GRINDELWALD 2013 Final countdown

                           Friday, Sept 27.  I woke up at 4 am, washed up and had some coffee, so did Tony and Amy. We had to leave the house by 4:45 to catch the train in Interlaken by 5:30 am. It was dark and the street where deserted that early in the morning  and it took us only 25 minutes to get to the station. We arrived over a half hour early.
                            While Tony and Amy boarded the train to the airport to fly home to Florida, I drove back to the house in Grindelwald.  Donna was still asleep and I surprised her with a good breakfast. Afterward we went to town for some more shopping and a light lunch at the "Sportpub". A restaurant with the view at a Ice field where they played hockey and on the other side a swimming pool with a water slide. As always we had some delicious food.

Some more shopping.

                             We also decided to use our bahn pass the rest of the day, because they expire today. Just traveling around and admiring the view, we took the train to Zweilutschinen, Lauterbrunnen to Wengen, from there with the big gondola to the Mannlichen and with the small gondolas back to Grindelwald.

Notice the hang glider landing in a field behind the train

Waiting for the train in Zweilutschinen.

Train arrived, ready to board.

In Lauterbrunnen, sitting in the train to Wengen. The gondola in the background

we used yesterday to go to Murren.

On the way to Wengen.

Donna talking to a friend before taking the gondola up to the Mannlichen

A view of Wengen and the Lauberhorn race region in the background.

On the way down to Grindelwald

Europe's longest gondola cableway

Last ride down to Grindelwald with view's of the cows

Close to arrive at our destination.

Donna arriving at Grund.

The restaurant's owner donkeys, we enjoyed watching them play. You can observe them from the restaurant's window.

                              At the restaurant Grund tonight we were asked from everybody  of the whereabouts of our friends Tony and Amy, they were already missed.
                              We went ahead and had a great meal again. I know I will miss the atmosphere, service and food until we may visit again in the near future.





                                

GRINDELWALD 2013 Day 6

                          Thursday, Sept 26. Our final day together with Tony and Amy  over here in Switzerland this vacation. We are planing to go purchase their train tickets from Interlaken to the airport in Kloten, ZH. For some reason we thought that at 5:30 in the morning there would be nobody on the ticket counter. We combined our effort with a daylong site seeing and souvenir shopping tour.
                           We had plenty of breakfast food left and again enjoyed coffee on the terrace, leaving for our tour in the car at 9 am.
                           To follow our route, you can refer to the map I will publish again. Today we had lots of clouds but it was dry all day until later that day with the sun peeking out a lot.

                            We drove from Grindelwald down to Zweilutschienen, where we went left back up to Lauterbrunnen. This is a small town and I was looking for a small cable car going up to Grutchalp, but it changed since I was there last time in the winter of 1969. Now there is a brand new giant gondola going up.
                             We parked about a mile away from the station on the only public parking lot and started walking through the whole town back to that station. quite a long way, specially there was nothing to see of importance.

View from the Parking lot

With a close up

A long way back to the Gondola station

Amy and Tony don't mind walking

The brand new Gondola,

you still see the old tracks of the cable train on some places

Giant Gondola, just for us

The remarkable thing was how they build this gondola, that thing took of in total silence.
                               Arriving on top, we changed to a small railroad, who brought us to Murren. From here we walked up to the Palace hotel and all the way to the Schilthorn Bahn, a gondola who would bring us to the Piz Gloria.
                            It was nice for me to check out all the changes happening up here in Murren. Just for your information, 44 years ago, in 1969 I was hired to work in the Palace Hotel in Murren to cook for the crew and actors of the James Bond movie "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" a Broccoli and Salzman production.  They rented the whole hotel that winter. The best part was to feed the film crew on locations. We loaded the food on helicopters and went to bring them hot beverages and some luncheons where they build and filmed the avalanches or filmed other outdoor activities.

Walking up to the Palace Hotel from the Railroad station

At the Schilthorn Bahn station we had to decide if we go up to the 

Piz Gloria.

We decided not to go because of the weather.

That mountaintop in the back is Birg, half way station before Piz Gloria.

You can not see it because they are in the clouds.

Piz Gloria

Just a picture out of a brochure. Donna and I where up here 3 years ago, (if you are interested check out 2010 blog for more information on the Piz Gloria), the Restaurant 

actually rotates all around, at a speed of 1 time every hour.

We decided to a little shopping in Murren

Cows coming down the street

Waiting for them to pass

Their new pasture

 Another view of the Palace hotel, still the same as when I was there.

A view of the Kleine Scheidegg and the Eiger Gletscher

before heading back to Lauterbrunnen

                               Back down in Lauterbrunnen there where lots of people along the main street, waiting for the so called Alpenabzug. That's when the farmer bring down the cows from the alps to stay  in their warm stables for the winter. A tradition you will encounter in a lot of towns in this region.

