Wednesday, Sep 9: Introduction to Grindelwald

The four trains this morning were easy to navigate as we had a minimum six minutes and as much as twelve minutes to switch trains at the three transfer locations.  We're getting used to the Swiss train preciseness.  There is no need to get to the platform early.  As an example, we overheard the following comment from someone who was still shopping in a store that was a good five or six minute walk to the train station, "What's your problem?  The train doesn't leave for 13 minutes."

No train pictures today.  Each of the four train rides were pretty short necessitating repacking the equipment before much time had elapsed.  And the leg between Visp and Spiez was almost entirely in a tunnel.

Arriving in Grindelwald, a small town in the Jungfrau region of the Bernese Oberland above Interlaken, we are delighted at the view of the mountains from our room.  The contrast between the glaciers and craggy tops, the granite faces and the lush green valley is stunning.

A lunch stop at an outdoor cafe at the first stop of a gondola.  It is very warm in the sun with a temperature near 70 even though a brisk wind was blowing.

At the top of the gondola ride at First looking out over the mountains

and looking down into the valley (back at Grindelwald).

One of my favorite things are the cows (and the goats) that graze on the mountain sides.  Their tinkling bells sound like a symphony as we pass by.

We relax on the patio of the hotel

enjoying the view

drinking prosecco and eating a plate of local mountain cheese for our dinner

until the sun goes down.

Another happy day in Switzerland.

See you tomorrow.