European Driving Tour
7/2/15 to 7/17/15

Due to the length of the review, it is in four parts to help with the download time. The links to the other pages are at the top and bottom of each page. 

Page 1:  Farchant, Germany, days 1-3 
Page 2:  Farchant, Germany, days 4-7
Page 3: 
Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland, days 1-3
Page 4:  Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland, day4; Colmar, France, days 1-3

 

Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland – Day 1
The drive from Farchant to Lauterbrunnen would be the longest leg of the trip.  The 285 mile drive was supposed to take 5 hours without any stops.  I had difficulties with the Google GPS app when we drove to Farchant, so I had been using the native Apple GPS app, which worked fine.  However a major negative of the Apple app is that you have to use the route they recommend.  Unlike where Google gives different options.  I wanted to take the northern route that we came in on, since it was mostly highway; but the Apple app wanted to take me through the mountainous southern route.  So I decided to trick it to take me to a town on the northern route and then reset it when we got there to Lauterbrunnen.  Unfortunately, I tricked myself, since the app took us on back roads to get to the intermediate town rather than the main highways.  The traffic really slowed us down.  Once I got further north and changed the destination, it did get us back on the highways though.

Along the way we stopped for lunch on the highway at a MacDonald’s.  We aren’t big fans of MacDonald’s and haven’t eaten at one in a long time; but that was what was at the rest area, so we ate there.  I have to say that it was the best MacDonald’s burger that we have ever had.  It actually looked like the picture on the menu and had lots of veggies on it, plus the meat was real good.  It was also the most expensive MacDonald’s burger ever at 8€ each.

It was funny that almost immediately after we entered Switzerland the terrain became mountainous, since our northern route through Germany was just low hills.  It was really getting prettier, the further south we went.  The roads were also getting curvier, since they had to go around mountains and lakes.  Then the tunnels began!  We have never seen so many tunnels and some of them were quite long.  I realize that there are a lot of mountains to go through; but I bet the tunnel contractors live a very good life in Switzerland.

The Swiss roads aren’t as wide as ours in the USA; but they get even narrower in the tunnels.  This added to getting a lot of exercise shifting around the six gears kept me quite busy and somewhat stressed.  I was certainly glad that Carol was clutching the iPhone watching where we were supposed to go, since we seemed to be changing roads regularly, even though they normally had the same highway number.  At least we were able to look at the beautiful terrain when we weren’t in a tunnel.  I was surprised how heavy the traffic was so far from a major city.  It kept me from being able to pull over to take photos; but we did find a place along a lake to stop.  It was just so beautiful and serene.

   

About 45 minutes further down the road, we were able to pull over again at an incredibly beautiful rich aqua colored lake.  We were thoroughly enjoying the Swiss countryside.

The closer we got to our destination we got better views of the magnificent snowcapped mountains in the distance.  Once we got past the city of Interlaken, we only had about twelve miles to go.  The road became very twisty and narrow and the traffic slowed way down.  The beautiful scenery was also very distracting.  At last, just before 5:00 PM, we arrived in Lauterbrunnen and saw a sign directing us to the Silberhorn Hotel (www.silberhorn.com/index.cfm?tem=1&spr=2&hpn=1), where we would be spending four nights.

We pulled into a parking spot and went to the reception desk.  A friendly young lady, who I had communicated with many months before when I booked the hotel, was there to assist us.  I had tried to get a ground floor room for Carol; but they also didn’t have any, nor did they have elevators.  She told me then that she could get us a room where Carol wouldn’t need to climb any steps.   I wasn’t sure how she would do it.  She had gotten us a room on the first floor, which could be accessed from the road to the parking area that was in back of the second floor.  When we drove up to the first level, it was perfect; since I could temporarily park the car there to unload the luggage and Carol could drive her scooter through the doorway to the hall to our room.  The reason that the road went up to the first and second floors was because the hotel is on a hill.  A pretty steep one.  We were concerned if the scooter would be able to go up the hill.  We would find out later that it wasn’t a problem at all.  The scooter also went up the hill leading up to the hotel, which was even steeper.  We were most relieved. 

   

When we checked in we asked if they had a fan for our room, since they also didn’t have AC.  She said she thought that they were all being used; but that she would check and get us one when a fan was available.  We were hoping she would find one, since the weather in Switzerland was also supposed to be quite hot.  When we entered our room, number 15, we were very pleased.  It was very bright and modern looking.  The two twin beds were pushed together and were quite comfortable. 

   

The bathroom was also quite functional and of an adequate size.

