Do!” Award for socially responsible tourism as the model region for sustainable living and working. 
Along the peaceful hike, we had the opportunity to walk in some moor, a cool mud which made our feet feel wonderful afterwards. In the Biosphere, there marked hiking trails to get you even closer to nature.
We also spent time with some adorable cows. They came right up to us and as we started walking away, they followed right behind with their cowbells clanking away. It was really sweet. The cows weren’t the only friendly ones. In the sheep farm, the sheep were very anxious to come say hi and slober all over your hand if you let it. The happiness and comfort of the animals in Switzerland is something paramount, and local residents claim they can firmly tell the difference between eating all natural, free-ranging grass fed animals of their home country than when it is imported from elsewhere…. Speaking of food, lunch was at a fabulous restaurant in town, Restaurant Bahnhofli, which was a suprising treat just adjacent to the Entlebuch train station.
After the biosphere, we headed out to Beckenried by train and bus and returned by boat to see a typical Swiss wrestling match, or “Schwingen,” the Swiss National sport. 
There’s nothing better than watching sweaty guys tackle each other in saw dust. The crowd was a show in itself consisting of everyone from young kids enjoying ice cream to elders in their wheelchairs. There were yodelers, drunk guys screaming sounds I’ve never heard at any game in the states, and food vendors of all kinds selling all kinds of sausage and Bratkase, a piece of toast smothered with inches of roclette cheese. Of course we had to try one of these and it was phenomenal!
Dinner was at Hotel des Balances, and the atmosphere was classy with a gorgeous setting overlooking the water. You can opt for indoor or outdoor seating. The food was great and the chocolate cake with sparklers they surprised me with for my birthday was perfectly delicious!
After dinner, we walked around Lucerne to find a cool bar. Some of the people in the group had ducked into a bar next to our hotel and suggested I go in and check it out. I did and made a comment that all these guys and even a woman were giving me the once over. They all laughed because I didn’t realize it was bar for guys looking for a little action in the brothel behind it. I later found out prostitution is legal in Switzerland. Of course once I found that out, I had to go back in for another look! Details will be discussed on “After Hours!”
What a great few days it’s been.
After buying some strawberries, kiwis, and local bread, we headed to the transportation museum.
I would say the theme of today was food. Dairy to be exact. And for someone who is lactose intollerant, I was a bit scared. But I came prepared with a box of lactaid and was ready to go! There was no way I was coming to Switzerland and not trying the cheese and chocolate! After a delicious breakfast of lox, fruit and Swiss cereal and breads at the hotel, we took about a forty minute ride from Fribourg to Gruyere and went to visit La Maison du Gruyeres, where the authentic Gruyere cheese is made and aged. Did you know that it takes 121 pounds of milk to make 1kg of Gruyere cheese? Depending on the season, between 4,000 and 7,000 rounds mature in the cellers at a temperature of 18 degrees celcius at 92% humidity. If you buy Gruyere cheese in the states, you’ll know its authentic if it has an AOC on the label. You can be guaranteed that is an all natural product and the quality of milk is the highest. 
village of Gruyere which only has around 100 inhabitants and consists of one beautifully lined street with two museums, the HR Griger and the Tibet, the restaurant where we ate for lunch, and souvenir type shops. Lunch was at the well-known Restaurant Le Chalet and I know why it is so well known…its cheese fondue is to die for! 
The smell was kind of funky as I was warned, but it was so delicious! They make their fondue from a mixture of gruyere and raclett and serve it with potatos and bread for dipping. If you’d like to try making this on your own, here are the ingredients for the authentic recipe for Friboug which serves four people: 400 grams Gruyere cheese, 400 grams Fribourg Vacherin cheese, 1 clove or garlic, 3 decilitres white wine, 15 grams of potato starch and Kirsch and pepper. Drop me a comment if you’d like the instructions! For dessert, we had rasberries in double cream, all made locally. 
There was a huge variety of plain milk and dark chocolate, chocolate with hazlenuts, almonds, crushed cocoa beans, truffles, etc. Of course I had to try almost one of everything, but I did it as though I was at a wine tasting. Just one bite of each! Well, two of some of them…ok I finished a few. After the tour, we went into the store which had a huge variety and of course I stood for a half an hour trying to decide what to bring home.
I opted out of the merenge with ice cream and double cream. I had to stop somewhere! 
Depending on where you are in Switzerland, you’ll hear one of the two phrases, and of course it means, Hello from Switzerland! After a smooth eight hour flight on Swiss Air, we descended on the beautiful greenery, farmland, and mountains of Switzerland, and landed at Zurich Airport. We hopped on Rail Europe which has a stop on the lower level of the airport, and took it to Fribourg, where we caught a quick bus to Romantik Hotel Au Savage.
The city surrounds itself with beautiful medieval architecture, fountains, churches, museums and gorgeous landscaping. You can walk through the cobblestone streets into various boutiques or explore its historical side. Fribourgh has a bridge over the River Sarine that links the French-Speaking and German-speaking part of Switzerland. While there, we went into a museum dedicated to the works of James Tinguely, who along with his wife Niki de St Phalle made a distinguishing mark on Fribourgh’s cultural and artistic life. 
Jean Tinguely was a master of moving art. His sculptures appeal to several senses at the same time: sight, hearing, touch and sometimes even smell.
It is the only means of transport in all of Europe that operates entirely off of its own city’s waste water. Built in 1899, it a fitting literal link between the modern city center and the historic old town. Before each individual journey on the funicular, 3,000 liters of the town’s waste water are pumped into the system. Even in the 19th century, the Swiss were thinking Green! The ride, complete with cranking and creaking, is a must see for any visitor to the city.
