Our trip was only a tease of the beautiful sights of Switzerland to visit with our friends Beat and Monica. They had plotted out a spectacular route which covered the north to Rheinfall, east to Appenzell, South to Lugano and back up over the Bernese Highlands near Interlaken, passing Lucern on our way back to Zurich. Truly a condensed viewing of their beautiful country.
We had ten days but from the time we landed to departing, Monica and Beat showcased their country in grand hiking style! We landed in Zurich and as our friends do not have a car, nor do they need one, we traveled by public transportation, firstly the train from the airport, to the tram through Zurich, to catch the city bus which arrived at the base of their condo, which we would then hike by foot up the hill to the entrance, then up the stairs several floors to their unit at the top level. Their home bordered the farmlands and open green fields where you could see the livestock roaming about. The next morning we saw cows grazing just outside the window as we had breakfast.
Our tour would first bring us to the falls at Rheinfall, where we enjoyed watching, from a man-made platform overhanging the falls, the tour boats come and go from an island in the middle of the falls, similar to being beside Niagara Falls. The next day we headed east to the Village of Appenzell to sample the famous Appenzell cheese and hike in the Alpstein area where we had lunch at a restaurant on the side of a cliff. Our diet consisted of cheese, various types of sausages and breads. Then we headed southerly by train to their summer home in Schluein where we hiked the mountain they ski in the winter. Their summer home was lovely, two stories, no screens on windows, neighbors with goats and sheep. Sleeping at night was most comfortable and comforters were used in place of sheets to cover yourself. This is actually a European trait. This area was quaint, like a little cottage nestled on the shoulder of the mountains where out the window you could see mountains and valleys in the distance. The next day we took a bus to Nagens above Flims and we hiked for the day. Continuing our journey, we traveled by train to the pass 'Oberalppass'. This was a beautiful train ride through the hills and valleys. We continued our way to Andermatt, then changed trains to travel through the 15 km tunnel to Fiesch; we then checked into our hotel Eggishorn, then took the gondola up to Mount Eggishorn to view Aletesch glacier, Junfraugh mountain, the Eiger and an entire mountain range of spectacular beauty, perfectly timed before the fog rolled in. The next morning after breakfast we hiked to Fiescherap, then stopped for coffee at Bettmeralp, and continued on to our hotel in Riederfurka, about a 10-km hike. We had to use our imagination with the heavy fog and remind ourselves that we were still hiking in the Alps. The weather changed from fog to sun and back to fog, but you would get glimpses of beauty. A notable interest was seeing the many avalanche safety walls on the side of the mountains, which reminded us we were high and if it was winter in avalanche territory.
The accommodations were rustic but beautiful. Given it was cool and damp, we had a cheese fondue for supper, with bread and potatoes. We could hear and see the cows in the area. The bells around their necks defined the pecking order. The lead cow had the biggest bell and during the night we could hear loud and clear as the herder brought his cattle through the area. It was very enchanting.
We continued our trek hiking from Riederfurka to Belap. It was a full day's hike, starting down a steep mountain to cross a ravine on a steel hanging bridge and then up a steep ascent. This day was beautiful and clear, hot and sunny and the most spectacular views seen yet, hiking along a narrow herd path. Our next night was at a chalet high in the mountains. The next day we had hiked from Oeschinensee over the Hohtuerli Pass to Griesalp, in the Bernese Alps. This was the highlight of the trip for me, as I hiked up and over a high pass, taking us through a glacier and down across the glacier, sections of snow, then rock, then grassy fields, into the forest to our next stop, where we caught a bus to take us further down the mountain to the train that would then take us back to Zurich. We decided to take another train ride to Lugano for pizza and tour the village. Now we knew first hand why Europeans know so many languages. From Swiss to German to Latin to Italian, not to mention the French on the far west side. It was an amazing journey.
We had celebrated the anniversary of Monica and Beat at a beautiful outside restaurant by the river in Zurich and then took a city tour on a tram serving hors-d'oeuvres and wine. A special treat from Monica and Beat.
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