July 29, 2022 – Aug. 20, 2022
Gans family Travel archives
Aug. 2, 2022 – Hello Zurich
It’s been 3 days since our plane touched down in this tiny little country giving us some time to get our bearings, adjust time zones and explore. So far “Zurich and surroundings”, as our tour bus called it, has been our playground and we have seen a lot in our relatively short time.
Our trip into Zurich was smooth. No stories, no stress… just the way you hope a long trip will begin.
It should be noted, because I want to make sure it is noted, that we left on my birthday which shortened my b-day as we transitioned time zones and meant that the celebration consisted of 12 hours bad movies on a little screen and a significant sleep debt that comes with long distance travel. What I also think that this means is that I can claim this trip as my birthday trip. Yes, everyone gets to participate and no, that doesn’t mean I always (or maybe ever) get my way… but when we regale these stories it will begin with “remember that trip we did to Switzerland… the one for Kalen’s birthday…” and that will be enough!
The Big Little City (Post Trip Reflection)
Switzerland is a small country. For comparison, it is approximately double the size as New Jersey with about the same number of people. Zurich, its most populous city follows this trend, with only about 400k people. Despite its size Zurich contained multitudes. There is a historic aspect of Zurich seen through prominent clock towers and roman remains; it possesses current relevance, exhibited through its prominence as a financial center and its university, and it also has a young, artsy and even rebellious aspect that cracks through in the park were teens are drinking and listening to music or graffiti hidden in the shadows. While touring Zurich another feeling that I got that I was never able to confirm (it could be that we were exploring during the day when most of the “locals” were working or that this was heavy tourist season) the sense that most of the people with Zurich were young and foreign, giving the city a unique, transient feel.
Like any city, Zurich was hard to scratch beyond the surface. Our first couple days were filled with sightseeing, museums, and walking tours as we tried to get a sense of the city, but it wasn’t until we got a little way off the “cookie cutter” tourist route that I truly saw the appeal of the city. Of the days spent there, I found two most notable. The first was hidden in plain sight. It didn’t take long for us to marvel at the cleanliness of the river that cuts the city in two, we even juxtaposed it to in cities like NYC or Chicago where you would be lucky to emerge without a combo pack of dysentery, cholera and ganglia, but it wasn’t until the 3rd day that Jordan and I decided to take a plunge. The 4th day was the real highlight, were Aidan joined us and we spent much of the day down on the riverbanks, doing flips off the walking bridge and floating downstream. We weren’t alone either. The banks were packed with people sunbathing swimming, drinking and dancing making it feel very lively.
The second was a mom organized tour that turned into a dad-lead mutiny of the organized bus tour called “Zurich and Surroundings”. The tour started with a quick sight seeing venture through the city then transported us by bus, then by boat around and across the lake. Outside of Zurich the scene changed completely. What was urban turned into what felt like a ritzy beach-front community with large, gated homes which I compared to, without much team buy in, some of the small communities along the water in the northeast (towns along East Beach RH come to mind). After crossing the lake, we then drove up a hill to a small restaurant/bar that looked over Zurichsee. We ate a quick meal served by a charismatic waiter who spent half of our conversation making fun of American cheese or impersonating Arnold, then Dad proposed an alternate to the bus ride back; walk the six miles to our hotel. The mutiny was almost universally adopted with only Aidan taking the bus back so he could sleep off some of this jet lag. We walked through wooded areas along hill sides and through the Zurich suburbs, getting our first the first glimpse of the charming Switzerland countryside.
There were many more notable excursions around Zurich; guided by serendipity, we got to celebrate national Swiss day among the small patriotic crowd that gathered in one of the town squares. We toured the Lindt factory and ate chocolate until we were all unwell, we toured the museum to get a sense for the Swiss history (which is sparse for European standards) and more.
Aug. 2rd 2022 – Appanzell, Our First Glimpse of the Alps
Traveling into the Swiss countryside. The topography is stunning. Vibrant green hills capped with thick forest roll into the distance. Further into the distance the sharp silhouette of the alps loom.
