-We're traveling to a destination which possesses an epic beauty that has no rival in the world, medieval cities amongst magnificent mountains with tender chalet villages that seemingly live in the sky, and while the physical beauty deserves a lot of praise, it shouldn't take all the credit.
If happy cows make happy cheese, then a marvelous environment makes even more radiant people.
I'm in the beautiful Bern region of Switzerland where there's always more cowbell.
♪♪ I'm Samantha Brown, and I've traveled all over this world, and I'm always looking to find the destinations, the experiences and, most importantly, the people who make us feel like we're really a part of a place.
That's why I have a love of travel and why these are my places to love.
"Samantha Brown's Places to Love" is made possible by... -Europe is a treasure trove of fascinating history, rich culture and renowned cities.
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-Switzerland is located smack in the middle of Europe, and because it's a relatively small country, you can explore completely distinct experiences within an hour of each other.
I'll be exploring the west-central part of the country known as the Bern region, and my first stop is the renowned medieval village of Gstaad.
♪♪ Gstaad is infamous, I would say, rightly so.
It has been a holiday destination for Hollywood royalty and actual royalty for well over 100 years, and if you look at some of the shops passing by, you can see that this is not your typical, quaint alpine village, and you would also think that, "Well, maybe money is really important here," but it's not the most important thing.
In fact, many would argue that milk is.
[ Cattle lowing ] There's strong evidence to support that argument here in this little building buried on the side of a hill outside Gstaad, and it's bigger on the inside.
[ Gasps ] Oh, my gosh.
This is incredible.
What a view.
Hello.
You must be Rene.
Hello.
-Hello.
Nice to meet you.
Mwah.
Nice you meet you.
-Nice to meet you, too Wow.
When they said I was going to a cheese cave, I didn't realize I was going to a cheese cave.
-I am Rene Rizer.
I am a cheese maker in Gstaad.
-How many cheeses are here?
-We have 3,000 wheels of this cheese.
I am the manager from the Dairy of Gstaad.
The Dairy of Gstaad is a co-operative for 74 farmers.
They bring their milk every day to our dairy, and then we produce our own cheese, the Gstaad Mountain Cheese.
-So what are the cheeses doing right now?
Are they being stored, or are they aging?
-They are stored, but at the same time, they are aging.
Look, I'll show you, on every wheel, you can find the production date, 2nd August, 2015.
-And how long do we want that cheese to age for?
-Between 2 and 3 years, so, yes, 2 years now, we start to sell.
-We start to sell it.
Okay.
-Sell, and then we need about 1 year to sell all this cheese, and then you have them for the next year.
-You sell 3,000 wheels of cheese in a year?
-Yes.
-That's impressive.
-Yes.
Yeah.
-So the Alpine cheese method is pretty amazing.
Hundreds, even thousands, of cows move from the valley up to where we are now.
-Mm-hmm.
Yes.
-And this is where they feed on the amazing grass that's here and the herbs that come from the grass, right?
-Yes, yes, yes.
The difference herbs and the different altitudes give the different flavors on the cheese.
It's not like grinding.
Oh, we have to -- The raw material's always the same.
It's milk.
By wine, you have different grapes.
-Right.
-We have all the same milk.
But the composition of the milk is not the same when they feed on the different herbs.
-Can I pick one up?
-Of course, of course.
-I just want to feel, like, how heavy one is.
-[ Laughs ] -Okay.
Wow.
That's a lot heavier than I thought.
-It's about 10 kilos, must be 20, 25 pounds.
-Yeah, 25 pounds.
-About 25 pounds.
Yes.
-Oh, my gosh.
It's a tabletop.
-Yeah.
-Okay.
[ Laughs ] So now we get to taste.
-Yes, we prepared something for you.
-Mm.
Oh, that is phenomenal.
Mm.
-Mm.
Mm-hmm.
-How deep underground are we?
-20 meters.
-60 feet.
-60 feet.
-Over 60 feet.
-Yeah, 60 feet.
-Wow.
What I love about this is that I know that if Armageddon happens, Rene, the end of the world is here, I know that all I need to do is get to the cheese cave in Gstaad, and I'll be okay.
