Support Group for Those Who Love Switzerland Part IV
 

I think it's time for this. And what more appropriate day? Happy Birthday Ingo!

S, I loved the image of cute little messy parades.

Happy Spring Sunday everyone.

Hey there! And a wonderful Sunday to you all. (Must get back to averaging grades now.) J.

Just saw your note at the GTG thread, Ursula. I'll look forward to hearing about the Expressiv exhibition at the Beyeler! By the way, did you see the post asking about kid-friendly hotels? You might be able to help. Happy spring, Ursula! It's beginning to feel like summer already here. Water sprinklers running in the yards and mosquitos buzzing around. J.

Hi jmw!
I saw the question about kid-friendly hotels. The question however was just a little too vage re. specific areas and price range, if my memory is correct.
There are kid-friendly hotels all over, especially in the villages and the holiday resorts.
One should be able to find specific information on www.myswitzerland.com by doing a search on kid-friendly places.
Once the itineray is more or less known, one can do a specific search among the hotels and B&Bs available. Most cities, towns and villages have own web sites with detailled information re. accommodation.

And yes, Ingo, alles Gute zum Wiegenfest!
Looking forward to meeting you in about five weeks.

PS: Happy Mother's Day!

Hello All,

Usually jmw is the workhorse among us, but these days I've had my head in student papers and today I get a chance to play!

**Off-topic, did you know that Antigone, in the play of the same name, had a moral "De lima" (sic)? I just looove this time of year!**

I echo Ursula's best wishes to you mothers among us! You are real angels truly doing holy work!

I too am eager about the Engadin trip! I almost have to physically restrain myself from grabbing my suitcases and packing! So instead I'm making lists, lists, and lists of lists. Ah me, visions of nut tortes are dancing in my head.

And of course as usual, I'm already planning my *next* trip. I'm thinking about going to Gstaad for a week in early January -- not necessarily to ski, but to do some nice winter walking and touring some smaller places I've missed in my travels. Ursula, I think I remember that this is one of your favorite spots; if you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them!

So great to see you folks this morning. All my best!

s

Hi y'all. If you're wondering how I manage to look in this morning, S', it's because our schedule this week is rearranged to allow for 90-minute senior exams (while continuing to teach underclassmen). So, while I had to drive to school before dawn two mornings, today I don't have to be there until 11 ! A bit of a reward!

I cannot believe you're planning a January trip,S! As we get closer I'll be adding to your list of must-dos. Heck, I'll add them now: Gsteig, Rougemont, and Rossiniere! We are hopelessly addicted and that's all there is to it!

I've been really enjoying the recent spurt of Switzerland questions here. S, you did say that you thought May would bring a few to get our juices flowing. Love to all, J.

s,
I am real busy, but I just have to add my favourite little spots in the Gstaad area, besides the ones, jmw has already mentioned:
Saanen, Schoenried, Saanenmoeser!
Don't stay in Gstaad itself. It's less sunny than the ones I mention which are somewhat more elevated and do get more sun. This is particularly true during winter months. An then, Gstaad is also more expensive than all of the others. However, it's fine for a stroll, a little window shopping and having some coffee and cake or a drink at a nice place (such as the Roessli, the Olden, etc.).

Topping just in case Grasshopper is around and would like to tell us more about her patio and the geese and the good book and Colorado all around. Did I mention that we are in the beginning of mosquito season here? :) Someday one of you will have to teach me the subtleties of those little smiley face things and all their variations. In exchange, I shall tell you how to align your syllabus w/national standards. Love to all, J.

Again an appropriate day for posting: Happy Birthday Grasshopper!

And best wishes for all the mothers of you folks for tomorrow's Mother's Day.

S, I absolutely agree with Ursula. Avoid Gstaad for accommodation. I really loved the quaint Saanen. A typical Bernese Oberland village with beautiful wooden houses, with carvings and paintings. No flowers, though, in winter!

Don't miss Gsteig and the cosy inn "Byren".

I.

Hello All,

Ursula, I hope I didn't put you in a time-bind answering my post! I was only hoping to get you thinking about Gstaad & area, and maybe we'd talk about it in Zuoz!

But since everyone's sharing . . . Keep 'em coming!

My thoughts are to visit definitely Chateau-d'Oex, Gruyeres, Rougemont, Spiez, & Schoenried. Great ideas to add Rossiniere, Gsteig, Saanen, & Saanenmoeser Also great ideas of Byren, Roessli & Olden for breaks!

I was afraid you would respond by saying that early January is a dismal time -- too late for holiday cheer and too early for skiing. So because you didn't immediately quash my plan, I'm pretty jazzed about it!

