Blowing Glass in Switzerland

Glass Blowers at work in Hergiswil Glass Factory

July was a month to remember, as we were able to fulfill a life-long dream of mine, which was to return to my Dad's Homeland of Switzerland. I hadn't been there since I was 18, and after almost 40 years, we finally had the opportunity to fulfill the dream. It is a trip that I will cherish always, as I reconnected with my Swiss heritage. One of the stops on our visit was a glass factory. Russ tried his hand at glory-hole glass blowing for a bit, and we enjoyed touring the glass museum and even brought home the ball he blew, along with a commemorative glass plate. What a treat to see how they created glass in a big factory setting. We are so used to our Lamp-working Stations, it was a different experience to see the "heated" conditions these glass workers were blowing in.

A very large glass factory in Switzerland

Glass gift shops and a museum are also part of the business

They work round the clock, using giant furnaces that generate the heat needed to melt glass.

A Portuguese gentleman helped Russ blow a glass globe.

Prepping the glass to be blown.

                                                       

The finished product, taken home as a souvenir. 

A commemorative glass plate we bought from the gift shop.

The rest of the week was spent exploring the countryside, enjoying the intense beauty of the surrounding mountains and the teal-blue waters, which were fed by the massive glaciers. I also got to visit some relatives that still live in the area. My Dad has passed on, but I really felt his presence on this magnificent trip, and cherish my Swiss heritage.

Scenic mountains and lakes adorn this beautiful country.

Quaint villages dot the countryside.

We spent as much time as we could hiking in the Alps.

Lauterbrunnen was on the way to Jungfrau, the tallest peak in Switzerland.

Inside the Jungfrau were some amazing ice caves, carved into the glacier.

Reconnecting with one's roots does good things for the soul. These pictures are just a sampling of some of the spectacular scenery the small country of Switzerland had to offer. 

Funny, how I said it would be "The trip of a Lifetime", but we are already scheming on how to go back when Russ retires.... Es ist so schön!