The road takes us through a series of small towns, most with nothing more than a hardware store general store and a few houses. From the town center small roads twist up the grassy hillside connecting farmhouses. Thick patches of trees pool at the edge of the grass creating sharp boarders negotiated over hundreds of years. As we drive, the sound of cowbells ring through the open window as happy Swiss cows look for greener grass.
Dad’s Travel notes – Zurich to Appenzell.
Very green and hilly drive from Zurich to Appenzell…. Swiss fairytale book stuff. Grass being cut and hay drying in the fields. Cows and their bells ringing all over the hills. Water everywhere. Surely the land of dairy and cheese. Town of Appenzell was charming, and the hotel was so nicely run. Typical Swiss architecture. Food was heavy but good and hearty. So much good hiking and the lake Seealpsee was a spectacular sight and made for the perfect spot for a beer and a refreshing swim..
Appenzell greets us after 45 minutes of weaving along narrow two lane roads, dodging around tractors and mini semis. The town is quintessential Schweizer Deutsch. The layout resembling a ski town; walking streets wonder through shop fronts that offer high end trinkets (one even had artisanal cowbell, in case you just need more cowbell…). Above the shops and cafes are small apartments and hotels with brightly colored façades with distinct contrast between the building, trim and shutter. To top off the Façades, each roof is uniquely shaped make each more distinguished.
We spent very little time taking inventory of the town before heading towards the mountains to start on the first hike of the trip.
A gondola took up to a vantage high above the countryside. We found a spot to eat lunch; with the sharp peaks and exposed limestone faces of the alps behind us, we watched hang gliders take off and rise high above us circling overhead before deceasing towards the grassy hills of the low land. We had made it into the Swiss alps! First, we hiked a short way to a hermit house situated at the mouth of a cave that opened into a great view of the countryside. The idea that this man went to all this effort building a wooden house perched far up this shear face was not only a wonder to behold but the question both of how and why became prominent themes throughout our trip. Next path then led us to a restaurant built into the rock face. Another theme of Switzerland was that food and, more importantly drink, could be found at the top of every mountain. And at least the beer was usually good! From there the party split, mom and dad heading to the lake and the brothers continuing onward and upward.
The hike was magnificent, but better told through pictures than words. Some highlights included steep climbs, high exposure traverses, carcasses, wildflowers, alpine farms with alpine cows and a local beer and dinner with an extraordinary view.
After 7 hours of hiking and a near miss with the last bus of the night (a saga best left to memory), we half walked half dragged ourselves into our beds in Appenzell to prep for the next adventure.
Aug. 3rd 2022 – An Old Town, A Dip and A Climb to St Moritz
An aspect of traveling through Europe that I find unique is the ability to dig into multiple layers of well-documented history. Every little tidbit from every town and every building can be placed in context to the local, regional, and continental geopolitical, bringing every monument and relic to life. The effects of thousands of rebellions, drought, immigration, and conquest is practically written on the walls of buildings, shapes local customs and rewards those who take the time to peal it back.
The historical diagram in a small castle close to Gams presents this perfectly. It starts with bare rock which symbolizes the small hill that the castle sits. Slowly, building blocks drop from the roof onto the rock, each representing rooms that make up the different renovations or expansions of the castle. The narrator tells of how the foundation was built by duke A during era B, then additions were made by archbishop C after the expansion of Christianity, then the fire in era D burned down branch E of the castle which was rebuild by so and so after so and so dynasty change, caused by so and so geopolitical event. Subjugation, exploration, prosperity, rebellion, rule… it was all tightly packed into the walls around us.
After the castle tour, we took a quick detour into the Lichtenstein a country with a population of 38000 and so small that it required someone to zoom so far into Google maps that residential street names begin to appear. It is one of (but not the) smallest countries in Europe. For one reason or another (likely tax related) Lichtenstein has been able to retain its independence.
Our drive continued for some ways until a scheduled detour of Lake Walensee. Getting there was no easy feat, however. The road into the designated swimming area was a long single lane that hung to the cliff edge overlooking the lake and passed through several tight tunnels. We had to wait for our scheduled departure time, every 30 minutes we deduced although he signs were in German, so we didn’t know for sure, and follow a caravan to a small parking lot with lake access. Not much makes dad slow down on the road but, with mere inches separating our side view mirrors from the stone cave face, even he was reduced to a crawl.
