After watching Rick on television hike this breathtaking mountain valley, I immediately wanted to follow in his footsteps. I wanted to experience these same thrills. Who would have thought that one year later, I would be yodeling with the best of them and sharing a glass of the local Rugenbrau with my new friends?
Our entrance into the Alpine Village began with a quick stroll through the streets near our lodge; our home for the next two nights. Before dinner, we walked with our tour guide while listening to his telling of the local history and culture of the valley.
We soon headed back for our lesson on making fondue. Our host was incredibly passionate about the preparation of the fare; from the proper blend of cheeses, to the type of liquor used, and even the style of melting pot needed to keep the meal warm and creamy.
Our lesson focused on the authentic Swiss method of preparation. Gruyere and emmenenthaler (swiss) cheese is combined with Kirsh (although Sauvignon Blanc is also accepted); and is only served with bread meticulously cubed for the experience. As filling and yummy as this was, that was only the first course.
Dinner included the traditional Rosti (potato hash) with vegetable salad and our choice of local sausage. We ate like kings and drank like princes with our selection of Swiss wines and beer. After dinner and desert, several of us took an evening stroll through the village shops before retiring at the local cafe' for hot chocolate, about to discuss the next day's activities.
Our tour guide arranged a morning hike for any of us who wanted to join in. While some of our group had other alpine adventures planned, most of us spent the morning hours walking off our hearty breakfast together. Starting in Lauterbrunnen, we rode the cable car up to Grutschalp and walked toward Murren on a 3-mile hike. Knowing I would spend the rest of the afternoon hiking on my own, I prepared a picnic lunch by stopping at the local shoppes that morning for cheese, chocolate, bread, and fruit.
As we completed our hike to Murren, many of our group members continued their journeys toward the peak of the 9,748 SQFT Schilthorn to eat at the revolving restaurant made famous by James Bond. Others just called it a day and took the cable car back to Interlacken. As for me, I was about to venture to a land where time stood still and another million dollar view of the Alps was just an hour hike away. I was about to find out what so many alp-aholics already know and believe: If Heaven isn't what it's cracked up to be, send me back to Gimmelwald!
The charm of the village is attributed to the 130 residents who choose to live simply and happily. Baling hay for the cows, running the town pension, and operating the restaurant are the main ways of life. The largest building is the schoolhouse. The entire village can be trekked in 10 minutes. I spent the next two hours walking the lands, catching up on my journal, and enjoying my picnic lunch, all while admiring God’s beauty.
Hey Rick: Check out Page 572 of Europe Through the Back Door 2012! "Assume you will return" right!!!
From sharing my meal with a fellow hiker whom I met just moments before, and watching a young child play on the swing set, my travel adventures led me to the personal connections I was so looking forward to experiencing. Once I took my final stroll through Heaven on Earth, I met up with some fellow tour members and headed toward our hotel to complete the afternoon.
After another traditional Swiss meal, I headed to the local shoppes to spend the rest of my Francs. When down to my last two items at the register, I knew I did not have enough money to buy both. When asked in the most delightful Germanic accent, “Well sir, what is more important, zee water or zee beer”, we both had a chuckle as I walked out of the store with my beer in hand!
My evening was spent staring out the hotel window with a magnificent view of a waterfall, enjoying another Swiss beer, Feldschlosschen. Even on this 4th of July night, fireworks and bombs were bursting in air. After a silent "God Bless America" then "God Bless the World", I fell asleep; well prepared for the next day when we will continue our travels into Bavaria.