   

But the room was also quite warm, so we went out onto the large balcony.  Oh my, what a view.  Gorgeous mountains and sheer rock cliffs.  The hotel was right next to one of the cable car stations and across the street from the train station.  This would prove very handy.

   

After gawking at the beautiful scenery, I had to go move the car.  The convenient spots that I had used to check in and unload the luggage were not to be used for guest parking.  I would have to park outside the second floor entrance.  With a narrow road and sharp turn into the parking lot, I was quite concerned about bruising the car.  I was quite pleased to be able to find a parking spot that I could easily get into and even more importantly out of.  There weren’t enough parking spots for the number of guests the hotel could accommodate.  It is the only complaint that I would have of the hotel.  I was lucky in that a decent spot in the wider area of the parking lot was available.  Hopefully I would be so fortunate the next time I used the car.

Since Carol was anxious to unpack and get settled in, I took the opportunity to get out of her hair and walk into town to check out what was there.  While walking around the grounds I got a better view of the cable car station and while looking at it, a cable car started to head up the mountain.  I would get to ride that car down the mountain in a few days.

Before heading to town, I took a photo of the front of the hotel and Carol was standing out on the balcony appreciating the beauty all around us.

   

Since the hotel was on the northern side of the town, and it is a small town, as soon as I got down the hill I was downtown.  With every step I could see further into the magnificent Lauterbrunnen Valley.  I was so excited to be there and so glad that we had chosen this area to vacation in. 

   

   

As with Germany, the houses looked like gingerbread houses with flowers everywhere.  But the natural beauty took center stage.

   

While in town I checked out some of the restaurants that I had read about on TripAdvisor while researching for the trip; as well as just getting a lay of the land for the next three full days in this paradise.  While taking a photo of one of the houses, I noticed that an upper balcony had a bunch of teddy bears on it.  I took a photo of them and then realized that a man was walking around it without his shirt on.  At least I assumed that he only had his shirt off.

   

Shortly after I returned to our room, there was a knock on the door.  A housekeeping staff member had found a fan for us.  Our prayers had been answered.  When plugging in the fan, I realized that Switzerland has different type electric plugs from many of the other European countries.  We have a lot of two prong European adapters we bring with us that we have used in Germany, France and Italy.  We hadn’t planned on a three prong plug.  Fortunately, the reception desk was able to provide us with one.  This worked out quite well, since we bring a European power strip that allows us to plug in up to five separate devices. 

We decided to have dinner at the hotel for the first night, since it was considered to be one of the best restaurants in town.  The largest room of the restaurant was also used for the morning buffet that was included in the price of the room.  For dinner, we ate in the Conservatory, which is a side room enclosed in windows to be able to look out on the mountains.  Food prices in Switzerland are much higher than in Germany; and also the USA.  

  

After dinner, I walked around town some more and then returned to the room.  Since it was so pleasant on the balcony, we sat out there to just take in the beauty.  We were fascinated with the structures that looked like fences near the top of the mountains.  I put on my telephoto lens to get a better look at them.  I couldn’t figure out their purpose, unless maybe they were used to keep the cows from rolling down the hill.

   

   

We were also curious about the structure on top of the mountain that looked like a cable car station; but we never saw any cable cars moving up or down that part of the mountain.  We would solve both mysteries later in the week.

The main mountain peak we could see from the hotel was Mount Silberhorn, which our hotel was named after.  It is 12,123 feet in elevation and is a satellite peak of the tallest mountain in the area, the Jungrfau at 13,642 feet.  Due to its position, Mt. Silberhorn blocked the view of the three tallest peaks, the Jungfrau, Eiger and Monch.  But it was quite a site by itself.  The sunset glow gave it a different look.

The evening temperatures were cooler in Lauterbrunnen than in Farchant, so sleeping with the fan and open doors was even more comfortable and even a bit cool at times.  We were looking forward to our touring over the next three days.

 

Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland – Day 2
My biggest concern before this trip was that we would get to Switzerland and the weather would be bad.  I so wanted to be able to go to the top of one of the tall mountains and look down from there at the other mountains and valleys.  Since the weather forecast was very good for our second day there, I planned on taking a ride up to the top of the Schilthorn Mountain, my top priority for Switzerland.  There are two mountains where there are facilities on the mountains for scenic viewing.  The Jungfrau facility is at 11,000 feet, while the Schilthorn is only 9,744 feet.  I had read during my research that the Jungfrau is more frequently enclosed in clouds, which would be a real bummer; but my main reason for going to the Schilthorn was that the view would be better.  The Jungfrau viewing point is 2,600 feet below the main peak of the mountain, so that the view is partially obstructed by the Jungfrau itself.  By being on Schilthorn, across the valley from the Jungfrau, I would be able to see the largest mountains and a 360 degree view of the entire area.  But if I ever go back, I will go up the Jungfrau, since there are some other attractions to see there.

