The next train out brings out my wanderlust. While Switzerland's great cities like Lucerne and Bern are casual and fun, it's also a hiker's paradise. My body took a Swiss beating - hiking the Alps at 6000 feet altitude. In fairness, mixing visits to great Swiss cities and hiking makes an unforgettable visit!Excellent railway systems and well maintained trails make otherwise inaccessible mountain peaks easily accessible. In fact you can hike across four countries - from France to Switzerland, to Italy, to Slovenia and never leave the mountains. The Matterhorn (yes, it's real) is not the only child. Switzerland may be landlocked but there's no shortage of water here. The snow packed alps and melting glaciers creates many of the alpine lakes with breathtaking backdrops of the surrounding peaks. Bern (my personal favorite), is a charm; casual with a light hearted vibe for being the capital has interesting history and sights. There are cavernous underground spaces where the city used to store wines (before Napoleon and the French came and drank it all) are now storefronts, restaurants, and private storage spaces. Lucerne is beautiful and if you can't get enough hiking in, Mt. Rigi and Mt. Pilatus is a short train or bus ride away. Montreux - by Lake Geneva, holds their annual 2 week music festival with big names like John Legend, Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett is vibrant. Food and craft vendors, Blues Boats, Jazz Trains and clubs exclusive to the festival play well into the wee hours of the morning will fill the remaing 21 hours of your day, each and everyday of the 2 week festival. Even in the Alp regions, the trains run like Swiss clockwork - so efficient that you'll have no problem making a connection with only a few minutes transfer time. I'm at the train station headed to Zurich airport, my last ride for this segment of travel adventures, looking forward to the next train out and a new adventure. Very soon.
Out of the sheer cliffs, waterfalls drops into the Lauterbrunnen valley.
River running through town of Interlaken (translation - between lakes) connects Lake Brienz and Lake Thun
Montreux Jazz Festival - an annual 2 week event. On opposite end from Lake Geneva.
On a Blues Boat at Montreux Jazz Festival.
Lake Balchapsee
Chapel Bridge - Lucerne. 14th century bridge connects the medieval fortifications on each end. Colorful paintings overhead as you walk across the bridge tells a history and lore of Lucerne.
Pedestrian Bridge - Lucerne. Lake Lucerne's water source is from the Alps and eventually flows to the Rhine. Lucerne is charged with the task of controlling the flow of the lake to prevent flooding in neighboring villages.
This lion monument in a Lucerne park is carved into the mountain over a reflecting pool in a park is a tribute to Swiss Mercenaries who lost their lives defending the King during the French Revolution. The paw rests on the shield, tears streaming from the eyes, and broken spear on his back slowly killing the beast.
Every family in these alpine hamlets chop wood during Spring, dries during Summer and Fall for Winter use. Wood is stored on the side of their homes or in a separate shed. Inside of this shed is a cheese store.
Bern - The country's capital is shaped like a peninsula with the Aare river from the alps surrounding it.
Bern - After a great fire in the 1400's burned the town, they said no more wooden buildings. When the city rebuilt, they erected a dozen or so colorful fountains like this one throughout the city to jazz up the drab sandstone color of the building.
Underground cellars in Bern marked with old time hatches like this are only accessible through the main drag.
Underground Cellars - Bern. When open, ascend down the deep flight of stairs and you find a café, or store.
Underground Cellars - Bern
I was captivated by these underground stores. Not all are open establishments; some are simply storage spaces for private use or business.
Underground Bar - Bern
Once the City's vast wine cellar, this subterranean bar is an extension of the Italian restaurant.
Bear Park - Bern
The bear is the symbol of Bern and a family of bears frolic along the hillside of this Bear Park. This concrete "barren" enclosure is one of two bear pits that used to house the bears but thanks the activist groups, the city reluctantly built posher bear digs. Now visitors can walk freely in them and pet the wooden bears
Bern's roof tops have chimneys topped with what looks like cuckoo clocks or birdhouses. Not sure if it's to keep out birds and insects or keep out rain and snow?
Among the mish-mash this tiny store sells are hand knitted hats and scarves and homemade brownies. A lot of these "honesty" stores are unmanned - if you like something, put your money in an envelope, write what you bought and drop it in the wooden box.
Well marked signage with approximate hiking times.
Alpine Lake
Tiny Alpine Hamlet of Gimmelwald. A village with a classroom of students ranging from 5 - 17, older kids look after the younger ones. Families work hard year round, chopping wood and pitching hay to feed their cows through the winter.
Eiger, Monch, and Jungfrou Peaks
Translation: the Ogre, the Monk, and the Young Maiden. Jungfrau is pronounced as "Yoong Frau"
Eiger
Look closely, you can see the Eiger Glacier - year round permanent ice
Alpine lift is how you get around the high peaks.
Alpine lifts transports for hikers in Summer, skiers in Winter
Swiss Doggie
Complete with brandy barrel to the rescue!
Tiny Alpine Hamlet of Gimmelwald.
A village with a classroom of students ranging from 5 - 17, older kids look after the younger ones. Families work hard year round, chopping wood and pitching hay to feed their cows through the winter.
Summertime is when Swiss cows come out of their Winter barn to graze on the hillsides.
A Bit of Swiss Humor