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TR: yk/rkkwan + parents' 2-week mostly Swiss sojourn; Sept 2010
<b>PREFACE</b>
Last month, my brother (rkkwan) and I traveled to Switzerland with our parents for a 2-week trip. I'm not sure how this TR will turn out. I will mostly be the narrator here, as rkkwan has deferred to me as the "trip reporter." But I'm sure he'll butt in and correct me whenever I post something incorrect. ;) This <i>mostly</i> Switzerland trip is all about natural scenery and places that are meaningful to our parents (which you'll find out why shortly). I will try to post photo links of shots I took within the trip report. Rkkwan took thousands of photos on this trip; I assume it'll take him a while to get them sorted and he'll post his links at a later date. I will also try to refrain from being too verbose, which I'm known for. We'll see how it goes. 8| |
<b>PROLOGUE</B>
This story began 40 years ago, in 1970. Our parent had just gotten married in late July. Shortly after, they embarked on a month-long honeymoon in Europe. One of the stops on that trip was Switzerland. It was the first time our mom set foot in Europe, at age 27. Our dad, OTOH, had spent 6 years in Germany then UK for his graduate and post-grad studies during the late 50s and early 60s. He had visited Switzerland a number of times then. Between 1970 and 2010, they have been back to Switzerland only once, in 1981, with rkkwan and me in tow. We thought it was fitting to go on a trip to Switzerland together as a family for their 40th wedding anniversary. |
A joint trip report from the Kwans--how exciting!! Keep talking, I'm listening. :-)
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Looking forward to it. Hahaha.
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I had absolutely noooo idea you two were related.
(I've been reading the wonderful Tibet trip report.) Kudos is due to both of you for this family trip! |
<b>CHAPTER 1 - THE BASICS</B>
We were in Switzerland for 14 days/13 nights. We flew into Geneva and out of Zurich. [IAD/EWR/GVA, ZRH/EWR/IAH on Continental for rkkwan and our parents, as they live in Houston; BOS/JFK/MAD/GVA, ZRH/LHR/JFK on a combo of AA/IB/BA for me - complicated story] <b>Our itinerary</b> Days 1-3: Geneva, Lausanne, Montreux; then Golden Pass train to Interlaken Days 4-6: Based in Interlaken. One day for Luzern/Mt Rigi/Bern; one day for Brienz/Ballenberg; one day for Jungfraujoch (rkkwan & our parents). I did some hiking instead. Day 7: Glacier Express from Visp to Celerina (town right before St Moritz) Day 8: Bernina Express from Celerina to Tirano, then onward to Lugano Day 9: Lugano and environs Day 10: Bellinzona, drove up St Bernardino Pass, then onto Heidiland Day 11-12: Eastern Switzerland with brief visits to Liechtenstein, Austria and Germany Day 13: Zurich Day 14: depart for US From Day 2 through Day 9, we used the 8-day consecutive Saver SwissPass (320 CHF per person for 2nd cl). From Day 10 thru Day 13, we had a compact rental car for 72 hours. <b>Accommodation list</b> <u>Geneva</u> 2 nights at Hotel Sagitta http://www.hotelsagitta.ch/en/presentation.php <u>Interlaken</u> 4 nights at Swiss Inn http://www.swiss-inn.ch/index.htm <u>Celerina</u> 1 night at All in One Hotel Inn Lodge http://www.innlodge.ch/index.php?id=1422&L=2 <u>Lugano</u> 2 nights at Hotel San Carlo http://www.hotelsancarlolugano.com/en/index.html <u>Unterterzen</u> (on the southern shore of Walensee) 3 nights at an apt rental http://www.interhome.com/holiday-apa...0.1/EN-LI.html <u>Zurich</u> 1 night at Hotel Leoneck http://www.leoneck.ch/en/ Some of our <b>trip highlights</b> documented by rkkwan [Information provided by rkkwan will be posted in <i>italics</i>] <i>• <b>One</b> aerial tramway: the