September 30 – October 1, 2006
Zurich Kloten Airport - Hong Kong Chep Lap Kok Airport
Once the airport doors closed behind us, we took turns dropping into the washroom before approaching the Swiss International counter. Thankfully, as per the informantion I received via e-mail, Swiss was kind enough to allow a 12.30 PM check-in for a 10.00 PM flight departure! Checked the bags straight through to Manila, and then the ground stewardess (do they still use that term? “Ground attendant” sounds weird, and “ground crew” is a collective noun?) fixed things so that instead of my being placed five rows behind my parents, I ended up only one row ahead of them, on the opposite side of the plane. That's how full the flight was.
I asked how to find the customs booth, directions were given, and then we breezed through passport control, where I *again* asked how to find customs. The immigration official waved towards a booth beside passport control, which was closed at the time. So we decided to have lunch first, then hunt down the dayrooms so we could drop our carry-on bags.
Let me state for the record that I adore the dayroom service of Zurich's Kloten airport. Once I realized just how long a layover we would be having between our Insight drop-off and our take-off (nearly eight hours, yo!) the question of how to keep all of us sane and comfortable niggled at me. I discovered the dayroom service over the internet about six days before we were scheduled to leave, and thanks to the wonders of modern technology, was able to make a reservation for a triple room before we left Manila. Needless to say, I had printed out all the e-mails and the final confirmation in case I needed to show them; but such is the efficiency of the Swiss that it never came up.
The dayrooms are located in the depths of the airport, near Gate 80; this assures their quiet atmosphere. Check-in was perfect (imagine my shock when the concierge immediately realized who I was!); the triple room was just beside the common room (TV, books, tea, coffee, microwave!) and the communal shower/toilet facilities were in the middle of the hall. Lovely! The parents opted to nap, while I prowled through the airport looking for the open customs desk. I found it on the second level of the duty-free and noted it for reference; I wanted Ma to be with me since she was wearing the items in question! I also kicked myself for wasting time waiting for the first floor customs booth to open, when, if I had looked at the airport map more closely, I would have found the open one that much sooner. Ah, well. A taste of what it feels like to be on The Amazing Race, I suppose! :)
Before I went back to the dayrooms, I bought a few more souvenirs. Had myself a cup of tea in the common room and watched some TV with Dad before having myself a little catnap. When I woke, the parents were rested and refreshed, and ready to toodle about the duty-free area, so we started with the customs booth, where the nice man took a look at the forms, then at our faces, and waved us on our way. How simple was that?
Back to the dayrooms for another rest - I would have done anything to have been able to use the showers, but Ma was adamant that it was bad for the health to shower when tired. Blast. So I settled for washing my face instead - which put a definite bounce in my step as we went to find dinner. Back to the dayrooms after that to check out, and then on to catch the tram to the departure terminal, as indicated on the announcement board.
Imagine our eyebrows lifting when we discovered that the flight would be delayed by about 20 minutes! Something about waiting for connecting flights in Hong Kong? Ah, well, nothing for it but to walk through the duty-free , looking for things I could buy with the loose change on hand. Mostly candy, and then I the gave leftover coins to a charity box. We had just arranged our carry-on baggage to accomodate the new purchases, when the flight was finally called to board.
We took off at about 11.30 PM - Auf weidersein, Switzerland!
October 1, 2006
Hong Kong Chep Lap Kok Airport - Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport
Nothing much to say about the flight, which means that it was smooth sailing all the way. Never would have thought that I would make up for more than six months of not going to the movies by watching three of the in-flight features! These were: The Promise (Chinese with English subs), X-Men: The Last Stand, and The Da Vinci Code. Having finally seen The Da Vinci Code, I still cannot understand the brouhaha raised over the film and the book. I can’t see how anyone could take it seriously unless they really wanted to, and if they really wanted to, I doubt if they were listening to the Church teachings anyway!
There was some slight turbulence through dinner, but nothing really inconvenient. The hot towels to freshen up, and the free chocolates before landing at Hong Kong were very nice! We landed in Hong Kong’s Chep Lap Kok airport and then I promptly missed my parents coming out of the exit tube. Did Dad think to wait for me at the washroom area? Oh, no! They went straight through the temperature control point into the main area - I found them again at the transfer desk. Be still my beating heart...
We arranged our transfers to our Philippine Airlines flight, and then Ma said I could change the leftover Swiss francs into Hong Kong dollars, to be used as "mad money" for splurging. ::insert random squeeing and bouncing here:: Went up to the restaurant level in order to have a snack, since our flight was going to be another 11.00 PM affair, and who knew what dinner would be like on the plane! Split a huge bowl of ramen between the three of us, and enjoyed the view.
Afterwards, we set out on a search for the transit lounge. The directional signs made it somewhat easy to navigate, and we popped into various stores along the way. I settled parents in the transit lounge, which was actually at the ultimate end of the building - a very long way away from the duty-free! - and then took off to scour the shops in more detail.
Looking around, I couldn’t settle on anything except the edibles that Ramon asked me to get, especially the butter shortbread. Purists may shudder, but I picked up a box of Mozart chocolates here ::sighs for the beauty of Austria:: but no tech stuff. Everything I saw was too expensive and we have as good/better at home. Besides, all the *really* good stuff is in Central/Tsim Sha Tsui anyway. Was proud to show Ma that in spite of all the loot bags, I still had a good deal of money to spare - after which I dashed off to get myself a cafe latte and two hot chocolates for the parents. Gods, but that terminal is a chiller at night!
The flight was late arriving from Manila, which fact made all the Filipinos trot out that old joke about PAL standing for "Plane Always Late". ::sigh:: We left Hong Kong around 11.30 PM and arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport without incident. Customs and immigration checks were smooth, despite the long queues. I knew we were home from the sudden rise in temperature - I could literally feel myself defrosting while waiting for the baggage to come off the conveyor belt.
In response to my jubilant text message, my husband promptly appeared from where he had been lurking with the SUV at the PAL Medical Center - about a kilometer away from the airport. We don't believe in paying for parking unless we absolutely have to do so; that's one reason we love our mobile phones - it makes it so much easier to coordinate things!
It didn't take long to load baggage and passengers into the SUV, and so on home, to the rousing welcome of the cats. Seemed like I had barely enough time to settle in, than we had to deal with the aftermath of the super-typhoon...but who cared about the rush? We had had a wonderful time and many lovely memories of a great country, and we were *home*!
Sunday, October 29, 2006
[CR Switzerland] Day 14
September 30, 2006
Engelberg – Zurich Kloten Airport
Breakfast Call: 7.30-9.30 * Baggage Call: 9.45
Airport Transfer: 10.00
Despite the fact that my parents and I were scheduled to take the second bus, I woke up early, per force of habit, and had a good vantage point from the room balcony, of the preparations for the departure of the first group. On sudden impulse, and having some excess tension to burn, I dropped down to the lobby to bid the 7.00 AM group a safe trip, and a smooth one; then it was back to the room to settle the final arrangement of the clothes and souvenirs in my suitcase. I peered out the balcony as I heard the bus engine start, and chuckled at the last sight of our coach as it pulled out of the parking lot. It was good two weeks on that vehicle, and its Mercedes engines did right by all of us during the tour.
The rain arrived with the sunrise, but I reassured Ma that it was going to be a temporary thing. As Elizabeth had promised the day before, at 8.00 AM, we could hear the sounds of cowbells ringing merrily on the breeze, as the cows were brought down from the high pastures. With only 15 of us left out of a group of 40, breakfast was a quiet affair. Afterwards, one last look around the room to make sure we didn't leave anything behind, then down in time to meet Sara and Rudi from the first bus. It was rather anti-climactic to be boarding this new bus, with a new set of people, for the long ride to the airport.
It was interesting to get a glimpse of Sara's style, however brief, on the ride to the airport. She breezed through the admin details and then directed our attention to the herd of cows coming down from the hills, making it necessary for vehicular traffic to slow down considerably. The lead cows were decked out with flower crowns and Swiss flags, with the champion milkers wearing the largest bells in the whole bunch. The cowherds were also dressed in festive attire – perhaps there was going to be some sort of festival once they got to town.
Once away from the traffic, it was mostly highway travelling to Zurich. Sara ran a small contest about trivia concerning the tour. She asked questions about how many cantons the tour had traversed, how many kilometers the bus had traveled, name three kinds of Swiss cheese, and so on. Then she put on the “hotel inspectors” episode of Fawlty Towers to make the time go faster – and I'm glad she did, I've heard so much about this series and never gotten anywhere near seeing it! I must say, John Cleese in the title role had me in stitches – it's fun to think of him as playing Q's replacement in the James Bond series now.