I may violate Ursula's and Ingo's cautions, however, as one hotel that caught my eye is Gstaad's Hotel Grand Chalet, which says it's on a hill ten minutes from town. The other hotel that has caught my eye is the Hostellerie Alpenrose in Schoenried -- a Relais & Chateaux. So I guess you folks would encourage me to go for the Alpenrose. I'll have to look at Saanen for accommodations.

My only real "problem" is Kandersteg. After hearing many glowing reports of this town, I want to go there and actually set foot in it (I've only passed by on the train once). It's close enough for a day trip (1.55 hours each way by train) and excursion to Oeschinensee, but I wonder if I ought to go and stay for two or three overnights? Maybe you guys can advise me on that idea!

So, as always, my best to all, with extra special wishes for a good day and gooey desserts for the birthday Grasshopper and the moms out there!

s

I don't know why once Fodors doesn't accept the umlaut "ä" and the next time does. Sorry, s, the Hotel (Gasthof) is called "Bären". I hope it is correct now!

Well, I understand your raving about Le Grand Chalet. From its website it looks very appealing. On the other hand - ten minutes walk are quite a distance. You should probably add another five minutes to the railway station. Anyway, I guess there is a frequent bus service offered by the hotel (or skibus?).

Honestly, I would choose five star Ermitage Golf Hotel in Schönried. It is not much more expensive than the four stars you mentioned. And the views are excellent (south side)!

I am not sure if you should go to Kandersteg in winter. It is gorgeous in summer, with its lakes (Blausee and Oeschinensee), mountains and glaciers. But in winter? Okay, it is a good cross-country skiing resort, but IMO not a charming little village. Not much of interesting rural architecture, you know? An exception is, of course, the some hundred years old inn Ruedihaus.

But IMO you should spend your valuable time in other, more charming villages. To name a few: Diemtigen, Därstetten, Boltigen, Erlenbach in the Lower Simmental valley. There you will find the most beautiful wooden chalets at all! As far as I know there is a signposted path away from the busy main road called "Simmentaler Hausweg" which leads to the best of the Chalets (e.g. Knuttihaus and Argelhaus). Don't miss the medieval little church in Erlenbach with excellent frescos.

Re: weather in January: I think it is not the perfect time, and you'll probably have lots of new snow (or rain?). I usually go on vacation to the (Lower) Engadine in mid January and use to enjoy fantastic weather ...

Have a nice weekend with fine food!

Ingo

Did I hear someone say 'frescos'? Hi, Ingo. S', and the best part of Ingo's advice is (I think) that those little villages he's recommending are right on the same rail line as Saanen w/a change in Zweisimmen. Needless to say, I've copied the list and can hardly wait to do an image search at Google. By the way, if any of these recommendations appeared in earlier SGfTWLS threads, I can no longer access them. Lost forever, sigh. I know most of it was drivel (have not a clue as to meaning or spelling), but there were pearls, the most beautiful pearls of enchanting information there too. Love to all, J.

Hi all,

Ingo & jmw, nonononono! NO! I don't need even more villages to visit and frescos to admire! I'll only have six or seven days! And I didn't even mention that I **might** steal a day away from the mountain villages to walk Montreux's promenade. I really don't see any way around this -- I simply MUST move to CH soon!

Thanks for the recommendations for the Ermitage Golf Hotel; I think that's also Ursula's favorite. I've give it a good look. It's not stuffy, eh? Pine furnishings and warmth (I can't even begin to spell the German word, G....), etc?

Yeh, I know early January isn't ideal, but we have a teachers' meeting around the middle of the month, and I need to be back at least two days before that to reset my sleeping schedule. I won't count on seeing snow-covered villages, but if I get it, so much the better!

I appreciate your candid opinion of Kandersteg! I'll cross it off the "overnight" list.

I'll see if I can get more info on that Hausweg and will definitely plan to do it -- it sounds like it's right up my alley! I'd really enjoy seeing the countryside that way!

All my best!

s

Good morning, S' -- You knew it was coffee time, didn't you? These days I click back and forth between Fodors and an art education board, so I don't feel half as guilty. You've got to admit, we're into both the sublime and the ridiculous when we engage in the discussions of your 'next' trip after the one you have not even taken yet? While writing this, I am not here. I am on the little rock garden slope leading to the church in Chateau d'Oex -- where the humidity isn't 90%. I have an afternoon visit to the museum of folk art planned, where I'll admire those spectacular decoupages and vow to start making some of my own when I get home. (Right.) And then raclette and a beer. Sounds like a plan? J.