We took a short walk to a waterfall, but the heat took a toll on moral. The definite highlight was swimming in the refreshing blue, green glacial water of the lake. Not to cold, not to hot, surrounded by large peaks and green hills, this was a moment of bliss.
By a narrow margin, we were able to pass through the tunnels and were again on the road. Now, we climbed.
Dad’s Travel Notes – Drive to saint Moritz.
Drove through Valdez the capital of Liechtenstein over the Rhine but didn’t stop. Went to oldest wooden village and old castle nearby. Swam at Walensee lake and found a road that tucked around the back side. (Very narrow one lane one way road lead through tunnels and around lake to a beach). We climbed up and up over the passes and steep forests was dramatic but small towns seemed uninteresting and somewhat industrial. Coming from We were now on the Italian speaking side Switzerland—or more accurately, the Romansch speaking part – an estimated total of 60,000 people speak this Swiss-only language that is unique to the county and is a ruminant of the country’s roman history and is mountain populations that have lived in isolation in the deep alp valleys. This speaks to one of the most interesting aspects to travel in Switzerland, the multi-lingual and multi-cultural confluence of this little country that is made up of the left-over corners of the neighbors and of history. We came to understand that even the Romansch language has dialects that change depending with valley you’re in. The national government is working to keep Romansch alive and encourage its use in books, movies, and newspapers.
Once again, the scenery changed, this time to wide valleys and scree covers mountains. We arrive at St Moritz late in the evening and didn’t get into our apartment later still due to a hardly believable story that the manager told us of someone breaking into the apartment between the hours of 4 and 7 pm, cooking themselves a meal, taking a nap on 3 of the beds then leaving. While we waited, we went out to dinner for pizza at a small restaurant. The apt manager recommended an Italian restaurant that he knew the owner and comp’ed us a bottle of wine which helped put us in good spirits. We ordered a very large 50 cm pizza topped with carpalia, age-dried beef and prosciutto and we settled in.
Aug 4th, 2022 – The Easy Way Up
The first demanded from dad during breakfast was that whatever exploration we undergo, it must involve a gondola to get us up the steep-sided vallie. We narrowed our sights on Piz Corvatsch and set out.
As advertised a gondola, larger than any I have been on, took us to a lookout halfway up the mountain, then to the peak. Stepping out of the cab onto the observatory we were greeted by a stunning view of two huge glacial fields pouring off of jagged mountain peaks. First, in typical Gans fashion, we attempted to venture from the safely of the viewing platform over a large ice sheet towards a better vantage but determined that the potential hazards of the trek were not worth the gain. Instead, we found a nice place for a picnic and watch the clouds form and morph as the wind pulled them over the peaks.
Before we left the peak of Carvasch, we stopped in at the distillery. It was deemed highest distillery of whisky and gin in the world, an award that I would guess not very many others were competing for given the magnitude of effort lugging all the equipment and staffing must be. But then again, if anyone would be brewing at the top of peaks, it would be the Swiss.
After taking in the sites, we took the gondola halfway down the mountain to the viewing platform that offered better hiking options and used the opportunity to stretch our legs and test our lungs. Along the way we were treated to great birds-eyes view of the series of lakes that sit on the valley floor, some with a unique pale-blue glacial coloring and others a deeper blue. Sivaplanarsee, the glacially colored lake at the base of Corvasch was dotted with colorful sails and kites blown by the Maloja wind that picks up in the afternoon.
Aug 5th, 2022 – A Day for Activities:
The group split for the whole day for the first time since we started our voyage. Jordan and I rented mountain bikes, Aidan was going to learn how to windsurf, and mom and dad were off on an adventure of their own.
The day Jordan and I had planned started early with e-bike rentals and a lift ticket. The equipment left a lot to be desired, but the trail system and the view were top notch. Jordan and I spent the day relaxing on chair lifts or snaking down miles of flow trails all while surrounded by the stunning scenery of the Engadin alps. Not little experience with flow trails and with the excuse of the equipment slowing us down, we struggled a bit and I fell hard once… but we found our groove around mid-day and couldn’t have been happier.
