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Geo: 46.5588, 7.8929
Woke up around 5:00 because I was sure I heard something. It sounded sort of like when Chloe pads into the bedroom and then positions herself on her blanket. Very quiet, but noticeable enough in the dead of night. I decided I really didn't hear anything, but then I heard it again. I scrabbled around for the light switch, nearly knocked the framed instructions for the telephone off the wall, and finally got light. Woke John up in the process. We didn't see anything in the room or anything out of place, and I didn't hear the noise again (neither did John), so either I'm going crazy or that poltergeist from Ireland is following me!
The plan this morning was to go to Trummelbach Falls down in the valley. However, Daniela found out the weather this morning was supposed to be beautiful, so she offered an optional excursion to the top of the Schilthorn. It costs around 40 Swiss francs per person to ride the cable car from Muerren up to Birg and then up to the Schilthorn. At the top, there is a revolving restaurant and bar (the Piz Gloria), a gift shop (of course), and a large 360-degree
terrace from which you can see the tops of the Alps, the valleys below, and the Eiger, Monch, and Jungfrau peaks. The complex was used in the James Bond film "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" starring George Lazenby, and the powers-that-be are still milking that connection 43 years later.
At 9,748 feet we had a pretty awesome view, particularly as there were very few clouds, so we could see for miles. And it was surprisingly warm up there too. We walked around the terrace taking lots of pictures that won't come out very well, and then down onto one of the peaks. John went out farther than I did because I was afraid of slipping. We really lucked out getting to go up there on such a beautiful morning.
Rode the cable car back down to Muerren (I stood at the front of the car; looking down at the drop can really do your head in!). Daniela then offered to walk with anyone who wanted to all the way to Gruetschalp, roughly 90 minutes away. Most everyone decided to do this, and just about everyone stopped at the Coop market to get something to make a picnic. John and I needed to
go back to the hotel, though, so we missed out on the groceries. Caught up with the group near the Muerren train station and walked along the cliff for 40 minutes or so to Winteregg. Next to a small mill – with work in progress – was an Alpkaeserei. Daniela got us some samples of the Alpkaese, or Alpine cheese, and it was very strong and tasty.
From Winteregg, everyone but us continued on to Gruetschalp, but since we didn't have anything for a picnic, we decided to stop in Winteregg and have lunch at the little restaurant. We had “mixed” sandwiches (ham, cheese, salami) and Rivella, an herbal lemonade. We also had something called Chocolino: chocolate, mocha, and vanilla ice cream scoops with Baileys poured on top and finished with whipped cream, two very thin apple slices, and one of those tubular cookies that I can't remember the name of. It was reallllly good. Plus, we had a fantastic view of the mountains.
We walked back along the same trail (and happened across a grasshopper hanging out on the road) to Muerren again. We lounged around the lobby a bit and then went back upstairs to do a little hand-wash. After
watching an episode of “Die Simpsons” in German (they got a really good voice to do Lisa), we ventured out for dinner. We decided to just pick up some yogurt, a sandwich to share, chips and some Fanta at the Coop, and we ate it sitting on a bench overlooking the valley. The weather had really changed, and we could barely see anything across the valley, whereas this morning everything was clear as a bell. We were so lucky!
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Mom
non-member comment
I wish you'd stop describing those luscious desserts you're eating!! ;-)