-Right.
This is 4 months of cheese.
Here, you are safe... -Yeah.
-...for eternity.
-All right.
So I have heard so much about this.
-Yes.
-So this is the fondue backpack?
Several dairies offer the fondue backpack, and you can pick them up in downtown Gstaad, and they contain everything you need for a full fondue experience, especially the local cheese.
-Going to open the bottle?
-Okay.
You do have to bring your own wine.
-Prost.
-Prost.
-Prost.
-It's unbelievable, the beauty that this country holds.
And it's like a storybook, right?
The chalets and everything just seems so protected, and you think that these Alpine villages are unreal in a sense, and then you come here, and they're very real.
This is how people live.
Perfect spot for fondue.
-Perfect, perfect.
-Do you know, in the United States, we have a beautiful custom.
Every couple, upon marriage, is given a fondue set.
-Oh, yeah?
-Yes.
-Every couple in America has a fondue set.
We don't open it.
We put it in the cellar or the attic for 30 years, and then we bring it out at a yard sale, and we sell it for $3.
-Oh, yeah?
-Every American couple... -Oh, yeah?
I didn't know that.
-...goes through that stage of life.
-Yeah.
-It's a passage.
-So I would say it's ready to taste.
-That's beautiful.
And then we have to let it cool down, right, because that's hot, molten cheese.
-Uh-huh, and it's ready to taste.
-Oh, that smells good.
Oh.
-Mm.
-Oh, my goodness.
The view, the air, the company... -Thank you.
-...I'm as happy as a cow... -Yeah.
-...a Swiss cow.
-What do you want more, eh?
[ Horns playing ] ♪♪ -About an hour away from Gstaad is the village of Wilderswil, a departure point for a 120-year-old cogwheel train.
I'm taking the hour-long journey to an Alpine plateau with an epic view.
We are rising to an elevation of 6,500 feet, so there's no choice but to sit back and enjoy the views and the company.
So how do you all know each other?
-We're part of a travel group.
-You are?
Okay.
-It's called Exotic Travel Club.
-That's amazing... -It is.
-...because, for so many people, this is like a bucket-list trip... -It is.
-...you know, that you plan years in advance for.
You get to go once, and you guys just get to go here for the weekend.
-We do.
It's really a great way to meet people.
Everyone is always so busy working, so it's nice to find a group like this where you actually find people with similar interests.
-And where are you from?
-I'm Ugandan, but I live in London.
-Oh!
-I'm originally from India but living in London now.
Yeah.
-Yeah, same.
I'm from India but living in London.
-What about you?
Why did you want to come to this area of Switzerland, Jungfrau?
-I mean, I've always heard about, you know, the mountains, the chocolate, and I've always wanted to come.
-Yeah.
-It's calling me.
Switzerland is amazing.
I'd love to settle here.
-Give me your best Swiss pronunciation of where we're going because it took me a while.
-Shanerkflud.
-Shanerkflud.
-How do you pronounce it?
-Skitzifletza.
[ Laughter ] -No.
-Shanerkfludge Plateau.
[ Laughter ] -The name Schynige Platte is coming from this rock here.
-Mm-hmm.
-And you look from Lauterbrunnen up to the mountain, and you see the Schynige Platte.
It means "shining plate."
I'm Paul Brunnen from Lauterbrunnen, and I love to show people the beautiful Alpine plants.
-It's Paul's job to take care of the Alpine garden, which opened in 1928.
There are over 600 species of plants native to the Swiss Alps on this mountainside sanctuary, and Paul makes sure that the paths, flowers and people are all happy.
These purple flowers are beautiful.
Is that thistle?
-They call it thistle, blue thistle.
We call it Manstrough.
-Manstrough.
Okay.
-Yes, because the womans used to put this Manstrough into the bed of the man when he always was sleeping... -What do they do?
-...under the blanket.
-This is how to get men out of bed.
-That's right, to get them up.
-[ Laughs ] Get out of bed!
-Yes, he was alive again.
-Oh, is it because when it dries, it's a little hard, right?
-Yeah, it's a little hard, but not very mean.