We ran into truly heavy traffic going through one of the towns, which was my cue to fall asleep until we reached the edges of Zurich. I was awakened by the sun shining strongly through the window, until it was toasting my cheeks by the time we reached Kloten airport. Sara gently roused the drowsing bus to review such things as which terminals we were supposed to go in order to check-in our baggage, and where to find the customs booth so that we could get our tax rebates.
At last, we pulled up at the entrance of the airport. Time to say our goodbyes to the remainder of our traveling companions; to give and receive well-wishes for a safe journey ahead. For the last time, it was time to retrieve baggage from the coach, and thank our driver Rudi for his help in unloading them. And for the last time, fond farewells to a Tour Director whom I hope we may have on our next visit to Europe! I confirmed with Sara the directions to our check-out counter and how to find the customs booth, and then we were inside the airport for the next stage of our long journey home. I looked back outside as I was guiding Ma and her trolley back down the sloping path, just in time to see the coach pull away. For a moment, a pang of nostalgia tugged at me – but then it was time to square shoulders and set my attention to getting home.
Engelberg – Zurich Kloten Airport
Breakfast Call: 7.30-9.30 * Baggage Call: 9.45
Airport Transfer: 10.00
Despite the fact that my parents and I were scheduled to take the second bus, I woke up early, per force of habit, and had a good vantage point from the room balcony, of the preparations for the departure of the first group. On sudden impulse, and having some excess tension to burn, I dropped down to the lobby to bid the 7.00 AM group a safe trip, and a smooth one; then it was back to the room to settle the final arrangement of the clothes and souvenirs in my suitcase. I peered out the balcony as I heard the bus engine start, and chuckled at the last sight of our coach as it pulled out of the parking lot. It was good two weeks on that vehicle, and its Mercedes engines did right by all of us during the tour.
The rain arrived with the sunrise, but I reassured Ma that it was going to be a temporary thing. As Elizabeth had promised the day before, at 8.00 AM, we could hear the sounds of cowbells ringing merrily on the breeze, as the cows were brought down from the high pastures. With only 15 of us left out of a group of 40, breakfast was a quiet affair. Afterwards, one last look around the room to make sure we didn't leave anything behind, then down in time to meet Sara and Rudi from the first bus. It was rather anti-climactic to be boarding this new bus, with a new set of people, for the long ride to the airport.
It was interesting to get a glimpse of Sara's style, however brief, on the ride to the airport. She breezed through the admin details and then directed our attention to the herd of cows coming down from the hills, making it necessary for vehicular traffic to slow down considerably. The lead cows were decked out with flower crowns and Swiss flags, with the champion milkers wearing the largest bells in the whole bunch. The cowherds were also dressed in festive attire – perhaps there was going to be some sort of festival once they got to town.
Once away from the traffic, it was mostly highway travelling to Zurich. Sara ran a small contest about trivia concerning the tour. She asked questions about how many cantons the tour had traversed, how many kilometers the bus had traveled, name three kinds of Swiss cheese, and so on. Then she put on the “hotel inspectors” episode of Fawlty Towers to make the time go faster – and I'm glad she did, I've heard so much about this series and never gotten anywhere near seeing it! I must say, John Cleese in the title role had me in stitches – it's fun to think of him as playing Q's replacement in the James Bond series now.
We ran into truly heavy traffic going through one of the towns, which was my cue to fall asleep until we reached the edges of Zurich. I was awakened by the sun shining strongly through the window, until it was toasting my cheeks by the time we reached Kloten airport. Sara gently roused the drowsing bus to review such things as which terminals we were supposed to go in order to check-in our baggage, and where to find the customs booth so that we could get our tax rebates.
At last, we pulled up at the entrance of the airport. Time to say our goodbyes to the remainder of our traveling companions; to give and receive well-wishes for a safe journey ahead. For the last time, it was time to retrieve baggage from the coach, and thank our driver Rudi for his help in unloading them. And for the last time, fond farewells to a Tour Director whom I hope we may have on our next visit to Europe! I confirmed with Sara the directions to our check-out counter and how to find the customs booth, and then we were inside the airport for the next stage of our long journey home. I looked back outside as I was guiding Ma and her trolley back down the sloping path, just in time to see the coach pull away. For a moment, a pang of nostalgia tugged at me – but then it was time to square shoulders and set my attention to getting home.
Saturday, October 28, 2006
[CR Switzerland] Day 13-2
September 29, 2006
Engleberg - Lucerne - Engleberg Open Carriage Optional
The ride was perfection, with just the right mix of sun and cooling air. It really gave us a different perspective on things, to see the landscape slide on by as our horses patiently plodded along the road. People had time to wave to us and call out greetings to Elizabeth and her daughter - we even passed two more of Elizabeth's children out biking with friends. One of the more interesting sights on the ride was a garden filled to the brim with gnomes. All sorts of gnomes - one wondered how the flowers fit in, there were so many of them. There was a school of some sort, with artwork depicting Biblical and mythological figures on its walls, created by the students.
And there were cows! We could hear their bells from a fair distance, and Elizabeth said they were being brought down from the high pastures before the winter started. If we were up early enough, we would be able to hear a chorus of cowbells as the herds were brought down tomorrow, at around 8.00 AM. She said we were fortunate with the weather, as today was the last day of fair skies predicted by the meteorology report. On our way back, we passed close by the cows as they were herded into their new pasture - and got a good laugh watching one of current residents come up in greeting to the newcomers, kicking up its heels as if to invite some play time.
The carriage ride came to an end at the Benedictine monastery at the end of the Engleberg main road. There were many profuse thanks to Elizabeth and her family, who would wait till we finished our monastery tour in order to bring a second batch of the group around. Looking at the huge carved doors, I muttered the Benedictine motto, Ora et Labora (Prayer and Work), remembering that Ma and my goddaughter had both spent part of their education in the care of Benedictine educational institutions. In Ma's case, she had actually been taught by the German Benedictine nuns - very strict, but very efficient, whose profession names were taken from obscure saints.
Now I must say that while the tour was fascinating, it didn't quite match the tour description. As stated on the website: "Horse drawn carriages will take us through the stunning scenery of the Engelberg Valley to the magnificent 12th century Benedictine monastery, where we will enjoy a demonstration of local cheese making, followed by wine tasting." The horse-drawn carriage and stunning scenery part were all that could be desired from such a description. The demonstration of local cheese making and the wine-tasting, however, belonged to *another* monastery - but also a Benedictine one. Although I know that there was a dairy plant or something similar on the premises, but it was in another building, separate from the monastery.
So that was a bit of a let-down, but nothing depressing. :) Still. It would have been nice to taste the Benedictine liqueur, I suppose. Another excuse to come back? :D But the tour, as I said, was fascinating. Having been convent-educated myself, it was a familiar thing to see the saints' names over the various doors; to hear about how the friars celebrated the Liturgy of the Hours - the special prayers at set times that govern the way of life at the monastery; the Benedictine Rule, and how St. Benedict and his twin sister St. Scholastica (patron of one of Manila's oldest educational institutions) established one of the most far-reaching religious orders in the world.
You will have your eyes full of magnificent marquetry, wood inlay and wood carvings in this monastery. The design of the assembly room floor is composed of three separate colored woods, shaped into three-dimensional blocks that seem to shift perspective if you stare at them a bit. There are inlaid trays to marvel at, and we were led into a small conference room whose walls were lined with inlaid panels depicting the virtues and gifts of the Holy Spirit. Fantastic stuff, and all of it the creation of one friar throughout his entire lifetime!
It was good to get back out into the fresh air after the tour was over; Elmar had kindly arranged for the bus to be available for those who didn't feel up to walking down the main road back to the hotel. So we hopped onto it and got ourselves ready for another wonderful home-cooked dinner at the hotel. I guess some folks changed their minds about eating out, because the lovely proprietress had an "Umm-HM" expression when she came out of the kitchen to look over the room. I must say that the kitchen certainly rose to the occasion, because everyone seemed to be both full and happy with the quality of the service. Our server was a wee bit harassed, but a lot of smiling and a lot of reassurance that we were perfectly fine, helped smooth things out for her, I hope.
The pangs of separation twinged as folks began to say their goodbyes, as some of us would be taking the early bus with Elmar, to catch their flights back home, or to onward destinations. There were the usual hugs and handshakes, exchanging of e-mail addresses, promises to send pictures and best wishes for safe travel ahead. Elmar came round the tables for the last time on tour, to remind those leaving on the second bus that the call times had been moved back by about 15 minutes - it seems Sara had some folks on a tighter schedule than we were, and so wanted to be at the airport in good time. We assured him that we would continue to uphold the reputation we had built up under his management, and wished him happy travels.
