Swiss Oberland Untour, Fall of 2002
by Bob and Barbara Eslinger, Phoenix, AZ
8/28
We rode the train from St. Goar, Germany to Frutigen our village in Switzerland. It was about a 6-hour train ride (2 train changes). I think Barb is glad she didn't pack more after handling carry-ons today. All in all, one carryon and a backpack each works for us. Our apartment is outstanding and our hosts, Peter and Esther, were very hospitable. They invited us for some wine, cheese and bread and even had their neighbor (who speaks good English) over for any translations that might be needed. Actually Peter can communicate in English but just isn't confident. He has built an elaborate miniature railroad system throughout his yard. It is HG scale about 1 to 22. Esther, his wife, takes care of all the beautiful flowers and plants that surround their home. Our apartment is on the second floor with an outside balcony that runs around two sides providing a beautiful view of the surrounding Alps. Our living room/dining room area has windows on two adjacent walls. It is one of the best-equipped apartments we have had and Peter allowed us to use his computer for the Internet.8/29
Alumni orientation was in Spiez. We were told about all of the things going on in the area during our two-week stay. Following orientation we went down by the boat dock next to the castle and had lunch at Schloss Pintli with another Untour couple from Prescott. Our lunch was the local fish, Egli Filet (perch). It was very good. Afterwards we took the beautiful walk to Faulensee along Lake Thun and then caught a paddlewheel steamer to Interlaken. The weather was partly cloudy but otherwise very nice. We can’t help but make comparisons to Germany. The trains, train stations and towns are much cleaner in Switzerland. The Swiss take pride in their homes and the flowers they have are beautiful. The countryside is greener and the mountains more dynamic. Although we did enjoy our Rhineland trip, it is good to be back in Switzerland.8/30
We have been in Switzerland four times but have never gone to the Jungfraujoch, a huge tourist attraction. The highest railroad in Europe (built in 1893) takes you through the Eiger mountain to 11,333 feet. The railway is a cog railroad because of the steep path. At the top there are many things to see including the ice palace, which is hewn out of the slowest moving section of the glacier and has many ice carvings. The Aletschgletscher (glacier) is on the doorstep and is a 14 mile river of ice, the longest in Europe. There is downhill skiing with a rope tow, dog sled rides and sledding available. You need a good clear day to really see everything and we had one today.9/1
It was raining when we got up but the TV forecast showed it would clear in the afternoon so we decided to go to Winteregg for a festival. We boarded the train but when we arrived in Interlaken it was pouring rain so we turned around and headed back. At least it wasn’t raining in Frutigen. We had noticed that there was a spaghetti Plausch der Jungenmusik at the Sports Hall by the bahnhof so we decided to take in a “locals” event. It was a spaghetti dinner fund raiser for the local youth music group. The spaghetti noodles and sauces were excellent. We sat at a table with Swiss locals. Only one spoke English. The desserts were all homemade and excellent. It was fun. After lunch we walked around town to work off some of the lunch.9/2
Today was one of the best hiking days we have had. The day started with low clouds that quickly lifted and we decided to go to Adelboden, which is very near our hometown of Frutigen. We took the Sillerenbuhl cable car through two angle stations to a high point on the mountain (1978 meters) with wonderful views all along the way. From there we hiked downhill about 45 minutes to Geils. At Geils,we took a cable car to Hahenemoospass that provided on even more fantastic view that overlooked Lenk. And as we have mentioned before there is also a restaurant at the top of every mountain so we stopped for lunch. It was very interesting to watch as model gliders were being flown. Following lunch we hiked along a ridge for about an hour back to Sillerenbuhl cable car station. We really liked this hike and it can be taken very easily in either direction. It was interesting to watch clouds fill the valleys while we were still far above the clouds. We took the cable car back to Adelboden and it wasn't long before we were in the clouds. At one of the angle stations we saw farmers bringing cows down from high pastures. One thing that was different was that in addition to the decorations (big bells and flowers) several had milk