Monday, March 17, 2008 (St. Patrick's Day)

Waking to a ringing cellphone alarm clock on the day of heavy travel at the end of a fabulous vacation is never a fun thing. Especially when it's so early.

On Sunday, during our visit to the shops at the train station in Zürich, we had checked on the times and gates for the train we needed to take to the airport train station in the city. We wanted to ensure we allotted plenty of time to arrive at the airport, get through security, and not have to rush through a crowded airport.

Being a Monday morning trains left every few minutes from the main station in Zürich bound for the airport substation. After showering, checking and re-checking the room for any floundering items that wanted to be left behind, and walking the short five minutes to the main station from the hotel, we were off.

As we walked through the main Zürich station things were starting to bustle with activity. Shops were preparing to open, cafes were readying for the breakfast rush, and people were already briskly on their way to catch trains. We soon were aboard ours and destined for a short ride to the airport.

Arriving at the airport substation was very sad. It seemed like it was only yesterday that we first arrived in Switzerland after an exhausting travel day and now we were soon to say goodbye to it all. Not fun!

We headed to the Continental check in counter and found lines that moved swiftly. Since we had no computer access we had to check in the old fashioned way. The ticket clerks expressed concern regarding our connecting flight in Newark as we only had about 50 minutes between flights. (I had booked the two legs on my own and separately.) Despite their reluctance they went ahead and check us in on the Newark flight as well and the ticketing supervisor suggested we "run" when we get to EWR in order to make the connection. I wasn't too worried, although, if we had had any checked bags this would never have worked.

Off we headed to our gate and security. In walking past a shop that seemed to have recently opened we spotted our true love, Champagne. Having allowed for plenty of time we decided to take a look around even though we knew we wouldn't be able to purchase anything. What a wonderful selection of Champagne and, alas, caviar! Vintage Krugs, Bollinger RDs, and more abounded along with huge tins of true Russian and Iranian caviar. A beautiful shop indeed! I was astounded to find Les Impitoyables Champagne flutes readily available for purchase. Hand-blown and etched in France, these crystal glasses are supposedly the best of the best when it comes to enjoying Champagne. Unique carvings on the inside of the flutes elevate and accentuate the nose and moose of the Champagne. I have thought about ordering two of them online before but have yet to do so. To actually get to see them was neat as they're not readily available outside of France. The Champagnes, flutes and caviar certainly made this a fun shopping experience even if we didn't actually purchase anything.

At the security check the lines, again, moved quickly and efficiently despite the fact that the level of inspection here seemed much more intense than what we had encountered at Tampa and Atlanta. They brushed my laptop and camera lenses with some type of equipment (my guess is to check for explosives) and actually made us remove all of the liquids from our carry ons for a hand inspection. We were soon cleared and headed toward our gate.

Having still a little over an hour or so to wait before the plane departed I opted to leave the luggage with Travis and look around the few shops that were open in this part of the airport. I decided I wanted at least one non-magnet souvenir and checked out the wide range of chocolates, shirts, coffee mugs and other bric-a-brack that lined the shelves of the various shops. I definitely wanted something I would use so a coffee mug seemed a good choice. (As Travis would tell you, I am notorious for being indecisive. Almost to a crippling level.)

I left the shop without the mug and started looking at some watches in the store next door. I spotted one that was designed to look like the numerous identical clocks located in all of the Swiss train stations. Swiss made watch on one hand and coffee mug on the other. I really liked the watch but couldn't decide if I wanted to spend the money after having spent a significant amount on the trip already. I decided to ask Travis his opinion and walked back to the gate to get him.

Close up of my new watch!

After showing him the watch I made up my mind to take it. When else would I have the chance to purchase a Swiss time piece in Switzerland? And, to boot, it would be very reminiscent of our trip seeing as how the trains and stations, and those very clocks, played such a large part in the trip itself.

Close up of the rail clocks found throughout Switzerland's train and bus stations. Notice the resemblance?

Happy with my purchase we headed back to the gate and were soon aboard the plane. We were scheduled to leave Switzerland at 9:20 AM (Switzerland time) and arrive in Newark at 1:40 PM (Eastern time). The flight left a little late and fought a strong head wind the entire way extending the trip to nearly 10.5 hours. (In comparison, the tail wind on the way over helped to shorten our trip to about six hours.)

Since we were moving against the clock and gaining hours on the return flight we needed to stay away instead of attempt to sleep. It wasn't difficult as we can't sleep on planes anyway but passing ten hours in a cramped space isn't fun. During the flight I amused myself by reading, working on puzzles, listening to MP3s, and watching one of the movies they had on board, August Rush. It also bears to note here that the flight would have been a bit better had Continental not managed to misplace our request for vegetarian meals as they did on the flight over. Having nothing to eat but a salad did little to make the trip more bearable.

