Switzerland! Climb Every Mountain

 

6/20 - Monday day 16 of the tour.  

We started the day by taking a train out of Cinque Terre to get back to our bus. Then we headed up the mountainside towards Switzerland. There were many hair raising hairpin turns. (Maybe Christine might add some pictures of these - I was a little white knuckled). We crossed the border into Switzerland just after noon. Fun fact, Switzerland is the only non-EU country we are going to be in. We had a get a few Swiss francs for currency.   

In Switzerland we went through the Gotthard Road Tunnel. It was 17 kilometers long and took 14.20 and 94 seconds to get through.  It reminded me of the Liberty tunnel in Pittsburgh, but much longer. 

We didn’t stop saying WOW most of the day. We got to our destination … and … I must have been ignoring it, but I don’t recall anyone telling me that I had to take 2 gondola cars up to the town where my hotel was!!!!! After the initial shock and intrepid feeling, I actually really liked the gondolas. After checking in, we had dinner together overlooking the mountains and relaxed the rest of the evening.  Even though we had left a Mediterranean paradise, we had another great travel day. 

Christine took a great picture of the long Gottard Road tunnel. They limit the number of vehicles in it at a time, so we were stuck in traffic for about 45 minutes before it was our turn to go through.  

What the hey!!! 2 gondola rides to get to our hotel, which was perched on the mountain side!! Christine made sure that I didn’t drop out of the tour and got me on the car! 

I settled into the experience quickly!   It was actually fun. 

Hello from our Murren Switzerland hotel. 

This is not a fake background!  It is the view from the balcony of some of the hotel rooms! 

(Not ours, but we weren’t jealous. Not at all.)

Group dinner with Karen and Robin

Friendly locals

The sun going down over the mountains 

Tuesday 6/21 - day 17 of the tour 

First thing in the morning we took 2 gondolas up to Schilthorn.  It is 2,970 metres (9,744 ft) high. The Schilthorn lies above the village of Mürren (where we stayed).  It is also known for being in the 1969 James Bond 007 film On Her Majesty's Secret Service.  After an hour or so, we descended the mountain to Birg, which is only 2,677 meters above sea level (almost 8,783 ft.)  We did a thrill walk there with Christine participating in all the fun and me taking pictures of it.  

From there we took 3 cable cars to descend the mountain, climbed on our bus and went to Trümmelbach Falls.  These are a series of ten glacier-fed waterfalls inside a mountain.  Like everything else we saw in Switzerland, the falls were stunningly beautiful!   

I can’t emphasize enough that our pictures do not even come close to showing the beauty of this whole area.  

We had a quick lunch and look see around the hub of the valley - Lauterbrunnen.  In the springtime, you can see over 70 waterfalls from the town.  After lunch we took a gondola up one level to start a 3-mile hike back Murren.   

Another fabulous day!! 

Our tour guide Dimitri getting ready for the day. 

What a great way to start the day. 

First stop of the day! 

(Note from Christine: the 3 names above Bond's head are the 3 starkly imposing peaks we could see from our hotel in Murren - the Eiger, Monch (munk), and Jungfrau)

The weather was beautiful as we started up the mountain 

Weeeeeeeeee

Schilthorn - perched on top of the mountain at almost 9,744 feet above sea level. Christine is awesome at taking pictures. 

Ta Da 

We had a few showers, but it cleared up quickly! (It did hail on the way down for a few minutes) 

Wow!!! Wow!!! Wow!!!  

Photos do not do it justice. 

Christine does a high five with James Bond! 

This sign looks a little scary - maybe we should stay out of this area. 

(2nd note from Christine: it was NOT, as you can clearly read, verboten!)

Or maybe not!!! 

Looking back at the Schilthorn building. We didn’t do it, but the top is a rotating restaurant where you can eat breakfast. 

Bathrooms at the stop. When you flushed, it played James Bond chase music! 

Headed down the mountain to the next stop! Birg! 

Here we go!

We are headed confidently down the rock face. 

Christine tried the cable line over the sheer drop.  Don’t worry Christine fans,  there was a cage to catch her.

Christine crawling through a cage suspended over another sheer drop.  

Still going.

Yeah - she made it!! 

(3rd note from Christine: Ow!)

Glass walk.  There was actually a crack in it - No Way! 

A view of the mountains at the end of the thrill walk. 

Next stop!

Contemplating millions of years.

I’m still smiling because I haven’t climbed the millions of steps yet.

These tunnels around the waterfalls were cool. 

Watch this! 

Lunch stop at Lauterbrunnen.

Just a few shops but Christine found herself a Swiss watch. 

After lunch, hiking back to our hotel was hot.  Christine took advantage of the cool water. 

Wildlife spotted on the hike. 

Yeah us!! Over 9 miles today! 

After-dinner sweets with a friend we met in town 

Just because it is gorgeous 

And again

Last look  👀 at the mountains by our hotel. 

Goodbye Switzerland…..We are heading to France!

Allons-y!

 - Mary