Day 17: A Day in the AlpsStunning Views: The entire group chose to take our Heidelblom tour bus to the train station together to start the day. A few members decided to venture off on their own hiking trails from there, but most of us joined Lisa for a guided start to the day. This was technically a free day in the Alps, so everyone could make their own itinerary if they chose, but many chose to follow Lisa's lead. For those going with Lisa, we experienced a cable car ride up part of the mountain and then a cog train ride up to the next level. The views were stunning! We enjoyed the scenic walk, seeing the kids play in the snow for the first time and finally, the train ride back down to the valley.
Another Adventure: We decided to take the train from Lauterbrunnen back to Stechelberg where our hotel was located. This saved us some time and allowed us to make our planned hike up the steep hillside to Gimmelwald. We had seen Rick's PBS segment on this hilltop town and wanted to see it first hand. The trail was safe and well marked, but it was challenging as well. We could have taken the cable car up, but we chose the hike. The trip up and down took us just over three hours, and we were rewarded with more fabulous views, bridges, waterfalls, and the cozy town of Gimmelwald. While some of the others in the group took the cable car up to Schilthorn or walked the valley or toured the waterfalls, we were very happy with our hike. Birthday Wishes: Today happened to be Paul's birthday, and at supper the group treated him with a very nice birthday card signed by everyone. To top it off, the hotel staff brought him a delicious piece of birthday cake and presented it with traditional Swiss kisses on the cheek as well as a group rendition of Happy Birthday. Now that's a birthday! Groundhog Day: If we could relive days like in the movie Groundhog Day, this would be a day to repeat. Awesome! |
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