Today was “red shirt day”. It wasn’t planned that way, but as we showed up for breakfast this morning, we each had on a red shirt…and a khaki travel vest. Since none of us have but four shirts with us on the trip, I guess it was bound to happen sometime. We looked like the Bobsey twins (for those of you who are too young to relate to that comment, the Bobseys were two sets of twins…Nan and Bert, Freddie and Flossie…of storybook fame). We left the hotel in Schynige Platte and headed for another small village named Wengen (pronounced Vengen). We were the only ones on the early train, and we arrived before we were expected in Wengen.
We located our hotel and were able to check in and leave our big packs in our rooms, so we walked across town and took the lift to an area high in the mountains called Mannlichen. Mannlichen is on a mountain, and other than the lift station and a small restaurant, that is all that is there. However, Mannlichen has an abundance of scenery.
We ate lunch there and waited for the clouds to lift off of the mountains even higher up. The restaurant was cafeteria-style with a menu in German on the wall. We finally figured out what French fries were, and a couple of other items. Jack went to the counter first, and in butchered German, gave the lady his order. She looked back at him, and in perfect English replied, “So, do you want a brot and French fries?”
The clouds had indeed cleared by the time we finished lunch, so we began the trail from Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg. It was a beautiful day, and the trail was wide, well-kept, fairly level, and had unbelievable scenery.
There were snow-covered Alps, green valleys, cows with Swiss bells, and a few patches of snow here and there in the shaded parts. We had not walked long before Jack admitted that after today his daily walk on the Indian Creek trail in Huntsville is going to be pretty dull.
We met a nice young couple from San Francisco. (We are beginning to think that most of the people in the U.S. are in Switzerland this week!) We asked them to take our photo on the trail.
Then we asked them if they would take us in a YOLO (You Only Live Once) pose.
Then we took their picture in the same spot, and they wanted a YOLO picture, too, but since there were only two of them, they asked Jack and Donna Jo to pose YOLO with them.
At one point we paused on the trail and looked down at the peaceful valley below with the small farmhouse with cattle grazing nearby. We decided that they were at peace because they were unaware that Obama was giving his acceptance speech tonight.
At one point on the trail we had to stop and throw a few snowballs over the edge of the trail down into the valley below. No cows were injured in this activity.
Olen and Jack hiked slightly behind Donna Jo and me some of the way, enjoying the scenery.
The views were spectacular. It is easy to fill up a camera’s memory card on a day like today.
When we reached Kleine Scheidegg, we passed a small pond where we were able to see Jack and Olen’s reflections in the water…and if you look closely, you can also see the reflection of the peak of the Jungfrau behind them.
We took the train from Kleine Scheidegg back to Wengen, and the views out of the train window were spectacular.
After dinner tonight we went to a “Folklore Evening” that was held in a tent in the center of the village of Wengen. It was free, so we figured it would be worth the price of admission, and it definitely was! In the back of the tent were two ladies, one sat the entire evening spinning “sheep’s wool”, and the other made lace with bobbins.
When the program started, the bell-ringers entered from the street.
Then the local folk dancers performed.
An alphorn player followed next.
And two ladies from a neighboring village came and yodeled.
It was a perfect day. We were late getting back to the hotel, but it was worth it. We plan to sleep a little later in the morning, but if the weather is as good as it was today, we hope to be out in it all day. Goodnight from Wengen, Switzerland…where we attended an entertaining folk festival rather than listening to another Obama speech tonight.
We located our hotel and were able to check in and leave our big packs in our rooms, so we walked across town and took the lift to an area high in the mountains called Mannlichen. Mannlichen is on a mountain, and other than the lift station and a small restaurant, that is all that is there. However, Mannlichen has an abundance of scenery.
We ate lunch there and waited for the clouds to lift off of the mountains even higher up. The restaurant was cafeteria-style with a menu in German on the wall. We finally figured out what French fries were, and a couple of other items. Jack went to the counter first, and in butchered German, gave the lady his order. She looked back at him, and in perfect English replied, “So, do you want a brot and French fries?”
The clouds had indeed cleared by the time we finished lunch, so we began the trail from Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg. It was a beautiful day, and the trail was wide, well-kept, fairly level, and had unbelievable scenery.
There were snow-covered Alps, green valleys, cows with Swiss bells, and a few patches of snow here and there in the shaded parts. We had not walked long before Jack admitted that after today his daily walk on the Indian Creek trail in Huntsville is going to be pretty dull.
We met a nice young couple from San Francisco. (We are beginning to think that most of the people in the U.S. are in Switzerland this week!) We asked them to take our photo on the trail.
Then we asked them if they would take us in a YOLO (You Only Live Once) pose.
Then we took their picture in the same spot, and they wanted a YOLO picture, too, but since there were only two of them, they asked Jack and Donna Jo to pose YOLO with them.
At one point we paused on the trail and looked down at the peaceful valley below with the small farmhouse with cattle grazing nearby. We decided that they were at peace because they were unaware that Obama was giving his acceptance speech tonight.
At one point on the trail we had to stop and throw a few snowballs over the edge of the trail down into the valley below. No cows were injured in this activity.
Olen and Jack hiked slightly behind Donna Jo and me some of the way, enjoying the scenery.
The views were spectacular. It is easy to fill up a camera’s memory card on a day like today.
When we reached Kleine Scheidegg, we passed a small pond where we were able to see Jack and Olen’s reflections in the water…and if you look closely, you can also see the reflection of the peak of the Jungfrau behind them.
We took the train from Kleine Scheidegg back to Wengen, and the views out of the train window were spectacular.
After dinner tonight we went to a “Folklore Evening” that was held in a tent in the center of the village of Wengen. It was free, so we figured it would be worth the price of admission, and it definitely was! In the back of the tent were two ladies, one sat the entire evening spinning “sheep’s wool”, and the other made lace with bobbins.
When the program started, the bell-ringers entered from the street.
Then the local folk dancers performed.
An alphorn player followed next.
And two ladies from a neighboring village came and yodeled.
It was a perfect day. We were late getting back to the hotel, but it was worth it. We plan to sleep a little later in the morning, but if the weather is as good as it was today, we hope to be out in it all day. Goodnight from Wengen, Switzerland…where we attended an entertaining folk festival rather than listening to another Obama speech tonight.
Absolutely marvelous! Wish I was there! :)
ReplyDeleteat least you haven't had to listen to the dems this week. what a blessing! disgusting! btw the scenery is fantastic. oh, you already knew that, did you? ann
ReplyDelete