Post by Kim on Sept 2, 2003 11:08:51 GMT -5
If heaven is not all it's cracked up to be . . .
Monday, 1 September 2003
So after leaving Geneva we decided to mix things up a bit. Through research I had heard of a little place in the Swiss Alps called Gimmelwald. It's a tiny little village with basically 100 people nestled right in the Alps.
To me this sounded fantastic -- it was an opportunity to see Heidi's Switzerland. A place filled with mountain chalets, window boxes, cows, and hopefully some yodelling. )
There were several options on how to get to Gimmelwald - we decided to take the Golden Pass Line. A scenic route on a panoramic train (huge windows) that is a bit longer but totally worth it. First you take a train that takes you from Geneva to Montreux - a city on the opposite end of Lake Geneva. Then you get in the Golden Pass train and it begins to climb into the mountains. That train chugs and chugs and you get glorious views of the lake, the city down below, and sun drenched mountains everywhere. It continues like this for hours. Just nothing but absolutely fantastic mountain scenery! It's the kind of stuff that looks too beautifull to be true.
Eventually you get to a place called Zweissimen (or something like that) and you hop on another Golden Pass train to begin your decent. Again there are cool mountains everywhere but the best part is when you emerge from behind the mountains and can see the area of Interlaken in the distance. Interlaken means between the two lakes in German and it is located as such. Let me tell you those lakes are fantastically fresh looking -- they're this perfect shade of blue. We opened up the windows and stuck our heads out; happily clicking away with our cameras.
Once in Interlaken you transfer to private rail lines and take a combination of rail/bus/gondola to get to Gimmelwald. This place has to be seen to be believed. I know it's not for everyone (including some of my friends who I know are reading this) but it really is a slice of paradise.
We checked into Esthers guesthouse and our room. It had a sloping low-set roof with a skylight. If you stuck your head out the window ( while standing on the bed) you could see mountain peaks all around you. And at night you had a glorious view of what seemed like a gazillion stars. To me it was perfect!
That night we arrived hungry and headed to the only restaurant in the village. We had arrived the sameday as their Swiss Folklore Evening and were in for a treat. We got to hear a HUGE Germanic dude play the Alphorn and we got to hear a group of yodellers -- which btw sounds beautifull and quite impressive. And all the while this was going on I had the most fantastic view imaginable. We were seated beside the window. The house and the window was wood with shutters and white lace curtains at the side. Just outside was a window box with red boxes and the view was of the Eiger, Monch, and the Jungfrau. It was completely one of those magic moments you experience while traveling. The kind that make you think: "I never dreamed I would be in such a place!"
The next morning we got up early and got a special deal on the gondola ride up to the Schilthorn. A really high observation peak that allows a 360 degree view of the Alps. On a clear day you can even see into Germany!!! Since it was so early it was quite empty up there. And we got to walk around and take it all in. After we had enjoyed the view a bit we went in for breakfast - and what a breakfast it was! They served us a huge meal of the local breads, cheeses, smoked sausages, veggies, eggs, coffee/hot chocolate, orange juice and to top it all off a glass of very good champagne!!! I got to have a champagne breakfast in a restaurant that rotated high up in the Alps. It was all too much -- I was starting to get spoiled! P
BTW, this was where the James Movie "In Her Majesty's Secret Service" or something like that was filled. That's why all the champagne and stuff -- they called it the James Bond breakfast. I should add that because of the early hour the gondola ride and that amazing breakfast cost us as much as ONLY the gondola ride would cost during the day.
The rest of our time in Gimmelwald was equally as fantastic. We hiked - very tiring but thoroughly satisfying, we ate good bread, and I got to eat fondue! We also saw a cat eat a mouse and the guts came falling out -- but that's a different story.
Truth is I know understand why people say "If heaven is not all it's cracked up to be - send me back to Gimmelwald."
After two nights in that mountain hideaway I left with a definite pang of sadness. Being there you just know that there are few places in the world like that and you are truly are fortunate to have been there if only for a short while.
