Another fine day on Flumserberg.
Tuesday’s weather was promising to be gorgeous, and I could not let such a day pass me by – despite an afternoon full of meetings. Waking early, and browsing the weather maps, train schedules, and hiking routes, I decided to return to Flumserberg – because it is close and offers many options. The catch?: the best train would leave in 13 minutes. Good thing I keep my backpack ready to go! Jump on the train with me, read on, and check out the gallery.
A beautiful hike past a massive UNESCO heritage site.
The Aletsch glacier is one of those must-see destinations in Switzerland. A UNESCO heritage site, it is the largest glacier in the Alps and is actually the combination of several glaciers draining the backside of major peaks I’d seen just two days earlier: Mönch, Jungfrau, Eiger, and their neighbors. I really wanted to hike this glacier valley before I leave Switzerland – yet I have very few hiking days left. So, I spontaneously decided to head for the Aletsch Arena instead of returning to Zürich as planned.
This is one of those hikes that is worthy of an extensive gallery – because the scenery is so dramatic I simply could not resist that shutter button. Check out that gallery and read on.
A brief visit to the French side of Switzerland.
After visiting Grindelwald, Wengen, and Lauterbrunnen, we headed over to the French side of Switzerland for a night in Vevey. A pretty little town on the shore of Lake Geneva (Lac Leman), we had just enough time to stroll about the old town and to enjoy a sunny loop cruise on the lake aboard Vevey, one of a few antique paddlewheel boats that ply the waters on behalf of tourists and commuters. It was a beautiful morning and the views of the surrounding vineyards, chateaux, and mountains were impressive.
Vevey is home to many interesting things – including Nestlé, the food company, which sponsored a food museum called Alimentarium. Out front, in the water just offshore, is a giant fork. Curious!
Check out the gallery for more photos.
A morning’s visit to Lauterbrunnen valley, including a walk to Staubbach Falls and Trümmelbach falls.
After a beautiful view of the Lauterbrunnen valley at sunrise on Friday morning, and a hearty breakfast at the Hotel Edelweiss in Wengen, we boarded the cog train down from Wengen to Lauterbrunnen. It was a short walk to the edge of town and the famous Staubbach Falls. Impressive from above, these falls are truly inspirational in person. Read on, check out the gallery, and you won’t miss Trümmelbach Falls.
A beautiful morning view from Wengen.
On Friday morning I woke early at our hotel in Wengen, a small village overlooking the Lauterbrunnen valley, and walked to the Mönchblick viewpoint as the sun was illuminating the high peaks. I waited almost an hour for it to reach down into Lauterbrunnen before heading back to breakfast. I was treated to a spectacular view of major peaks like Mönch and Jungfrau, and their neighbors Silberhorn and Breithorn, as well as the pretty town of Lauterbrunnen down in the valley, with its famous Staubbach Falls glistening in the morning sunlight. Be sure to check out the gallery, because the small photo here will not do that morning any justice.
A surprisingly challenging climb.
Seeking to maximize our final weeks in Switzerland, Pam and Andy and I headed off for another overnight trip. On Thursday we took a sequence of trains to reach Grindelwald, a delightful tourist town in the heart of the Jungfrau region, surrounded by stunning alpine peaks. Pam and I were last here in December – a quick trip on a stunningly beautiful winter day – and I hiked into Grindelwald after the incredible Faulhorn trek last fall. Check out the gallery and read on.
Another fountain imported from a distant city.
I came across this fountain in the newer section of Zürich’s downtown area, early one Sunday morning. It’s an unusual and intriguing figure – a sort of dragon-like rooster with a snake’s tail. It looked familiar; I later remembered that it is a fountain common in Basel, which I’d seen during my February visit (like this photo).
For three close-up photos, start here.
Update June 29: a friend informs me this creature is more likely a cockatrice, not a basilisk, but then the pun doesn’t work quite as well ;-).
A variety of Zürich fountains.
Today I’m posting a collection of a variety of Zürich fountains, mostly utilitarian in nature. though each different in their own way. See them in the gallery beginning here.
The photo above shows a common form for the fountain’s spouts – a lion blowing water through a tube whose end looks like a duck (or goose). The lion is a common symbol of Zürich and the duck/goose motif is common on many spouts around town.
A spectacular hike from Mettmen to Leglerhütte and Unter Chärf.
Sometimes when you go for a long hike into the mountains, you never want to leave and come back. Today was one of those days – no clouds, no wind, no bugs, and spectacular views in every direction. In fact, I would rank this as one of the most outstanding hikes I’ve had in Switzerland – second only to that amazing night on Faulhorn last fall. Today I was inspired by a post from another blogger to return to Mettmen in the Glarus region, a place I visited for my first hike in Switzerland last fall. What an outstanding day! read on, and be sure to check out the gallery – today was a photographer’s dream.
A steep descent made for an exciting hike on Rigi.
Today was a beautiful day so Andy and I decided to do another hike. My preferred location became temporally inconvenient, late in the morning, because the necessary bus apparently does not run during lunch time. So we picked something closer – Mount Rigi. Read on and check out the photo gallery for more.
David Kotz 