is the subject of the blog. We think it is one of our better efforts and worthy of inclusion. On a cloudy day,
we suspected the sun might make an appearance...we waited patiently anticipating something special.
It's of Wetterhorn, taken minutes before sunset. All 'horns' are obviously the same color.
We dedicate this to Lionel Greenberg, a man of courage...May golden light always shine upon you.
On a rain and snow day, we kept looking back as we headed away and finally saw the king breaking through,
The Mighty Eiger
Snow girl keeps moving forward. The rewards of being outdoors are far-reaching. Yes...?
A charcoal sketch
We have some interesting conversations with our landlady, Frau Roth, pronounced ‘Rot’. Her English is much better
than our German. Having mentioned that, she only needs to speak a few English words to justify the statement.
Instead of being silenced, we have resorted to speaking Afrikaans, something we have enjoyed this trip. Unfortunately,
our editor is of the opinion, obviously wrong, that Frau Roth understands our Afrikaans as much as English. Jenni
can be rather cruel at times. We have been so immersed in German culture und language this trip that sometimes
we fergessen who we are.
Lunch! You grab every opportunity to rest when editor is full of energy
The sun always shines...somewhere
Anyway, we noticed her passing the living room window so we rushed out to thank her for the brot her husband
delivered the previous evening. Aha! You are wondering about that. Probably as a present for trying to communicate
so nicely, she gave us a loaf of bread. During our conversation, after expressing our appreciation, we asked a few
questions about the town—we are looking for a reason not to settle in Grindelwald—we can’t find one. Now with
our command of the language firmly under control, it seems, except for the cost of living, this is the place to be.
‘What’s the weather like in winter?’ We asked, knowing that late spring has delivered much snow. She indicated with
a movement of hands, how high the snow piled up in her garden during February. Winter is a good reason not to live
here. Danke, Frau.
About to arrive at Grosse Scheidegg, a hike in rain and snow, to find the restaurant open...two teas, please.
The road is for busses and bikes only; the plowing kept it clear, although the bus did not operate on the day.
We first learned of brot when we were in Seefeld, Austria—it was a lesson in danger. We had set off for a
5-30am walk, the morning our editor dragged us from a warm bed to see a wonderful sunrise. Suddenly, a
light-truck came careening along the road, forcing us to jump back onto the sidewalk. We exclaimed,
“Donner en blitzen”. It was the only moving vehicle we had seen in nearly an hour. It turned out to be
the baker’s van delivering brot to the hotels and houses early in the morning. In fact, Mr. Kerber, the
lodge owner, offered us the fresh brot service each morning. It’s nice to see some of the behind-the-scene
services while we are normally asleep.
After the sun cleared much snow over the previous two days, the battle was lost following a fresh dusting
The contrast of snow at altitude with the clear village is dramatic
The people are very formal in Europe or at least, where we are traveling. It’s Mister and Misses wherever
we go. We grew up that way, something we still would have liked to hang onto, especially when a teenage
waiter refers to us as ‘guys’, in California. However, it is a bit too 'stiff' as Mr. Kerber and Mr. Lazarow
relate like old friends in a formal manner. It made us smile.
With all this chatting we nearly forgot about today’s hike. Our bodies sure remember the strain while our
minds were uplifted by the sights. The nature of this region is: Beauty abounds which varies with each
passing moment as the weather provides different perspectives.
A late break, partial exposure of Fiescherhorn. The views from this position are a favorite.
18 months in Texas proves useful as Jenni explains to the herd our expectations of Swiss chocolate.
They were extremely attentive considering it was raining.
It took us three hours to the top and two to return. It was grueling at times but we cooled off nicely when it
began to snow. Once again, the trails are deserted, many parts of the suburbs, too but for Main Strasse, the tourist
hide-out. When we reached the restaurant at the top, the snow was falling and the place looked deserted.
We tried the door and it opened, surprisingly. Two young people were sweeping the floor while the proprietor
welcomed us. For obvious reasons, we could only order tea although we don't think we could afford anything
else. We noticed a Coke priced at over $9. As Jenni mentioned, 'It's hard to imagine where we are—the top
of a mountain, completely covered in snow (the mountain and we, too), almost deserted and three hours from
our commencement point while snow was piling up on the trail. By the way, the only way to the Inn is by bus,
bike or foot. Today, the bus was not operating.
It's difficult to explain the uplifting feelings of joy and discovery that follow after the struggle of a tough
hike and experience. Suffice to say, each day brings along unique adventures provided we make the effort.
Editor at home, learning to cope with snow. We occupy the ground floor, Herr und Frau Roth above, to keep
and ear open for us.
On the way down, heavy snow at the top, the village green
The statistics: A few feet less than 3,000. The distance was twelve miles return. We are staggered by the
elevation gain and distances we are achieving and for which our bodies are being tested. However, ten
minutes after arriving home, we feel relaxed and retain feelings of accomplishment and exhilaration.
We are experiencing a lifestyle unequalled in all our years, despite the usual trials and tribulations (many)
of day-to-day life. B’H.
Cheers,
Jenni and Jeffrey
Apparently, he packed the wrong footwear. That's nothing compared with the dandruff attack
No comments:
Post a Comment