Before heading for my mountain adventure, I had my first Silberhorn breakfast.  Like in Germany, there were cold meats, cheeses, fruits, cereal, yogurt, juices and breads.  But in addition they had scrambled eggs and sausages.  We were also thrilled to find that they had a similar type coffee machine with a cappuccino button. 

   

My plan for the morning was to drive a few minutes south to the town of Stechelberg, where I would take the cable car up to Piz Gloria, the facility at the top of the Schilthorn.  Before I drove very far, I had to park the car in town to take a photo of the west side of the valley where the sun was illuminating the mountain where Staubbach Falls is located.  The falls has a 1,000 foot drop into the valley.  I couldn’t pass up this shot.

In a few minutes I had arrived at the Stechelberg cable car station.  The parking lot was huge and very full.  I had to park a pretty long way from the station itself. 

I didn’t see anyone lined up to get tickets, so I got a bit concerned that I had either missed the cable car or had a long time to wait for another one.  When I got to the ticket counter, the attendant told me that the ticket would cost 77 Swiss Francs, which was about $81.  I thought she had given me the wrong ticket, since it was supposed to cost 107 Francs or $112.  So I asked her if this ticket went all the way to the top.  She told me that I had just gotten in by 9:00 AM for the early bird pricing.  I was familiar with early bird pricing at south Florida restaurants, but didn’t realize that it applied in Switzerland too.  I was quite pleased, plus as I walked into the cable car the door was closed and we began ascending.

There are four separate cable cars that have to be taken to get to the top.  The first one goes to Gimmelwald at 4,485 feet elevation.  The ride sails up the steep, stark rock cliffs.

From Gimmelwald you change cars, which is synchronized so that there is almost no wait to leave once everybody gets onto the car.  Rather than climbing the cliff, the view heading to the town of Murren is of green fields and farms.

   

At Murren, which is 5,374 feet, we changed to another cable car to go up to the village of Birg at 8,874 feet.  The views kept getting better.  This was an awesome ride.

   

   

   

From the Birg station, we could see our final destination, Piz Gloria at 9,744 feet, in the distance.  It was definitely above the tree line sitting on barren rock with some snow fields surrounding it.

   

As we approached Piz Gloria, I began to recognize the round shape of the famous revolving restaurant on top.  This facility was used in the 1969 James Bond film, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.  The only one starring George Lazenby as James Bond.  I was getting excited to get out and walk around the on top of the mountain.  The total time for the cable car rides from Stechelberg was about 30 minutes.

After exiting the cable car, I had to go up an escalator to get out to the main viewing platform.  Once outside, I couldn’t believe what a great view it was.  I had lucked out with a very clear day. 

   

       

I had brought a warm coat to wear, since I expected it to be quite cold.  I was glad I had the coat, but it wasn’t the numbing cold I had expected.  It was actually quite refreshing, especially, since I was getting a lot of exercise running around to take in every view possible and take lots of photos.

   

Along the railings there were photos showing names of the mountains we were viewing from each position.  Every view was just amazing.

This sign pointed out the three highest peaks in the range, the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau. 

From one view, we were supposed to be able to see the highest peak in the Alps, Mont Blanc in France; but there were some clouds over France that prevented it.  Which was no problem, since there was enough beauty nearby to please me.  At one end of the peak they were constructing a new attraction that would be opening in 2016.

   

   

   

The large rounded platform was used to land a helicopter in the James Bond movie; but it definitely served well as a viewing platform for the many visitors.  There were a couple of James Bond cutouts to be used for photos in the viewing area.  Everyone wanted a photo with them.  I was able to find someone to take one of me.

   

The revolving restaurant itself is very nice with an ever changing great view.  When I purchased the cable car tickets, I could have added the buffet breakfast for just 5 Francs, which was a good deal.  But one breakfast was quite enough for that day.

After getting my fill of beautiful views, I went downstairs to the souvenir shop and to Bond World, where there are displays of objects from the movie.  It is quite a nice set up.  There was also a theater where a movie showing the highlights from the scenes shot on the Schilthorn were being played.  It was most entertaining to see the scenes while being where they were shot.