On a positive note, we can actually say we've seen Ireland on St. Patrick's Day as we were able to catch views of the island as we flew overhead.

Landing in Newark we did indeed have to sprint to the other side of the airport to catch our connection. And, as the idiots in EWR obviously made no effort to make the airport easy to navigate, we had to clear security again due to a change in arrival and departure terminals. We ended up fine however and our connecting flight left nearly and hour late.

Having to sit through another flight after one that is ten hours long is very unpleasant. Thankfully, I was able to finally see Enchanted on the flight which ended up being almost precisely the length of the trip from EWR to TIA.

Glo picked us up at TIA and forty-five minutes later we were back home giving massive amounts of attention to our much-missed cats.

The trip was truly nothing short of amazing and provided us with memories that are sure to last a lifetime. I think we both hope to return to Switzerland at some point in our lives but with so many places in the world to see it may take a bit to make that return journey happen.

Alas! With the events and happenings of nine, too-short days, and with some degree of bitter sweetness, Switzerland moves from the list of "Must Sees" to the one of "Amazing Experiences."

Sunday, March 16, 2008

We woke fairly early on Sunday, our last full day in Switzerland , and finished re-packing our belongings before heading down to the Krone for breakfast. The morning was quiet and it felt as if all the locals were enjoying sleeping in. Or, perhaps, they were at church.

After breakfast we went back to the Magic Hotel to reclaim our luggage and I snapped a few last photos of the local area as Travis checked us out. We were then on our way to the train station to depart Luzern for our final destination, Zürich.

The train ride to Zürich was uneventful though the scenery between the two cities was quite enjoyable.

Upon arriving in Zürich, which was a city of a wholly different size and magnitude than what we had experienced in Switzerland thus far, we gathered our bags and headed off the train. The Zürich train station is a massive, multi-floored underground station that contains supermarkets, a full-sized mall, and restaurants in addition to the train ticketing areas and train arrival/departure depots. Massive.

It took us a bit of time to make our way to the front of the station and then to proceed around the building to the main exit out to the city scape. Upon exiting the building we were very near the banks of the Limmat river on the other side of which we would soon find our last hotel of the Switzerland vacation, the Hotel Limmatblick.

Travis came across info on the hotel while surfing the Web for Zürich hotels and we were both amused by the use of dogs on the site. The first floor of the hotel is occupied by a modern, art-deco cafe with the reception desk situated directly between the open-view kitchen of the cafe and the seating area of the cafe. Actually, quite a neat setup and one that was obviously based on the need to use every available square foot, or rather, meter, of space.

Travis checked us into the room and we traversed our way around the cafe tables, along the narrow kitchen prep area, and to the small elevator located near the back of the cafe. Up to the fourth floor, across the hall, and we were soon in our room.

Of our three hotel rooms this was the smallest though by no means cramped or uncomfortable. The wood floors provided some warmth to the otherwise neutral colored walls and furnishings. The standard writing desk, chair, and mini-bar all accounted for we decided to check out the view of the city from our window. A remote control was supposed to open the electric shutters and expose the window but after trying for about ten minutes I decided, one, we either didn't know how to operate the three-button machine or, two, the remote, shutters or both we malfunctioning.

Gathering our ever-present day equipment we decided to go explore Zürich rather than fool around with the shutters any longer. Travis did let the front desk know that they weren't working and they offered to move us to another room but we decided all was good and we would forgo the view from the room. We wouldn't be spending much time there anyway.

Again armed with walking tours from Frommer and Fodor, as well as the "The Official Zürich Guide" from the provided folder of literature found in our room, we headed out to see the sights of the city.

Throughout the late morning and afternoon we explored the beautiful city and viewed, among much, the massive Lake Zürich at the edge of the city, a church founded in 853 ACE (Fraumünster), Europe's largest clock face on St. Peter-Kirche, and the Bahnhoffstrasse on which every conceivable high-end, global merchant had a significant presence. (As it was Sunday, however, none of the shops were actually open for business save the tenants in the mall at the train station. For that reason we walked back to the station to do some shopping, explore a bit more, and pick up our souvenirs.)

As later afternoon began to wind down into early evening we decided to look for dinner and again consulted our guide books for suggested establishments. As with the shops, a large portion of the restaurants and cafes were closed for business, although, many did open up later in the evening.