The end of the day offered a bit of drama. First, I got a flat tire and had to hitch a ride part of the way down the mountain with the maintenance crew while Jordan kept shredding. Then my après-bike beer, was interrupted by a short rainstorm. And finally, we got news that some of the lifts that we needed to traverse across the mountain to our rental location were closing early, which wouldn’t have been a problem if our bikes were working, but it was going to be a long walk with a flat tire. In despite effort to avoid having to walk the bikes, Jordan swapped bikes with me, giving me the last run, while he sprinted down the mountain my bike to try and catch the last lift down the mountain. The bad news, the lift had already closed by the time he got there. More bad news started pouring just in time for his hour and a half walk down the mountain. The good news, using his Italian charm, he was able to convince the lifties to reattach the bike lift and keep the gondola running to get him down the mountain. Dramas aside, all’s well that ends well!
Word of mount is that after some challenges at the beginning (all of which were filmed by Mom) Aidan picked up windsurfing quickly. Mom and dad also had a great day exploring!
Dad’s Travel Notes – San Moritz
We are now in an area with more Italian being spoken. The “feel” is not Italian but somewhere in-between. Money and sophistication are top in San Mortitz. Boys went mtn biking and windsurfing. Hayley and I went for hike at Fukian Pass. Despite being at 6,000 feet, the land is alpine…treeless in the passes and mountains with just rock, heath and grasses that attest to the cold snowy winters.
Aug. 7, 2022 – Summer storms- Lucarno & Valle Maggia
Up the western valley from the alluvial fan where Lucarno sits is the small village of Cevio in Valle Maggia. Evidence of stonework was apparent as we drove up the valley toward Cevio, but this town was a part of antiquity that revealed the poor and agricultural past of the country of Switzerland. Entering the town was a portal to another world. Stone stairways lead up to stone houses topped with stone roofing. Large thin slabs are used as posts and wider shorter slabs for fences. Other than doors and a few support beams, the whole town was built from stone and none of it held together using mortar. Even the church tower steeples, which stretches high above the town where topped with perfect stacking of granite slab which resembled a witch’s hat.
It was hard to believe that we could have a town all to ourselves but, in spite of the long line of cars parked at the town entrance, it was empty. Walking around this ghost town started to make us feel uneasy and theories started brewing. Perhaps most of the town was on vacation, perhaps they were all at mass… or perhaps the opening of a grotto buried deep within the mountain side was opened releasing a plague that infected the locals and we had walked into ground 0 for the zombie apocalypse…
Leaving Cevio we continued along the valley, stopping for a lunch of cheese, cured meat, bread and pickles/pickled onions by the babbling brook. As is tradition, after the meal we searched for a cappuccino and some dessert and found acceptable servings of both at the nearest coffee shop. When we sat, the server warned of a potential storm, but we chocked it up to madness as the sun shone down on us. Halfway through our drinks lightning crackled overhead. Then again. Soon rain, then large beads of hail fell with vigor! We all huddled underneath the umbrellas warming our hands on our drinks and watching the storm roll through. 10 minutes into the deluge, dad declares the storm to be a two-cappuccino storm and orders a second helping.
For our final leg up the canyon we snaked up the twisting road towards the lake at the top of the valley. The lake was man-made, blockaded by a large dam built in the 1950s. Once again, the dam seemed like a huge undertaking with marginal benefits… a continuation of the Switzerland theme. The story was made more interesting still as we deciphered an info sign that describes a series of tunnels through the mountains that connect this lake to others downstream, generating electricity and possibly being used as a giant energy storage system. Whatever the Swiss used it for, Aidan decided that it was best served as a huckin’ station for rocks, sticks and even a tree trunk.
The day ended with a dip in the cool clear river.