To counteract the sentimentality that turns me into mush at such times, I complimented the lovely hotel owner/manager on the excellent dinner that the kitchen had managed to turn out. In fact, I was full of praise for the hotel and its service, swearing that I would tell friends and family to have their meals in the Schweizerhof if ever they found themselves in Engleberg. Seeing her happy smile and blush in the face of my enthusiasm managed to chase away whatever blues were threatening to pop up.
I admit it, though - I *am* feeling the post-tour letdown already. But there will be lots to do back home in the wake of the typhoon for it to last for very long after arriving!
Engleberg - Lucerne - Engleberg Open Carriage Optional
The ride was perfection, with just the right mix of sun and cooling air. It really gave us a different perspective on things, to see the landscape slide on by as our horses patiently plodded along the road. People had time to wave to us and call out greetings to Elizabeth and her daughter - we even passed two more of Elizabeth's children out biking with friends. One of the more interesting sights on the ride was a garden filled to the brim with gnomes. All sorts of gnomes - one wondered how the flowers fit in, there were so many of them. There was a school of some sort, with artwork depicting Biblical and mythological figures on its walls, created by the students.
And there were cows! We could hear their bells from a fair distance, and Elizabeth said they were being brought down from the high pastures before the winter started. If we were up early enough, we would be able to hear a chorus of cowbells as the herds were brought down tomorrow, at around 8.00 AM. She said we were fortunate with the weather, as today was the last day of fair skies predicted by the meteorology report. On our way back, we passed close by the cows as they were herded into their new pasture - and got a good laugh watching one of current residents come up in greeting to the newcomers, kicking up its heels as if to invite some play time.
The carriage ride came to an end at the Benedictine monastery at the end of the Engleberg main road. There were many profuse thanks to Elizabeth and her family, who would wait till we finished our monastery tour in order to bring a second batch of the group around. Looking at the huge carved doors, I muttered the Benedictine motto, Ora et Labora (Prayer and Work), remembering that Ma and my goddaughter had both spent part of their education in the care of Benedictine educational institutions. In Ma's case, she had actually been taught by the German Benedictine nuns - very strict, but very efficient, whose profession names were taken from obscure saints.
Now I must say that while the tour was fascinating, it didn't quite match the tour description. As stated on the website: "Horse drawn carriages will take us through the stunning scenery of the Engelberg Valley to the magnificent 12th century Benedictine monastery, where we will enjoy a demonstration of local cheese making, followed by wine tasting." The horse-drawn carriage and stunning scenery part were all that could be desired from such a description. The demonstration of local cheese making and the wine-tasting, however, belonged to *another* monastery - but also a Benedictine one. Although I know that there was a dairy plant or something similar on the premises, but it was in another building, separate from the monastery.
So that was a bit of a let-down, but nothing depressing. :) Still. It would have been nice to taste the Benedictine liqueur, I suppose. Another excuse to come back? :D But the tour, as I said, was fascinating. Having been convent-educated myself, it was a familiar thing to see the saints' names over the various doors; to hear about how the friars celebrated the Liturgy of the Hours - the special prayers at set times that govern the way of life at the monastery; the Benedictine Rule, and how St. Benedict and his twin sister St. Scholastica (patron of one of Manila's oldest educational institutions) established one of the most far-reaching religious orders in the world.
You will have your eyes full of magnificent marquetry, wood inlay and wood carvings in this monastery. The design of the assembly room floor is composed of three separate colored woods, shaped into three-dimensional blocks that seem to shift perspective if you stare at them a bit. There are inlaid trays to marvel at, and we were led into a small conference room whose walls were lined with inlaid panels depicting the virtues and gifts of the Holy Spirit. Fantastic stuff, and all of it the creation of one friar throughout his entire lifetime!
It was good to get back out into the fresh air after the tour was over; Elmar had kindly arranged for the bus to be available for those who didn't feel up to walking down the main road back to the hotel. So we hopped onto it and got ourselves ready for another wonderful home-cooked dinner at the hotel. I guess some folks changed their minds about eating out, because the lovely proprietress had an "Umm-HM" expression when she came out of the kitchen to look over the room. I must say that the kitchen certainly rose to the occasion, because everyone seemed to be both full and happy with the quality of the service. Our server was a wee bit harassed, but a lot of smiling and a lot of reassurance that we were perfectly fine, helped smooth things out for her, I hope.
The pangs of separation twinged as folks began to say their goodbyes, as some of us would be taking the early bus with Elmar, to catch their flights back home, or to onward destinations. There were the usual hugs and handshakes, exchanging of e-mail addresses, promises to send pictures and best wishes for safe travel ahead. Elmar came round the tables for the last time on tour, to remind those leaving on the second bus that the call times had been moved back by about 15 minutes - it seems Sara had some folks on a tighter schedule than we were, and so wanted to be at the airport in good time. We assured him that we would continue to uphold the reputation we had built up under his management, and wished him happy travels.
To counteract the sentimentality that turns me into mush at such times, I complimented the lovely hotel owner/manager on the excellent dinner that the kitchen had managed to turn out. In fact, I was full of praise for the hotel and its service, swearing that I would tell friends and family to have their meals in the Schweizerhof if ever they found themselves in Engleberg. Seeing her happy smile and blush in the face of my enthusiasm managed to chase away whatever blues were threatening to pop up.
I admit it, though - I *am* feeling the post-tour letdown already. But there will be lots to do back home in the wake of the typhoon for it to last for very long after arriving!
[CR Switzerland] Day 13-1
September 29, 2006
Engleberg - Lucerne - Engleberg Open Carriage Optional
Morning Call: 6.30 * Breakfast Call: 7.00
Departure for Lucerne: 8.00
Our last official day of the tour dawned bright, with a touch of morning haze. Elmar introduced us to our new driver (whose first name, alas, I have forgot), whom we later discovered was actually Ueli's boss!
The haze followed us into Lucerne, although the sun broke through at intervals to light up parts of the city and lake shore. We drove through past the commercial district, and I smiled to myself at the sight of the Kappelbrucke straddling the lake, its railing a whole riot of colorful blooms. Elmar pointed out the white hotel on top of the hill which is, according to urban legend, referred to as "The Holy Hotel". Apparently, when hotel guests go out onto the terrace and see the loveliness of Lucerne spread out below them, they whisper in awe, "Oh, God!" Then when they are presented with the bill for their stay, they cry, "Oh, Jeeesus!"
Through the chorus of laughter on the bus, Elmar grinned and said, "That's a good one, folks. Write it down!"
We drove past elegant villas and modern condominiums, the prices of which would definitely require a person to have more than a little spare cash for even the smallest of units. Ah, to be so fortunate! Then we were let out for a brief photo stop at the Lion Monument - the parents opted out of going down from the bus, having seen said monument time out of mind. I, on the other hand, never fail to take photos, given that when I'm there, it's with a different (and usually much-improved) camera and the weather conditions are never the same. So out I bounced, and since the pace was far more relaxed than my previous stop-shoot-go visits, I actually had a chance to take a picture of the little chapel that guards the entrance to the Lion Monument mini-park, and the information plaques on the outer wall.
The monument itself never fails to touch my heart with its beauty. Well, I'm like that. Once I've fallen for a place, I retain fond memories about it, no matter how long it's been since the last visit. Snapped my photos, then back on the bus for the drop-off at Schwannplatz, aka the little plaza in front of Bucherer. The parents were so eager to start walking, it was all I could do to listen carefully to Elmar outlining the various pick-up times! :) Easy enough to understand their eagerness - we had decided to skip the optional tours, having done the lake cruise before; and we weren't in the mood to see the Swiss folklore show again, even if we'd never tried cheese fondue before.
This then meant we had hours on our hand before being required to present ourselves at Schwannplatz for our 2.00 PM return to Engleberg. We spent a relaxed time strolling Kappelbrucke, admiring the views from either side of the bridge. Once out at the other end, we tried - and succeeded - in finding the hotel where we had been billeted in 2000; after a short washroom stop, we strolled down past various shops, the Banhof, and over the Kappelbrucke once more.
This time, we popped into Bucherer. The nice salesperson at the door was a Filipina - just like the sweet lady up on Mt. Pilatus (who actually remembered seeing us back in 2000 when she was just a newbie to Switzerland). No surprise, really - quite a few of the senior sales staff in Bucherer are Filipino, and happy we were to see them doing well in their adopted country. Knowing we had time and then some, made browsing through the store that much more enjoyable - it was the first time we didn't feel like we had to go a mile a minute through the three floors of the store! The parents decided to get themselves Victorinox Swiss knives by this time, and I had them engraved with their names so they could be easily identified.