After reading the reviews of many restaurants we opted for one more final meal of a Swiss tradition, fondue, and decided on Hotel Adler which billed itself as the best fondue in the city. Although the hotel was shown on the maps in the Fodor guide, and it was in close proximity to our own hotel, we had a most difficult time locating it. In fact, we were about to give up and head to a different eatery when one final turn on the twisting streets of the Old Town landed us in sight of the Hotel Adler sign across an open platz. Alas!

The restaurant and hotel certainly had the Swiss-flare down pat and the food was equally as impressive. This time around we opted for the house fondue, which, unlike in Zermatt, only consisted of the cheese without any additional ingredients. Paired with a hearty Swiss beer it made for a delightful and very filling meal.

After dinner we decided to pay a visit to a cute little bar/pub we had meandered upon while in search of the Adler. It was a small (read, very small) place but quaint without any smokers for the time being. Outside it had begun to rain which impeded us from taking any more photos for the time being and with all of the shops closed, and us not quite being ready to finish up our final night in Switzerland, the bar was the only option. I enjoyed a glass of wine and water and Travis had a beer while we listened to a mix of Swiss and US music coming from the radio. After a bit the bar filled with locals and they began selecting various songs, all US, from the jukebox located against the back of one wall. The group was drinking "American style" mixed drinks, which, to my amazement, were priced anywhere from $11 to $20 a drink. Something that we had noticed on menus throughout the country.

As we sat at the bar and people watched I thumbed through the Zürich guide and we decided to visit another bar not too far from where we were. The group in the bar was having a good time and seemed very friendly. At one point, one of the guys noted me looking through the guide and asked, in English, if there was anything he could help us find. A nice gesture, I thought.

Travis finished his beer and we were off to a second bar. It was still raining off and on and the streets were cold and wet. We headed inside a neat bar/cafe on the ground floor and adjacent to another hotel and quickly noted we were two of only six people in the place. A little more upscale than our first bar, they even provided us with fresh, spiced olives here. I ordered a different type of Swiss wine and Travis tried another Swiss beer. We sat, enjoyed the olives and Swiss beverages, and mused about our adventures in Switzerland and not wanting to have to leave tomorrow.

After the drinks and olives were gone we slowly put on our coats, gloves, hats, and scarves and headed out to head back to the hotel. It was still raining, quite hard now, but the arcades running along the length of the river provided us with a dry path. Reluctantly we headed to the Hotel Limmatblick and off to sleep knowing that in less than six hours we would be headed back home.

Saturday, March 15, 2008

I awoke on Saturday morning to the sounds of passersby and hustle and bustle outside of our window in the alley four floors below us. After morning preparations we decided to have breakfast at the hotel. As mentioned, the Magic Hotel doesn't have its own lobby or restaurant but rather uses the facilities of its sister hotel, the Krone, down the street.

As we walked out of the Magic into the platz I noted the large number of people moving here and there. As it was still quite early, around 8:30 AM or so, I was surprised to see many people enjoying beers at the outdoor seating areas of several of the adjacent cafes. (Given the U.S. and North America hangups when it comes to alcohol, I couldn't help but wonder if that was even legal in the United States?!)

The Hotel Krone provided a breakfast in much the same manner as the Bellevue in Wengen. Cheeses, breads, cereals, juice, hardboiled eggs, and jams. I ordered a Cafe au Lait and must say it was delicious. The seating area was busy but people came and went at a moderate pace. Again, very different from the slow-paced meals in France!

After breakfast we went back to the Magic to pickup our supplies for the day and then headed out. Crossing over to the river we were amazed to find ourselves in a busy, quick-paced, and vibrant open air market that had sprung up over night. As we walked toward the bahnhoff we delighted in viewing the magnificent array of products each of the families were selling. From fresh produce to fish, spices to hundreds of cheeses, just-cut flowers to honey, wines, and meats, the variety was grand. The aromas and sounds accompanied the throngs of customers in the marketplace to create a rainbow of sensations as one meandered along the bank of the river past the stalls. I was tempted to find a place to sit at one of the cafes or restaurants and just watch the happenings. But, I had a date with the Swiss capital of Bern today.

Arriving at the station Travis checked at the ticket window for the easiest and most timely train to Switzerland's capital, Bern. We boarded the 9:00 departure train and settled in for the 52 minute, 111km (69 miles) ride east to Bern. Thankfully, there was no Banana Gate repeat and I was able to peruse our Switzerland guidebooks for info on and about our destination.

Bern is a truly medieval city with its origins dating back to the early 12th century and thus establishing it as one of the oldest cities in Europe. Well known as the seat of the country's government and its vibrant and frequent markets (including a two-day Onion Market each year) we were eager to explore as much as we could during our day trip. We opted to combine walking tours from our Frommer and Fodor's guides and were soon on our way.