stools on their heads. We are aware that the cows that give the most milk get the biggest bells and the most flowers but the milk stools were new to us. We asked a local why the cows wore the stools. She replied, “Well it is a way to get the stools down from the mountain”. At Adelboden we took a short cable car run to Main Street and then walked several blocks to the Tschenten cable car and took it up the mountain behind Adelboden. About midway we came through the clouds to a beautiful view of mountains with clouds in the valleys. We took a short hike on top then caught the cable car down, did some shopping and caught the bus home. It was a full day but a wonderful day that will be long remembered. The Adelboden area is such a wonderful area I am not sure why it isn’t mentioned in the Hiking and Biking Guide. There are many lift/hike options and you can walk as little or as much as you want. But either way you can see beautiful scenery. We bought a day pass (23 sfr with Swiss pass) which allowed unlimited lift access. You can also take a post bus to several of the higher mountain lifts. For example, the Post Bus goes to Geils and from there you can take a lift to the Hahnenmoospass. You can also take a post bus to Unterdem Birg and take a lift along Engstligenfalls. Our apartment in Frutigen was only a couple of blocks from the Adelboden bus stop so it was very convenient.9/3
We went to Neuchatel today on an alumni trip to the Swiss Expo 02. Vince Bolli met us at the train station and accompanied us to the expo where we sat down for some hot chocolate while he reviewed Expo 02. We were the only two to show up which surprised us. It was raining but there were still a lot of people. Switzerland is the only country in the world that regularly holds national exhibitions. The first was held in Zurich in 1883 and this exhibition is the sixth. What makes this exhibit different is that it is being held in 4 destinations known as “Arteplages” in the area known as the “Three Lakes Area”. The four destinations (Biel-Bienne, Neuchatel, Murten-Morat and Yverdon-les-Bains) are in different cantons, which provides a broad cross section of support. The word “Arteplage” has been especially created for the expo and includes the words art and beach, as the expo parks are all situated on the shore of a lake and includes a platform or object on the lake. All of the expo parks must be returned to their original form after the expo is finished at the end of October which means tearing down and removing many elaborate displays and buildings. Each of the Arteplages is dedicated to a different theme as follows:Biel-Bienne: Power and Freedom
Murten-Morat: Instant and Eternity
Neuchatel: Nature and Artifice
Yverdon-les-Bains: Me and the Universe
In talking to some Swiss people the objective of the expo is to bring the people of Switzerland together. Even with sponsor support the endeavor is costing the Swiss people plenty. Even though the entrance fee is about $30/day, it only covers about 1/5 the cost. We found the background of the expo as interesting as the expo itself. We visited the Le Palais de l’Equailibre, which is a large wooden sphere, intended to illustrate the fragile balance between the economy, environment and society. We found it interesting and easy to go through without lines. We visited the Manna a gigantic pudding intended to titillate your senses. We weren’t impressed. The other six exhibitions were located under three gigantic saucers intended to symbolize rocks that could be skipped across water. We visited the Magic de l’energic exhibit that highlighted our dependence on natural and artificial forms of energy. A great water show was a part of this exhibit. We stood in line for over 30 minutes for the Biopolis that was intended to transport you to a fictitious city in the year 2022 where modern biotechnology was a reality. It was interesting but we felt many of the displays took too long and therefore people didn’t move through the exhibit very fast. We stood in line about 45 minutes for Beaufast 12 that takes you across an area ravaged by natural disasters to reach the eye of an artificial hurricane. Again, the movement through the exhibit was too long resulting in long lines. The two exhibits we really wanted to see, Robotics and Artificial Intelligence both had lines of about an hour so we finally gave up. Keep in mind this was only one of four areas and we didn’t get through the first one. The other areas were about 45 minutes away by train or longer if you went by boat. This is quite an undertaking by the Swiss. We are glad we went but wouldn’t go back because of the long lines.
