As I was arriving at the Airbnb my host informed me that he was out for a few hours but his children were home. They spoke good English and would be able to let me in. The kids were 10 and 12.  I couldn’t believe he would leave them to let a stranger into his house alone.  But that’s how Switzerland is.  There’s visually no crime.  Many people don’t even lock their doors. When I arrived, his daughter let me in and offered me a glass of water while his son brought me some Swiss chocolate. They were shy at first, as they should have been.  I told them a bit about my project and showed them photos from other countries.  They were fascinated and had more questions than I could keep up with.  When their father arrived, we had dinner and spoke more about the project.  He suggested that I visit Mount Pilatus, a popular mountain nearby.  There were always groups of traditionally dressed men at the peak playing the alphorn.

The following morning, I ventured to Pilatus.  There were two options up the mountain, by train or by cable car.  To get the full experience I chose both, taking the train from Lucerne to transfer to one of the steepest railways in the world.  We began our ascent through pine forests and beds of rock, occasionally passing small farmhouses with sheep and cattle.  At the peak, the train doors opened into an indoor lobby.  Large glass windows with expansive mountain top views encased a cafe, gift shop and information desk.  I went to the desk to inquire about where I could find the alphorn players.  The man informed me that they were a private group who weren’t affiliated with the mountain itself, but they were frequently found above on the platform.  

I took the stairs up to the open platform, breathing in that first breath of alpine air.  Intoxicated by the view, I paused and took it all in.  Mountains shrouded in golden light, shimmering lakes and grassy towns stretched in all directions as far as the eye could see.  After some time I began my search for the alphorn players.  I walked every inch of the complex, with no success.  I hiked peak to peak, took an extended lunch break and spent hours waiting in hopes they’d arrive.  They never did.  It was getting late and the mountain was about to close.  I made my way to the cable car entrance and took my exit down the mountain and back to Lucerne.

Upon further research, I found the contact number for the president of the Swiss Yodel Association and called her directly. To my surprise, she answered.  Speaking very little English, she told me to call back the following day when her daughter would be present to help translate.  The next day I called and explained the project.  Karin, not only a yodeler, but the president of the country’s yodelers, agreed to be a part of the project.  We worked on scheduling a time to meet.  Options were limited and we ultimately had to schedule our meeting on the same day I was visiting Liechtenstein to photograph Leonie.  Karin suggested where to meet and it was less than 2 hours from where I would be with Leonie.  

On the day of the shoots, I left Lucerne early in the morning and traveled to Vaduz, the capital of Liechtenstein.  I met Leonie and photographed her at the Vaduz Castle.  She then drove me to the station where I departed to meet Karin.  When planning the project, I never imagined that I’d be taking two portraits in two countries on the same day.  Europe invited such a situation with ease.  

Karin met me at the station.  She was smiling and cheerful.  We got in her car and proceeded to her house.  I had been worried about being able to communicate but soon found out her English was better than she led on.  Her home was perched on a mountainside with a view down into a lush green valley beyond an old church.  We went inside and she introduced me to her son.  The three of us made our way through a wooden kitchen to the patio in the backyard.  There was a table with chairs offering views of the garden and a mountaintop studded skyline.  She offered me a coffee and went inside to change into her traditional costume.  I took the opportunity to prepare the paper and paint on the table.  She returned in a black and red dress with embroidered flowers.  She showed me the details and informed me that the design was all custom hand stitched.  She took a seat and picked up the brush.  After gazing into the distance for a moment she began painting her line.  Taking her time and looking out into the expansive view every few seconds.  She was tracing the form of the mountains in the distance.  I could see the significance the landscape had on her life. It was one of those moments I will not soon forget.

After she painted the line, Karin and I made our way to the front of her house.  We found a location with green mountains in the distance, complimenting her red dress beautifully.  We took a few shots and finished rather quickly.  She asked me if I’d like to go for a drive through the mountains to one of her favorite viewpoints.  I couldn’t say yes fast enough.  We made our way through the winding alpine roads.  She’d point out her family and friends’ homes and where she grew up.  We passed two or three people she knew along the way, stopping for a conversation with each.  She’d tell them, much like Nereydas had in Mexico, that I’m a photographer from Los Angeles working on a cultural project.  They would look at me, curious and intrigued.  When we finally reached the peak we parked and hiked a short distance to the top.  Words truly can’t describe the feeling of gazing out high above the Swiss Alps.  

After taking in one last view, we proceeded to her car and Karin took me to the station to make my journey back to Lucerne.  My time driving through the countryside with the president of the Swiss Yodelers was one of the most memorable experiences of my European trip.  After that, I would spend just one more day in Switzerland. I decided to travel to Interlaken, a destination I had regretted missing out on the last time I was in the country. The town was set between two lakes. I spent the day walking the streets and reflecting on the past 90 days. I took a boat tour and enjoyed the European sun one last time before flying back to the US.