S' and J, I know where there is a snow covered village with lakeside promenades and mountains to climb and gondolas that will whisk you up to a restaurant where you can get raclette and beer (or wine) with Bavarian musicians playing for your enjoyment and you both have a free place to stay any time you want! And it's only a 3 hour flight...... how about a SGFTWLW GTG in our own backyard one day?

Hi all, it is a relief to read your posts after a not so fine day (lost the tennis match).

Grasshopper, send the Bavarian musicians back to Germany and it sounds appealing!

jw, this church in Erlenbach is a true medieval picture book. All the walls are decorated with frescos, telling stories of the bible.

s, I knew you would spend a day walking the promenade in Montreux! You don't need to mention this, it is obvious that you chose Gstaad/Chateau d'Oex region because it is close to M.

Have a look at this website for the Hausweg:
http://www.kulturbeo.ch/HistWege/Simmentalhausweg.htm

For a map of the region Erlenbach/Stockhorn in the Lower Simmental valley visit http://www.stockhorn.ch/wanderkarte.jpg

Enjoy the plannings!

Ingo

Hi all, Ingo, already this morning I visited the kulturb' simmentalhausweg site you mentioned. And I'm not even the one making the plans! Erlenbach is on my list. God help me, I hope osteoporosis holds off for ten or twenty years so I can see all these places. Sorry about the tennis match. Losses build character, yes? Or is that 'adversity builds character'? Whatever. Winning would undoubtedly be more fun.

And Grasshopper! How generous you are! One day, kiddo, you'll be sorry; it's printed and filed.

So who else is planning another Swiss visit beyond the Engadin? J.

Good Morning All,

Today is final exam day, so for me that means the hard part of the semester is over with only a bit of grading left to do. Then I can **really** concentrate on my endless listing!

Ingo, I'm sorry to hear about your last tennis match! I'm sure though that you're already practicing to fix your difficulty!

Ok Ingo, I think we should start calling you the pusher man (how familiar are you with 1960s-era American rock roll? -- this is part of an old Steppenwolf song) but obviously with only the warmest and best Swiss-travel connotations!

But those websites you gave me will keep me joyfully occupied for a good many months. Maps!! Great maps!! I did (eventually) find the 14 wanderwegs and the time marks and the relief-type map on that Stockhorn website, and I just love having something to daydream about. So, if I'm still amenable to biking, and if the conditions and customs allow, I may rent a bike and do the trail from Spiez to Zweisimmen over a few days. I imagine getting an early start on the train and poking around the Spiez lakefront for a morning, then biking along the Simme and the Hausweg in the afternoon, say, to Erlenbach, then starting the next day and finishing from Erlenbach to Zweisimmen.

jmw, you can't seriously wonder at my planning for January 04???!! Heck, I've got tentative plans that'll cover my travels for the next decade, at least! And bookmarks and folders and even photos and brochures of nice hotels!

But your transcendental travel image is pure, wonderful escapism. I think I'll borrow it for a while, memorize it, and meditate on it too! So if no one wants to admit to their post-GTG Swiss travel plans, how about posting a favorite escape spot? But new ones; I'll think a while and see if I can find one beyond the shores of Leman.

s

Hi! I don't want to be a wet blanket, S', but have you asked Ingo about the gradient from Speiz to Erlenbach and then to Zweisimmen? Looks all uphill to moi. Tour de Suisse? I'm probably underestimating your training program. If so, I'm impressed and now realize that I shall never be able to hang out w/you folks. Later, got to go update my gradebook. J.

Hi Folks,

No, jmw, no Tour de Suisse, just me going off half-loaded as usual! I'll certainly be sure to ask about "downhill" routes when I get there!!! If the conditions are good, I can easily do the reverse route. My Michelin Green Guide has Spiez as 628 meters, and it looks like Erlenbach is 722m, right? So I'll just be flexible.

While I'm here, let me share with you some of what the Green Guide says about Erlenbach:

Inside [the church], the nave and the chancel are almost completely covered with naive paintings dating from the beginning of the 15C. Among other Biblical subjects, note the procession of Wise and Foolish Virgins (triumphal arch) and the symbols of the Four Evangelists (chancel vaulting).

From Erlenbach to the mid-station of Chrindi, the cable car goes through a small, deep valley carved out by a torrent and lined with fir trees and chalets. Between Chrindi and the upper station you fly over the lovely Stockensee, a pool of emerald green water occupying a glacial hollow. From the upper station, walk to the top of the Stockhorn, surrounded by grassy and wooded slops . . . all around like a back-cloth bristle the most renowned white summits of the French and Swiss Alps from the Jungfrau to the Mont Blanc.

Why is it that every single little corner of Switzerland reveals a pearl of discovery? Ah, I'm lucky to have seen some of it!

Grading is done . . . turn in grades tomorrow.

s