Weggis-Rigi Kaltbad aerial cableway. • <b>One</b> subway: M2 line in Lausanne (the only city in Switzerland with a subway system) • <b>One</b> international border crossed on foot: Italy to Switzerland at Ponte Tresa, Lake Lugano. • <b>Two</b> paddle steamers: Savoie on Lake Geneva, built 1914; and Uri on Lake Luzern, built 1905. • <b>Three</b> funiculars: Two at Monte Brè, one at the train station. All in Lugano. • <b>Four</b> lakes cruised on <b>Seven</b> boats: Savoie & Ville de Geneve (Lake Geneva); Brienz (Lake Brienz); Uri (Lake Luzern); Ceresio, Morcote and Milano (Lake Lugano) • <b>Five</b> UNESCO World Heritage Sites visited: St Gall, Berne, Bellinzona, Jungfrau & Rhaetian Railway. • <b>Five</b> cog railways: two at Mt Rigi and three at Jungfrau. • <b>Six</b> countries visited: Switzerland, France, Italy, Liechtenstein, Austria & Germany. • <b>Eighteen</b> of the 26 Cantons visited or at least transversed. • <b>Forty</b> MPG from the VW Golf TDI we rented for 3 days. Used only 40 liters for 700km. 1.719CHF/liter (diesel)</i> <b>Money/Costs</b> During our visit, 1 CHF = 1 USD Many NON-food items cost about the same as US, eg, bus rides, museum admissions. However, food is very expensive in Switzerland. The average main dish costs in most sit-down restaurants is 30-40 CHF. That's not because restaurants over charges the customers. The fact is, food prices are high even in supermarkets. Most of the things we saw at supermarkets are 40%-100% more than US supermarkets. Examples of food prices observed by rkkwan: <i>5.8CHF for a small latte at Starbucks. 11.3CHF for a Big Mac meal at McD. 2.9 to 4CHF for a Magnum ice cream bar (similar to Dove Bar). ~18CHF for a roast chicken sold at a roadside carts. 3CHF a kilogram of bananas at supermarkets. 19.5CHF for a bowl of Cantonese noodles in Zurich.</i> There are 2 exceptions though: local Swiss cheese and Swiss chocolates. Both are significantly cheaper there. Eg, Appenzeller cheese was 2.20 CHF/100gm. The same cheese sells for $16/lb at my local produce store in Boston. The most basic, generic brand milk chocolate bar (100gm) was $0.45 CHF. A 100-gm generic brand 60% dark chocolate bar was under $1.50 CHF. <b>Advanced Bookings</b> There were several things we booked in advance of our trip. Apart from basic things such as lodging and rental car, I have booked in advance • Opera tickets at Grand Théâtre de Genève • Seat reservations on Glacier Express train, and on the Tirano->Lugano leg on Bernina Express bus The Glacier Express reservation can be done online in advance, but once you booked, payment is immediate via credit card, and it's not changeable or refundable. The cost is 33CHF in addition to ticket price. http://www.glacierexpress.ch/EN/spez...s/default.aspx In contrast, the Bernina Express reservation can also be done online in advance, but you do not pay until you pick up your "seat reservation ticket" at an SBB ticket office. The BE train from St Moritz to Tirano reservation costs 12 CHF, and the BE bus from Tirano to Lugano reservation costs another 12 CHF. http://www.rhb.ch/Bernina-Express.33.0.html?&L=4 <b>Weather</b> We were fortunate for the most part. We had beautiful weather during the middle segment of our trip when we had lots of scenic train and boat rides, and ascending to mtn tops. It was overcast during our first couple of days, and towards the end of our trip, we encountered heavy downpours one day. On average, temperatures were in the 60sF. It was warmest on sunny days in Lugano where it was over 70F. The coldest was in the mid 40sF the day we went to LI/Austria/Germany. |
Hey, where are you-- I thought you would have the whole thing written by now!
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Oh OK (posted at the same time).