These past two days in Barbados have been full of adventure and activities I’ve never done before. I hate the feeling, but I find that as I’ve gotten older, I’ve become a little more frightened when it comes to things I haven’t done before. Maybe it’s the fact that I seem to be very accident prone and the possible consequences are always running through my head, whereas when I was younger, I was more carefree. However, I try not to let the fears get the best of me, and if there is an adventurous activity, especially one that involves the water, I always sign up for that option. 
For lunch, we went to a great rum bar, the Fishermans Pub in Speightstown, and had real down home Barbados cooking, including flying fish, fish cakes, a deliciously prepared chicken dish, plantains, sweet potato mash, and cou cou, a popular corn meal and okra dish. Speightstown is a fun little shopping area as well. 
was a major last minute booking, and while I don’t have complete confirmation, we suspect it may have been the “Big O,” as we saw many airforce planes at the airport upon arrival. The beach at the Crane has been named one of the top ten in the world by Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. The sand is actually pink and is the softest on the island. 
Tomorrow we’re going to experience the submarine Atlantis, and see all of the wonderful underwater life, which should be a lot of fun! We’re off to dinner now…I’m going to come back five pounds heavier, but it’s all worth it!
Under the direction of Roger Chubb and Virginia Trieloff, the exhibitions highlight the best of Barbadian, Caribbean, European and Canadian art and raises money for various Barbadian charities. While ownership has passed through a few families, there has been a house on this site since the latter part of the Seventeenth Century. Current exhibitions include Barbadian Furniture from 1680-2009 and Sculpture in the Garden by Jerome Radigois, which is definitely a site to see. Both will be highlighted until the end of May. Corrie Scott is a successful artist and well known in Barbados for her magnificent portraits, paintings, and promotion of the arts. She is very involved with the Lancaster House and takes it upon herself to get the word out to the world of all the various art exhibits, music and theater events. She works closely with Wendy Kidd, who planned the incredible Holders Festival, which included numerous local and national well-known music acts, as well as artists, jewelers, and craftsmen.
You can go home with your very Barbados Rum in a personalized etched bottle. It’s the perfect place to come for an hour or relax for an entire day on their patio, just reading a book and enjoying the cool breeze. 
The brightly colored hibiscus flowers that covered the long wooden dining room table were gorgeous and all of the glasses and silverware were antique. The meal itself was phenomenal. We started off with a carrot, pumpkin, ginger soup, then some mango sorbet, and for the main course, a delicious mahi mahi. John and his wife host Sunday brunches and people can enjoy over 30 traditional food items while sitting outside and enjoying the peaceful setting.
The drink menu was extensive and I enjoyed the first drink on the menu, called the #1, which included dark rum, amaretto, pineapple, coconut, and cherry liquor. Let’s just say I felt really good after just one! I started off dinner with a delicious portobello mushroom salad followed by seared tuna and topped it off with a wonderful mix of guava, mango, and rasberry sorbets. Leave yourself plenty of time at The Cliff, as it is the perfect setting for a relaxing and romantic meal. 
The treatments themselves were also amazing. I chose a facial and my mom, a massage. We arrived at the spa a half an hour before our appointments, changed into our robes, and had the opportunity to enjoy the steam room, an antioxidant drink, or champagne and truffles in the lounge. During my facial with Debbie, she looked over my skin, discussed my questions, and then chose the perfect blend of antioxidant products. The combination of massage and steam was so relaxing and helped my face and body feel completely rejuvenated. My mom chose the Chardonnay Vinotherapy Massage, which was just one of the many creative treatments offered. Afterward, we met in a common area where we rubbed our feet in salt and then spun our chairs around and soaked them in warm water, while sipping more champagne and indulging in truffles!
In the afternoon, my brother and I took the free shuttle over to the family friendly Minerals Resort and Spa, also part of the Crystal Springs Resort, which caters to families, and has a large gym, tennis, basketball, and racquetball quarts, and seven indoor and outdoor heated pools. Although I’m more of a pilates than a yoga girl, I decided to check out the yoga class, which catered to all levels. 
We then came back to the Grand Cascades Lodge and met my parents at the Biosphere, and spent some time in the indoor and outdoor heated pool, jacuzzi, steam room, and sauna. I almost had to remind myself that I was in NJ, as the biosphere gives off a Caribbean resort vibe, as everyone was having fun and sipping frozen drinks prepared poolside.
As I mentioned in my last blog entry, I love finding escapes close to home, so I was looking forward to coming to the Crystal Springs Resort this weekend. In beautiful Sussex County, it is the perfect escape, easily accessible from all regions of the state. It really is a hidden jewel. I arrived in the mid afternoon and driving into the property was a truly spectacular scene. The interior of the Grand Cascades Lodge proves to be just as breathtaking as the nature that surrounds it. The majestic Adirondack style lodge is a 4-Star property and has only been opened since July 2007.
There is a fireplace in the living room and a spacious terrace overlooking the mountains. 
The bathroom is the suite is huge, with a shower and a separate jacuzzi tub. And the best part about the rooms? They have Tempurpedic mattresses! I am so excited to go to sleep tonight!
drinks were out of this world.
crisp duck confit, radicchio, roasted cashews, 
and honey-sherry vinaigrette. I was very impressed with the larger than expected size of the salad and the perfect combination of ingredients. For entrees, my family was split between the Seared Sea Scallops and the King Salmon. The scallops, which were enhanced with a maderira-mirin glaze, capers, shallots, almonds; and accompanied by a cauliflower purée and Israeli couscous, did not disappoint. The scallops were remarkably satisfying, some of the best I have had in my life.
The mixed drinks were just as creative, infused with fruits such as pomegranate, kiwi, and guava.
