Jungfrau Day Trip

A stay in Interlaken was solely to visit Jungfrau, the highest train station in Europe.  There were some clouds that day but mostly fine and the temperature at Jungfrau at 1:00pm was 2.5 degrees Celsius.  

We caught the first train of the day to Grindelwald where we had breakfast of a hot chocolate and croissant.  

Grindelwald Bus Station

After breakfast we caught a bus to where a glacier walk started, which Trevor had read about in his Lonely Planet guide.  An easy but longer than what we expected walk brought us to where the 890 step climb up a rocky mountain to the glacier, to our surprise was closed, to my relief as the steps were bolted to the rock face with no guard rails so if you fell, "all over Red Rover", we believe in the past the steps would have had railings but most likely got destroyed in a heavy snow fall?  

Glacier near Grindelwald

890 steps to the glacier!

It was then my decision that we should continue to walk to Pfingstegg 

Vista from the Glacier to Pfingstegg

Hike to Pfingstegg included walking under a waterfall and through a tunnel.

where there is a luge track but we were two hours too early to do this, so we caught the cable car down to Grindelwald.  

Cable Car, Pfingstegg to Grindelwald

We walked south of the town to Gletscherschlucht, Glacier Gorge, where a path clings to the side of the gorge and then enters a tunnel through the gorge with viewing areas along the way, passing a waterfall; this is where the water from a glacier lake flows down through the towns and villages.    

Gletscherschlucht, Glacier Gorge

Afterwards it was time to catch the train to Kleine Schnidegg where a change of trains are required as a cog rail is needed to make the step incline to the top.  

Cog Rail

The cog rail train makes two stops on the way up, where you have two minutes to walk to a viewing platform for views of the mountain so you can see how far you have traveled so far, we only got out at the second stop.  

View from one of the stops on the way to the top of Jungfrau

Once you arrive even though you are inside the mountain the cold really hits you, we walked to the sphinx, a building at the top of the mountain where you walk out into the cold mountain air.  We walked around the Sphinx on a veranda; my nose did not like the cold so after walking around the Sphinx it was a mad dash to get inside before frost bite sets in.   

Me at the Sphinx

Once inside we decided to have lunch in the self service restaurant followed by some shopping for chocolate which is made on the slopes of Jungfrau.  We braved the cold once more to see views from the other side of the mountain and we stood amongst snow on the ground.  I encouraged Trevor to make a snow ball and then to throw it at me and I did likewise, one soft another hard.  

Jungfrau looking up to the Sphinx

On this side of the mountain we were protected from the wind so we discussed doing a long walk out to another mountain peak, when trying to find the exit for the walk we saw the ice palace which we had forgotten about and decided to do this instead.  The Ice Palace is a walk through a glacier, where ice sculptures are carved from the ice and was worth the visit.  

Ice Palace

By this time we discovered that the last train heading down the mountain was soon to arrive, so we left without doing the extra hike.  We took the train via Wengen on our return and saw an amazing waterfall from the train, 

Waterfall seen from the train from Jungfrau to Wengen

which was on Trevor's lists of things to do for that day but we didn't have time to hike to them.  I would recommend a stay at Grindelwald or Wengen for three days as there was so much more we wanted to do and see.  For me a visit to First and a walk to Lake Bachalpsee, Botanical Alpine Garden at Schynige Platte plus a hike to see marmots in there natural habitat is all things I had to miss out on.

We arrived back in Interlaken with enough time to buy chocolates and have dinner.

Mt Pilatus - Lucerne - Interlaken

7 July 2012, a sunny day in the low 20's, but much cooler at Mt Pilatus where we caught the cog rail down the mountain and then a ferry ride to Lucerne.

Cog rail down Mt Pilatus

Ferry trip to Lucerne

We had lunch in Lucerne and I managed to find the shop which sells memory cards for the camera before having to catch our train to Interlaken.  The train trip from Lucerne to Interlaken was very scenic passing lakes, which one was emerald green and Swiss villages.