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Yay! YK, I've always enjoyed your trip reports, so please don't leave out important details to this trip report.
That's wonderful that you and your brother took your parents for their 40th wedding anniversary. Our family is sort of in the early, early planning stages of a possible trip to Europe for our parents 40th anniversary also. They have never been to Europe, and my mom has dreamed of going to Europe for years. I hope you don't mind me asking you lots of questions along the way! Can't wait for the next segment! |
Glad to see you posting a report, can't wait for the next installment(s), either! ;-)
Regards, Ingo |
Can't wait to read more, yk!
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Oh good, another yk report! And Switzerland - I only got to see a little bit before I broke my wrist in Murren and had to come home.
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Wow! Thirteen days in Switzerland! It's like being in heaven. I'm loving your report and I really like the website of Hotel Leoneck in Zurich.
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<i>There are 2 exceptions though: local Swiss cheese and Swiss chocolates. Both are significantly cheaper there.</i>
Good info, these are my 2 favorite Swiss foods!! On my next Swiss adventure I will eat nothing but cheese and chocolate. Who needs anything else?? :-p |
I'll skip the cheese and eat nothing but CHOCOLATE!!
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That works for me too scatcat. Chocolate can be a full meal.
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Great information...always enjoy reading your trip reports!
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We're heading to Murren next spring...looking forward to what you did during your stay in Interlaken.
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LOVE your trip reports YK, so glad to see yours here today. I was wondering when we would see your Switzerland report...
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Thank you for all your encouraging words here, and thanks for being patient! It's been rather hectic since I got back, and I still have to sort out my photos. I'll try to get the next installment up later today.
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P.S. I also would like to thank many of the Fodorites here, whom have helped me with trip planning. And thank you to those of you who have posted Switzerland trip reports in the past - they often have invaluable information not available in guidebooks!
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Living on chocolate for 3 weeks; how difficult can life get?
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sassy_cat --- I think I could do it!
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<b>CHAPTER 2 - <i>Bienvenue à Genève!</i>
Day 1</b> R and our parents arrived in Geneva early in the AM, while my flight didn't get in until 11:30am or so. Geneva Airport offers a <b>free</b> transport ticket to all arriving passengers; valid for 80 minutes. There are several of these ticket machines located in the baggage claim area *just* before exiting customs. You can't miss the big yellow sign: http://www.gva.ch/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-67/ http://www.gva.ch/en/Portaldata/1/Re...ne_unireso.jpg Armed with my free ticket, I exited customs and followed the sign for trains. There is a train station located right at the airport, and <u>ALL</u> trains stop at Geneva's main train station (Gare de Cornavin). The ride to Gare de Cornavin is only 6 minutes. This is so convenient (both the free ticket and the train) that I can't think of any other city more tourist-friendly than Geneva! ----------------------------------------- <b>Hotel</b> Our hotel in Geneva is Hotel Sagitta, located in the Left Bank near the Museum of Natural History, about 1/2 mile from the English Garden/waterfront. I picked this because it's one of the more affordable hotels that is not located in the Red Light District. Plus, all rooms come with a kitchenette. I booked a 1BR/1BA apartment for 4. This is the most expensive lodging we stayed at on our trip. The apt turned out to be very spacious. The hotel building looks a bit tired from the outside, but the interior is well-kept and clean. The living room has 2 twin beds; a spacious dining table for 4 sits in the dining room. The kitchenette is quite small but usable. Bathroom is modern, and the bedroom has one double