Dad’s Travel Notes – San Moritz. Bellagio. Lugano. LocarnoSo dramatic a drop down from SM Maloja Pass with sharpest switchbacks. Town of Vicosoprano was so well preserved with original wood buildings… like stepping back in time into a mid-evil Village. Ferry over to Bellagio for a couple hours then onto Lugano for a walk along the lakefront. Beautiful shoreline and shopping street and plaza. Drive to Locarno was up and over more windy roads and a dramatic pass where we stopped for a picnic then down to Lake Maggorio and Locarno. Town was having a music fest and film fest which attracted lots of visitors. Days here were spent up the West Valle and Valle Vacarza. Both were super beautiful as the narrow roads wound high up the Valle along rivers and through tiny villages. Would love to come back here for hut-to-hut hiking in high alps. Towns felt authentically agricultural. Lacarno and Asconia.
Aug 8th, 2022 – When in Rome
Again, leaving the Alluvial fan of Locarno we headed up the Eastern valle. Also a deep valle from prior glaciation, the road leads up along a Verzasca river East of Locarno. We drove up windy steep roads that were originally goat and cattle trails to the town at the end of the valle, Sonogno.
A short hike from town things really started looking different. First a waterfall cascades for a couple hundred feet into a crystal-clear pool then, following along the river we pass through thick ferns and carpets of grassy that more closely resembled the tropics than Switzerland. The trail continued for some time until we reached a series of pools connected by waterfalls. Not wasting any time. Dad was down to his underwear jumping into one pool, swimming across, scrambling up the slopes rock face next to the waterfall and repeating. Mom stuck behind and dipped her feet in while the brother’s followed dad. The water was far from warm but after the initial plunge, felt refreshing. Between the steady flow of water, the clear blue pools and the sun shining down on us we all though as though we had found a little slice of heaven.
On our way out of the canyon we had one more stop to make our adventure complete. Early that day, while driving us the valley we saw a beautiful double arch bridge modeled after the Roman architecture. We, especially Aidan, were compelled to stop to scope out its jumping potential. The water was clear and deep, and the cameras were focused on us, so we had no choice but to give it a run. One by one, from oldest to youngest we lept from the bridge into the water 35 feet below. A small round of applause followed each of our leaps as the crowd watched the spectacle. Aidan, the performer, gave the crowd some more to cheer for as he attempted, successfully twice, a front flip into a dive from one of the rocks beneath the bridge. The crowd celebrated his successes and his belly flop all the same!
Aug. 9, 2022 – Zermatt.
And once again we are off! Winding through precarious roads cut along the canyon wall. As we drove , several near misses and a spike in heart rate provided ample reminder of why the Italian drivers are perceived as lunatics. No-one slept as we drove. At the top of the valley, we passed through a small town that was bustling with activity. Peering down the streets as we passed, we saw a busy market and decided to stop for a local experience and potentially score lunch.
The week-day market was full of nick-nacks, clothing, kitchen ware and other household essentials but what struck us most was the food. Like refrigerators on wheels, the sides of transport trucks which had likely arrived that morning from a town just up the road opened to reveal wheels of cheese, cured meats hung from their awnings. One had a rotisserie and another fresh fish. People flocked to these stands shouting over one another and waving “next in line” tickets. Mom and dad couldn’t help themselves and we walked away from the market with armfuls of local cheese and meats.
Dad’s Travel Notes – Lacarno to Zermatt.
Climbing on narrow roads through tiny mountain towns we slowly get through the mountains and over to the upper Rhône valley and to Tasch where we park in a multilayered modern garage and tram system that takes up into the uniquely car less Valle of Zermatt.
After the market we continued towards Tasch, a small town that we used as a transfer station before heading into the carless Zermatt. We parked, hopped on the train and were graced with 12 minutes of valley views interrupted by dark tunnels.
He was waiting for us as we exited the train… watching over the small town of Zermatt… the Matterhorn. With its prominence and distinct shape, it was nearly impossible to find a view that it didn’t occupy front and center. It even viewable from the backyard of our apartment and one of the bedrooms!
That afternoon the brothers split off for a hike. Giving up on our gorge walk that we had planned we found our way to a bridge with a beautiful view of the town and, of course, the Matterhorn above. After some pictures we descended find a restaurant where we maintain our view of the Matterhorn for sunset all the while the Bros enjoyed biers and brots!
Aug 10th 2022 – The Matterhorn.
Dad’s Travel Notes – Zermatt.