Upon arriving at the station in Bern we were quickly taken aback by how busy the city was. Throughout our stay the crowds increased steadily and by the time we left, near five in the afternoon, I felt as if I were trying to make my way from the Magic Kingdom after the last showing of Wishes. During the morning hours we did encounter a massive market set up in the town square. By the time we had left the shoppers had shifted from the market that had been dismantled to the seven mile, arcade lined, main shopping street.

Between the two walking tours we were able to see all of the major attractions Bern has to offer and many, smaller and out of the way spots that one would normally walk right past. We stopped at Einstein's home in Bern and completed the self-guided tour and watched a short video on his life; saw the legendary Bern Bear Pits; witnessed a lively marching band march through the city streets; and viewed the seat of government.

See the GPS track of the Bern Walking Tour here.

Before heading back to Luzern we caught a quick bite at one of the cafes located in the train station. We each selected a vegetarian sandwhich and halved them so we could both try each. Grilled and roasted veggies with melted cheese (Swiss, I'm presuming) make quite a nice meal. With our hunger satiated we boarded the train to enjoy the trip back to Luzern.

After arriving back at Luzern we dropped off much of our items at the Magic and decided to finish up our souvenir shopping as it was our last night in town. We spent the next several hours leisurely wandering the city streets, revisiting some of the sights we had seen the day before, and selecting and collecting the magnets we wanted to take back home. We also went on a hunt for some chocolate.

Soon night had fallen and we opted for dinner at a second-story bistro with plates of pasta and Chianti. I had wanted to try the local fish but after checking out the menus at restaurant after restaurant and coming up with nothing of interest we decided on the bistro. (However, if you are ever in Luzern and need to know of restaurants specializing in horse or pigeon, I have names for you. Fish, on the other hand, well, you may be hard pressed.)

After dinner we contemplated heading back to the casino but neither of us wanted to deal with more lost money and, even worse, the thick smoke that blankets the air in such establishments. Instead we opted to walk around Luzern with tripod and camera in hand and nab some additional night shots of the beautiful city we would soon be leaving.

Friday, March 14, 2008

On Friday morning we decided that we would finish our stay at the Hotel Bellevue with a leisurely breakfast in the dining room before heading to Luzern. This would allow us to leave a little bit after the morning rush-hour commute and thus, hopefully, allow for less congested trains and stations.

Our path from Wengen to Luzern (in light blue).

We again enjoyed fresh baked breads, Swiss cheeses, cereals, and assorted jams, jellies, and beverages. During breakfast we talked about everything we had seen since our arrival in Wengen four days earlier and remarked that we were both excited and sad to be moving on to our next “home destination.” Aside from Interlaken, we had seen little of the larger population centers of Switzerland and I eagerly looked forward to comparing and contrasting them with the smaller, ski towns of the country.

We finished breakfast and I went back upstairs to grab the already-packed bags as Travis went to the front desk to check out. Given the time of year and the location, we both felt the Bellevue was well worth the cost and would certainly consider the hotel again if ever we returned to Wengen. My only complaint would be in reference to the heating system in the room. It just didn't seem to provide for much warmth, although, this is coming from a Floridian so take it with a grain or two of salt.

Our train ride from Wengen to Luzern again afforded us some spectacular views. We rode along the banks of the two lakes of Interlaken for some time and caught wonderful views of the turquoise waters laid out against the backdrop of the soaring alps. Talk about postcard perfect.

Wengen to Luzern Itinerary.

The train trip was relatively uneventful except for the odd banana wielding passenger that boarded in Interlaken and sat next to us until his departure somewhere before Luzern. Let's just say that some individuals, apparently, are more than a little bit forward. Banana Gate was somewhat uncomfortable and very unpleasant.

During the train trip I amused myself with my GPS, which, I come to find, has a difficult time maintaining a signal on the train system; listening to my Sansa; and watching the Swiss tapestry unfold. Two hours after we left Interlaken Ost (two hours fifty-three minutes after boarding the train in Wengen) we arrived at our destination: Luzern. Now, to find the Magic Hotel!

Prior to leaving Florida we had printed out basic maps that would help us find out hotels in Luzern and Zurich. The Magic Hotel was near the center of Luzern's Old Town and just across a platz from several city landmarks. Our map proved very useful and we were soon trudging along toward the hotel.

Luzern was bustling on the Friday afternoon on which we arrived. The bahnhoff was huge compared to any we had seen thus far and reminded us a great deal of the stations in Paris and Champagne we had seen the previous summer. Even with the mobs of people moving throughout the station and the 18+ tracks, however, it was very easy and direct to find out where we needed to be and where we were going.