bed. http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_6078.jpg http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_6079.jpg http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_6080.jpg Our room rate includes buffet breakfast. It's a pretty decent spread, with breads, cold cuts, cheeses and jams, juices, fruits, yougurts, and coffee/tea. Free wi-fi worked well in our room. Half a block from the hotel is a tram stop (with direct tram line to the train station); another 50 ft farther is a Migros supermarket. All-in-all, very convenient. The hotel sits on a quiet side street with very little noise at night. P.S. All hotels in Geneva charge a 2.95 CHF city tax (per person, per night). In return, the hotel provides guests with a Geneva transport card which allows free rides on any modes of public transportation during their stay. Excellent idea, I must say. http://www.geneve-tourisme.ch/index....0417&lang=_eng Hotel Sagitta http://www.hotelsagitta.ch/en/presentation.php 6, rue de la Flèche, 1207 Geneva Tel: 0041 (0)22 786 33 61 ------------------------------------------ I found the correct tram stop (line #16) at the train station and took it to Hotel Sagitta without difficulty. R and our parents were resting in our 1BR apt already. After I settled in and freshened up, we headed out for lunch. We ate at La Casa Pizzeria not far from our hotel. Among us, we shared a pizza, a pasta dish, a steak <i>frites</i>, and a salad. Our bill was 86 CHF. La Casa Pizzeria Rue des Eaux Vives 3, 1207 Geneve Then we walked to the English Garden by the lakeside, saw the famous flower clock and water jet http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_6028.jpg http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_6027.jpg before we turned inland to hike up old town. The old town is rather cute, with curvy, narrow streets and picturesque squares. We saw St. Peter's Cathedral, the city hall, the old arsenal, among other things. http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_6031.jpg http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_6035.jpg We then took a bus to the International Area where UN's main European office is. We arrived after 5pm; everything has closed but we still wandered around a bit. Up the road is Musee Ariana, followed by the Red Cross HQ. http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_6037.jpg http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_6039.jpg http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_6041.jpg From there, we took a bus back to our hotel, picked up groceries from Migros, and cooked dinner in our room. [Transport info for Day 1 provided by rkkwan: <i>8:05-8:11 ICN 519 Genève-Aéroport to Genève (SBB, standard gauge) Tram #16 Buses #5 & 8</i>] |
Just want to comment on the free transport ticket from the airport. That is really civilized. Authorities around the world only ASKS people to use public transit, but how about actually doing something like Geneva and its airport to offer people free public transit?
Anyways, before yk arrived, my parents and I went out to walk along Lake Geneva as our room wasn't ready. It was around 9:40a, and the Jet d'Eau wasn't on. We walked all the way out on the jetty before my mom started to worry about what if the jet turns on suddenly? Well, turned out there is a schedule posted which we just didn't care to look at before walking out. And the jetty actually is open all day long. Only a barrier stops people to get to the jet from about 20 feet away. Well, after we walked back to shore, we found that in September, the jet starts at 10am. We had a few minutes to spare before getting ourselves wet. :D |
Oh, and here are the pictures from our flights from/to Houston on Continental:
http://rkkwan.zenfolio.com/cogvazrh0910 |
<b>CHAPTER 3 - Around Lac Léman, Lausanne & Montreux
Day 2</b> After the buffet breakfast at the hotel, we rode the tram to Geneva's main train station to buy our 8-day consecutive Swiss Saver Pass. Although 320CHF pp seems rather pricey, we soon found out it was a good investment and we made the most out of it during the next 8 days. Not only the Swiss Pass covers all train rides (with a few exceptions), it also allows free rides on public transport in 30+ Swiss cities, and free admissions to over 400 nationwide museums. Swiss Pass: http://www.swisstravelsystem.com/pro...e.php?passid=1 Free Museum list: http://www.museumspass.ch We then took a train to <b>Lausanne</b>. From the Lausanne train station, we hiked up the hill to the Old Town. Following a walk described in our Fodor's