Cold gray-blue river of glacial runoff roars through the center of the Swiss styled village nestled in a valley under the jagged peak of Matterhorn. A spectacular pyramid of rock and ice seems to have landed on the earth as an alien ship rather that a mountain peak. Battery powered bikes and trollies zip around town moving people luggage and supplies. To be car less… what a wonderful change. And though it is connected by an umbilical cord of train tracks, the town of Zermatt still feels like a small hamlet un-impacted by the masses of tourists and visitors that roll off of the trains year around. Gondolas run us miles up the mountains but still we barely reach the base of the Matterhorn. Steep, even overhanging sides lead up to a single iconic point, too shear to hold snow, the Matterhorn appears to be carved from a single block of rock. From the patio of our accommodations, we are treated to a perfect sunset view as the mountain light turns from blue to yellow to orange.
To awake to Matterhorn’s greeting was a treat. To be able to explore it and the other high peaks, including Rosa the highest of the range, by gondola was better still. Zermatt was unlike other ski mountains I have been to. It was likely one of the models for the ski towns in the US, but the lift system (and the scope and scale of the development as a whole) was much more sophisticated. A series of gondolas took us towards the Matterhorn; first a large one with lots of standing room then a gondola that was, as Aidan described it, the Ferrari of chairlifts (it even had heated seats). From the top we got a great view of the Matterhorn, (although the clouds had begun rolling in) Rosa and a glimpse down the backside of the range into Italy.
We also saw a few members of the Swiss Olympic team during their down-hill ski practice. Talking to one of the locals watching practice we learned that this was the first year that the glacier was not open to the public for summer skiing because of the lack of snow and severe melting that year.
The final activity offered at the observation deck was the snow cave. An elevator transported us a couple floors down spitting us into the mouth of an ice cave carved deep within the glacier. The temperature continued to drop as we walked deeper into the cave, the deep blue ice walls frosting over and crystallizing as the air cooled and condensed. We passed carved dioramas of ice… Dragons, Eagles, a water bearer… all containing incredible details considering the tools and conditions.
Aug. 11th 2022 – A French Charm
Departing Zermatt towards Chamoney… Shamone… Chamonix (damn you French) our travels, once again, took us through staggering changes in landscape and culture.
Dad’s Travel Notes – Zermatt to Chamonix.
This drive down the Rhône valley follows the river towards lake Geneva and the French boarder. It gets hotter and dryer as we go and grapes now appear to dominate the sides of the lower valley. As we visit the medium sized town of Scion we notice we’re fully immersed in the French in language, style, and food. This wide valley has ski resorts on either side that are posh and visited by Europeans via the Rhône access. We, however, cut up the hillside valley again. This time into the French alps. The precision Swiss-crafted roads, bridges and trails become more loosely maintained.
One of the things that makes Switzerland so unique its location sandwiched between Italy, France Germany and Austria (and Lichtenstein if you count it) and its history of city states. These two factors have created a country that is divided into regions, all under the same flag, but that are vastly different. While traveling, the most immediately noticeable change is the language. If feels as though the country speaks the dialect of its closest border: German in Zurich, Italian in Lucerne and French in Chamonix. Beyond the language, there subtitle change to the food, architecture the way people look and act… put plainly the cultural “feel” is very different.
Chamonix was different than the other towns we visited. The closest comparison was Zermatt, but Chamonix is easily accessible by highway and so becomes jammed with traffic and people. Downtown bustled all day and night with people walking, eating, shopping or just hanging out. The mountains were also bustling with casual tourists and hard-core mountaineers alike. It was perhaps this duality that best defines Chamonix: a town that can accommodate the mountaineer who wakes up at 2am to scale Mount Blanc with a paraglider on his back and the luxury seekers who’s sense of adventure is an exotic bottle of wine and a 4 star meal in the mountain hotel.
Dad’s Travel Notes – Chamonix.