We headed for the main exit of the station and were soon on the streets of Luzern next to the Reuss River. Although the mountains were further in the distance now, at least in comparison to how close they had been in Interlaken, Wengen and the various other towns we had visited, they still provided a massive and spectacular backdrop for the city.

We crossed the river by one of the many bridges and headed down a narrow, cobble stone road that soon opened up onto the platz. Across from a huge clock tower we saw the sign for the Magic Hotel. As we reached it we noted the all-glass front door, the call buzzer, and a sign that said all Magic Hotel guests needed to check in at the Krone Hotel at the given address. We referred to our map and quickly spotted the Krone just a street over. Off we went.

Travis went in to the Krone to check us into the Magic (interesting, huh?) while I waited outside with the baggage. The plaza seemed quite busy for a Friday afternoon with people shopping, walking, and heading here and there. Travis soon emerged and we were off on our way back to the Magic.

We slid the key card into the designated spot and opened the door to find nothing more than a winding stairway directly in front of us. Up we went. The Magic Hotel sports about ten different room all themed differently. Such themes as “The Pirate Room” or “The Egypt Room” provided unique furnishings, decor, and ambiance. We had been assigned “The Farmer Room” despite having requested something along the lines of “The Swiss Chalet Room.”

Arriving at the fourth floor we opened the door to our room and were greeted by, well, chickens, roosters, and cocks! Not real ones, mind you, but rather the plastic and ceramic variety that had been glued around the room. Pressed hay held between chicken wire was used as wall decoration and bedside lamps were in the shape of giant sunflowers that glowed soft yellow and greens. Included in the room was TV, coffee/espresso maker, mini-bar, writing desk, and the usual other trappings of a hotel room. Upon first entering the room I wasn't quite sure of the theme, but, the more I experienced it, the more I grew enchanted with it. It's one of those memories that I hope to look back on in twenty years and which will lend a bit of nuance to my stay in Luzern.

After resting for a bit and getting our clothes and bags situated we decided to head off to explore Luzern. I had purchased the Frommers Switzerland guide book at Borders because they provided walking tours of each of the major cities in Switzerland. Travis had copied the walking tour for Luzern and we decided to give it a try. I'm exceptionally glad that we did as it provided for an outstanding afternoon of seeing the sights in the city.

Although the Frommer's walking tour gives a general order in which to see the various sights of the city, we opted to mix it up a bit and started with the listed item that was closest to the Hotel Magic. Several of the sights consisted of "platz" or town squares.

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Some of the city highlights (with notes from the walking tour):

St. Peter's Church in the background of the Kapellplatz.

Kapellplatz - Site of St. Peter's Church. The church is the oldest in the city of Luzern and was built in 1178. 830 years ago! A plain white building and very demure on the inside, we spent several minutes inside taking in the architecture and the activities going on inside. Each of the churches we visited had several worshipers inside and it was interesting to be an unobtrusive observer.

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Built in 1602 in the typical Renaissance style of that period.
Altes Rathaus (Old Town Hall) - Located directly across from the entrance to our hotel, we used this landmark as a reference during our stay in Luzern. The building was built in 1602 and housed the city government at one time.

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Kapellbrucke (Chapel Bridge) is over 675 years old.
Kapellbrucke (Chapel Bridge) - A significant symbol of the city. One could see its image everywhere and in everything from chocolate to pewter. Built in 1333 the bridge housed a series of 122 paintings on the beams inside. The paintings told the story of the daily lives of the people of the city until a fire destroyed 2/3 of the bridge in 1993. The city rebuilt the bridge to the tune of $2.1 million dollars but it certainly wasn't as splendid as it once was.

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The Mullersche Apotheke, seen in the center of the picture, is 478 years old.

Weinmarket (Wine Market) - Houses a "drugstore" from 1530. 478 years old. Now it's a Walgreens. (Just kidding!)

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The area surrounding the Lowendenkmal was beautifully landscaped with spring blossoms around the reflecting pool.
Lowendenkmal (Lion Monument) - A relief carving of a (gigantic) lion complete with reflecting pool and gardens filled with tulips. The carving represents the bravery of the Swiss guards who died in Paris trying to save Marie Antoinette.

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Hofkirche dominated the skyline of this part of the city.
Hofkirche (Church of St. Leodegar) - A beautiful church with twin towers reaching far into the skyline of the city. Inside we were amazed at the 4,950 pipes of the organ from 1640. The church property also houses a cemetery and beautifully landscaped grounds.

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We finished our walking tour at an overlook of the Reuss River as the sun was setting behind the mountains. Although it didn't provide for great pictures, due to the back light conditions, it was nice to enjoy the setting first-hand.

