bob_brown

Yes, the Hotel Staubbach is at the far end of the main street (only one really). It is located just before the valley road makes a bend to the left (going south) as it wraps around the church. Staubbach Falls is/are located immediately to the south. You get a good view of the main range of the Berner Oberland. The train station and the present elevator on wheels that goes up the valley side are at the far end.

Intererstingly enough, the location where most of the slipping is taking place is called Grutschalp. Grutsch means slippage in local lingo. Well, the top layer of soil is slipping over the side of the valley. Grutsching too much!!(Erdrutsch is probably more classic German. Or Der Bergrutsch or der Bergsturtz) At any rate the whole darn contraption could come racing down the chute with catastrophic results.)


My friend in Lauterbrunnen tells me that construction will start in April and extend until December.

The license to operate the current system will expire in July 2006.

The reason for the construction is simple. The ground under the upper station is slipping downward. The Swiss government inspectors have known about the unstable ground for 6 or more years. Unfortunately, the situation has grown worse faster than expected.

As a result, something MUST be done now.

To some extent the cows and goats with the bells are put there for "atmosphere", but the grazing periods and locations are controlled to prevent overgrazing. The "alps" are marked and only so many animals are allowed to graze in a given area.

If you are ever up at the First gondola station above Grindelwald, there is a big sign on the wall of the station that describes the layout of the grazing areas in the Grindelwald Valley.
So many per cows per area.

For example, this last time I was in the Kilchbalm, which is accessed from Gimmelwald, there were no cows grazing.
Two years earlier, the valley was full of cows.

kopp

Bob, that is very interesting about the cows and their grazing. As many times as I have been at the First station, I have never seen that sign - guess I'm always ready to start hiking.

I will look for it next time I am there. I'd love to see their grazing patterns all laid out. Very interesting information. Thanks!

bob_brown

Perhaps I should say that the sign on the wall of the First gondola station has been there in years past. I find that nothing remains the same!!

The sign is in German with some words that I have had trouble finding in a dictionary.

To find it, look outside on the wall as you exit from the gondola. I cannot remember now if it is left or right.

The sign I saw has a diagram that shows the boundary lines of the various alps, or pastures. Each numbered area has a quota of so many cows, so many sheet, etc.

I hope the sign is still there when you return.

The verb form of slip is rutschen.
The past participle is gerutschen
Grutsch(alp) is something of a contraction of the past participle of rutschen. (auxilliary verb is sein)

I hope that the past perfect verb tense is not appropriate for many years.


Just don't "rutsch" on your tummy before someone! [vor jmdm. auf dem Bauche rutschen] That means to lick the person's boots. Not a compliment.

Also, the Hotel Crystal, if you can get a room on the east side facing the Männlichen, is not bad. You would be away from the noise and a ways down the street. It does serve breakfast, but not dinner. It is upstairs over a sporting goods store.

kleeblatt

Bob Brown: Did you know the Swiss wish each other a "guete Rutsch" for New Year's Eve? It means they hope the person will have a pleasant "slide" from the old year into the new one.

bob_brown

I did not know that.
My German in Switzerland is deficient. I have trouble understanding the local accents.

I do a little better in Germany and Austria in the cities. Right now, I am rusty because I let my skills go down.