Switzerland Guidebook, we first stopped at Place St-Francois, then the fashionable Rue de Bourg. Slowly, we made our way up to the gothic <b>Cathedrale de Notre-Dame</b>, the largest church in Switzerland. http://www.musees-vd.ch/fr/cathedral...sanne/accueil/ http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_6044.jpg http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_6050.jpg As it happens, an organist was practicing for his concert on the following night; a nice surprise! Short video clip: http://s406.photobucket.com/albums/p...t=MVI_6048.mp4 The view from the terrace outside the Cathedral is quite lovely. Just a bit further up, at the top of the hill, is the 15-century Chateau St-Maire. It is still being used today as the seat of the cantonal government. http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_6052.jpg Heading back down hill, we took a different route by way of the wood-roof medieval Escalier du Marche, and ended up at the City Hall. http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_6054.jpg http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_6056.jpg We stopped for picnic lunch on the City Hall plaza - there were numerous take-out places nearby. Mom and Dad shared a doner kebab, rkkwan had a sandwich, and I had a salad. We shared several petite dessert tarts. Lunch was 30 CHF. <i>Traiteur Bosphore (for doner kebab) Rue de la Louve 7, 1003 Lausanne Manor (for sandwich, salad, & desserts) Rue Pichard 3, 1003 Lausanne</i> After lunch, we took the Lausanne subway (the only city in Switzerland that has a subway system; and the line we rode on runs up/down a steep incline) to Ouchy. <b>Ouchy</b> is the lakefront suburb of Lausanne. The lakefront promenade is very pretty (another flower clock here), lined with grandiose hotels. http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_6059.jpg http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_6062.jpg http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_6058.jpg We took the subway back to Lausanne's train station, and caught the train to Nyon. <b>Nyon</b> is a town along Lac Léman but closer to Geneva than Lausanne. We stopped at the town's castle (now a museum) for the lovely lake view, before descending to lakeside for our ferry ride. http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_6066.jpg All ferries on Lac Léman (Lake Geneva) are operated by CGN. http://www.cgn.ch/eng The ferry we rode on is the paddle steamer <i>Savoie</i>, built in 1914. http://www.cgn.ch/eng/flotte You can actually view the crankshafts at work inside the ferry! (Short video clip here: http://s406.photobucket.com/albums/p...t=MVI_6072.mp4 ) From Nyon, it first stopped at <b>Yvoire, France</b> before it turned around for Geneva. We did not get off at Yvoire, though technically we were in French territory of Lake Geneva. Since CGN ferries crisscross Lake Geneva between France & Switzerland, our ferry has a French flag at its bow, and a Swiss flag at its stern. http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_6071.jpg http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_6075.jpg A lesson we learned on the ferry - although Swiss trains are very punctual, it's not the case for ferries. Over the next 10 days, we discovered that the lake ferries tend to run late, especially when there are lots of sightseeing tourists who take their time getting on and off! When our ferry finally arrived back in Geneva, we rushed back to our hotel: changed clothes and ate dinner quickly, before heading back out for the opera (Barber of Seville at Grand Théâtre de Genève). Fortunately, there is a direct tram line from our hotel to the opera house, so we arrived with lots of time to spare. http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_6082.jpg I wanted to buy a programme as a souvenir, but at a cost of 16 CHF (!), I just couldn't justify it. This is the highest price for an opera programme I have encountered so far in Europe! [<u>Transport info</u> for Day 2 provided by rkkwan: <i>9:45-10:18 IC721 Genève to Lausanne (SBB, standard gauge) Bi-level train that goes from Geneva Airport to again St. Gallen. 14:20-14:49 IR 1422 Lausanne to Nyon (SBB, standard gauge) Regional train from Brig to Geneva Airport Lausanne - Metro M2 line down to Ouchy and back up Lake Geneva - 1914 Paddle Steamer Savoie Geneva - tram lines # 12, 16, 17</i>] <b>CHAPTER 3 to be continued...</b> |
Excellent report, love it. How was BARBER OF SEVILLE?
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This report is really depressing.