Ma bought herself a pair of earrings, small ones, since we've never been able to walk out of Bucherer without at least *one* piece of jewelry. :) This means that we will need to find the customs booth at the airport, which means a tax rebate on the credit card once it's been submitted. Dad got himself a Bucherer backpack, and I...claimed the free souvenir spoons. :D
By this time, we were feeling a need for lunch. Our Filipina salesperson told us to turn left at the corner, once we'd exited the shop, and just walk down the street, we'd be sure to find something. Then, if we followed the street to the end, and then turned left at the corner, that would be where we could find more shops to look at. With many thanks, and promises of another visit, we left Bucherer and followed her directions, which led us to a Movenpick cafe, the perfect place to have lunch.
Lunch was good! Veal done Zurich style, with roesti and buttered vegetables on the side. The place was quiet, and we caught sight of the group threading their way along the street towards the Stadtkeller for their lunchtime optional. It was then that I got the welcome message from my husband that the maid had arrived safely from the provinces, and they were getting around to setting the house to rights against our return.
Once we were done with lunch, we followed the street to the end, and turned left, as per directions. Our source was correct - the street was loaded with all kinds of shops and department stores! The chocolatier had a nice spot at the very corner, with all kinds of confections. There was a Marionnaud with all the name label cosmetics (and the name label prices to match); and I know we walked into at least two other department stores. Most of the stores were selling off their summer stock and getting ready with their fall/winter clothes. We walked all the way to a plaza where the building facades were beautifully painted with scenes of mountain life.
By the time we retraced our steps, it was to bump into various members of the group as we strolled down towards Schwannplatz. Even with time out at the souvenir shop (last minute gifts for my goddaughter), we were still ahead of the 2.00 PM pick-up time. Naturally, everyone compared purchases, given that various loot bags were in evidence, said purchases were duly admired, and it was a content enough group that boarded the bus for Engleberg.
Elmar announced that the hotel was willing to put up dinner for anyone who decided to have their meal in the dining room, instead of going through the main street. He asked for a show of hands, and I put up both of mine, as the parents were drowsing. We were dropped off at the hotel with just enough time to drop our bags, freshen up, and grab a light jacket if we were going to take the open-air carriage ride optional. I had seen the carriages as we came in, and reverted to age six at the sight of the horses. Just before we set out, we were introduced to the little family that owns the carriage outfit: Elizabeth, the mom, who was our carriage driver; her daughter, who would drive the other carriage, and her son Lucien, who was all of maybe five years old and was along for the ride. No doubt when he grows up, he will be taking over the reins - quite literally - of the business!
Engleberg - Lucerne - Engleberg Open Carriage Optional
Morning Call: 6.30 * Breakfast Call: 7.00
Departure for Lucerne: 8.00
Our last official day of the tour dawned bright, with a touch of morning haze. Elmar introduced us to our new driver (whose first name, alas, I have forgot), whom we later discovered was actually Ueli's boss!
The haze followed us into Lucerne, although the sun broke through at intervals to light up parts of the city and lake shore. We drove through past the commercial district, and I smiled to myself at the sight of the Kappelbrucke straddling the lake, its railing a whole riot of colorful blooms. Elmar pointed out the white hotel on top of the hill which is, according to urban legend, referred to as "The Holy Hotel". Apparently, when hotel guests go out onto the terrace and see the loveliness of Lucerne spread out below them, they whisper in awe, "Oh, God!" Then when they are presented with the bill for their stay, they cry, "Oh, Jeeesus!"
Through the chorus of laughter on the bus, Elmar grinned and said, "That's a good one, folks. Write it down!"
We drove past elegant villas and modern condominiums, the prices of which would definitely require a person to have more than a little spare cash for even the smallest of units. Ah, to be so fortunate! Then we were let out for a brief photo stop at the Lion Monument - the parents opted out of going down from the bus, having seen said monument time out of mind. I, on the other hand, never fail to take photos, given that when I'm there, it's with a different (and usually much-improved) camera and the weather conditions are never the same. So out I bounced, and since the pace was far more relaxed than my previous stop-shoot-go visits, I actually had a chance to take a picture of the little chapel that guards the entrance to the Lion Monument mini-park, and the information plaques on the outer wall.
The monument itself never fails to touch my heart with its beauty. Well, I'm like that. Once I've fallen for a place, I retain fond memories about it, no matter how long it's been since the last visit. Snapped my photos, then back on the bus for the drop-off at Schwannplatz, aka the little plaza in front of Bucherer. The parents were so eager to start walking, it was all I could do to listen carefully to Elmar outlining the various pick-up times! :) Easy enough to understand their eagerness - we had decided to skip the optional tours, having done the lake cruise before; and we weren't in the mood to see the Swiss folklore show again, even if we'd never tried cheese fondue before.
This then meant we had hours on our hand before being required to present ourselves at Schwannplatz for our 2.00 PM return to Engleberg. We spent a relaxed time strolling Kappelbrucke, admiring the views from either side of the bridge. Once out at the other end, we tried - and succeeded - in finding the hotel where we had been billeted in 2000; after a short washroom stop, we strolled down past various shops, the Banhof, and over the Kappelbrucke once more.
This time, we popped into Bucherer. The nice salesperson at the door was a Filipina - just like the sweet lady up on Mt. Pilatus (who actually remembered seeing us back in 2000 when she was just a newbie to Switzerland). No surprise, really - quite a few of the senior sales staff in Bucherer are Filipino, and happy we were to see them doing well in their adopted country. Knowing we had time and then some, made browsing through the store that much more enjoyable - it was the first time we didn't feel like we had to go a mile a minute through the three floors of the store! The parents decided to get themselves Victorinox Swiss knives by this time, and I had them engraved with their names so they could be easily identified.
Ma bought herself a pair of earrings, small ones, since we've never been able to walk out of Bucherer without at least *one* piece of jewelry. :) This means that we will need to find the customs booth at the airport, which means a tax rebate on the credit card once it's been submitted. Dad got himself a Bucherer backpack, and I...claimed the free souvenir spoons. :D
By this time, we were feeling a need for lunch. Our Filipina salesperson told us to turn left at the corner, once we'd exited the shop, and just walk down the street, we'd be sure to find something. Then, if we followed the street to the end, and then turned left at the corner, that would be where we could find more shops to look at. With many thanks, and promises of another visit, we left Bucherer and followed her directions, which led us to a Movenpick cafe, the perfect place to have lunch.
Lunch was good! Veal done Zurich style, with roesti and buttered vegetables on the side. The place was quiet, and we caught sight of the group threading their way along the street towards the Stadtkeller for their lunchtime optional. It was then that I got the welcome message from my husband that the maid had arrived safely from the provinces, and they were getting around to setting the house to rights against our return.
Once we were done with lunch, we followed the street to the end, and turned left, as per directions. Our source was correct - the street was loaded with all kinds of shops and department stores! The chocolatier had a nice spot at the very corner, with all kinds of confections. There was a Marionnaud with all the name label cosmetics (and the name label prices to match); and I know we walked into at least two other department stores. Most of the stores were selling off their summer stock and getting ready with their fall/winter clothes. We walked all the way to a plaza where the building facades were beautifully painted with scenes of mountain life.
By the time we retraced our steps, it was to bump into various members of the group as we strolled down towards Schwannplatz. Even with time out at the souvenir shop (last minute gifts for my goddaughter), we were still ahead of the 2.00 PM pick-up time. Naturally, everyone compared purchases, given that various loot bags were in evidence, said purchases were duly admired, and it was a content enough group that boarded the bus for Engleberg.
Elmar announced that the hotel was willing to put up dinner for anyone who decided to have their meal in the dining room, instead of going through the main street. He asked for a show of hands, and I put up both of mine, as the parents were drowsing. We were dropped off at the hotel with just enough time to drop our bags, freshen up, and grab a light jacket if we were going to take the open-air carriage ride optional. I had seen the carriages as we came in, and reverted to age six at the sight of the horses. Just before we set out, we were introduced to the little family that owns the carriage outfit: Elizabeth, the mom, who was our carriage driver; her daughter, who would drive the other carriage, and her son Lucien, who was all of maybe five years old and was along for the ride. No doubt when he grows up, he will be taking over the reins - quite literally - of the business!
