Murren, A Rainy Day in the AlpsWhile we didn't get the spectacular views we were counting on, a rainy day in Murren gave our tour group the chance to enjoy some other things the Lauterbrunnen Valley has to offer. We took gondolas down to the valley floor for a hike through the spectacular Trummelbach Falls inside one of the mountains and a sweet chocolate factory tour at Schuh (complete with free samples).
Our favorite thing: chocolate and cheese, two of the wonders of Switzerland |
|
A Cloudy Day in MurrenWhen we woke the first morning in Murren, everyone rushed to a window to look at the Eiger and the weather. Unfortunately, we could hardly see the Eiger behind the low lying clouds. It was definitely a cloudy day. Donald said that it was not raining raining but there was definitely moisture in the air. Although there was a chance it would clear the forecast was that it would not. Luckily we were scheduled to stay in Murren three nights. So we switched up our schedule and decided to visit the Trummelbach Falls on this cloudy day and save the trip to the Schilthorn until the next day. To say the weather in the Alps is changeable is an understatement. The next morning we were cautiously optimistic as we threw back the drapes. It was amazing. The skies were blue with a few puffy white clouds. Not only could we see the Eiger, there was the Jongfrau and the Monch. Like the Grand Canyon, there are no pictures that can prepare you for the beauty of these mountains.
|
Water, Water Everywhere
While it rained outside in the Lauterbrunnen Valley, our tour group decided to go into a mountain to get up close to the mighty Trummelbach Falls. The mountain contained about 10 internal waterfalls fed by melting glaciers from the Monch, Jungfrau and Eiger mountains above (near where our hotel was located). At peak glacier melting seasons, the falls can carry up to 5,200 gallons of water per second, giving them some serious power. It was amazing to see water pouring through the mountains and splashing up to soak us almost as thoroughly as if we'd been outside. The echoing sound of these roaring falls was deafening, which added to the sense of the power of water. Trummelbach Falls also included a few unique fall configurations, including a corkscrew shaped waterfall created by spiraling patterns in the rock. This was definitely a great way to spend a rainy day.
A Chocolate Tour - SWEETBeing the premiere chocoholic of the family, it is my pleasure to discuss our tour of the chocolate factory Schuh (translated as shoe). Upon being taken into the room for our chocolate demonstration, our noses were treated to the intoxicating smell of chocolate being gently warmed. Schuh uses only chocolate from Granada (does Rick Steves have a tour that goes there?). We saw the birth of chocolate in the form of 40-50 cocoa beans nestled in a cocoa pod. We sampled cocoa nibs (dried bits of cocoa bean), white chocolate (made from cocoa butter), milk chocolate and dark chocolate. We watched as melted chocolate was poured into a stiletto mold, which seemed relatively simple compared to the process of making an Eiger Mountain (silver powder dusted into the mold, followed by a layer of chocolate, then chilled, a center filling of caramel, then topped off with more chocolate. Our drooling tour group was then treated to multiple, delicious samples.
|
|
|
Gimmelwald not Grindelwald (I think)Rick Steves is a huge advocate for Gimmelwald as a superior stop to its touristy neighbor Grindelwald. After repeatedly consulting our guide to make sure we picked the right place, Justin and Elyse hiked 30 minutes at "grandma speed" (the standard unit of measure for Swiss distances, not kidding) to get to Gimmelwald. The charming town is like a step back in time with cows and goats grazing lazily along the road, penned in so that they can be milked to produce Alp cheese. Large ceremonial cow bells adorned the sides of barns; these bells are traditionally worn by the top milk producing cow when the cows are herded down to the valley for winter. We stopped in both an honesty shop, where Justin placed a few Swiss francs in a tin as payment for a pin, and an small "honesty dairy," where we placed money in a box in exchange for fresh Alp cheese.
|
Cheese, Cheese Everywhere!The alps are the land of cheese. "Alp" literally means an area of green pasture on a mountainside and Swiss heritage is heavily wrapped up in the tradition of marching cows up a mountain in the hot summer months and down to the valley floor for winter. Accordingly, the Swiss have developed dozens of ways to serve cheese aside from a boring old grilled cheese sandwich. So to slant quote Forest Gump: Anyway, like I was sayin', cheese is the fruit of Switzerland. You can:
|