While we were touring the sites our hunger had escaped us but by dusk we decided to begin looking for a restaurant. We looked in our immediate vicinity and then decided to head back closer to the hotel. We soon found a cozy little place on the first floor of a neighboring hotel and were soon seated.

Restaurant Fritschi

Here we decided to try Raclett and had ordered a bottle of wine. Fortunately, our waited alerted us to the fact that it was a California bottle, it was only labeled as a Chardonnay, and we asked for a suggestion of a Swiss wine. We were greatly pleased with his recommendation!

Raclett is a type of cow's milk cheese produced in Switzerland. A typical meal of Raclett involves heating a one-half wheel of the cheese and then scrapping it off onto plates. The cheese is eaten with white potatoes, pickles, and cocktail onions. The combined tastes are simply superb and paired with the wine the meal was fantastic.

After the meal, a couple of hours later and back at the hotel, we decided we would check out the Grand Casino Luzern after reading the descriptions in Fodors and passing the outside of the building during our walking tour earlier in the afternoon.

The casino is situated on the ground floor of a large hotel bordering the Reuss. We walked into the grand lobby and were quickly approached by one of the staff. She directed us to the coat check where we had to leave our coats and bag, and thus the camera too, and then showed our passports at the entrance line. The charge to visit the casino was CHF 10.00 of which CHF 5.00 was returned to you in the form of a credit on a debit style card.

The casino was divided into two main areas and both were quite busy. The first room housed the table games: Mainly roulette and blackjack. The second, two-level room held the slot machines and a couple bars. In addition to the gaming, the casino also offered several different dance venues and a couple of different shows.

Not being one for major gambling, we watched the table games and then headed for the slot machines. I quickly discovered that even the one Swiss Franc games were a bit rich for my blood and headed to the "penny" slots which, considering everything, were quite fun. We played off and on for about an hour and a half and in between had a beer at the bar and watched the tables some more.

After about 90 minutes we decided we had had our fill of smoke and loosing money and headed out. I cashed out my "winnings" of CHF 2.86 and figured the visit cost of CHF 17.00 was probably worth the experience!

Heading back to the hotel we decided to walk around for a bit and ended up sitting on the banks of the Reuss river admiring the beauty of Luzern. Quite a few people were out and about either walking the streets or enjoying a drink at the many bars and restaurants that lined the streets and the river banks. We also noticed many younger "kids" doing the same.

With a trip to Bern planned for tomorrow and the weight of the busy day of sightseeing and travel catching up with us we headed back to the hotel for the night.

Additional photos of Luzern here.
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Thursday, March 13, 2008

We had the opportunity to sleep in a bit on Thursday morning which was nice after such an early wakeup the day before. Today would be our last full day in Wengen topped off by our final night at the Bellevue. We were unsure of what the weather was going to be like and were hesitant about considering a trip to the Schilthorn after our trip to the Jungfrau and Zermatt yielded less than spectacular views.

After showering Travis ran down to the reception desk to check the daily condition reports that were posted on a bulletin board just off the dining area. The reports showed weather conditions, ski conditions, area closures, etc. The reports indicated generally good weather and Travis found out that the Piz Gloria, the revolving restaurant at the top of the Schilthorn, was open for business which, evidently, is a sign of decent weather.

Instead of having breakfast at the Bellevue we opted to finally check out the pastry shops in Wengen and check out the stores a bit too. On Wednesday morning, as we made our way through town, everything had been closed. Now, with the hour being later in the morning, everything should be open for business. We had also forgot to charge the GPS the night before and needed to buy some time before we headed out to the Schilthorn so it could achieve at least a partial charge. (Throughout the trip I had been marking any significant points of interest we visited: Jungfraujoch, Wengen, Lauterbrunnen, Zermatt, and so on. I didn't want to miss marking the Schilthorn!)

After plugging in the GPS to its charger we headed out. It was sunny and cold with most of the snow that had fallen in the streets last night already melted away. Even the evergreens up on the slopes had lost their white coats and were now green again. People were out and about, checking out the shops, heading for a day of skiing, or doing some skiing on the slopes here in Wengen.

We wanted to check out both pastry shops and thus each bought two small breakfast items, one from each of the stores. The smell as you entered these bakeries was wonderful. All sorts of fresh baked breads, pastries, and other bits of deliciousness tempted you this way and that and it was difficult to determine which item you wanted. After much consideration we each selected a small item, paid, and headed back outside to the street to munch on breakfast as we perused the shops. The pastries were delicious and we soon found ourselves in the other bakery for seconds.

We checked out several of the shops along the street as we munched breakfast and picked up some hiking guides from the tourism office before heading back to the Bellevue to grab our equipment and head out for the day. We still we not sure if we would spend the entire day at the Schilthorn or if we would be back in Wengen early enough to explore some of the local hiking trails. We wanted the guides just in case.