[CR Switzerland] Day 12-2
September 28, 2006
Interlaken - Brienz - Ballenberg - Mt. Pilatus - Engleberg
The trip on "the steepest cogwheel train in the world" provided all the mountain paparazzi with still more opportunities to take shots of the mountains. Those with ultra-high zoom lenses were lucky to get close-ups of the commercial airline jet that whizzed through a gap in the mountains; or of the Swiss Army soldiers doing their required mountain-climbing training. No closed windows on this train ride - either they were half open, or, if the carriage was filled with photographers, open all the way. There was a little plaque set into the window frame that implored all the passengers: "Please do not stick your heads or arms out the windows..." A reminder not to get carried away while in search of the perfect composition for one's photograph, no doubt!
Having done this ascent in 2000, my delight at the lack of people on the peak knew no bounds. To be sure, nursing a cup of hot chocolate on a mountaintop is so much better in sunshine and no crowds, as opposed to being damp, wet, rushed during the height of the tourist season! The latter had been the case in 2000, and the difference could not be more extreme. This time around, I was actually able to climb to the official peak of the mountain! No view of Lucerne but we did see the summer luge run and a tiny church on the very top of one of the lower peaks. This church invited a lot of speculation on how people got up there to begin with. I thought that the church's height would certainly give new meaning to the phrase "falling from grace"!
While sipping at the hot chocolate my parents ordered against my coming down from the peak, I was distracted by the sight of a window-washing man blithely doing his work despite being close to the mountain’s edge. It was amazing to watch him work without so much as a safety harness, which meant that he was nowhere near the danger zone, but still...quite a feat. I also took pictures of the black mountain birds that have learned coffee shop/restaurant leftovers make good eats! We had been cautioned not to feed them, as per warnings from environmentalists, but that didn't stop the birds from perching on the terrace railing and looking as appealing (and conniving) as possible!
Our cable car descent was like that of the Kleine Matterhorn: a huge boxcar-type carriage from the peak to the first station, and then four-seater bubble carriages from the second and third stations. Good news was waiting for me when we disembarked at Kriems - my mobile phone chirruped with an SMS that the typhoon had left Manila, and all was perfectly well at home. That is to say, our roof was still whole and entire, no trees had fallen on the house, the outdoor cats had all had the sense to take shelter in the lanai and laundry area, and were perfectly safe. No electricity, but at least we had a generator, and diesel enough to keep it running through the night.
Blessed relief! I was able to share the good news with Ueli and some other members of the tour, as well as my previous experience with Mt. Pilatus. Relayed the happy news to my parents, whose expressions lightened visibly. So it was in a considerably more cheerful frame of mind that we made our way up to Engleberg and the Schweizerhof hotel for the group's last dinner together. Again, this was an alternate hotel, a business that had been family-run for well over a hundred years. The room we were given was at the end of the first floor hallway - a veritable junior suite, which allowed me to have my own room, and with bunk beds, no less! ::insert random happy bouncing here:: We also had a corner of the roof deck as our terrace, overlooking the main drive, and with a lovely view of the Engleberg (Angel Mountain) and part of Mt. Titlis as well.
On the way to Engleberg, Elmar went into the customary spiel about the Insight customer satisfaction survey. He told us to detach the 5% discount certificate and put it in a safe place, as it would be applicable to our next tour. Then he described how to fill up the form, requesting it to be handed it before we parted ways, since we would be splitting up after tomorrow night.
Knowing that this would be the group's last dinner together as a group, and Ueli's last night with us, cast a nostalgic air over the proceedings. It seemed like only yesterday that we were setting out from the Zurich Movenpick, and now, we were having to set our minds to departure details! On our Glacier Express ride, Elmar had confirmed with everyone their flight departure times, so that he would know which bus to put us on for the transfers. Turns out that he would be leaving with the early bus at 7.00 AM, and Sara would take charge of the second bus at 10.15 AM. Waah, was starting to miss our tour team already. Upon entering the pretty dining room, I gave Elmar the survey forms, sealed in the provided envelope, and slipped him his tip together with the family's usual note of appreciation for all that he had done to make this trip one of the best ever that we've had with Insight.
For all that I was tired from the long day and feeling sentimental, I still had a huge appetite left for dinner! The family kitchen had outdone themselves with the home cooking. It was a splendid meal, and my eyes lit up when I saw that ox tongue was one of the featured items on the menu. Although prepared in a different manner from the style that I know (which is pressure-cooked and served with red wine-mushroom gravy), it tasted wonderful all the same. The ice-cream cake that was presented for dessert! Pure artistry - it looked like a cake with fondant frosting, with three layers beneath: strawberry, chocolate and vanilla. Seemed almost a shame to put a knife into it, it was that beautiful (and of course I did not think to use my phone to take a picture of the thing)!
On the other hand, it *was* ice cream. And it had *chocolate*...
On the way in to the hotel, it seemed that a whole lot of people were waving and blowing their horns as Ueli passed by - and then we discovered that Engleberg is just a short hop away from his hometown of Stans. So those folks were probably friends from school or family. In keeping with company policy, "spending dinner with the group" meant spending it at the same table as Elmar, which was set back in a little alcove so they could get their down time. Elmar brought Ueli ought as we were lingering over after-the-ice-cream coffee, and the dear man was roundly applauded by all when he made his farewells. We sincerely hope that the replacement driver will prove to be as good as he is!
Interlaken - Brienz - Ballenberg - Mt. Pilatus - Engleberg
The trip on "the steepest cogwheel train in the world" provided all the mountain paparazzi with still more opportunities to take shots of the mountains. Those with ultra-high zoom lenses were lucky to get close-ups of the commercial airline jet that whizzed through a gap in the mountains; or of the Swiss Army soldiers doing their required mountain-climbing training. No closed windows on this train ride - either they were half open, or, if the carriage was filled with photographers, open all the way. There was a little plaque set into the window frame that implored all the passengers: "Please do not stick your heads or arms out the windows..." A reminder not to get carried away while in search of the perfect composition for one's photograph, no doubt!
Having done this ascent in 2000, my delight at the lack of people on the peak knew no bounds. To be sure, nursing a cup of hot chocolate on a mountaintop is so much better in sunshine and no crowds, as opposed to being damp, wet, rushed during the height of the tourist season! The latter had been the case in 2000, and the difference could not be more extreme. This time around, I was actually able to climb to the official peak of the mountain! No view of Lucerne but we did see the summer luge run and a tiny church on the very top of one of the lower peaks. This church invited a lot of speculation on how people got up there to begin with. I thought that the church's height would certainly give new meaning to the phrase "falling from grace"!
While sipping at the hot chocolate my parents ordered against my coming down from the peak, I was distracted by the sight of a window-washing man blithely doing his work despite being close to the mountain’s edge. It was amazing to watch him work without so much as a safety harness, which meant that he was nowhere near the danger zone, but still...quite a feat. I also took pictures of the black mountain birds that have learned coffee shop/restaurant leftovers make good eats! We had been cautioned not to feed them, as per warnings from environmentalists, but that didn't stop the birds from perching on the terrace railing and looking as appealing (and conniving) as possible!
Our cable car descent was like that of the Kleine Matterhorn: a huge boxcar-type carriage from the peak to the first station, and then four-seater bubble carriages from the second and third stations. Good news was waiting for me when we disembarked at Kriems - my mobile phone chirruped with an SMS that the typhoon had left Manila, and all was perfectly well at home. That is to say, our roof was still whole and entire, no trees had fallen on the house, the outdoor cats had all had the sense to take shelter in the lanai and laundry area, and were perfectly safe. No electricity, but at least we had a generator, and diesel enough to keep it running through the night.
Blessed relief! I was able to share the good news with Ueli and some other members of the tour, as well as my previous experience with Mt. Pilatus. Relayed the happy news to my parents, whose expressions lightened visibly. So it was in a considerably more cheerful frame of mind that we made our way up to Engleberg and the Schweizerhof hotel for the group's last dinner together. Again, this was an alternate hotel, a business that had been family-run for well over a hundred years. The room we were given was at the end of the first floor hallway - a veritable junior suite, which allowed me to have my own room, and with bunk beds, no less! ::insert random happy bouncing here:: We also had a corner of the roof deck as our terrace, overlooking the main drive, and with a lovely view of the Engleberg (Angel Mountain) and part of Mt. Titlis as well.
On the way to Engleberg, Elmar went into the customary spiel about the Insight customer satisfaction survey. He told us to detach the 5% discount certificate and put it in a safe place, as it would be applicable to our next tour. Then he described how to fill up the form, requesting it to be handed it before we parted ways, since we would be splitting up after tomorrow night.
