Parkhotel Schoenegg Grindelwald

... people and the restaurant, feeling like you are the only one there is a surreal feeling. I then took a look at the other path, which is supposed to be easier but looked just as treacherous. I was told it may be too slippery, and I kept seeing people attempting it and then coming back. So after thinking about it for 30 minutes decided to catch the gondola to Birg and hike from there to Murren. I waited and waited as more and more people filled the room, only to be told ...

We let the girls sleep in and then broke the news that we were going to have a quiet day in the hostel because it was raining and that they had to do a few hours of homework. Looking at the screen in the hostel, you could see that it was snowing heavily on the mountains.

By afternoon, the rain had turned to drizzle, so we ...

... the people get off to hike at Klein Scheidegg and the mountains are very well organised for hiking with signposts everywhere with times to walk. The train stopped at Eigergletscher (2865 m) where the train stopped for everyone to get out and look at the glacier very close up. We also stopped at Eismeer (3160 m) before arriving at Jungfraujoch at a height of 3454m.

Our first stop was the dining room as we ...

... true Swiss style, you changed trains on the same platform and everything went like clockwork. The Swiss really know how to organise everything. All stations are announced in plenty of time and in at least 4 languages. Everything in Switzerland is also very clean, we even saw a guy polishing the rubbish bins at a train station. I just wish they had a major anti-smoking campaign.

We arrived in Interlaken to fairly fine weather and ...

... be a rest. Then I went up the opposite side of the valley to get a good overview of the marathon hike from the first day, see picture included. The views on this side were possibly even more spectacular than on the first day. I was elated.

On my last day I walked around Interlaken for a bit, only convincing myself that I made the right choice by not staying there.

Being from western ...

... day, so we could ride up to a place called Klein Scheidegg (about 10km in each direction - ALL UP, THEN ALL DOWN!) Ian said it would be tough work for me, but thought I could do it. Anyway ... the ONLY place that hired bikes in the entire town (& therefore had a monopoly on it!) wanted about Oz$47 for the day! I told Ian that was way too much, so we decided to hike it instead. It took nearly 3½ hours up (through cows and past little waterfalls, etc) and it ...

... in all the gourmet chocolates under the Callie name that they produce. We were allowed to sample as much as our heart desired. I actually felt a little nauseated by time we were ready to go. Then of course we headed to the gift shop. I picked up a few things but not too many. Their dark chocolate is absolutely the best I have ever tasted. Its so strange, this Nestle tastes nothing like anything Nestle you would ever get in the states. The Callie brand line is made mostly for ...

... above us and landing down below. We ate a traditional Swiss German meal - Schweinbratwurst and Rosti - pork sausage and Rosti, which is this deliciously greasy fried potato dish. I had a glass of Swiss white wine and it pretty much tasted like water! After lunch we bought our very expensive tickets for the ride up the Jungfraujoch (about $175 USD for two, even with our hefty discount from our Swiss Passes) and hopped on the train. Let's just say it was worth ...

... Mike switched bikes and left to try riding the hill again so Mike got to try the smaller, faster bike.  Marla watched the gear and we trekked around what looked like an old bunker turned museum on the rocky slopes.  Gabrielle spent the next half hour snapping wild flower shots while we jumped the rocks and explored nooks and crannies.   When Mike and Nate got back, Gabrielle and Marla switched so Gabrielle finally got a ride on the back of Mike's ...

First of all, I have decided that the Canevazzi house in Milan is a palace and Vera is definately the princess. And since we're attached at the hip over here, that makes me a princess too for the time being! Everyday here we wake up to her brother bringing us coffee in bed. I love waking up with caffine in my blood before my feet even tought the floor!! And this is a normal thing here, it goes like this every morning! We got coffee in bed and the windows opened for us ...