You see, it's not sticking that hard like a thistle.
-Wow.
So much to see.
What about these, like, tall sort of sword-like plants?
-The tall is the yellow gentian, and they make schnapps out of it... -Oh.
Okay.
-...but also medicine.
If the stomach has trouble with the fondue, that really helps.
-That's really help?
-But they also say if they have heartache or so, this plant is helping because it's so bitter.
-So, Paul, you have the disposition of someone who gets to work up in the mountains and look at flowers the entire day.
You just have that sort of in your soul.
-It's so many things are happening, and every day is different, and that's what I like.
-That's what's amazing about just being here is you have these epic mountains, so you're always looking out, but then this place reminds you to look down.
Sometimes, we forget to look at the flowers, don't we?
-That's right.
Sometimes, people come from the East.
-Uh-huh.
-And they ask me, "Where are the flower fields?"
And I go out with them and show them the flowers, and they say, "That's not really flowers.
You have to bend down."
But the mountain flowers, usually, they stay small, and you have to bend down to them and say, "Thank you, flower, that you are here, that cows can eat you, that we get cheese out of it."
-That flavor.
-That's right.
-It's the flavor of Switzerland.
-Yes.
-From on top of a mountain to inside a heavenly valley, there's just no part of this region that doesn't knock your socks off, case in point, the beautiful village of Lauterbrunnen.
♪♪ -So, Fay, looking out the traffic here, and I thought this was going to be, like, a nice, leisurely bike ride, but we've got, like, big buses coming by, and there's lots of people.
-It's only a small section, though.
-Okay.
-Soon, we'll leave the road and go onto the bike/walking path.
-Oh, I like that.
Fay Manning, who is originally from the U.K., lives here in Lauterbrunnen, and she knows that it's a quick ride from this busy stretch of town to pure beauty.
♪♪ So how far back does this trail go?
-This road probably does another 3 Ks... -Okay.
-...on a little bit of gravel and tarmac, and then it starts to go up.
-Hi.
How up?
[ Laughs ] -Couple of hundred meters, maybe more, before it turns into a walker's trail.
-Oh.
Stopping here?
Oh.
-Yes.
-What?
And making this best bike/walking path in the world, a vending machine selling local meats, cheeses and snacks.
-This one says [indistinct], so I'm not sure where that one is from.
-A modern version of the family farm stand.
♪♪ -I think I'm meant to cut this a little bit thinner, but... [ Laughs ] -Oh, gosh.
That is so good.
-Mm.
-To me, being in Switzerland, you can't believe the beauty.
In one look, I have neon-green pastures.
I mean, right up there is a glacier.
-Yeah.
-There are waterfalls surrounding us.
It's like you see pictures of it, and you don't believe it, and then when you're here, you still don't believe it.
-Believe it.
It's true.
-Yeah.
-I never take it for granted because, every day, it looks different.
-While sitting on a bench eating cheese is my idea of a perfect day in the Jungfrau region, others are here for more of an adrenaline rush.
-What is that?
Is someone jumping off of that?
-It's a base jumper... -Holy mackerel!
-...wearing pink, which means it could be my friend Lucy.
-Get out!
You know her?
-Yeah.
-I'm Lucy Levis, and I always wanted to fly.
Base jumping is jumping off a fixed object.
I just jumped about a 680-meter fall, and I free-falled about 50 second, and I flew at 140-kilometer-per-hour speed.
-Whoo!
-Oh, my gosh.
-Hi there.
-Nice jump!
I knew you were jumping today.
How cool you landed here!
-Oh, wow.
You just have friends that jump out of the sky?
-Yep.
-That's awesome.
Yeah, girl.
Hi!
-Hi.
-You are awesome!
-Good to see you.
-I cannot believe that.
So how do you get up there?
-I hiked up there.
-Are you serious?
-Yes, I am.
-So you hike with all that in your backpack?
-In the backpack, in the stash pack.
-And then you just jump off?
-Yeah, you do.
Yeah.
-How do you train for this?
I mean, you have to know what you're doing as well.
-Yeah, we first have to take a little course, have a mentorship or take, like, a first-jump course, and then when you, like, really know what you're doing, then you can come here and jump.