Knowing that this would be the group's last dinner together as a group, and Ueli's last night with us, cast a nostalgic air over the proceedings. It seemed like only yesterday that we were setting out from the Zurich Movenpick, and now, we were having to set our minds to departure details! On our Glacier Express ride, Elmar had confirmed with everyone their flight departure times, so that he would know which bus to put us on for the transfers. Turns out that he would be leaving with the early bus at 7.00 AM, and Sara would take charge of the second bus at 10.15 AM. Waah, was starting to miss our tour team already. Upon entering the pretty dining room, I gave Elmar the survey forms, sealed in the provided envelope, and slipped him his tip together with the family's usual note of appreciation for all that he had done to make this trip one of the best ever that we've had with Insight.
For all that I was tired from the long day and feeling sentimental, I still had a huge appetite left for dinner! The family kitchen had outdone themselves with the home cooking. It was a splendid meal, and my eyes lit up when I saw that ox tongue was one of the featured items on the menu. Although prepared in a different manner from the style that I know (which is pressure-cooked and served with red wine-mushroom gravy), it tasted wonderful all the same. The ice-cream cake that was presented for dessert! Pure artistry - it looked like a cake with fondant frosting, with three layers beneath: strawberry, chocolate and vanilla. Seemed almost a shame to put a knife into it, it was that beautiful (and of course I did not think to use my phone to take a picture of the thing)!
On the other hand, it *was* ice cream. And it had *chocolate*...
On the way in to the hotel, it seemed that a whole lot of people were waving and blowing their horns as Ueli passed by - and then we discovered that Engleberg is just a short hop away from his hometown of Stans. So those folks were probably friends from school or family. In keeping with company policy, "spending dinner with the group" meant spending it at the same table as Elmar, which was set back in a little alcove so they could get their down time. Elmar brought Ueli ought as we were lingering over after-the-ice-cream coffee, and the dear man was roundly applauded by all when he made his farewells. We sincerely hope that the replacement driver will prove to be as good as he is!
[CR Switzerland] Day 12-1
September 28, 2006
Interlaken - Brienz - Ballenberg - Mt. Pilatus - Engleberg
Morning call: 6.30 * Bags and Breakfast: 7.00
Departure from Interlaken: 8.00
This is a day that would live, if not in infamy, at least with an underlying thread of anxiety for several hours. The weather matched my mood; we left Interlaken under heavy cloud and the news that the mother of all typhoons was going over Manila. 200 kph center winds, and gusts even stronger - that's not something to sneeze at under any circumstances, let alone when that kind of monster is set to go straight over your home.
I felt bound to apologize to Elmar in advance if I seemed to be in a distracted state throughout the morning, and if he heard my mobile phone chirping all through the admin details and all the times he'd be describing the sights - the dear man gave me a quick hug and assured me that all would be well. I replied that of course I knew all would be well, it was just nicer to know *for sure*.
Ma saw some folks giving Ueli his tip and had me get down from the bus post-haste so that I could do the same. We'd gotten the news that Ueli would be leaving us when we reached Engleberg, for a new six-day assignment in Spain's Costa Brava. The question of whether he'd be able to join us for dinner was still up in the air, and I certainly was hoping he would be able to do so; he's been a marvellous, expert driver!
Unfortunately, the envelope with Ueli's tip did not have the usual little note of appreciation that I stick inside it. It's a custom I started when I was given the chance to travel - and to date, I've been blessed to be in groups handled by excellent Tour Directors and drivers. I apologized for the lack of the note, and even if Ueli said it was all right, it still niggles at me that I didn't get to write even two lines to say how much we enjoyed his company, and how grateful we were for his driving skills.
We traveled along Lake Brienz, where I shot one of the best series of photos I've ever taken to date. The sun was breaking out from the clouds over Brienz as we were driving through cloud and mist, making the town look as though it was some sort of thing out of faerie land. By the time we got to Brienz, the sun was out with the promise of a bright day ahead, and my husband's SMS messages were of someone coping very well with the weather and the imminent loss of power. He sent me one of my favorite Sherlock Holmes quotations: "It is a capital mistake to theorize in advance of the facts." By which he meant, enjoy the day and don't let your writer's imagination get the better of you!
So it was in this reassured frame of mine that I got down from the coach as we stopped at the Brienz woodcarving shop. We were welcomed and given a tour by a very nice man with a decidedly Australian accent who spiced up his stories with good humor, and lots of it. He showed us various examples of the woodcarver's art from the workshop on the ground floor, explaining how the family business had grown over the generations. Then we were taken upstairs to the music box workshop, where we were given a very enlightening talk about the types of music boxes and what it took to create one.
We were also given demonstrations of the various music boxes, using examples from as far back as the 1800s and early 1900s! The only modern piece that I recall was created by one of the sons of the family - one of those things that are made just to show that the artisan can make them. Five seventy-two pin drums, all orchestrated to play in harmony, and with every flip of a switch, a different tune came floating out. You can bet that there were a lot of appreciative sounds for that little beauty.
Another piece that drew many sounds of wonder was a huge box shaped like a house, showing figures of dancers and an oom-pah-pah band in a diorama-like setting. When the music came on, no one cared if any of the notes were on key, because the little dancing figures twirled and moved in time to the tinkling melody. Really, really pretty!
Once the little factory tour was complete, everyone went rummaging through the shop, like the good tourists that we were. :) This is where I got my Swiss (Victorinox) knife, a basic model exactly like the one Elmar was using - scissors, knife, tweezers, toothpick, file/screwdriver. In fact, Elmar had been singing the praises of the myriad uses of his Swiss knife (he's had it for 20 years and then some, fancy that!) that nearly everyone on the bus was drawn into getting the same model - not only for themselves, but for friends and relations as well! Couldn't go wrong for 13 Swiss francs, now could you?
Dad got himself a shirt, and I took a picture of Ma cuddling with the handcarved bear at the entrance to the shop before sitting on one of the benches outside. The group was just finishing as Sarah’s bus came rolling up beside ours; this was the signal for everyone to vacate the premises and get on the bus. As we were pulling out of Brienz, Elmar pointed out the statue of Peter and his goats (from the Heidi story) overlooking a view of the lake.
Our next stop was the Ballenberg open day museum, where people could stroll around a community living the lifestyle of a hundred years ago. There was a bit of confusion before we entered, as we were required to wear sticker badges that were also our entrance tickets - and somehow, despite an accurate head count, Elmar came up short one ticket. The ticket lady was very nice about releasing one more ticket to the group, and then we were led inside through a lane shaded by lovely tall trees, into the main meeting point. This was composed of the washrooms, self-service cafeteria, and sit-down restaurant.
Using the maps that we were given at the entrance, Elmar gave us an orientation on where the paths went before sending us off on our own. Not too far into our own ramble, Dad decided he wanted to strike out on his own. So while he wandered off, I took Ma on a slow stroll down the “short itinerary” path that took us down past some chalets, the sausage smokehouse, and the herbal medical store. The sausage smokehouse was something else - you can't really appreciate it until your eyes adjust to the dim light, and possibly not even then. Thank goodness for flash photography! I managed to get a shot of the hundreds of sausages hanging from the ceiling so that they could be smoked by the cooking fire, and could truly appreciate the sight, even on a 2.5-inch screen.
Elmar showed us the old-fashioned water pump and watering trough when we emerged back into daylight (feeling almost as smoked as the sausages), then pointed us towards the herbal medicine shop. Ma was in heaven over the beauty of the herbal garden, the lush green and fragrance of it all. We bought three kinds of herbal tea and they smell *so* good! Can't wait for them to join the collection of Dragon Well tea, lychee tea, and generic China green tea at home.
From the herbal medicine store, a time check showed that lunch was in order. On our way down the path, we passed by the pig pen of the smoke house, and being country girls, Ma and I marveled at the absolute *pinkness* of one of the pigs - such a healthy, huge creature as it was. I thought the pig was worth a photo or two, since it was the classic example of what a good pig ought to look like!
A quick washroom stop (more of those stairs again, but these were fairly user-friendly), then into the self-service cafeteria, with its lovely open-air dining area. In fact, the weather was so fresh and clear that any number of people were enjoying their sit-down in the open air! Chose bratwurst yet *again* and I have decided that I prefer roesti over frites with my sausages. Dad caught up with us here, and got himself a nice sausage lunch as well. Back to the washrooms after lunch, then we took our time walking through the shady lane back to the exit and the waiting area in front of the parking lot.
There was a souvenir shop that we poked around in before getting back to the bus. I bought hazelnut brownies for snacking in case someone's tummy decided to ask for food before we got to the hotel. While the parents boarded, I, as usual, stood about outside, determined to wring every last breath of fresh, cool Swiss air that I could. Had a short chat with Elmar and Ueli about loving one's work, and how much I would miss Switzerland once I got home - and how I was sure that I *would* return, someday.