9/4
We noticed on the TV that it was 108 in Phoenix. We hiked at temperatures around 65, perfect for hiking. Today was exciting because Bob left his backpack on a train and didn't realize it until he was ready to get on the next train. The good news is that he was able to get back to the train in time (with Barbara following closely behind). The bad news is that the train took off in the opposite direction before we had a chance to exit. We rode 10 minutes to the next stop and then waited 30 minutes for the next train going back. All came out well; it just cost us about an hour. We had a good laugh about our “untour experience”. We did one of our favorite walks called the Grandfather's Walk. We trained to Lauterbrunnen, took the funicular to Grutshalp and walked about an hour to Murren. All along the trail we had a beautiful view of the Eiger, Monch, and Jungfrau. We ate our lunch at a bench along the path. When we got to Murren we ordered a dessert and drinks at an outside restraurant perched right on the edge of the Lauterbrunnen Valley. After lunch we took the lift down to Stechelberg at the end of the Lauterbrunnen valley. We walked back to Lauterbrunnen admiring the many waterfalls along the way. It was another great day.9/5
We were ready for an easy day so we returned to Adelboden to a different area than we had previously visited. We took the Engstligenalp lift past beautiful Engstligen Falls to a plateau area nestled between several high mountains. There was a nice hour flat walk that went around this area. We could see farmer’s houses/barns used as summer grazing areas for cows. We stopped at one of the restaurants for lunch and sat on the deck overlooking the beautiful scenery. In the winter months this is a downhill and cross-country ski area. After lunch we took the lift down and as we got off the lift we could see farmers taking their cows down to the winter grazing ground. The cows that produced the most milk were decorated with a flowered head band and had the largest bells. The farmer, his wife and a couple of helpers, dressed in authentic Swiss shirts, herded the cows down the road and we followed (careful of course where we stepped). The cow’s take-up the whole road so they block traffic from behind and cars backed up for some distance. Traffic in front pulled over and waited for them to pass. We followed them for about a mile to the next bus stop all the while enjoying the clanging bells. It was really fun being part of this tradition.9/6
Today was forecast as partly cloudy or partly sunny however you want to look at it but in reality it never cleared and was overcast the entire day. We decide to go to Thun and walk around town. The old town is particularly interesting. We had stayed in Thun four years ago and so retraced some steps from then. In the afternoon we went to Zofingen to spend the weekend with Elisabeth, a Swiss friend. We talked while she treated us to delicious baguettes, hors d'oeuvres and a special apple cake.9/7
It was sunny in Zofingen and Elisabeth took us to the local farmer's market in the Altstadt (old town) then we stopped at grocery stores (Coop and Migros) to stock up for the weekend. Streets were crowded with people buying produce and fresh flowers. Afterward, we drove to Hagendorf and took a hike up the Tenfelsschlucht (Devil's Canyon). We could hear the stream running as we hiked uphill through the beautiful gorge, stopped for a snack along the way and then exited the gorge into a meadow. We continued hiking down a different wanderweg (trail) back into town. It was a wonderful 3.5 hour hike. The highlight of the day was the authentic Swiss fondue that Elisabeth prepared for the evening meal. It was a beautiful evening so we sat out on her patio as the sun set.9/8
The forecast was good so Elisabeth drove us to Adelboden to take advantage of a special all day pass for 5 Swiss Francs. We started by taking the Sillerenbuel gondola to the second angle station (Berglager) and hiked about an hour back to Adelboden. This was a great hike through the forest and along a roaring stream. Next we took the Sillerenbuhl gondola all the way to the top where there were many people taking advantage of the weather and the special day pass. We had lunch and then hiked to Hahenmoospass. This is the same hike we took the other day except in the opposite direction. Of the hikes we have taken in Adelboden this is our favorite. We caught a different gondola to Geils and had a break at a restaurant. The kids were having a great time here. They had cars and scooters for them to ride. Speaking of scooters, one of the favorite things to do is to rent a scooter (they have large wheels around 12 in. in diameter and of course good brakes) and then ride down the mountain on paved trails. I wonder how many serious accidents they have. After our break we hiked back to Berglager where we started at the first of the day and took the gondola back to the bottom to finish a great day on the mountain.9/9
The weather forecast was not too great today so we decided to go to Meiringen where we stayed a couple of years ago. We got on a great panorama train on the way and decided to stay on past Meiringen up over the mountain to Lungren (a beautiful town in a mountain valley on a lake). We walked around town then started back to Meiringen via Bruing where we caught a bus to Reuti on the Hasliberg. The Hasliberg is a mountain plateau high above Meiringen. The view was magnificent. There were high clouds but otherwise no rain. We ate lunch and took the tram down to Meiringen where we strolled around town and then headed home to get ready for the Idyll going away dinner at the Hotel Rustica in Frutigen. There were three menu items; we chose fondue. It was good but not nearly as good as Elisabeth's. There was authentic Swiss music with 3 accordions and a bass. A Frutigen woman sang Swiss songs and yodeled. The group was very good. Fellow Untourists shared some experiences. It was raining hard when we walked back to our apartment. One day left before we move on.9/10