-So how long have you been jumping off of cliffs, and does your mother know what you do?
-She does.
She does.
-She does?
-Yeah, but she didn't know for the first 2 years.
-Yeah.
-I was too scared to tell her.
-Yeah, I bet.
-And then I lied to her.
I told her that we have a second parachute, and we don't.
-That's awful.
-I know.
[ Laughter ] -Few urban centers could match the beauty of the mountains, valleys and countryside, and yet this one does.
Bern is the major city in this region, and it doesn't take long to know what that word means or what the symbol of the city is.
Bern is the capital of Switzerland and yet has a medieval beauty and an unhurried enjoyment of life few capital cities possess, and there's one woman who has bottled the unique essence of this city as well as the entire region.
-Yes, these are my children.
-These are your children?
-Yes.
-You have a lot of children.
-Yes.
-You must be a tired mom.
-I'm a happy mom.
I'm Bridgett Widgett, and I'm a perfumer here in Bern.
-Bridgett specializes in creating unique, personalized scents blended from dozens of handcrafted essences.
What I'm looking for is an aromatic souvenir of my trip to Switzerland.
Should I smell the bottle, or should I smell this?
-Like that.
-Oh, okay.
-Only take a first impression.
-Mm-hmm.
How many would I need to create my own scent?
How many do you suggest?
-I think we take the flowers.
-Okay.
-Maybe this will remind you of the fresh cutted grass.
-Oh, boy, absolutely.
-And maybe we take a little warmness and kindness from Bern.
-Oh, yes.
So did you -- You created that just for Bern?
-Yes.
I was thinking of the river.
-Mm-hmm.
-I was thinking of the rose garden.
-Mm-hmm.
-I was thinking of the softness of the city.
For me, Bern is really a soft city.
-Mm-hmm.
-It's a small city, and it's not a rough city.
-Mm-hmm.
-Yes.
You have time here.
You have time to talk.
You have time to live.
I think, really, people are happy here.
-So how did you get started creating perfumes?
When did you know that you could communicate with scent?
-After college, I decided to do a therapy, like, dance therapy with children who are blind, who are disabled.
There, I created the scent for the massage.
-Mm-hmm.
-So I made a scent for Luisa.
I make scent for Tiziano.
I made a scent for Ormeaux.
And each time the children come to my therapy, they smell it.
Just they didn't see me.
Just they smelled.
-Could you tell they were happy?
-They were very happy, and sometimes, when I didn't spray it enough, they say, "Oh, where is this [indistinct] today?"
[ Laughter ] -And that was the scent that they liked.
-Yes.
-They liked to smell.
-Here is your scent, Samantha's Bern Scent.
Do you like it, really?
-I do.
-Yeah.
-I do.
-Here is your scent.
-Thank you so much.
-My pleasure.
-Take care.
♪♪ Bern, like most of Switzerland, operates at a more leisurely pace than other world capitals, but I have an appointment to meet someone, and in this case, I absolutely have to be on time.
How long have you had your job?
-I got this job in 1978.
-So the city of Bern has entrusted in you... -Yes.
-...the responsibility of taking care of one of the icons?
-I'm Marcus Marty.
I'm the zytgloggenrichter in Bern, which is called the times keeper.
♪♪ My job has mainly three duties.
The first is to take care that the clock never stands still.
The second is to take care that the clock is running more or less accurate.
And then I'm responsible for the maintenance of the clock.
Wow.
-Wow.
-Now are all these the original mechanisms?
-A lot of them are original from 1530.
-[ Gasps ] -So... -Oh, what was that?
-Now it will start the figure playing now.
-So that rooster comes out every hour.
-Yes.
-And now what's that?
-Yes.
And that is the wheel work, which turns around to the bears.
-The bears?
-Yeah, the guard of the city of Bern.
At the same time, the jester strikes 6 o'clock.
[ Bells dinging ] At the same time, Chronos, God of Time... -Mm-hmm.
-...he turns his hourglass here.
[ Bell chimes ] ...and at the same time, he opens his mouth like this.