Beside there giant bells, they all carry a decorated milking chair on there head

                                  From here we drove to Interlaken West Bahnhof and got the tickets and confirmed the train schedule. Amy and Tony had to take advantage of some last souvenir shopping inclusive some awesome chocolates.
                                  Driving back to Grindelwald we decided to try a new restaurant for our last dinner together but the one we chose was a bust. Most restaurant still allow smoking and that was the reason we left and went back to our restaurant  Bahnhof Grund.
                                   We had a great dinner and a fantastic time. Tony treated us for my birthday coming up. Actually we consumed 10 Eigernortwand (Ice beers), 5 Pfluemli (Prune schnapps), 2 Grand Marnier and 2 small beers. Wow!!

And of course incredible delicious food

Pork steak with herb butter

Spring roll salad

Wiener schnitzel

Aelplermakkroni

Cheers to great service!!

Back home we checked the mail, Tony and Amy had to pack, had one last drink 

and went to bed early.

Grindelwald last 2 days will follow soon

                               

GRINDELWALD 2013 Day 5

                          Wednesday, Sept 25. Like every day we enjoyed a delicious breakfast and at 10 am we drove down to the  Station with the thought in mind to conquer the highest tourist attraction in Europe, the Jungfraujoch.
                           Normally a train ticket to the top cost 172 franks, but ours was included in the Bahnpass we bought last Sunday. This and the incredible beautiful weather made our decision easy to  hop on the train that climbs up to the Kleine Scheidegg where we had to change train.
                            From here on the train climes the entire way to the top in a tunnel build in to the rocks of Eiger and Monch mountain with 2 lookout stops. The lookouts are securely enclosed with enforced glass, because there over 1000 meter drops to the bottom.  On each stop all the tourist have exactly 5 minutes  to enjoy the view and take pictures before the train continues.

The train stopped in one of the outlooks

The first outlook in the middle of the Eiger Nordwand

a vertical drop of over 1000 meter.

Grindelwald in the back ground

Lookout #2 , The Aletch glacier, the longest ice stream in the alps.

                            The train station on top is also under ground, because here we have eternal snow.
after 1 hour and 15 minutes since we left Kleine Scheidegg, we arrived. Only a few yards away you find yourself in the Berghaus, with restaurant and shops. Also from here starts the tour through out tunnels to the Sphinx, Alpine Sensation and Eispalast. First we decided to go to the Sphinx. A modern elevator brings us up into the building.
                             I was here at least 6 times in my life but never was affected by the thin air before. This time I really felt wobbly and had to breath hard and it took a long time before I got used to it. I must be getting old, ha,ha. It is also worth mentioning that lot of days during the year you can see absolutely noting, because the entire mountain is in the clouds.  Lucky us, today we could see all the way to Germany.

Layout plan

The Sphinx

Tony and Amy arrived at 3571 meters

Thin air is no problem for the young people,

Tony, Amy and Donna!

In the front you see the Mannlichen, in the valley is Interlaken and 

all the way in the back is Germany

Impressive rock, The Monch

Out of breath, but an amazing view.

Just like a postcard.

Donna trying to be romantic or holding on because she is not fond of heights.

Another look of the Aletch Gletcher, the long ice stream.

                          We went back down the elevator and continue on to the Ice Palast. This is actually inside the Eiger Gletcher, a tunnel with some larger rooms for ice carvings, a ice bar and secret passage ways. Even the floor is pure ice and you have to walk very careful. Again very impressive! 

Eispalast

Ready for the adventure, Tony and me

In my mind, all Ice figures definitely need a touch up! 

I made a lot of Ice sculpture in my life and I believe this ones 

are worn out after a long season 

It was still beautiful

At the Ice Bar, Donna and Amy

Definitely a secret passage way, look over his shoulder!

Not for claustrophobic people.

After a long way through modernized tunnels with motorized walkways we went to  the so called Alpine Sensation. Here they show the history of the Jungfrau with the tunnel building and include several wood carvings in the raw. with wood they found wile building the railway.

Alpine Sensation

A mountain goat

A Cow with a Swatch Watch, Ha.

Beautiful snow glob

Donna loves the Edelweiss decoration

                              Going through all this tunnel there are several exits to go outside. there are lots more attractions, like a simple stroll , sledding or skiing in eternal snow, etc, etc. 

                             After all this we hit the restaurant for some beverage and took the next train down. at the Kleine Scheidegg  restaurant we decided to have a meal, we guessed right, it was sensational.  

Swiss roesti with fresh veggie and melted Gruyere

Giant meat cutting board with Hobel Kaese, pears and sunflower seeds.

        

                            Back to the Restaurant Grund we went from here and then home. I was grateful having the car to drive up the 300 meters to the house and I think everybody else was too.

                   We ended the day with our usual Bacardi and coke and some Chocolate Stangeli as a snack! 

What a great day again, Amy and Donna

At this hour Bacardi taste good!

                             

Day 6 coming soon.

                   PS: A comment would be nice once in a while, then I know somebody is enjoying this too.