It rained all night and was cloudy with poor forecast for the day. We decided to go to Bern since it has one of the largest covered shopping promenades in the old town along the busy Marktgasse. When we got there it was cloudy but not rainy and that held thru the day. It was market day. Booths of flowers, foods and other retail items lined the street. We walked the old town established in the early 1100's entering thru the old city gate and clock tower. The clock tower figures parade at five minutes before every hour. Bern is the Federal Capital of Switzerland and the capital of the Canton of Bern. According to legend, when the duke of Yahringen established the town, he sent his hunters into the woods promising to name the city after the first animal slain. A bear was killed and the city was named Bern (pronounced Bearen). We visited the bear pits where bears are on display. We also attended a 20-minute presentation in English at the visitor’s center. Afterwards we walked along the Aare River and returned to the bahnhof. Today is our last day in our apartment. Tomorrow we take the Glacier Express from Brig to St Moritz.9/11
We couldn't help but reflect back a year ago when we heard the tragic news as we were in a coffee shop in St Gallen. This evening in St Moritz we watched CNN coverage entitled "The World Remembers".The panorama Glacier Express trip was wonderful. It was partly cloudy but very clear. We enjoyed the entire 6.5 hour ride from Brig to St Moritz thru meadows, valleys and mountain passes. We had heard others say that only part of the trip is extraordinary but we thought all of it was beautiful and interesting. So far we have found St Moritz confusing and certainly not what we expected. The layout seems confusing. We'll see if we change our minds tomorrow.
9/12
We got a much better understanding of St Moritz today. We had envisioned it being similar to Aspen, Vail or Park City. Instead, St Moritz by its self is composed mostly of hotels and some high end shopping and not very impressive. It doesn’t seem like a little community. What is impressive are the many outlaying smaller villages (Pontresina, Celerina, Semedan and Sils) which are generally around lifts. These villages are very old with narrow streets and distinctive personalities. We spent much of the time riding buses to or thru various villages and exploring several. It would be fun to stay in one of these smaller villages for a longer period of time and take advantage of the many hiking opportunities.9/13
We had some time this morning so we walked to St Moritz Bad and then hiked around the lake in about an hour. It is a beautiful lake and it was very crisp this morning so we enjoyed the cooler weather before heading back to Phoenix. We got on the Glacier Express and retraced the beautiful mountain segment from St. Moritz to Chur. From there we caught a train to Zurich and then flew on to Frankfurt. We stayed at the Astron Hotel again. It was a wonderful two weeks in Germany and two weeks in Switzerland but we were ready to go home.Some Impressions of Switzerland
- We forget how clean Switzerland is. People really take pride in the cleanliness of their homes and businesses. Even toilets on main streets are clean; however, the one thing that doesn’t seem consistent with the “clean” reputation is the amount of graffiti that is found in cities. Some of it is well done but it is very significant particularly around the rail lines.
- It is interesting that school children are released to go home for lunch each day. This seems a waste of time and puts a burden on the working mom since she has to be home to prepare lunch.
- In our experience prices are much higher in Switzerland than in the US, Germany or Austria. For example, a cup of coffee is about $2 without refills.
- You don’t see water fountains and tap water isn’t served in restaurants. This isn’t restricted to Switzerland. Also, ice is not served with drinks. You are expected to buy bottled water or some other drink. Most Swiss order mineral water with carbonation. If we wanted regular water we had to ask for water without gas. A small beer is about the same price as a bottle of water. Guess what my choice was.
- Tipping for meals is generally not expected other than to tip the change.
- The country is beautiful, the people are generally helpful and friendly and there is something that draws you back again and again.
- The transportation system is amazing. Trains and buses were on time and connections were good. This is really a good way to travel.
- It was interesting that during our stay it was announced that Switzerland has agreed to join the United Nations. It was narrowly approved in a vote and is the first sign that Switzerland is moving away from its isolationism. Many feel they will join the EU in the near future.
- More and more people are speaking English (particularly younger people). English is taught in the schools. We have the feeling that Europeans will be able to understand and speak English but we Americans will be “in the dark” when they speak their language.
- And we can’t get over how green and beautiful Switzerland is. People really take pride in flowers around their homes. The mountains are majestic. We will return.