I got back on the cable car to descend to Birg and eventually the Lauterbrunnen valley.  I had to take more photos, plus when we stopped at Birg, I went onto their viewing platform to get a different angle of the mountains.  But it was a quick trip, since I didn’t want to miss the car down.

   

   

I was surprised that I could even get decent photos through the dirty scratched glass of the cable car.  I guess I found a clean spot.

   

   

When we got to Murren, there was a group of people waiting to get into the car that had been in Murren and were heading down.  The cable car is the best and only way to get there.  The car itself was comfortable; but there were few places to sit down.  That wasn’t a problem though since, most people wanted to stand and look out the windows.  I was surprised at how many people brought bicycles on board as well as large dogs.

   

Descending into the valley, in addition to the beautiful view, we were able to watch people parachuting from the mountains.  It did look like a lot of fun. 

   

   

When I got down to ground level, it was fun to watch the parachutes land in the large field next to the parking lot.  Many of the people came down in tandem.  I was surprised at how close to the mountain some of the parachutists would come. I found out on the last day we were in Lauterbrunnen, that I could have done it for only 170€.  Maybe next time.

   

     

On one edge of the parking lot was a bridge that passed over a rushing river.  Since it was warmer on ground level, it did look quite refreshing and did cool off the air around it.  The waterfall flowed into the river.

   

The view from Stechelberg was truly gorgeous, just like all the other places I had seen in the valley.

   

I got back in the car and headed to the hotel.  There were no parking spots that I could have gotten into at the hotel lot, so I had to park in the same spot where I had unloaded the luggage.  Several cars were parked where they weren’t supposed to, so I didn’t feel too bad, especially since I wasn’t going to be there long.  While I had been gone, Carol had found that she was able to navigate the hills and go into town and back on her TravelScoot, which I was thrilled about; since I wanted her to be able to get around independently, rather than being stuck in the room.  Although the view from the room wasn’t all bad.

We went into town to find something for lunch.  The scenery as always was just gorgeous.

   

I had picked out a restaurant named Flavours.  It was highly rated and a perfect place for lunch.  Carol was able to get in easily, since there was a ramp to the restaurant and no stairs to get inside.  The place looked comfy and the menu appealing.  We both chose the 15 Franc hamburgers.  The burgers themselves were very good.  We really enjoyed the French fries, since they weren’t the thin overcooked ones we had seen at many places.

   

After lunch we shopped around a bit and went to the tourist information center to plan for the next day’s activities.  After dropping Carol off, I took the car back to the south side of the valley to see an unusual waterfall that was inside of a mountain.  Trummelbach Falls is a very unique falls in that it is totally contained inside a slot canyon that has been cut out by the rapidly descending melt water from the mountains and glaciers above.  This is one of the major tourist attractions in the area.  The walk from the sign at the road to the entrance is a pretty good uphill climb.  The entry fee is 11 Francs, but the discount card that the hotel gave me saved me 1 Franc on the price.

The falls are composed of ten separate chutes as shown below.  The total drop is 459 feet.  Fortunately there is an elevator to take you up 300 of those feet, which stops between chutes 5 and 6.  Which means there is still a lot of exercise involved to see the upper chutes.  The ride up the dark passage went pretty fast.  Once stopped the attendant told us to walk up to the top and if we wanted to, we could take the elevator back down to ground level or continue the walk down to see the other chutes.

   

Before looking at the falls, I was distracted by the view from the vantage point over the valley.  There was a nice viewing platform that was getting a lot of use while I was there.  It finally cleared out some where I could take some photos.

   

To get to chute 6, you have to pass over a small bridge, where there is a very good view of rushing water.  In addition to the photos, I have included a video, since it is a better way to experience the sight and sound of this natural wonder.  It is probably the most popular photo spot of all the chutes.

 

 

From there you go into the dimly lit tunnels, which lead to stairs that ascend to the next dark passageway to view the next chute.  The cold water chills the air, which was most refreshing after hot weather outside the mountain.  The roar of the waters as they come crashing down over the walls that have been cut out over the centuries is amazing.  It is quite humbling to be so close to so much power as it flows a few feet from you.  Over 5,000 gallons a second are tumbling down the mountain.

   

   

   

Further up, the spray from some of the chutes, makes the steps and paths somewhat slippery.  Between two of the chutes I counted almost 100 steps.  One had to be very careful walking on them to not ruin their vacation.  But it was well worth it to experience this unique attraction.

   

   

I have included another video, since videos do show much more vividly what happens in the falls; as well as the roar that fills the hallways.