On our way out from Ballenberg, Elmar switched itinerary activities and took us up to Mt. Pilatus, an event that's supposed to take place tomorrow. Looking at the map, it makes sense doing it this way - from Ballenberg, it wasn't that far to the cogwheel train station for the ascent; then the cable car descent ends at Kriems, which by the sound of it, is closer to Engleberg and Lucern than if we'd done it the other way. Ma and Dad were a bit confused at first, because they were more familiar with taking the cable car for the ascent and using the cogwheel train for the descent, then taking the lake cruise all the way back to Lucerne.
Interlaken - Brienz - Ballenberg - Mt. Pilatus - Engleberg
Morning call: 6.30 * Bags and Breakfast: 7.00
Departure from Interlaken: 8.00
This is a day that would live, if not in infamy, at least with an underlying thread of anxiety for several hours. The weather matched my mood; we left Interlaken under heavy cloud and the news that the mother of all typhoons was going over Manila. 200 kph center winds, and gusts even stronger - that's not something to sneeze at under any circumstances, let alone when that kind of monster is set to go straight over your home.
I felt bound to apologize to Elmar in advance if I seemed to be in a distracted state throughout the morning, and if he heard my mobile phone chirping all through the admin details and all the times he'd be describing the sights - the dear man gave me a quick hug and assured me that all would be well. I replied that of course I knew all would be well, it was just nicer to know *for sure*.
Ma saw some folks giving Ueli his tip and had me get down from the bus post-haste so that I could do the same. We'd gotten the news that Ueli would be leaving us when we reached Engleberg, for a new six-day assignment in Spain's Costa Brava. The question of whether he'd be able to join us for dinner was still up in the air, and I certainly was hoping he would be able to do so; he's been a marvellous, expert driver!
Unfortunately, the envelope with Ueli's tip did not have the usual little note of appreciation that I stick inside it. It's a custom I started when I was given the chance to travel - and to date, I've been blessed to be in groups handled by excellent Tour Directors and drivers. I apologized for the lack of the note, and even if Ueli said it was all right, it still niggles at me that I didn't get to write even two lines to say how much we enjoyed his company, and how grateful we were for his driving skills.
We traveled along Lake Brienz, where I shot one of the best series of photos I've ever taken to date. The sun was breaking out from the clouds over Brienz as we were driving through cloud and mist, making the town look as though it was some sort of thing out of faerie land. By the time we got to Brienz, the sun was out with the promise of a bright day ahead, and my husband's SMS messages were of someone coping very well with the weather and the imminent loss of power. He sent me one of my favorite Sherlock Holmes quotations: "It is a capital mistake to theorize in advance of the facts." By which he meant, enjoy the day and don't let your writer's imagination get the better of you!
So it was in this reassured frame of mine that I got down from the coach as we stopped at the Brienz woodcarving shop. We were welcomed and given a tour by a very nice man with a decidedly Australian accent who spiced up his stories with good humor, and lots of it. He showed us various examples of the woodcarver's art from the workshop on the ground floor, explaining how the family business had grown over the generations. Then we were taken upstairs to the music box workshop, where we were given a very enlightening talk about the types of music boxes and what it took to create one.
We were also given demonstrations of the various music boxes, using examples from as far back as the 1800s and early 1900s! The only modern piece that I recall was created by one of the sons of the family - one of those things that are made just to show that the artisan can make them. Five seventy-two pin drums, all orchestrated to play in harmony, and with every flip of a switch, a different tune came floating out. You can bet that there were a lot of appreciative sounds for that little beauty.
Another piece that drew many sounds of wonder was a huge box shaped like a house, showing figures of dancers and an oom-pah-pah band in a diorama-like setting. When the music came on, no one cared if any of the notes were on key, because the little dancing figures twirled and moved in time to the tinkling melody. Really, really pretty!
Once the little factory tour was complete, everyone went rummaging through the shop, like the good tourists that we were. :) This is where I got my Swiss (Victorinox) knife, a basic model exactly like the one Elmar was using - scissors, knife, tweezers, toothpick, file/screwdriver. In fact, Elmar had been singing the praises of the myriad uses of his Swiss knife (he's had it for 20 years and then some, fancy that!) that nearly everyone on the bus was drawn into getting the same model - not only for themselves, but for friends and relations as well! Couldn't go wrong for 13 Swiss francs, now could you?
Dad got himself a shirt, and I took a picture of Ma cuddling with the handcarved bear at the entrance to the shop before sitting on one of the benches outside. The group was just finishing as Sarah’s bus came rolling up beside ours; this was the signal for everyone to vacate the premises and get on the bus. As we were pulling out of Brienz, Elmar pointed out the statue of Peter and his goats (from the Heidi story) overlooking a view of the lake.
Our next stop was the Ballenberg open day museum, where people could stroll around a community living the lifestyle of a hundred years ago. There was a bit of confusion before we entered, as we were required to wear sticker badges that were also our entrance tickets - and somehow, despite an accurate head count, Elmar came up short one ticket. The ticket lady was very nice about releasing one more ticket to the group, and then we were led inside through a lane shaded by lovely tall trees, into the main meeting point. This was composed of the washrooms, self-service cafeteria, and sit-down restaurant.
Using the maps that we were given at the entrance, Elmar gave us an orientation on where the paths went before sending us off on our own. Not too far into our own ramble, Dad decided he wanted to strike out on his own. So while he wandered off, I took Ma on a slow stroll down the “short itinerary” path that took us down past some chalets, the sausage smokehouse, and the herbal medical store. The sausage smokehouse was something else - you can't really appreciate it until your eyes adjust to the dim light, and possibly not even then. Thank goodness for flash photography! I managed to get a shot of the hundreds of sausages hanging from the ceiling so that they could be smoked by the cooking fire, and could truly appreciate the sight, even on a 2.5-inch screen.
Elmar showed us the old-fashioned water pump and watering trough when we emerged back into daylight (feeling almost as smoked as the sausages), then pointed us towards the herbal medicine shop. Ma was in heaven over the beauty of the herbal garden, the lush green and fragrance of it all. We bought three kinds of herbal tea and they smell *so* good! Can't wait for them to join the collection of Dragon Well tea, lychee tea, and generic China green tea at home.
From the herbal medicine store, a time check showed that lunch was in order. On our way down the path, we passed by the pig pen of the smoke house, and being country girls, Ma and I marveled at the absolute *pinkness* of one of the pigs - such a healthy, huge creature as it was. I thought the pig was worth a photo or two, since it was the classic example of what a good pig ought to look like!
A quick washroom stop (more of those stairs again, but these were fairly user-friendly), then into the self-service cafeteria, with its lovely open-air dining area. In fact, the weather was so fresh and clear that any number of people were enjoying their sit-down in the open air! Chose bratwurst yet *again* and I have decided that I prefer roesti over frites with my sausages. Dad caught up with us here, and got himself a nice sausage lunch as well. Back to the washrooms after lunch, then we took our time walking through the shady lane back to the exit and the waiting area in front of the parking lot.
There was a souvenir shop that we poked around in before getting back to the bus. I bought hazelnut brownies for snacking in case someone's tummy decided to ask for food before we got to the hotel. While the parents boarded, I, as usual, stood about outside, determined to wring every last breath of fresh, cool Swiss air that I could. Had a short chat with Elmar and Ueli about loving one's work, and how much I would miss Switzerland once I got home - and how I was sure that I *would* return, someday.
On our way out from Ballenberg, Elmar switched itinerary activities and took us up to Mt. Pilatus, an event that's supposed to take place tomorrow. Looking at the map, it makes sense doing it this way - from Ballenberg, it wasn't that far to the cogwheel train station for the ascent; then the cable car descent ends at Kriems, which by the sound of it, is closer to Engleberg and Lucern than if we'd done it the other way. Ma and Dad were a bit confused at first, because they were more familiar with taking the cable car for the ascent and using the cogwheel train for the descent, then taking the lake cruise all the way back to Lucerne.
Thursday, October 26, 2006
[CR Switzerland] Day 11-2
September 27, 2006
Interlaken - Jungfraujoch Optional - Trummelbach Falls - Interlaken
Arrive Lauterbrunnen: 3.00 * Trummelbach Falls Side Trip: 3.30
It was cloudy and slightly drizzling by the time we got to the station. As usual, Ueli was patiently waiting for us, greeting everyone with a smile and a wave as we trickled out from the station and into the bus. Fortunately, the drizzle stopped as we made our way to Lauterbrunnen, until we were greeted with fair skies and the merest touch of cloud when we pulled into the parking lot for a photo opportunity at Staubbach Falls. It's a sheer cliff of about 300 meters, and as the water tumbles off the edge of the cliff, it fans out into a delicate spray that one author likened to "the tail of the white horse ridden by one of the horsemen of the Apocalypse". When we had our fill of taking pictures of the falls, our attention was drawn by a helicopter ferrying construction materials up the opposite mountainside.