The Schilthorn is reached via a series of cable cars from Mürren, another small ski town, that lies above Wengen in altitude and across the Lauterbrunnen valley. We caught the train from Wengen to Lauterbrunnen and from there took a cable car to Grutschalp. At Grutschalp we took the Mürrenbahn on a short train ride to Mürren proper. The train station for Mürren lies at the far end of the town and the cable car station near the center so we had a short walk through the town during which we enjoyed the beautiful scenery and the neatness of the town itself.

It was during this walk that we spotted a clapboard sign outside a restaurant and hotel advertising the fact that the restaurant was recommended by none other than Rick Steves! We, of course, had to snap a picture for RobinMarie.

After walking the short distance we came within view of the cable care station, the Schilthornbahn. The entire cable car ride to the top of the Schilthorn, divided into two legs, takes about 20 minutes and transports you from an elevation of 1634 m (5361 ft) at Mürren to 2971 m (9748 ft) at the top of the mountain. That's just shy of 4,500 ft or nearly a mile. The first leg terminates at Birg, nothing more than a building perched on the peak before the Schilthorn summit, where we transferred to another cable car for the final leg of the ascent. Our Swiss Pass provided a hefty discount for the cost of the cable cars so the round trip tickets ended up being just under CHF 75.00.

After purchasing our tickets we took a few minutes and popped inside a small souvenir shop located in the station. Inside Travis immediately spotted numerous James Bond items and purchased a coffee mug and several magnets with the James Bond and Schilthorn logo on them. (More on the whole James Bond connection in a bit.) Leaving the shop we headed to the area of the station where the cable cars are loaded.

The cars are actually quite large and were well packed with people during our trip up and down the mountain. The interiors reminded me much of the WDW Monorail just on a much larger scale. There were poles throughout for people to hold onto as well as straps hanging from the roof that also provided some degree of stability. The car moved swiftly and smoothly across the cables with next to no noise other than the chatter from the passengers. As the massive car moved over the guide towers holding the wires it swung forward and then back causing the skyline to shift considerably. Although it didn't bother me I could see it easily affecting someone who has a fear of heights.

We soon reached the summit and were ushered out of the cable car. The main attraction of the Schilthorn is the spectacular 360 degree view of more than 200 surrounding mountain peaks. On clear days, the view is so spectacular that one can view all the way to Mont Blanc in France. Thankfully, for us, we had one of those days.

Standing on the summit of a mountain nearly two miles high with views for hundreds of miles can't be described with words. It's certainly one of those things that must be experienced with all of your being and all of your senses. It's simply amazing. Just as standing in an eight hundred year old church gives you a sense of your place in the history of human culture, standing atop a mountain that was formed millions of years ago and dwarfs everything human made gives you a sense of your place in the world as a whole.

After taking many, and I mean many, pictures, as well as some video, from the observation deck we decided to head inside to warm up and explore the shop area and multimedia show on James Bond. James Bond, you ask? You see, at least in part, the building on the Schilthorn owes its existence to the filming of the James Bond movie On her Majesty's Secret Service. For some reason construction was held up and the Piz Gloria was not going to be completed. MGM so desired the use of the building and location in the movie that they assisted with the cost of completing construction. This connection has lead to lots and lots of 007 references throughout the facility as well as many 007 items for purchase.

The shop carried your usual assortment of souvenir oriented merchandise including a series of Swiss watches specially designed for the Schilthorn attraction. One of these, featuring the James Bond logo and the “Schilthorn” namesake, caught my attention and I showed it to Travis. Instead of buying it then he decided to think about it and return to the shop later if he decided to make the purchase.

Inside one corner of the shop there was also a small bar with several James Bond murals painted on the walls and signed and dated by the artist. Travis snapped pictures of the murals as I continued to look around the store.

Next up was the multimedia show. The “show” basically detailed information about the site and its tie to Her Majesty's Secret Service. Several clips from the movie were also included. It was interesting to note that the room that now houses the multimedia show about the movie was most likely one of the main sets on which the movie was filmed.

We had debated on whether or not to eat lunch here at the Schilthorn or return to Mürren and find a less touristy restaurant to enjoy the meal. We checked out the menu here and, while the prices were comparable to any other restaurant, the selection was limited and the food was probably not of the same quality. Still, they had Champagne on the wine list and the views were not to be beat. And, we weren't quite ready to leave the Schilthorn as of yet but were quite famished.

The restaurant is built in the shape of a cylinder, with the tables situated toward the outer walls under nearly floor-to-ceiling, wrap-around windows and the kitchen area located in the center of the room, and actually revolves on top of the main portion of the building. Thus, as you enjoy your meal you're treated to a spectacular 360º view that slowly unfolds before you.