-What is he saying when he opens his mouth?
-He counts.
-He counts.
What number does he get to?
-Yes.
-He counts to number... -It's a six.
-Six, okay.
-Six o'clock.
-Oh, he counts the number of the hour?
-Yes, the number of the hours.
-Oh, wow.
It's an interesting experience being in a room where I'm just hearing the ticking of a clock, and I'm literally seeing the movement of time as well.
-Yeah.
-And... -And you can stop it.
-And I can stop it!
Can I stop time right now?
-Yeah, if you like.
-Can I stop it?
-Uh-huh.
-I'm going to stop time.
[ Ticking stops ] Wow.
Okay.
[ Laughter ] Rarely does a city offer something that literally every local takes part in, but that's the gift of the Aare River, running right through the city of Bern.
My friend Livia Schonenberger knows it very well.
Whoo!
Okay.
I have been through so many cities that have rivers through them, and I have never ever seen even one person in one of those rivers.
This is a completely unique, one-of-a-kind... -This is, yes.
-...experience here.
-And it's typical Bern, and during the whole day, during lunch break, we just take the chance to hop into the river and to refresh ourselves.
-So if you time it right, you could actually see people come down with their suits and their business wear... -Yes, and for that... -...and then, all of a sudden, put it in there... -Yeah.
-...with their wet bags... -That's the dry bag.
So... -Their dry bag.
Sorry.
-You pull off your clothes.
You put them in, and then you swim home.
Yeah.
-Oh, my gosh.
-Yeah.
-Now I'm looking at it, and I looked at it from the city, and I was like, "Oh, that looks nice."
And now that I'm a little closer to the water, it's fast.
-Yeah, it is.
-It's not lazy.
-No, the current is quite strong, and you have to be aware of that, but this is the nice thing of it because, actually, you're not swimming.
You're just floating.
-So I'm ready to go in.
Do you have a preference of where we... -Yeah, actually... -...get into the river?
-...my preference is up there.
-Oh, I see.
-So let's go there.
-With the children.
-Let's go there and check it out.
-Let's go there.
Seeing all the locals happily floating by, it's easy to forget that the water from the Aare River comes from here.
Oh!
This is just liquid snow.
All right.
We're going for a swim in the Aare River!
Oh, my God!
That's so cold!
Whoo!
-Perfect now.
-Oh, my goodness.
-And now just enjoy.
-And now just enjoy.
You know, it actually doesn't feel that bad not feeling my legs.
-No.
[ Laughter ] And if you put your head down... -Yes.
-...under the water... -Yes.
-...you hear the rolling of the stones on the ground.
It's like the whistling of the wind.
It's like the rolling of the river in the Aare.
-Oh.
-And I love this.
-I'm not ready to put my head under the water.
[ Laughter ] Floating down the Aare is the perfect balance of relaxed exhilaration.
It's a wonderful thing to be with everyone and all feeling the exact same thing -- pure joy.
I feel like I'm 15 years old again.
-People are enjoying to live here.
You can see the mountains.
You can see the river.
You can be in nature, and it's calm and peaceful.
No one is hurrying through the city like in other countries.
It's really cozy.
-Everything is a little bit slower up here because I think when people start to look at the flowers, they slow down.
They feel something about nature.
-Because this is the most beautiful place in the world.
-It's good for your soul.
-When we take in the epic beauty of mountains and sky, when, in the midst of grandeur, we are reminded to notice the little things, when we allow ourselves to slow down time enough to enjoy it... Wow.
Okay.
[ Laughter ] ...that is when we share a love of travel, and that's why the Bern region of Switzerland is a place to love.
For more information about this and other episodes, extra scenes or links to follow me on social media, log onto placestolove.com.
"Samantha Brown's Places to Love" was made possible by... ♪♪ -Away... is the smell of fresh pine.
It's a place where giants still live.
Away is where, the farther down the road you go, the closer you get to the ones you love.
Find your away.
GoRVing.com -Europe is a treasure trove of fascinating history, rich culture and renowned cities.
AmaWaterways River Cruises offers a way to see all this wonder in person.
You can discover more at amawaterways.com.
♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