So I decided to surprise Emily with a mysterious trip I planned for her 30th birthday. I rented a Smart car for the weekend and we took off early Saturday morning for a pleasant drive through the alps.
Packing the car and heading to.......well at least Emily had no clue where we were going.
A view from the non-existent back seat.
A quick stop in the little town of Beckenried near Lucerne.
That's how small the car was. The great thing is you can put it in your back pocket when you get out and stroll around.
Emily in front of Lake Lucerne
Emily throwin' up some gang signs...or the big 30.
We headed up to Grindelwald (outside of Interlaken) for lunch.
Where's my lederhosen when I need it?
Our lunch site with an amazing backdrop of towering mountains.
The Swiss love Feldshlosshen...personally I think they could do better.
The Wetterhorn
The Eiger
We checked into our hotel in Interlaken and then a mysterious van picked us up and started driving up a mountain. 
Went for a short hike and then............. 
....got to our launch area for some PARAGLIDING!!!!!
That's me after running off the mountain.
The updrafts were awesome that day so we kept on going higher and higher.
Emily finally released her death grip on the harness and took some pics.
Interlaken and the mountains.
That me and my guide Miki. He said this was his first flight also :)
Emily taking off. 
Emily and Lake Brienz
Emily 
Me 
Everyone catching the updrafts
Coming in for the landing after doing corkscrews. It took me a few hours to get my balance back.
Emily coming in for the landing. 
I think she liked it. 
That was awesome!
Finally some good dark German beer.
Sunday breakfast on the lake. 
Awe isn't that cute. 
A special guest, Rod Stewart!...or just a look alike with a mullet.
A stop at Juanpass on our way to Broc and Gruyeres.
We thought we might try out some action shots after watching some other tourist look like idiots doing it. 
I now know how much fun it is. I take back the previous idiot comment. 
The advantage of driving a Smart car is it makes parallel parking a breeze.
Gruyeres Castle. 
Emily holding down the fort.
We were now in the French speaking part of Switzerland.
Inside the castle walls was a fully functional town. 
After the castle we headed to Broc for a visit to the Nestle-Callier chocolate factory. Emily giving thanks to Daniel Peter, the inventor of milk chocolate.
This is the famous "kid in a candy store" look.
I couldn't stop eating. 
Emily thinking hard about if she can put one more down the hatch. 
These trays just keep coming once they are empty....very dangerous. 
Did I mention this was a free tour?
Literally sick to my stomach.
Emily cashing in on cheap chocolate. 
After the chocolate feast we headed back to Gruyeres for a cheese tour. It takes 400 liters of milk to make just one 35 kg wheel of cheese.
On our way back to Lugano through the San Gottardo tunnel. This is the second longest tunnel in the world (17 km). It takes 15 minutes to drive through. This was one of the 35 tunnels we drove through on the drive home. 
Going up and over Susten Pass.
Looking east from the pass at 7, 300 ft.
Looking west from the pass. These roads were steep and narrow to say the least, oh and the frequent buses didn't help either.
A giant spider waiting in Emily's apartment to welcome us home. 
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