I'm depressed because I'm not in Switzerland and I'm not going in the forseeable future. :-(( But that's OK, please keep torturing me with more details of your trip. |
Ingo, I wrote a brief post about <i>Barbiere</i> here: http://www.fodors.com/community/fodo...omment-6681393
Unfortunately, we could only see the soprano version due to our dates. I think the mezzo version received better reviews. P_M, I suggest you to get into your car and drive yourself to a Central Market; then load up your shopping cart with Swiss chocolates and Swiss Cheese. Both have been proven scientifically to combat depression. :D -------------------- One quick word about <b>Luggage</b> before I continue: We travel light; very light in fact, which was key for the trip since we moved around a lot and used mostly public transport (except for the last few days w/a rental car). rkkwan and I each had a 19" rollaboard and a small day bag. Our parents each had a 17"/18" rollaboard. It would have been difficult for us to travel the way we did if we had large & heavy suitcases. |
Wow! I am impressed with your small bags. My 19 inch rollaboard is for a few days of clothing and tripod/laptop.
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<b>CHAPTER 3 continued - Montreux and GoldenPass
Day 3</b> We checked out of our Geneva hotel and took an early train to Montreux. We stowed our luggage at a locker in the Montreux train station (the largest size fits all 4 of our suitcases; 8 CHF/24hrs). Despite overcast skies, we can still tell <b>Montreux</b> is a lovely lakeside resort. Just like Ouchy but of a bigger scale, the lakeshore is studded with grand hotels one after another. Because it is shielded from cold winds by the mountains, Montreux and surrounding towns are known as the Swiss Riviera. Many writers and famous people have stayed here, including Stravinsky, Bryon, Shelley, Tolstoy just to name a few. We strolled along the lakeside promenade for close to an hour, before returning to the pier to catch a ferry to Chateau de Chillon. My only disappointment is that there are tented stalls set up on the promenade selling cheap goods. Not only the tents and products are a distraction, they also block the gorgeous, million-dollar lake view. http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_6085.jpg http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_6086.jpg From the Montreux pier, we boarded the ferry which delivered us to Chateau de Chillon in 15 minutes. The chateau is only 2 miles from Montreux; it would be a pleasant walk on a nice day. We find the approach to the Chateau by ferry very impressive. http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_6091.jpg http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_6099.jpg The 12th-century <b>Chateau de Chillon</b> is one of the most visited tourist sites in Switzerland, made famous by Lord Byron's <i>The Prisoner of Chillon</i>. http://www.chillon.ch/en/ The 12 CHF admission was waived using our Swiss Pass. We did not get the audioguide; we found the English leaflet more than adequate. On this grey day, the view from the prison where Francois Bonivard was locked up in was particularly gloomy. http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_6103.jpg Even though the chateau didn't look that big from the outside, we spent over 90 minutes touring the interior. We could easily spend more time here, however our schedule was tight and we had to return to Montreux for our onward journey. We caught the No. 1 bus (stop located across the street) back to Montreux. The bus runs every 10 minutes and the ride takes 10 minutes. We had limited time for lunch, so we grabbed some sandwiches from a kiosk inside the train station (34 CHF). We then retrieved our luggage and boarded the 1:45pm <b>GoldenPass line</b> to Interlaken. http://www.goldenpass.ch/default.asp?OrgID=6 The trip is divided into 2 segments. The first segment is on a narrow gauge train which goes from <b>Montreux to Zweisimmen</b>. This is the more scenic segment and all carriages are panorama cars with large windows. http://www.goldenpass.ch/CMS/default.asp?ID=407 http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_6107.jpg Last view of Lac Léman/Lake Geneva before the train enters the tunnel and continue Eastward: http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_6111.jpg The second segment from <b>Zweisimmen to Interlaken</b> is on standard gauge train. http://www.goldenpass.ch/CMS/default.asp?ID=371 The entire trip from Montreux to Interlaken-West takes 3 hours, with a 4-min transfer time in Zweisimmen. What strikes me most with the scenery is how lush green Switzerland is. http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_6112.jpg [Transport tech info: <i>8:36-9:39 IR 1719 Genève to Montreux (SBB, standard gauge) Regional train from Geneva Airport to Brig, but newer equipment and fewer stops then the IR 1422 previous day. 10:40-10:55 "Ville-de-Geneve" ferry from Montreux to Chateau de Chillon Bus No. 1 from Chateau de Chillon to Montreux train station 13:45-15:32 D 3126 Montreux to Zweisimmen (MOB, meter-gauge) First part of the GoldenPass line, panorama cars with huge windows even in 2nd class. 15:36-16:45 RE 3126 Zweisimmen to Interlaken West (BLS, standard gauge) Switch cross platform to standard gauge, non-panorama cars. Train continues one more stop to Interlaken Ost.</i>] |
I was just wondering if you went to Chateau de Chillon, I'm glad to see you did. Very nice indeed.
