Hiking the Swiss Alps (once again!)
I love my old company! Recently my friend Babs, who still works there, got a swanky job that flies her all over the country and even to... Switzerland (where a side perk is seeing me!) So you see, I'm still benefiting from the perks of Gene! :)
Babs DID come here for work, but we definitely made the most of her time off and then, after she was done, we sprinted off to Italy to enjoy the warmer weather (and food, wine, culture, shopping, and everything else Italy has to offer...) But first I was headed to Basel to meet up with her when she arrived in Switzerland.
Her work was centered in the Basel area, so I caught the train and met her when she landed on Thursday afternoon. After checking into her hotel, we walked through town and grabbed a drink on the shores of the river. She had to work Friday, Monday, & Tuesday, so I left her to her work and we planned to meet up Saturday morning for a weekend in the Berner Oberland area of the Swiss Alps.
This was to be the 4th trip to the Interlaken area for me & G, but we absolutely love it there, so we were excited to be heading back with Babs to share with her this beautiful country and to discover some new parts of the Lauterbrunnen Valley. This time we were actually staying at a campground in a 4-person bungalow. It was actually quite comfortable and almost as cheap as sleeping in the barn (but the bonus is a real bed!)
The three of us spent our first day hiking in an area called Schynige Platte. We started at the Alpine flower park, which was less impressive then our guidebook let on, but we did get the chance to see Edelweiss growing in the wild! We soon abandoned the park for some real hiking along a beautiful ridge heading up to Daub Peak, with Lake Brienz on one side and the beauty of the Jungfrau on the other. But once we reached the top, we found ourselves in the middle of a cloud! We waited it out long enough to get some decent pictures of the valleys below before we headed back down.
G and I loved our trip up to the "Top of Europe" so much that we had to take Babs up there too. So bright and early the next morning we were on our way to the Jungfrau and the highest train station in Europe. Soon we were in a wonderland of ice and snow. I was hoping to get a second chance to try out the zip line I had seen up here a few weeks before, but they were taking it down for the season! Oh well, I guess some things are just not meant to be. We walked around and watched some tourists take their turn circling around a small track on a dog sled, which was quite entertaining. The weather couldn't have been better for our high Alps adventure and I think Babs really had a great time... I know I did!
Heading back down to the valley we stopped in the town of Wengen for a picnic lunch before zipping up the Mannlichen cable car for one last hike. Above the Mannlichen lift station we hiked up to the World Heritage sight of the Mannlichen Gipfel (the little peak at 7,500 feet) where the views are arguably the best in the world. The entire Jungfrau mountain range, the Lauterbrunnen Valley, and all of the Interlaken valley. You are literally surrounded on all sides by breathtaking views! It was simply incredible. But it was getting late and we had more on the agenda for the day. Since Babs had to make a transfer in the town of Luzern on her way back to Basel, I figured I would go with her and we could have dinner in the picturesque town of Luzern.
Of course things don't always go as planned. By the time we got to Luzern it was late and we only had a couple of hours to wander around the town and have a little gelato before I had to catch the last train back to Geneva. So, no dinner for us, but Babs really liked Luzern and was so glad we stopped in to have a look. She was now on her way back to Basel and I was on my way to Geneva, or so I thought!
I had a really tight train change in Olton (on my way to Bern where I was to transfer again before getting to Geneva). There was also a track change and with the tight connection I managed to get on the wrong train to Bern, ensuring that I would miss the last train to Geneva by 10 minutes! I was so upset because I was dead tired and just wanted to get home. I called G who arranged a hotel for me in Bern. The guy at the hotel was waiting up for me when I arrived just after 11pm. "You must be the one who missed the train." Yup - That's me!
Eventually I did make it home, no worse for ware, and now I can say I spent the night in Bern! Anyway, it was all worth it for the great weekend we had. Our adventures were not over yet... in just two days, after finishing her work, Babs was set to meet us in Geneva to start the next part of the journey... Italy here we come!
Hiking Schynige Platte
Edelweiss growing in the "wild" (at the Alpine flower park)
The happy hikers
Getting to know the local wildlife
Waking up on the train to the Jungfrau "Top of Europe" (we had a very early start)
Inside the glacier in the Ice Palace at the "Top of Europe"
Outside in the cold at the "Top of Europe"
Which way?
