Postcard From Switzerland
 

Hello All<BR><BR>Sending you a little postcard from Luzern. We are having a good time and the wheather has been nice, however, looks like rain for the weekend. We are supposed to leave for Murren tomorrow. <BR><BR>Seeing all the sites while my husband is working and went to the Swiss House with a group last night for dinner. Very nice.<BR><BR>Later,<BR><BR>Ronda

ronda,<BR><BR>How long did you stay in luzern?<BR><BR>I am planig only a half day as I head though to Fussen from lausanne. am I an Idiot? I really want to get to Fussen by 9pm<BR><BR>hope the weather fines up for you.

Ronda hi! <BR>Good to hear from you. Yeah, might be a little rainy tomorrow and Saturday. Didn't ask for it! LOL<BR>Crossing my fingers for you and myself as well..<BR><BR>

Hi Ronda! This is dandy! Thanks! J.

Helo from Murren<BR><BR>I am sitting in an internet station at the Schitlhorn station***(cant find the exclamation mark) 5 ch for 15 minutes. It is absolutely the most beautiful spot on earth even in the rain. We went to Interlaken and did the tourist thing today. Tomorrow hiking and cable cars. <BR><BR>Our hotel is just lovelzy Hotel Bellvue Crystal. Food at the Eiger terrfic.<BR><BR>Times up<BR><BR>Later,<BR><BR>Ronda

Hi Ronda! This is such a treat! Remember every single detail. Are you taking notes? How's the hotel? You are so nice to think of us while you are on your great adventure. What are you eating? Memorize the sunrise and the sunsets. I'm so happy for you! J.

Ronda: Lucky you! :o)<BR>What nice weather yesterday and today. <BR>Wish I was up in the mountains right now as well!<BR>Where's your next stop?

Hello All!!! I'm back. My trip was just wonderful and we loved every place we went. I took a notebook but did not write one thing in it as I was busy writing and sending postcards to my family. I will try to make a trip report but afraid I'm not a very good at that sort of thing. <BR><BR>My favorite spot - Murren (sigh, ahhhhh)<BR><BR>Thanks again for all your help in planning. Let's see--there is another conference in 2004. I better start planning now!!!

Welcome back, Ronda! Why was Murren your favorite?

The view of the Eiger, Jung Frau, and the Monch are unbelievable from Murren - so in-your-face. It is like being in Yosemite times 3. We so enjoyed just sitting on our balcony, sipping something cold, and just admiring the view. Our hotel was charming and the guests interesting. <BR><BR>Murren may be quiet in the summer in the evening but there are enough restaurants to choose from including a Chinese restaurant (delicous food by the way - Thams). Our best meal was at the Eiger Stubli which we believe to be the best resturant in town. The lamb with herb butter was melt in your mouth delicious and their rosti was the best - not like hash browns but more like pasta is the only way I can describe it. Not a mass of potatoes but strands that flaked off.<BR><BR>We enjoyed walking around the town in the evening after dinner, no traffic, just listening to the cow bells and feeling the cool air. The sky would turn the most beautiful dark blue as the sun was setting backlighting the mountains. <BR><BR>While some think that the transportation into and out of Murren is difficult, we enjoyed each ride up the mountain on the cog train and then the little train into Murren along the edge of the mountain. Yes, it took 1/2 hour from Lauterbrunnen but the view was worth it.<BR><BR>We took the tram up to the Piz Gloria Restaurant at the top of the Schitlhorn on Sunday and had the "James Bond" breakfast on the blue and white Schitlhorn dishes while the restaurant revolved. There were clouds but the view was still magnificent. I only regret that I didn't buy a coffee mug in the gift shop (same blue and white dishes as in the restaurant). <BR><BR>We were fortunate that at this time of year the wildflowers were still blooming which made the green fields that much more enjoyable to view. When our 5 days were up we did not want to leave and would have cancelled out of Lugano and stayed in Murren if we could have. <BR><BR>Everyone has an opinion as to which place is best and I have decided that no one place is perfect for everyone. Those who would go to Lake Tahoe and stay at South Shore with the Casinos will like Interlaken. Some like Lauterbrunnen because they feel it is more convenient. Wengen is a little more upscale and Grindlewald?? well, I wasn't there that long. But if I ever go back it will be to Murren. <BR>

PS We stayed at the Bellvue Crystal and found it very enjoyable. The room was lovely and large (#15) with two balconies!!! Ruth and her husband were great. I would recommend it to anyone.

