Day 11
At some indeterminate time shortly after sunrise, I cracked my eyes and looked out the uncurtained French door towards “our” mountains and saw… Clear Skies! Then I fell back asleep.
But at 7, Jill and I both fluttered our eyes at the same time and said “Yay!!! Time to get Up!” We dragged Kristen’s butt out of bed, had breakfast, and were out by 8:30. Believe me, with 2 females that counts as “record time”.
Destination Schilthorn – Piz Gloria – the 10,000 foot summit featured in the 007 thriller “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service”. Also te site of Dave & Jill’s “James Bond Breakfast” 16 years ago – in the clouds – after spending a night in Walter Mittaghorn’s hotel in Gimmelwald. But that’s another diary.
After an uneventful but lengthy drive, we passed Lauterbrunnen and arrived at the Stechelberg cable car station around 10:15. Paragliders landing in the adjacent field. Many cars in the car park since it was the fiirst clear day in at least 3 weeks. 16 years ago, there were 10 cars in the car park, today about 1000.
How much, you ask? About $176 for the three of us, including a discount Swiss kid pass for Kristen. Yikes, but cheaper than the Jungfraujoch trains by about $300 – 400
As soon as we lifted off from earth, I could see it would be worth it as the snow-capped Alps came into view. There were 4 separate legs of the ride, with car changes at Gimmelwald, Murren, and Birg. Each car held about 40-50 people, all types – hikers, paragliders, tourists, young, old, Swiss, foreign.
After about ½ hour, seeing “our” old hotel in Gimmelwald, and the 3 changes, we were finally there – at the top!
But at 7, Jill and I both fluttered our eyes at the same time and said “Yay!!! Time to get Up!” We dragged Kristen’s butt out of bed, had breakfast, and were out by 8:30. Believe me, with 2 females that counts as “record time”.
Destination Schilthorn – Piz Gloria – the 10,000 foot summit featured in the 007 thriller “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service”. Also te site of Dave & Jill’s “James Bond Breakfast” 16 years ago – in the clouds – after spending a night in Walter Mittaghorn’s hotel in Gimmelwald. But that’s another diary.
After an uneventful but lengthy drive, we passed Lauterbrunnen and arrived at the Stechelberg cable car station around 10:15. Paragliders landing in the adjacent field. Many cars in the car park since it was the fiirst clear day in at least 3 weeks. 16 years ago, there were 10 cars in the car park, today about 1000.
How much, you ask? About $176 for the three of us, including a discount Swiss kid pass for Kristen. Yikes, but cheaper than the Jungfraujoch trains by about $300 – 400
As soon as we lifted off from earth, I could see it would be worth it as the snow-capped Alps came into view. There were 4 separate legs of the ride, with car changes at Gimmelwald, Murren, and Birg. Each car held about 40-50 people, all types – hikers, paragliders, tourists, young, old, Swiss, foreign.
After about ½ hour, seeing “our” old hotel in Gimmelwald, and the 3 changes, we were finally there – at the top!
We walked out onto the snow-covered outside deck, just as depicted in James Bond. Temperature – about 35-40 degrees. Very pleasant, with a light breeze. And the view – oh yeah the view – Spectacular!
Many, many peaks, 360 degree surround views. I don’t know but maybe 30+ mile visibility. It doesn’t get much better. The Monch, Eiger and Jungfrau were front and center. This is the view I came to Switzerland for!
I spent about and hour and a half gaping and taking pictures. Jill Kristen went in after an hour- Jill has apparently developed acrophobia and couldn’t go near the edge. I only developed vertigo when I put the binoculars up to my eyes.
I heard some American say he needed to find someone to take his and his daughter’s photo, so we swapped with him. We all enjoyed (envied?) watching a couple of psychos take off on paragliders. Imagine the ride on the way down!
About 12:30 we went into the restaurant inside that revolves about once every 30 minutes. The panorama continued to unfold as we waited (and waited!) for our quite good meal of goulash (Jill), spaghetti (Kristen) and Murrener pasta (Dave), plus a couple of beers that seemed to pack more than their usual punch. 60 CHF.
Around 2:00 it was time to bid goodbye to the amazing view and head down. Though the cable car itself showed off some nice highlights too.
Many, many peaks, 360 degree surround views. I don’t know but maybe 30+ mile visibility. It doesn’t get much better. The Monch, Eiger and Jungfrau were front and center. This is the view I came to Switzerland for!
I spent about and hour and a half gaping and taking pictures. Jill Kristen went in after an hour- Jill has apparently developed acrophobia and couldn’t go near the edge. I only developed vertigo when I put the binoculars up to my eyes.
I heard some American say he needed to find someone to take his and his daughter’s photo, so we swapped with him. We all enjoyed (envied?) watching a couple of psychos take off on paragliders. Imagine the ride on the way down!
About 12:30 we went into the restaurant inside that revolves about once every 30 minutes. The panorama continued to unfold as we waited (and waited!) for our quite good meal of goulash (Jill), spaghetti (Kristen) and Murrener pasta (Dave), plus a couple of beers that seemed to pack more than their usual punch. 60 CHF.
Around 2:00 it was time to bid goodbye to the amazing view and head down. Though the cable car itself showed off some nice highlights too.
Stopped at Gimmelwald, where Kristen went on a playset. Then, after landing, Trummelbach Falls, which Dave skipped in favor of an Orangina at the attractive outdoor café. K&J reported that it was very nice, as I had remembered from 16 years ago.
Stopped in Lauterbrunnen and bought some souvenir hiking staffs (collapsible aluminum), then a long drive home for Ravioli dinner and Oasis on the iPod.
But first a discussion in French with the woman at the Gare about the cost to train it to Brienz tomorrow for our trip to Ballenberg. I did quite well, I must say. But we’ll drive – the train would be about $120 and not worth it.
The sparrows must be going nuts over the seed – the dirt from the planters is all over the balcony every evening!
Girls playing Go Fish.
P.S. Kristen spotted a Mufflon from the cable car near the top of the Schilthorn. No one else did, it was over 100 feet below us.
And our Dutch neighbor has her son and grandkids visiting… at one point the boy had the dog out for a waljk and shouted back to the house “Der hund ist gerpoopen”!
Stopped in Lauterbrunnen and bought some souvenir hiking staffs (collapsible aluminum), then a long drive home for Ravioli dinner and Oasis on the iPod.
But first a discussion in French with the woman at the Gare about the cost to train it to Brienz tomorrow for our trip to Ballenberg. I did quite well, I must say. But we’ll drive – the train would be about $120 and not worth it.
The sparrows must be going nuts over the seed – the dirt from the planters is all over the balcony every evening!
Girls playing Go Fish.
P.S. Kristen spotted a Mufflon from the cable car near the top of the Schilthorn. No one else did, it was over 100 feet below us.
And our Dutch neighbor has her son and grandkids visiting… at one point the boy had the dog out for a waljk and shouted back to the house “Der hund ist gerpoopen”!