French. More crowded than anywhere else we’ve been on the trip. There is a highway that comes to the valley allowing easy access. The valley is narrow with large steep mountains on either side. Must take a gondola or tram to get into the high and interesting areas. First day went up the backside of the valley and walked a traverse between two cable cars stations in the high alpine. Plaza fun and full of outdoors looking people at night. Glacial river runs through town filled with shops and restaurants. Alpen-glow on Mont Blanc summit can be seen from the town square and from our hotel balcony in evening! Room at our grand hotel with high ceilings and modern interiors and a terrific view of Monte Blanc. Up the MB mountainside the next day. Three cable cars eventually got us up to Midi Needle station which is at the base of MB and at the level of the glacier fields. MB is Europe’s highest mountain at 15k’. Near freezing and windy at top we did not stay long but did visit several viewing platforms, ice cave exhibit, and saw climbers ascending MB. Very serious stuff. Down to a lower station got us out of the snow and back to warm and green where we traversed up the valley on a 5-mile trails to a cogwheel train back to town. Third day was a cogwheel train to MB glacier where we saw ibex!
Aug. 14th 2022
Dad’s Travel Notes – Chamonix to Montreux.
Jordan and I sick for the day. Travel and wellness day. Went to castle at Montreaux which was restored and conjured feelings of living in the medieval period. Many movies filmed here, reminded me of Dubrovnik.
Cities of Geneva and Lausanne. Lake, watches, and wealth. Geneva has a ultra-wealthy and fancy lake front and downtown on the south side of the river… as posh and sophisticated as it gets. Very international feeling, 60 percent of the city residents are non-Swiss. Seems like most are rich until you visit the north side of the Rhône which is more working class and nonwhite. Lausanne on the way back, stopped for Ethiopian dinner and a lake front walk and a visit to the grounds of the International Olympic Committee. Entire town is on the south facing hillside of the Lac Leman which provides beautiful views and warm sun and sunsets. Much looser feel than Geneva with large university and young feeling. Ah, savior faire.
Aug 16th 2022
Dad’s Travel Notes – Montreux to Interlaken.
Cheese country! Quickly get away from Lac Leman and into the agricultural areas. Visit home country of griere cheese and the town, castle, and cheese factory by the same name. On to Freiburg or Fribourg in French. Old town set deep down in a gulch of rivers that have served as a mote to preserve the historic feeling and building of the town. Large student population here but is was very quiet during the summer break. Interesting fact. Half the town speaks German half on the others side of the river speaks French. All street and store signs show both – – called the Romandie.
Aug. 17th 2022. Interlaken – a Hike for the Ages (but not all ages)
It’s no wonder I didn’t write much about this part of the trip, not because we didn’t have a lot going on, but because we were so busy. One of the biggest days was a hike that Jordan planned was along the ridge on the northern side of lake Brienzersee.
The morning started early with breakfast (likely consisting of meat and cheese), lunch prep (likely consisting of meat and cheese) and one more glance at the weather. Everything looked good for the morning, and we just had to hope that we could beat the thunderstorm predicted that evening.
The plan was to take a train from Interlaken along the lake to Brienz where we would catch a Rack Railway up to the ridgeline then hike back. The total hiking distance was estimated at 15 miles.
The train transfer went smoothly and in no-time we were plopped on a single-track trail that followed so closely to the ridgeline that we were incredulous at times. This trip was perhaps the most stunningly beautiful of anything we saw in Switzerland. Unbelievably green grass climbed the hillside on either side of us reaching a distinctive point at the ridge. Huge exposures made hiking precarious but left us with breathtaking views (or maybe we were a tad out of shape) of the turquoise lake below. We saw Ibex and antelope goats and on rare occasion another hiker.
While the hike did not end in high spirits (I think given the chance, Aidan would have taken the gondola at mile 7) but it one certainly one that left us with a lifetime of memories!
Aug. 18th 2022 – Leaps of Faith
Dad’s Travel Notes – Interlaken. Lauterbrenen.
Firstly, this is town of water and mountains. the turquoise river runs everywhere though town and behind our flat… stunning color. Town is full of tourists and interestingly by Arabs that are being recruited here to spend money (on watches) by organized effort by Swiss government. They don’t make it into the mountains which is where we spent our three-days. Boys did a grueling and scary 15-mile ridge hike. Hayley and I, a great 4-mile loop on Schinge Platte. Terrific views of Lake Vallies and Mountains (Eiger and Jungfru) and glacier filled vallies. Next day in Lauterbrenen and Murren was a comfortable agricultural feeling hamlet in a sheer-sided valley. All so vertical; with waterfalls dropping into the valley from all locations. So green, with residents living a simple life raising milk cattle and grass.