Thank you very much, Ronda; I think I might finally be convinced. Affectionately, J.

Hi again, Ronda. You mention the trip from L to M via a cog train and a 'little' train along the mountainside. If you have a few idle minutes (imagine), maybe you'd take a look at the sbb.ch schedules and point out which one that is? The one that goes from Lauterbrunnen BLM to Murren BLM in 30 minutes? This question is just for clarification and not in need of an immediate response. I often read posts at this board describing different ways of getting to Murren, and I'm trying to get a handle on yours, because it sounds both lovely and doesn't seem to involve dangling from a wire? J.

We took the train from Interlaken to Lauterbrunnen, go across the street (or use underpass if raining) and take the cog train (15 minutes) up the steep hillside to Grutschalp, transfer to the train (15 minutes) to Murren. Total time: 30 minutes. Covered by Swiss Pass, otherwise approximate cost is 15 SF. I thought this was easy enough and the change at Grutschalp is all inside and takes about 2 minutes. The train personnel move your bags for you.<BR><BR>The other way to get to Murren is to take the bus from Lauterbrunnen to the tram (dangling car) station at Stechelberg and ride the tram up to Gimmelwald, then Murren. Cost approximately 14 SF one way. I don't believe it is covered by the Swiss Pass since it is a private tram and don't know about the Berner Oberland regional pass.<BR><BR>If you want to stay in Gimmelwald, the tram would take you directly there. Via cog train and train, you would have to walk from Murren (approximately 30 minutes).<BR><BR>Rick Steve's has a great diagram in his book of Alpine Lifts in the Berner Oberland. I checked a copy out at the library.

Thanks, Ronda, I'll copy and file for future reference. J.

Your welcome, JW. When are you planning on going? I'm trying to figure out when and how I can go again and am considering possibly going as a chaperone for a small teen group (well behaved) and staying in pensions. I don't know though. There are a couple of pensions in Murren and a couple in Gimmelwald. <BR><BR>We met a couple staying in Wengen who rented a chalet for 4 people for $60 per night. $15 a person isn't bad. I believe Wengen would also require a train change in Lauterbrunnen to another train. Wengen was more upscale but still car free. Seemed a little more sunny.

http://www.elec.rdg.ac.uk/Staff_PostGrads/academic/jbg/jungfrau/Murren.jpg<BR><BR>Hi again, Ronda. Just for fun, I searched for images of Murren at Google, and this one came up. (It's probably way too complicated for you to find the same image.) Anyway, the photograph illustrates what I've suspected I'd find there. Tell me it isn't so. J.

Ronda: I'm in the early planning stage for a 2003 trip that includes a few days in Murren, and your report is going to be very helpful. Thanks!

One little tip re shopping. All the stores in Murren close early and on Sunday unlike Interlaken. Next time I think we will arrive on a Sunday and use it as a travel day.<BR><BR>There is a restaurant on the train to Murren (along the edge) with a train stop. It has a great view and on Sunday has a brunch and folk music. We did not attend but sounded interesting.<BR><BR>Be sure to check the bulletin boards for other local events. On a Monday night there was to be a folk music gathering at a Pension in Gimmelwald. We were too tired from hiking to attend.

JW, if you mean lots of people, the place was dead when we were there. Everyday, as we were leaving, loads of people were coming up because the Schilthorn Tram station is in Murren. Lots of Japanese but they were up at the Jung Frau and other places as well. We were generally someplace else during the day hiking and returned again in the evening. <BR><BR>We ate at the Chinese Restaurant, Thams, twice and talked with Tham's wife at length. She told us that in the winter the place is very crowded with English who come for the skiing. They have to stay open very late but in the summer it is very slow. The Tachi Bar and Inferno Bar were, well, to me looked closed. Strolling around in the evening we only ran into a few people. It didn't even seem as if there were that many locals around - houses didn't look occupied. I don't know what it will be like later in July and August.<BR><BR>Interlaken, Grindlewald, Lauterbrunnen and Wengen were definitely busier than Murren. Gimmelwald was the s-l-o-w-e-s-t.