Dan

Hello,<BR><BR>I posted a message a few months ago. I want to surprise my wife by taking her to the Swiss Alps for our 20th anniversary. Many of you gave ne great advice on towns and lodges to consider. I've decided we'll be staying in Ch&acirc;teau d'Oex and Kandersteg because I found two perfect lodges there.<BR>Now my last dilemna is, we'll there still be<BR>a lot of colorful wildflowers left by September 7th. This is very important to my wife because every time she talks about the Alps she always mentions being surrounded by wildflowers. If this is too late in the year I would consider going on her birthday<BR>which is June 28. I'd rather go in September because it's a special anniversary, less crowds, and cheaper airfare. But if I'm going to do this I might as well do it right. I'd appreciate any info. Thanks again for the great suggestions you've given me so far. <BR>

Ingo

Hi Dan,<BR><BR>September is definitely too late for wild flowers. June is the perfect time and Ch&acirc;teau d'Oex and Kandersteg will be the perfect place. Don't worry about crowds, because the main season starts in July. Don't miss the alpine flowers garden on Schynige Platte!<BR><BR>Ingo

jw

Did you mention the names of the two perfect lodgings? I've got my pencil ready. Don't forget the folk art museum in Chateau d'Oex -- your wife will want to take up papercutting. <BR><BR>Ingo, what's this about a botanical garden on the Schynige Platte? Can you tell me what is the nearest train or bus station? And one more thing, I wonder if you might be able to compare/contrast Kanderstag with Chateau d'Oex? I loved Chateau d' and have heard nice things about Kanderstag. I value your opinion, and by now I think you know my priorities. <BR><BR>I think I've said this before, but Dan, your wife is a lucky woman. J.

Dan

J<BR><BR>I did a lot of homework on this and found just what I was looking for. Classic old Swiss lodges in smaller towns with mountain views and a lot of wildflowers.<BR><BR>I've decided on Landgasthof Ruedihus in<BR>Kandersteg.<BR>http://www.karenbrown.com/switzerland/landgasthofruedihus.html<BR><BR>And Hostellerie Bon Accueil in Chateau-d'Oex.<BR>http://www.banyantravel.com/cgi-bin/Hotel_Template.exe/LoadHotel?hotelid=684.<BR><BR>Dan<BR><BR><BR><BR>< BR>

Ingo

Ruedihus and Bon Accueil are the perfect choices. There is no better recommendation!<BR><BR>jw: I cannot imagine you haven't heard of the botanical garden on Schynige Platte! It is right above Interlaken towards the Jungfrau region. A small cog-wheel train takes you from Wilderswil up to the mountain called Schynige Platte. It is included in the Jungfraubahnen-Pass. The botanical garden is fantastic, even in June.<BR><BR>Comparing Ch&acirc;teau d'Oex to Kandersteg: both are nice villages in Berner Oberland style, but Kandersteg is different though: a major railway line (Bern-Brig-Milan) goes through. You can put your car on the train and after passing the Lotschberg-tunnel get it off in Goppenstein in Valais. This makes sometimes a bit of rumour and causes that there are more and bigger hotels in Kandersteg than in Ch&acirc;teaux d'Oex. The mountain scenery is also different: the slopes are steeper and the mountains higher (Blumlisalp 3663 m) in Kandersteg. You should not miss two of the most beautiful mountain lakes of the alps: Blausee and Oeschinensee. And there is a famous hiking trail from Sunnbuhl reachable by cable car from Kandersteg to the Gemmi-pass with cable car down to Leukerbad in Canton Valais. Back by bus and train.<BR><BR>Finally I think you should stay in Ch. d'Oex and do a one day excursion to the Oeschinensee lake. Ch. is the more beautiful village. On the other hand the Landgasthof Ruedihus is perfect...<BR><BR>Ingo

Bob Brown

Schnynige Platte is a glacial ridge south and a shade to the east of Interlaken. It was left by the huge glacier that cut the valley where Grindelwald now lies. <BR>The ridge overlooks both the valley around Interlaken with those two beautiful lakes, and the main range of the Berner Oberland, including the Eiger and the Jungfrau.<BR> <BR>To reach it Schynige Platte by train, you must first travel to Wilderswil, a suburb of Interlaken.<BR>From there you take the train up the mountain. The old train looks like a relic, but it gets the job done. Coming from Kandersteg by train, you probably will need to change in Spiez for Interlaken Ost. At Interlaken Ost, you change for Wilderswil, which is a short ride. At Wilderwil you change again for the mountain train.<BR>If you drive, follow the signs to Interlaken and then turn south toward Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald. The road goes right by the train station for Wilderswil.<BR>The ridge is quite high, so I am not sure when the flowers will be in bloom.<BR><BR>I suggest NOT going on the weekend because of the crowds. The day we went, the return schedule became meaningless because of various delays. The train can bring people up faster than it can bring them down it seems. I think it is because people ride up all day long, but then 65% of them want to go down between 5 PM and 6 PM. There is not enough seating capacity to take that many passengers down at once.<BR>

Dan

Hi Ingo,<BR><BR>It was rude of me not to acknowledge your first response, so thank you. And<BR>thanks for your feedback on my two lodging choices. You certainly sound<BR>like an authority on the area, so I'm more condifent than ever.<BR><BR>Dan

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jw

Thanks all!

Ingo

Very detailed info, Bob Brown, thanks. I'd like to add that Schynige Platte is a famous starting point for the hiking trail via Faulhorn mountain to First above Grindelwald. A few times each year the train goes up in late evening and a crowd of people do the hiking in moonshine. What an experience!<BR><BR>To my mind Schynige Platte is one of the best viewing points in the area. When I first got up by train I was totally surprised after passing the last short tunnel before reaching the top station.<BR><BR>June/July is the perfect time to see the flowers in bloom (I was there in early July).<BR><BR>Dan, have a nice time in Switzerland. Wish you sunny weather in particular!<BR><BR>Bye Ingo