Scenery from the train on the way to Interlaken

We stayed at the Merkur Hotel and had a view of Jungfrau from our window.  We had a look around the shops as well as the township

Interlaken

What is that cow doing? Interlaken

stopping at the Metropole Hotel from dinner as there is a roof top restaurant, where I order calves liver and it was soo yummy.

Calves Liver and Roesti

While dining we watched paragliders float above us and land in the park below.  We finished the evening off with a trip to the laundry mat where I chatted with Saudi's and Egyptian's.

Paraglides over head while dining at Metropole Hotel, Interlaken.

Lucerne to Mt Pilatus

Lucerne to Mt Pilatus - maximum 11 degrees, foggy and misty rain at Mt Pilatus.

This morning we explored the old city wall of Lucerne from medieval times.  After breakfast we returned to the city walls to walk on it and explore three of the towers, one being a clock tower with the original clock and bell.

Lucerne's Old City Wall

View from one of the towers
across the old city walls and Lucerne.

Trevor entering the rampart 

One of the many clocks on display in the clock tower.

Returning to the Krone Hotel to get our luggage and board the bus to Kriens, which seems like it is still part of Lucerne it is so close.  Here we walked up hill for some distance dragging the suitcase behind me.  It was great to reach the aerial gondola in Kriens but since I don't like heights I would have to handle the aerial gondola on my own as the suitcase and backpack took up the rest of the space.

Heading up to Mt Pilatus on the aerial gondola

The view was stunning; mountainside, the lake, Lucerne, Simmental milking cows, hikers and hiking track up the mountain.  I jumped off at Krienseregg but due to the toboggan being closed was hauled back into the aerial gondola to continue up the mountain to where we had to change to the aerial cableway (Fraekmuentegg) with more views and then fog covering.

View from the aerial cableway on the way to Mt Pilatus

Aerial cableway near the top of Mt Pilatus

We spent the afternoon hiking around the top of Mt Pilatus and two other peaks and then down the mountainside to a patch of ice which was Trevor's closest experience to snow,

Hiking at Mt Pilatus

Hiking at Mt Pilatus

Hiking Mt Pilatus

Ibex sighting Mt Pilatus

Mt Pilatus's Dragon

the trip back was grueling, but as a rewards I had talked Trevor into joining the rest of the guests at Hotel Pilatus-Kulm, meeting mostly people from Lucerne and another two people who live at the bottom of the mountain.  Drinks were followed by a four course meal in the stunning dining room.  This is a place I could visit again.  http://www.pilatus.ch/en/hotel-pilatus-kulm/.  Mt Pilatus appeared in the James Bond film, On Her Majesty's Secret Service.

Our room at Mt Pilatus-Kulm

Mt Pilatus-Kulm, our hotel is the cream building on the left.

Switzerland Here We Come!

5 July 2012 - Today we travel to Switzerland for a whole other experience.  Bellagio - Menaggio - Lugano - Lucerne.

An early start getting up at 3:30am to get ready to leave beautiful Bellagio to catch the first car ferry to Menaggio.  The trip across Lake Como was lovely and Menaggio has a similar feel to Bellagio.  We boarded a bus which travelled westwards up through the mountainside and across the border to Lugano, Switzerland.  Since the bus drops you off on the eastern side of the town, we walked towards town and got a taxi to the train station, where we boarded the train with two minutes to spare.  The next station is where we had to change trains at Bellinzona for the William Tell Express,

Trevor on the William Tell Express.

this was a beautiful trip through and round the mountains

No these views are not the same moment but
also some scenery on the William Tell Express

View from the William Tell Express

to Fluelen where we got the ferry to Lucerne.