From Staubbach Falls, we were taken to the Trummelbach Falls. Elmar had mentioned in the train, on the way down, that he had taken the liberty of securing a bunch of tickets, and was going to distribute them to the first ten or twelve takers. Of course we had to reimburse him the price of 11 Swiss Francs per ticket, but as I thought later, it was worth the little extra expense. Each ticket was the admission fee to see the falls; everyone else could have their afternoon tea at the family-run rest house at the main entrance to the property.
Trummelbach isn't far from Staubbach - about three kilometers or so. Ueli parked the bus across the street, and then we crossed over to the rest house, where I left my parents to stretch their legs at leisure. There was a walk of a few hundred meters to the entrance up to the falls, and the roar of the water could be heard clearly from the gate. Not surprising, when you consider that there's 22,000 liters/sec flowing from the source, through a narrow crevasse inside the mountain.
All in all, there’s a series of ten cascades. One can take the funicular up to the seventh cascade, stroll along a stepped catwalk to the source, then come down either by funicular or by the catwalk past the sixth-tenth cascades. The funicular is this huge carriage, like one of the boxcar-type cable cars on the mountains, large enough to fit all of us with room to spare. We got a good view of the funicular's mechanism as we were drawn up, and then it was out into the afternoon sun and the start of the catwalk ascent to the source.
Whoa, boyo. Talk about your steep climbs! The roaring of the water is tremendous, like a low-flying jet. All of us made our way slowly along the catwalk - in part to admire the way the water twisted and turned through the rock it had eroded, but more to keep our footing on the spray-drenched surfaces. Sometimes the catwalk took us through dark passages with the bare minimum of illumination - I swear, if anyone had so much as touched my shoulder to warn me to be careful, I would have shrieked to kingdom come.
I took pictures at most of the cascades; I also took one of the stairs one had to climb before reaching the source. Just so I could show people what I had to climb to get to the top of the falls. Unfortunately, the camera refused to snap a picture at the source, but otherwise, what pictures I do have are fantastic! Like most everything else about the highlights on this tour, words fail completely to convey the beauty of these falls. You just had to be there, with the spray on your face, listening to the sound of three glaciers' worth of run-off water pouring down through a crevasse just a few meters wide, pure and clear and crystalline green. A once-in-a-lifetime experience, and well worth the climb and the pounding heart while picking my way along the catwalk.
My original plan was to walk down past the other cascades, but a look at my watch had me antsy to get back down as soon as it could be managed. Waiting for the funicular to come back up was fraught with suspense, but it eventually arrived, and soon I was striding down the path back to the rest house. I paused and took at look back in the lowering sun and suddenly realized that there were only three more days left before the tour's end - soon I'd be going home, back to the familiar routine.
And how I would miss all this, the bracing mountain air and the green fields and the long walks every day! :)
I rejoined my parents at the rest house, where there had been a small floor show going on; someone was yodeling beautifully when I came up. Once I found the parents, there were stories to tell about what I'd seen, and I shared as best I could, the photos that I'd taken (though admittedly a 2.5 inch screen hardly does them justice).
In due course, we were boarding the bus, back to Interlaken and the Beau Rivage. With another departure ahead of us, the parents and I opted to eat in the room, so I popped down and crossed the street to that Mr. Burger, where I ordered sandwiches and Coke. The hamburgers, being freshly made, were great - but the weather news we caught on CNN while having dinner had me frantically sending a text to my husband, home alone with only the cats for company.
A typhoon with center winds of 197 kph was scheduled for a direct hit over Manila. Oh, NO. The last time a strong typhoon went directly over the city (and our home), it was *only* 160 kph at the center. I quickly gave a run-down of instructions on how to operate the generator via SMS, and Ramon promised me hourly updates for as long he could manage it.
It's going to be a LONG day tomorrow...
Interlaken - Jungfraujoch Optional - Trummelbach Falls - Interlaken
Arrive Lauterbrunnen: 3.00 * Trummelbach Falls Side Trip: 3.30
It was cloudy and slightly drizzling by the time we got to the station. As usual, Ueli was patiently waiting for us, greeting everyone with a smile and a wave as we trickled out from the station and into the bus. Fortunately, the drizzle stopped as we made our way to Lauterbrunnen, until we were greeted with fair skies and the merest touch of cloud when we pulled into the parking lot for a photo opportunity at Staubbach Falls. It's a sheer cliff of about 300 meters, and as the water tumbles off the edge of the cliff, it fans out into a delicate spray that one author likened to "the tail of the white horse ridden by one of the horsemen of the Apocalypse". When we had our fill of taking pictures of the falls, our attention was drawn by a helicopter ferrying construction materials up the opposite mountainside.
From Staubbach Falls, we were taken to the Trummelbach Falls. Elmar had mentioned in the train, on the way down, that he had taken the liberty of securing a bunch of tickets, and was going to distribute them to the first ten or twelve takers. Of course we had to reimburse him the price of 11 Swiss Francs per ticket, but as I thought later, it was worth the little extra expense. Each ticket was the admission fee to see the falls; everyone else could have their afternoon tea at the family-run rest house at the main entrance to the property.
Trummelbach isn't far from Staubbach - about three kilometers or so. Ueli parked the bus across the street, and then we crossed over to the rest house, where I left my parents to stretch their legs at leisure. There was a walk of a few hundred meters to the entrance up to the falls, and the roar of the water could be heard clearly from the gate. Not surprising, when you consider that there's 22,000 liters/sec flowing from the source, through a narrow crevasse inside the mountain.
All in all, there’s a series of ten cascades. One can take the funicular up to the seventh cascade, stroll along a stepped catwalk to the source, then come down either by funicular or by the catwalk past the sixth-tenth cascades. The funicular is this huge carriage, like one of the boxcar-type cable cars on the mountains, large enough to fit all of us with room to spare. We got a good view of the funicular's mechanism as we were drawn up, and then it was out into the afternoon sun and the start of the catwalk ascent to the source.
Whoa, boyo. Talk about your steep climbs! The roaring of the water is tremendous, like a low-flying jet. All of us made our way slowly along the catwalk - in part to admire the way the water twisted and turned through the rock it had eroded, but more to keep our footing on the spray-drenched surfaces. Sometimes the catwalk took us through dark passages with the bare minimum of illumination - I swear, if anyone had so much as touched my shoulder to warn me to be careful, I would have shrieked to kingdom come.
I took pictures at most of the cascades; I also took one of the stairs one had to climb before reaching the source. Just so I could show people what I had to climb to get to the top of the falls. Unfortunately, the camera refused to snap a picture at the source, but otherwise, what pictures I do have are fantastic! Like most everything else about the highlights on this tour, words fail completely to convey the beauty of these falls. You just had to be there, with the spray on your face, listening to the sound of three glaciers' worth of run-off water pouring down through a crevasse just a few meters wide, pure and clear and crystalline green. A once-in-a-lifetime experience, and well worth the climb and the pounding heart while picking my way along the catwalk.
My original plan was to walk down past the other cascades, but a look at my watch had me antsy to get back down as soon as it could be managed. Waiting for the funicular to come back up was fraught with suspense, but it eventually arrived, and soon I was striding down the path back to the rest house. I paused and took at look back in the lowering sun and suddenly realized that there were only three more days left before the tour's end - soon I'd be going home, back to the familiar routine.
And how I would miss all this, the bracing mountain air and the green fields and the long walks every day! :)
I rejoined my parents at the rest house, where there had been a small floor show going on; someone was yodeling beautifully when I came up. Once I found the parents, there were stories to tell about what I'd seen, and I shared as best I could, the photos that I'd taken (though admittedly a 2.5 inch screen hardly does them justice).
In due course, we were boarding the bus, back to Interlaken and the Beau Rivage. With another departure ahead of us, the parents and I opted to eat in the room, so I popped down and crossed the street to that Mr. Burger, where I ordered sandwiches and Coke. The hamburgers, being freshly made, were great - but the weather news we caught on CNN while having dinner had me frantically sending a text to my husband, home alone with only the cats for company.
A typhoon with center winds of 197 kph was scheduled for a direct hit over Manila. Oh, NO. The last time a strong typhoon went directly over the city (and our home), it was *only* 160 kph at the center. I quickly gave a run-down of instructions on how to operate the generator via SMS, and Ramon promised me hourly updates for as long he could manage it.
It's going to be a LONG day tomorrow...
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