On our way through the valley towards Grimmalwald we were treated to the contrast of a peaceful valley floor with vibrant green grass, old farmhouses and glacial stream running through the center enclosed on both sides by steep rock faces. This duality invoked the sense of small yet large, peaceful yet dramatic, immediate yet endless. It is likely these emotions attracted another exciting feature of the valley that descended quickly towards us as we watched with a mixture of horror, then awe. Base jumpers.
Aug. 19th 2022
It is our last day in Switzerland and the spectacular weather that graced us for the entire trip finally gave way to rain. We were slow to rise and slower to get moving, but we were determined to make every day, even our last, count.
Jordan, who had researched many adventures in Switzerland had just the right trip all-water-all-day of gorges and waterfalls that were enhanced by the prior night’s rain. First stop was Aareschlucht Westeingang – a deep gorge made in the limestone by the river that fed into lakes of Interlaken… a slot canyon whose steep vertical walls that narrowed to mere feet in some places and widened to 100 feet in others. We walked along a scaffolding bolted to the cliff and though tunnels in the cliffside as curtains of water fell from the canyon walls and waves of silty water gushed below. Despite our jackets, we were soaked within minutes, but that did little to… wait for it… dampen our spirits.
As we walked, we took note of how much water was flowing through the canyon which could only be appreciated when we reached the wider portions of the trail. In some places the river was 50 feet wide and perhaps 5 feet deep with an easy flow rate. This same amount (volumetric flow rate) of water then pass through the narrowest section, meaning the depth of the slot canyon and it’s water speed there was significant. This was the erosive forces that created this canyon, accelerated.
After a couple of hours exploring in the canyon photographing in the downpouring, we got a hot-cholate at the gift shop and loaded back into the car for our next stop…Reichenbachfall waterfall. A funicular took us up the mountain (a formidable walk if our legs had to take us) to the base of the falls.
There were several informational bulletins with pictures of what the falls look like without the rain, but fueled by 24hours of rain, this trickle had swelled into a roaring river pouring off the cliff. The falls were shrouded in fog that rose from the rocks below the falls.
Dads Travel Notes
Weather has been so great the entire trip. Last day looks like rain. Last day looked like a wash but hard rain turned to spotty drizzle as we explored the Aareschlucht Westeingang river canyon and Reichenbachfall waterfalls near Interlaken. Impressive for sure and made more so by the nights rain. Both were a spectacle and a great end to our trip.
Aug. 20th. 2022 – And We’re Off
August 20th marks our departure from Switzerland with parties disbanding in different directions. Mom, Jordan and I head back to CA, dad to visit his friend of 30-years, Jakob, in Berlin, and Aidan heading back to Chicago for this his final year of school.
I think there are mixed feeling among the group on our departure. I don’t think any of us want the trip to be over, but travel is taxing and the longer we are away from the responsibilities of our life the more they build. We may not be ready to leave Switzerland, but as mom has said “we have seen this beautiful land” and the time had come to say our farewells and return to rote of daily life. The three weeks of our big loop around Switzerland have giving us a deep understanding this little country that is chock-a-block full of mountains, glaciers, valleys, villages, languages, cheese, and chocolate!
Dad’s Travel Notes –
Zurich for the morning as we drop Aidan off for his flight direct to Chicago and his last year of college and Hayley and family leave me in town to make my way to Munich by train as they fly home to Palo Alto. Everyone got off clean and I had the amazing luck of bumping into our friend from the Seattle kayak trip Laura in the Zurich Bahnhof. Crazy indeed… my train platform was moved at the last minute, and I scrambled to make sense of the change announced over the speaker and get to the train in 5 minutes. She called my name and we hugged and snapped a selfie in an unusual moment of serendipity. Perfect!
Now. To see my long friend of 30-years Jakob for our week long Bahnhoff adventure back to Berlin.
Trips like these will always be a special part of the Gans family and it is my hope that, as time goes on and we are able to continue this tradition of exploration and adventure for the years to come!