Selecting from the wine list was easy enough as we knew we wanted to have Champagne and ordered a bottle of Bollinger Special Cuvee. Vegetarian selections on the menu were lacking and about our only option was a cheese plate, which, while sounding very good didn't promise a very full meal, or Rosti with vegetables and sour cream. We both selected the later and were quite happy with the entrée.

Our Champagne arrived soon after we ordered it along with stemware etched with the Bollinger label. A nice touch! Although Bollinger has been well enjoyed throughout many James Bond movies, interestingly enough, it wasn't the 007's Champagne of choice in On her Majesty's Secret Service. In that film, the spy agent enjoyed a bottle of Dom Perignon 1957. Alas, the Bollinger worked for us very well!

One interesting note, we did take notice of the fact that the pressure from the high elevation did indeed affect the Champagne. Bollinger, as should any true Champagne, provides for an endless series of very fine bubbles being released from the wine. Instead of those fine bubbles we found large, obtrusive bubbles of the carbonated soda kind. This, in turn, affected the mouth feel of the Champagne as well. While certainly not detracting from our enjoyment of the wine it certainly was a different experience for a bottle of Champagne.

As the view slowly slipped by we spotted Mont Blanc (a couple times) and numerous other famous peaks and enjoyed our Rosti and Champagne. Near the end of our two-hour meal the restaurant had cleared out significantly and another waiter in the room asked if we would like another bottle. We didn't but rather finished up and headed back out to the observation deck for more pictures.

During our second photo shoot I also directed a Swiss-styled reenactment of Howard Dean's infamous post-New Hampshire concession speech starring Travis. It may well become the next YouTube hit.

With the time closing in on 4:15 we decided to check back in on the shop for the watch and then head to the cable car station as the last car left at 5:00. We walked back inside and we stunned to find the shop closed. We looked through the glass door and noticed the cashier counting down her till. Travis motioned to her and she came over to listen to his query about possibly purchasing the James Bond watch. While very polite she said that she couldn't as everything was closed up and being counted down. [Note: I hate to say it but I did, in fact, urge Travis to buy the watch when he first saw it!]

With Travis in a state of dismay we headed to the loading station of the cable car and waited for the final car to arrive and load. The trip back ended up being more than 50% staff from the facility and relatively quiet in comparison to the crowded trip up. We transferred at Birg and soon arrived at Mürren.

After disembarking the cable car we were headed for the exit when the cashier from the store atop the mountain stopped Travis. Although the smaller shop here in the Mürren station was also closed, she said her friend may still be inside and they would probably be able to run a transaction to allow Travis to buy his watch. We both felt that was exceptionally kind of these two women and profusely offered much thanks to them both (over and over again). With Travis all a glee now that he had his watch we headed out of the station and back toward the Mürrenbahn.

After taking the Mürrenbahn to Grutschalp and then the cable car down from Grutschalp to Lauterbrunned we decided to walk around Lauterbrunnen one last time before heading back up to Wengen. Even though it was still early (probably about 6:00 PM), nearly all of the shops on the main street of the town were closed up. We took some more pictures and just enjoyed being in Switzerland half a world away from work, worries, and everything else in our lives.

We returned to Wengen shortly after 7:00 and headed for the Bellevue to drop off Travis's newly-purchased items and everything else we had been lugging around all day. We then headed back out to Wengen to find dinner.

Having eaten lunch not too long ago we wanted something pretty light and decided on one of the local pizzerias just off the main street. One would have never guessed that you were in Switzerland instead of a U.S. rendition of what an “Italian pizzaria” is supposedly like. Complete with the pictures of Venice and the empty Chianti bottles serving as make-shift candle holders the atmosphere for such places must be universal.

We were quickly seated and ordered a large pie with mushrooms. We somehow also ended up with bottled water instead of tap water and had to ration said water throughout the meal. At home, we drink little else other than copious amounts of water and our 1-2 bottles of Champagne or wine on the weekend. Having limited water to drink throughout the meal was difficult and we constantly made light of the situation throughout the meal. Watergate wasn't easy to live through.

After dinner we slowly walked back through the streets of Wengen to the Bellevue. It was sad knowing that tomorrow morning we would leave this small, wonderful little town and probably never return in our lives. This area of Switzerland had provided us with amazing experiences, outstanding cuisine, beautiful interactions with nature, and so much more. And tomorrow, we would have to say goodbye so that we could continue our journey into the cityscape. Before heading into the Bellevue I snapped a few last pictures of our soon-to-be ex-home.

We both slept well.

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