Fluelen where passengers from the William Tell Express change to the ferry

The ferry trip was slow but enjoyable as we sat in the first class dining area and ate Swiss Cuisine 

Swiss Cuisine, First Class dining, William Tell Express, Ferry section.

afterwards sitting on the front balcony taking in the views of mountains, the lake and lakeside villages, soaking up some sun at the same time.  

One of the lakeside villages from the ferry from Fluelen to Lucerne

When we reached Lucerne then checked into the Krone Hotel, a nice hotel in the old centre of the city with views over the square below.  

View from the Hotel Krone, Lucerne

We  explored Spreuerbruecke (Spreuer Bridge) which was completed in 1408 and the 67 paintings that represent the Dance of Death, which was name this because this was where chafts of wheat were thrown into the river.

Spruerbruecke, Lucerne

One of the 67 paintings which make up the Dance of Death Collection on the Spruerbruecke, Lucerne

We walked across the Kapellbrecke (Chapel Bridge), like the other bridge it was constructed in the 1400's as part of the city's fortifications.  The 17th century paintings are of Swiss people and local history including the city's patron saints, Leodegar and Mauritius.

Kapellbrecke, Lucerne

Then we had tea and did some souvenir shopping.

Late night shopping in Lucerne

Swiss Cuisine, Lucerne

Bellagio on Lake Como

Like the rest of our stay in Italy the weather was sunny but the temperatures seemed a little lower, around the high 20's or low 30's, making our visit to Bellagio very comfortable.

3 July 2012 - We had another early morning start travelling by two taxi's, two trains and a ferry to arrive in Bellagio by 2pm.  We checked into the very nice Hotel Metropole Bellagio where we had a side room with views of the lake and street along the waterfront plus a balcony.

View from our room at the Hotel Metropole Bellagio

At 3:30pm we boarded a water taxi tour to Villa del Balbianello, last owned by Guido Monzino, a Milanese businessman who was a collector and explorer.  

Bellagio Water Taxi, Villa Balbianello Tour

Villa del Balbianello

He created a private museum at the villa, which is now open to tours. Our guide helped to explain the decor, the artworks and artifacts as well as the building's history and its owners. 

One of the rare items in the private museum at Villa del Balbianello.

The villa was also used as the backdrop for a scene in Star Wars Episode II Attack of the Clones and in two other movies, A Month By The Lake and Casino Royale.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villa_del_Balbianello  

Backdrop for Star Wars Episode II - Attack Of The Clones

That night we dined at the restaurant at the Hotel Metropole which I chose an interesting selection of fish.  The first fish I ate was bone free, starting left to right but then the middle one had bones which included ones as small as a strand of hair and soft too, maybe you could eat them but I couldn't bare to try so after a long time I picked all the bones out.  The last fish I did manager to eat most of it, the only reason I stopped eating was I was sick of picking bones out.  Yummy but be prepared!

Three fishes at the Hotel Metropole

The next day the weather was slightly cooler and came in cloudy later in the afternoon.  We had a beautiful big breakfast at the hotel, then walked to Villa Melzi to view the gardens,

Gardini del Villa Melzi

Gardini del Villa Melzi

the tickets are for all day so we explored the gardens for a while before heading off to Promo Bellagio located in a watchtower.  This is where we booked our ticket for a tour of Villa Serbelloni's grounds which is owned by the Rockefeller Foundation of New York.  Our guide was very knowledgeable and told us about the villas past as well as its current use where leaders in various fields of work can spend four weeks concentrating on their work, this meant that we could not take photos of the Villa Serbelloni or any of the people there.  

Top right Villa Serbelloni, stone watchtower Promo Bellagio 

Bellagio from Villa Serbelloni gounds

After completing this tour we walked around to Punta Spartivento at the very tip of Bellagio, had lunch and then returned to Villa Melzi's gardens to finish exploring the perfectly landscaped gardens.  Returning to Punta Spartivento for a swim in Lake Como and had an ice cream in Bellagio's first Gelato shop opened in 1919 and served by the original owners, son.

Where we swam at Punta Spartivento