Oechinensee, Switzerland

Oechinensee lake has been on my bucket list since before I moved to Switzerland, but for some reason we never made the trip when we lived there. I spent a weekend last fall in Switzerland with my good friend Dorothy and we decided to finally check out this lake, as well as the neighboring Blausee (translation: blue lake). Both sites are in the Bernese Oberland part of Switzerland, near the town of Kandersteg.

First stop was Blausee, this alpine lake has subterranean springs that lend it a color that is so crystal clear blue, it doesn't look real (almost like some poured blue gatorade into a cavern in the earth!). It was fall time so the colors of the technicolor trees reflecting on the water made it especially magical.

We stayed in the area overnight and the next day took a cable car and a short 1-2 mile hike to Oechinensee lake. This is another alpine lake, but surrounded by impressive, towering mountains. The area surrounding the lake is part of a UNESCO world heritage site. Similar to many sites in Switzerland, words just don't do the views justice -- so here are some pictures instead:

After visiting the lake, we headed home, but took a detour to enjoy a "la chasse" meal in the mountains, which is a typical game menu served during the fall. It normally consists of some sort of game meat (deer, boar, etc) served with potatoes and other hearty sides (click here for prior la chasse experiences when we lived in Switzerland).

There is truly nothing better in my mind than a weekend spent in the mountains, with good friends, views, and food. Perfection.