Now if you'll please excuse me, I'm off to Central Market to get my Swiss chocolates and cheese. :-D |
<b>CHAPTER 4 - <I>Willkommen in Interlaken</i> (and beyond)
Day 3 continued</b> We arrived on the GoldenPass train at Interlaken-West station just before 5pm. To our delight, Veronica, the owner of Swiss Inn, was awaiting us at the station with her van. We very much appreciated this nice gesture, even though we could have easily walked the short distance with our luggage (5-min walk). <b>Hotel</b> We booked a 2BR/2BA apartment at Swiss Inn. It turned out to be quite wonderful, and it looks better than the photos posted on the hotel's website. The kitchen is very well-equipped so we had no trouble making breakfasts and cooking dinners there. Our apartment is in a separate building from the main Inn, so it is very quiet and we weren't disturbed by other guests. In the basement of the main building are coin-op washers and dryers which we used to do laundry during our stay. Sitting area: http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_6116.jpg Dining area + kitchenette: http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_6117.jpg The 2 bedrooms: http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_6118.jpg http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_6119.jpg One of the 2 bathrooms: http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_6120.jpg Exterior of the main Inn: http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_6123.jpg OUR apt is in a separate building "The Bungalow" http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/IMG_6124.jpg Swiss Inn http://www.swiss-inn.ch/index.htm General Guisanstrasse 23 Interlaken Tel: +41 33 822 3626 As mentioned above, the Inn is a 5-min walk from Interlaken-West train station. Across the station is a large Migros supermarket. We thought the Inn is ideal for us as we planned to make several day trips during our stay. The owners, JP & Veronica, are wonderful hosts. They are helpful when needed, but they aren't in-your-face friendly. After we settled in, we headed back out to stretch our legs a bit in town, then went grocery shopping at Migros to stock up on food for the next 4 days. |
yk, the details here are great. I'm considering Switzerland for next spring and you are inspiring me. The pictures are beautiful so far.
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Hi yk (and rkkwan) -
Loving your trip report! I've been to a few of these places myself and it is lovely "visiting" again through you. Thanks so much for posting. |
Thanks, yk, I commented on the opera thread.
LOL, I *did* spend more than 90 minutes in castle Chillon! I just love these authentic medieval castles. I, too, took the leaflet and skipped the audio guide. Glad to see you had such fabulous weather. Oh, and the Swiss Inn in Interlaken looks really good! I. |
In 1999 I stayed at the 'cow hotel' Hotel Leoneck in Zurich.
I thought the wall paintings were so funny as was the bathroom. anxious to read what you thought. |
Thanks again for all your continued interests in this trip report.
amyb, it's hard not to love Switzerland; just be sure to bring a fat wallet. :) MarthaT, I too had previously stayed at Leoneck in 2003. I'd recommend it with some reservations after our most recent stay. |
Hi there yk and rk!! :)
Enjoying your double reporting. And how fun to have the opportunity to take your parents on a trip with you both. We did the same sort of thing a few years back with my folks, and to this day, my dad (now 85) still talks about it being the best days of his life! Good times for sure. yk, I'll be interested to read if you took/enjoyed your walk from Wengen to Lauterbrunnen. I checked out part of the trail when we were there a couple weeks ago, and it certainly looked walkable. And as for you my dear P_M - there's a bar of Swiss chocolate in my cupboard just for you! Let's have lunch before I eat it all myself!! Happy travels! |
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