Date: Tuesday May 10, 2016

Subject: We’re Pretty High Here!

 

Hi everyone,

     We were in a big ‘schtall’ yesterday on our way to Stechelberg, Switzerland prior to entering a 23 km long tunnel. Joey considered an alternate route, but it was still snow-covered so we waited in the bus ... which I now have time to mention is a full-sized bus with only 25 people plus Joey & Anja. That makes for a lot of space to move around and spread out. On top of that, Joey keeps us well-stocked in supplies (drinks and munchies!) I tend to sit close to the front preferring to watch the scenery as we approach it.

     

 Finally we got moving again, heading up the side of a mountain and then down again into the Lauterbrunnen Valley. Wow! In the middle of the Alps.

  

  You can tell which country you are in just by looking at the architecture ... these sturdy chalet-style timber buildings are built to withstand the snow and the cold.  We had an excellent pork roast and mashed potatoes supper and were entertained by horn players. We were more entertained by members of our group attempting to play the alpenhorns ... I’m not so good at ‘wind’ instruments. Ha ha.

   

  With a promise of cold and clear weather at the top, we paid the extra to take a cable car – gondola to the top of Schilthorn, which is just under 3000 meters, I think (close to 10,000 feet?)  Cold, windy and beautiful .... but, I noticed that the mountains were a little less sharp-edged than the Canadian Rockies; I guess our mountains are a wee bit younger.  It took a few minutes to adjust to the lower oxygen levels ... and to adjust to the voices and sounds coming from the washroom. One of the James Bond 007 movies was filmed here and disembodied voices use phrases from the movie when you open or shut a toilet stall door, flush or look into the mirror. A little bit weird!