On the gondola back down I promised myself I would return - and I will!
Monday, 1 September 2003
So after leaving Geneva we decided to mix things up a bit. Through research I had heard of a little place in the Swiss Alps called Gimmelwald. It's a tiny little village with basically 100 people nestled right in the Alps.
To me this sounded fantastic -- it was an opportunity to see Heidi's Switzerland. A place filled with mountain chalets, window boxes, cows, and hopefully some yodelling. )
There were several options on how to get to Gimmelwald - we decided to take the Golden Pass Line. A scenic route on a panoramic train (huge windows) that is a bit longer but totally worth it. First you take a train that takes you from Geneva to Montreux - a city on the opposite end of Lake Geneva. Then you get in the Golden Pass train and it begins to climb into the mountains. That train chugs and chugs and you get glorious views of the lake, the city down below, and sun drenched mountains everywhere. It continues like this for hours. Just nothing but absolutely fantastic mountain scenery! It's the kind of stuff that looks too beautifull to be true.
Eventually you get to a place called Zweissimen (or something like that) and you hop on another Golden Pass train to begin your decent. Again there are cool mountains everywhere but the best part is when you emerge from behind the mountains and can see the area of Interlaken in the distance. Interlaken means between the two lakes in German and it is located as such. Let me tell you those lakes are fantastically fresh looking -- they're this perfect shade of blue. We opened up the windows and stuck our heads out; happily clicking away with our cameras.
Once in Interlaken you transfer to private rail lines and take a combination of rail/bus/gondola to get to Gimmelwald. This place has to be seen to be believed. I know it's not for everyone (including some of my friends who I know are reading this) but it really is a slice of paradise.
We checked into Esthers guesthouse and our room. It had a sloping low-set roof with a skylight. If you stuck your head out the window ( while standing on the bed) you could see mountain peaks all around you. And at night you had a glorious view of what seemed like a gazillion stars. To me it was perfect!
That night we arrived hungry and headed to the only restaurant in the village. We had arrived the sameday as their Swiss Folklore Evening and were in for a treat. We got to hear a HUGE Germanic dude play the Alphorn and we got to hear a group of yodellers -- which btw sounds beautifull and quite impressive. And all the while this was going on I had the most fantastic view imaginable. We were seated beside the window. The house and the window was wood with shutters and white lace curtains at the side. Just outside was a window box with red boxes and the view was of the Eiger, Monch, and the Jungfrau. It was completely one of those magic moments you experience while traveling. The kind that make you think: "I never dreamed I would be in such a place!"
The next morning we got up early and got a special deal on the gondola ride up to the Schilthorn. A really high observation peak that allows a 360 degree view of the Alps. On a clear day you can even see into Germany!!! Since it was so early it was quite empty up there. And we got to walk around and take it all in. After we had enjoyed the view a bit we went in for breakfast - and what a breakfast it was! They served us a huge meal of the local breads, cheeses, smoked sausages, veggies, eggs, coffee/hot chocolate, orange juice and to top it all off a glass of very good champagne!!! I got to have a champagne breakfast in a restaurant that rotated high up in the Alps. It was all too much -- I was starting to get spoiled! P
BTW, this was where the James Movie "In Her Majesty's Secret Service" or something like that was filled. That's why all the champagne and stuff -- they called it the James Bond breakfast. I should add that because of the early hour the gondola ride and that amazing breakfast cost us as much as ONLY the gondola ride would cost during the day.
The rest of our time in Gimmelwald was equally as fantastic. We hiked - very tiring but thoroughly satisfying, we ate good bread, and I got to eat fondue! We also saw a cat eat a mouse and the guts came falling out -- but that's a different story.
Truth is I know understand why people say "If heaven is not all it's cracked up to be - send me back to Gimmelwald."
After two nights in that mountain hideaway I left with a definite pang of sadness. Being there you just know that there are few places in the world like that and you are truly are fortunate to have been there if only for a short while.
On the gondola back down I promised myself I would return - and I will!