Feeling on top of the world at Mannlichen Gipfel
Chilling out on the edge
The view from the top
Babs DID come here for work, but we definitely made the most of her time off and then, after she was done, we sprinted off to Italy to enjoy the warmer weather (and food, wine, culture, shopping, and everything else Italy has to offer...) But first I was headed to Basel to meet up with her when she arrived in Switzerland.
Her work was centered in the Basel area, so I caught the train and met her when she landed on Thursday afternoon. After checking into her hotel, we walked through town and grabbed a drink on the shores of the river. She had to work Friday, Monday, & Tuesday, so I left her to her work and we planned to meet up Saturday morning for a weekend in the Berner Oberland area of the Swiss Alps.
This was to be the 4th trip to the Interlaken area for me & G, but we absolutely love it there, so we were excited to be heading back with Babs to share with her this beautiful country and to discover some new parts of the Lauterbrunnen Valley. This time we were actually staying at a campground in a 4-person bungalow. It was actually quite comfortable and almost as cheap as sleeping in the barn (but the bonus is a real bed!)
The three of us spent our first day hiking in an area called Schynige Platte. We started at the Alpine flower park, which was less impressive then our guidebook let on, but we did get the chance to see Edelweiss growing in the wild! We soon abandoned the park for some real hiking along a beautiful ridge heading up to Daub Peak, with Lake Brienz on one side and the beauty of the Jungfrau on the other. But once we reached the top, we found ourselves in the middle of a cloud! We waited it out long enough to get some decent pictures of the valleys below before we headed back down.
G and I loved our trip up to the "Top of Europe" so much that we had to take Babs up there too. So bright and early the next morning we were on our way to the Jungfrau and the highest train station in Europe. Soon we were in a wonderland of ice and snow. I was hoping to get a second chance to try out the zip line I had seen up here a few weeks before, but they were taking it down for the season! Oh well, I guess some things are just not meant to be. We walked around and watched some tourists take their turn circling around a small track on a dog sled, which was quite entertaining. The weather couldn't have been better for our high Alps adventure and I think Babs really had a great time... I know I did!
Heading back down to the valley we stopped in the town of Wengen for a picnic lunch before zipping up the Mannlichen cable car for one last hike. Above the Mannlichen lift station we hiked up to the World Heritage sight of the Mannlichen Gipfel (the little peak at 7,500 feet) where the views are arguably the best in the world. The entire Jungfrau mountain range, the Lauterbrunnen Valley, and all of the Interlaken valley. You are literally surrounded on all sides by breathtaking views! It was simply incredible. But it was getting late and we had more on the agenda for the day. Since Babs had to make a transfer in the town of Luzern on her way back to Basel, I figured I would go with her and we could have dinner in the picturesque town of Luzern.
Of course things don't always go as planned. By the time we got to Luzern it was late and we only had a couple of hours to wander around the town and have a little gelato before I had to catch the last train back to Geneva. So, no dinner for us, but Babs really liked Luzern and was so glad we stopped in to have a look. She was now on her way back to Basel and I was on my way to Geneva, or so I thought!
I had a really tight train change in Olton (on my way to Bern where I was to transfer again before getting to Geneva). There was also a track change and with the tight connection I managed to get on the wrong train to Bern, ensuring that I would miss the last train to Geneva by 10 minutes! I was so upset because I was dead tired and just wanted to get home. I called G who arranged a hotel for me in Bern. The guy at the hotel was waiting up for me when I arrived just after 11pm. "You must be the one who missed the train." Yup - That's me!
Eventually I did make it home, no worse for ware, and now I can say I spent the night in Bern! Anyway, it was all worth it for the great weekend we had. Our adventures were not over yet... in just two days, after finishing her work, Babs was set to meet us in Geneva to start the next part of the journey... Italy here we come!
Hiking Schynige Platte
Edelweiss growing in the "wild" (at the Alpine flower park)
The happy hikers
Getting to know the local wildlife
Waking up on the train to the Jungfrau "Top of Europe" (we had a very early start)
Inside the glacier in the Ice Palace at the "Top of Europe"
Outside in the cold at the "Top of Europe"
Which way?
Feeling on top of the world at Mannlichen Gipfel
Chilling out on the edge
The view from the top
posted by Swiss Miss | 02:13
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