 

After completing the upper route, chutes 6-10, I stopped again at the overlook to warm up and take in the beauty before walking down to see the other chutes.  

   

Once again there were more steps; but they are much friendlier when climbing down rather than up.  Each chute was unique and interesting to view.

   

   

One chute was named the Corkscrew Falls, since the path it took swirled around the rocks.  I included a video of it, since it shows the action better than a still pic.

 

Once I got back down to ground level, I took a panorama photo of the valley from a different location.  I know that I took way too many photos of the same beautiful mountains while in Lauterbrunnen; but their looks changed from different angles and at different times of the day due to the lighting.

Back at the room we looked out at the mountain across from the hotel.  It was just so peaceful.  Each evening I would sit out on the balcony and download photos to my MacBook to see if any of them could even come close to the magnificence of the real thing.  It was a waste of time trying, since nothing can compare to seeing the beauty in person.

   

For dinner, we ended up eating at the hotel again.  I wanted to try a different place that was the top spot in town for dinner; but it was fully booked.  In Lauterbrunnen, if you want to eat at a particular restaurant, it is wise to make reservations.  I did make one for the next night.  When we got back to the room, clouds were starting to come in.  At sunset, it made for a nice photo.  We thought it was rather humorous when we looked at the weather each night on my iPhone.  Besides showing a very inaccurate current temperature, it regularly forecast rain for a couple hours each afternoon.  Fortunately it never happened. 

After an amazing day, I slept very well knowing that I had been able to visit the one “must do” place on the trip on a clear day.

 

Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland – Day 3
When planning our vacation, I had to decide how many days to stay in each place we would visit.  We were spending four nights in Lauterbrunnen since I planned to do the Schilthorn one day, the east side of the mountains one day and the west side another day, while filling in with visiting the falls and walks in the valley.  For this day, I had planned on visiting the town of Wengen on the east side of the valley.  We had been watching the trains go up the mountain to Wengen while sitting on our balcony and were looking forward to seeing it close up.  A friend of mine visited the same areas we were traveling to last year.  Steph, had suggested a walk that I should take while in Lauterbrunnen.  I respected her opinion and made plans accordingly.  Since the weather looked good, other than the incorrect forecast for rain, it looked like the plan would work well.  Carol and I headed over to the rail station, which was just down the hill from the hotel.  I was finally able to see the actual cogs that the cog trains run on.

   

We were going to purchase round trip train tickets to Wengen, which only cost 13.6 Francs each.  It was easy to put the TravelScoot on the train, since it only weighs 35 pounds and there was plenty of room for it.  The train car was comfortable for a short trip.

The ride was most enjoyable and the scenery was gorgeous.  It was interesting to finally be able to see the view from the trains we had been watching curiously for several days.  We were surprised at how many small waterfalls there were coming down the mountain.  It was really an enjoyable ride.  When we got to Wengen at 4,180 feet, we were able to look down on Lauterbrunnen at 2,612 feet.  What a view.  I can see why many people choose a hotel in Wengen to stay in.

We walked around Wengen for a short time to see what was there and to set up a meeting place for when I returned from my walk.  It was a very nice town and I looked forward to seeing more of it after my walk.

   

Our plan was for Carol to piddle around Wengen while I took a cable car up to Mannlichen at 7,317 feet.  From there I would take an hour and a half walk down 555 feet to Kleine Scheidegg, where I would catch a train back to Wengen to meet up with Carol.  I had not realized when making the plans that the Mannlichen cable car station was the building that we had seen from our balcony and had been so curious about on top of the mountain.  From Wengen it was easy to see the long cable that was not visible from way down in Lauterbrunnen. 

Cost wise it would make for an expensive walk, since the cable car to Mannlichen was 22 Francs and the train back to Wengen was 23 Francs, or a total of about $50.  But oh my goodness, it was so worth it.  The ride up to Mannlichen didn’t take that long; but oh what a view from there.  Just too beautiful!

Our other mystery was solved when I asked the cable car driver what the fence looking objects on the mountain were for.  They were to hold the snow to prevent avalanches.  That made a lot of sense and is not something we would think of being from south Florida.  So, I was able to get close up pics of the avalanche holders and the cable car station while there.

