Blogs from South-West, Switzerland, Europe - page 12

Having walked from Engelberg (or at least the Trübsee) all the way to Meiringen the previous day, I woke to another beautiful blue sky on Monday (18th July) and set about making the most of Meiringen's proximity to some particularly spectacular attractions. Just a short walk upstream alongside the Aare River (which I still remember fondly from having floated down it through the capital Bern back in the summer of 2008; and not so fondly from having floated down it again the following year on my 30th birthday - when it was only May and the water was butt-numbingly cold!) led me to the Aareschlucht, where the river has carved a narrow gorge with walls rising up to two hundred metres high, through which a trail - in places tunneling through the rock; in others bolted ... read more

All in all, this was one of the most unforgettable travel days we have had, not for action, but for simple beauty of the environment. Our course took us first to Lucerne to see the Kapellbrucke, then on through the Jungfrau/Eiger region of the Swiss Alps, and finally on to Montreux on the "Swiss Riviera". Lucerne is on the shore of Lake Lucerne, at the point where the river Reuss empties into that lake, and the object of our visit was to see the famous Kapellbrücke (Chapel Bridge) which crosses the Reuss at a diagonal (never have found an explanation for that). It was built in 1333 originally, and is the oldest covered bridge in Europe. Since it is wooden, I am sure that much, if not all, has been replaced over time, and certainly major ... read more

Nous voilà à la veille du départ. Demain, c'est le grand jour... Bref, j'ai hâte. Je vais commencer par vous montrer le plan(en gros hein) de mon voyage. Je prendrai demain l'avion à 18h20 vers Copenhague. Puis, direction Elseneur pour le château de Kronborg. De là, je prendrai le ferry pour Helsingborg. Ensuite, je profiterai du train jusqu'à Göteborg, d'où je rejoindrai Oslo. La capitale sera mon point d'ancrage pour 2 aller-retour, l'un en direction de Bergen, l'autre vers Trondheim. Pour finir, je passerai par Stockholm pour prendre un ferry vers Helsinki. Voilà (en gros) mon plan d'escales mais il est tout à fait possible qu'une ou deux destinations supplémentaires s'ajoutent au cours du voyage.... read more

We both agree that train travel is incredibly romantic. We’ve probably watched too many movies….but we’re Americans. We live in a country where railroads are something that blocks traffic at exactly the wrong time while you sit and watch tanker cars, spray painted by exuberant artists roll by while you just sit….but we know that in other countries, it is a way people actually travel…and we find this wonderful. As the train pulls out of the station we are grateful to be on such a wonderful trip. We’d heard about a famous train called “The Glacier Express” that went through the Swiss Alps and we wanted to go. This train offers grand windows and so the world seems only a touch away. This is one of those rare occasions you have a moment where you find ... read more

The sun rises over the mountains in Interlaken. It is like someone opening up a gift. With each tear and turn of the paper, a priceless gift is revealed. Interlaken feels like landscape overload. The massive mountains surround the little town with small shops, cafes, and a few hostels, bringing a feeling of comfort and security to the area. It was September and the weather was cold, but not cold enough for the accumulation of snow. Thus, the Alps looked dark green from the infinite number of pine trees. Among these pine trees and looking up above, paragliders glided down 5,000-6,000 feet. They swayed back and forth with ease and grace. The gliders seemed to be floating rather than gliding. From ground level, the Alps formed a circle around Interlaken. The Alps were so massive that ... read more