   

I walked out to the viewing platform that I could see from the cable car station.  My goodness, such beauty.  I realize that I am putting a lot of mountain photos in this review; but I just don’t want to forget the amazing things I saw on this trip.  If it is too much for you, the reader, just speed through them.  Hopefully someday you will be as blessed as we have, to be able to see this truly amazingly beautiful part of the world in person.  Carol will frequently tell me while proof reading the reviews that I have too many photos of a particular subject.  When possible, I will cut them down; but for this trip, I can’t leave out some of my favorite photos, since I want to remember the beauty we have seen.

   

   

Steph had told me that I could easily do this walk.  I had been a bit concerned, since from the map I had looked at, I would have to climb down the mountain.  I could now see that it was a relatively easy walk, where I would be walking on a nice walkway around the mountains.  The path was just so pretty.

   

   

   

The wild flowers were all over the place adding patches of color to the lush green landscape.

   

   

   

   

   

   

In some areas I felt like I was right there with Maria in the Sound of Music traipsing through the beautiful Alps.  It was almost overpowering at times. 

   

   

   

There were a lot of other people taking the same walk I was.  Since I am a fast walker, I was passing a lot of them up.  Looking back, I should have taken my time and gone slower; but I had told Carol that I would be back in a couple of hours and I didn’t want to keep her waiting too long.  I still thoroughly enjoyed the walk and saw everything that I could have hoped to see.

   

   

Along the path there were some warnings about falling rocks.  It said to pass through quickly.  I didn’t have to be told twice.

At last I approached the trails end, Kleine Scheidegg.  It was probably the best view that I would get of the largest peaks. 

   

When I got to the train station it was a bit of a challenge to find the ticket office.  I finally did and purchased my ticket back to Wengen.  The train was leaving immediately, so I didn’t get any time to explore Kleine Scheidegg at all.  It was a shame; but I had already overloaded on gorgeous scenery.  As expected, the train ride down was quite enjoyable.  I even got to see some cows.

   

   

   

   

 

After getting back to Wengen and finding Carol where we had agreed to meet, I took some more photos of the valley from the Wengen train station.

We walked around town to see what was there and find a restaurant for lunch.  It turned out that the most interesting looking building in town, which had a cow on the top of it, was where we decided to eat, the Hotel Bernerhof.

   

   

We had really been craving a salad, since most meals we had been having didn’t come with salads.  Plus most meals in Germany and Switzerland were on the heavy side.  That wasn’t a complaint, just an observation, since we like heavy meals.  This hotel had a small salad bar and it was really good. 

   

After lunch we moved leisurely toward the railroad station for our ride back to Lauterbrunnen.  The ride back once again afforded nice views of the valley.

After we got back to the hotel and rested up a bit, I decided to take a walk through town to see what I hadn’t previously checked out.   The flower planters made everything look so cheerful and fresh.

   

I decided to walk down to the base of the Staubbach Falls.  I had read that there was a path up to and into the mountain that went behind the falls.  It was supposed to be a challenging climb; but the view of the falls from behind was supposed to be worth it.  On the way there, I paused at the cemetery.  It was so colorful with each grave having a large assortment of flowers planted in front.  I had never seen a cemetery that was so nicely decorated and so well maintained.

   

The area around the cemetery was also a pleasure to behold.

   

I continued on the gravel road toward the falls, passing by more lovely flowers.

   

When I got up to the falls, I could see the large mound in front of it that would have to be climbed to get to the mountain entrance.  It didn’t look like an easy walk.

   

As I was headed that way a couple came down from the falls.  I asked them if the climb was worthwhile.  They told me not to waste my time, since the falls were not too full and what was coming down was blowing away from the tunnels where they were supposed to be able to be behind the water.  That saved me a lot of effort and disappointment.

I returned to the hotel to get ready to go to dinner.  We had passed by the Oberland Hotel many times since we came to town.  The hotel itself wasn’t as nice as ours; but their restaurant was supposed to be outstanding.  When I made the reservation the previous day, the restaurant manager told us that he would get us a table where Carol could easily drive her scooter right up to it.  When we arrived, he showed us the spot and it was perfect.

   

One of the food items we had to try when we were in Switzerland was fondue.  The Oberland’s fondue was supposed to be very good, so it was an easy menu choice for us.  A salad was included with the meal and it was extremely good.  When the fondue arrived, we wondered how we could eat it all.  Of course we didn’t have to; but it did look so good.  It came with pieces of bread and potatoes to dip in the cheese.  There were small bowls of mushrooms, onions, herbs and garlic to add to the fondue if we wished.  The dinner was exceptional.  We enjoyed it so much, we made a reservation for the next night.

   

After the long walks of the day, I hit the sack early.  It had been an exhausting and marvelous vacation day.

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