Harder Kulm - Interlaken's Home Mountain

Our lovely and enjoyable train ride let us of in Interlaken. Interlaken is, as the name suggests, between two lakes, Lake Brienz and Lake Thun. It is also a beautiful valley between picturesque mountains. Again, we stayed at a Youth Hostel, which was conveniently located right by the train station. After checking in, we were advised to try Harder Klum since we arrived before check in. We stashed our bags and set off for another adventure.

Harder Klum is called “Interlaken’s Home Mountain” and I can understand why, it is RIGHT there! You can either hike up or, take a funicular. While we love hiking how could we turn down a ride in a new to us type of transportation? We ended up getting one way tickets so we could hike back down.

After waiting for the funicular for about 30 minutes we were loaded in, and took off. As we went up the hill the view just got more fabulous. I manages to snap a photo of the other funicular as it headed down the hill. I imagine going down might be a bit more on the intense side than going up.

When you get to the top of the Harder Kulm funicular it is just a short walk over to the observation point. As you approach a truly fantastic building starts peaking through the woods. This was still at the beginning of our trip and we were blown away but the though of a restaurant/bar up there. Little did we know, that it is just a Swiss thing, to have bars everywhere when you go hiking!

The overlook was a triangular shaped deck that went out over the hillside. It was a spectacular panoramic view of the valley below and the mountains in front.

After admiring the view we went for a hike. Before heading down the mountain we went up the ridge line a little ways. While we were seated at a bench enjoying our lunch, a Chinese couple passed by us. My husband heard them talking in Mandarin, so when they greeted us in English he replied in Mandarin. They were so shocked, they did a double take so hard, they almost tripped!

When we left Hawaii for the trip, we agreed that we really both missed Alpine meadows, and that was what we really wanted to see. Well, did the Alps ever deliver! I just couldn't stop taking photos of wildflowers. On our way back down we noticed that the observation point was empty. We stopped for another panorama.

Then we started the switchbacks down the steep mountain back into town. The following are photos taken on that walk back down to Interlaken. I also took the opportunity to play with some of the fun auto settings on my camera.

Rheinfalls

When we landed in Zurich we went and got our train tickets and set off on our first adventure! Once on the train the love affair with Switzerland began. Everything was charming!

On the train admiring the passing landscape

Everything was charming!

We took a train from the Zurich Airport to the Rheinfall (Rhine Fall). We walked along a trail to our hostel. We stayed in a castle above the falls! The office wasn't open but a nice fellow hostel person let us in to stash our bags for the day.

Walking from the train station to the hostel

Yes that castle contained the hostel we stayed at!

After wandering for a while and admiring the falls we stopped for lunch. Brian had currywurst and we were blown away! It was amazing! We then went to the train station and met up with some friends who came down from Germany for the day to see us!

FRIENDS! And yes, we did photoshop Joe... because reasons.

The lovely "Father Rhine" upriver of the falls

Along the shores of the Rhine

We had a wonderful day hanging out and chatting and eating. We were given gifts of food (curry ketchup is the best invention!) and after a few hours we said good-bye at the train station and walked back to the hostel. 

I don't know what you call a guy with a board, a bungee, a bridge and a river... a river boarder? a bridge boarder? Whatever the answer I GOT VIDEO!

I noticed lots of goats. I really liked the 3D details on this building

You know I HAD to take a picture of this guy!

We were so jet lagged and exhausted that we just passed out. Brian woke up in the middle of the night and took a shower. He tried to sleep some more and then got up and walked down to see the falls in the very early morning.

Entry way to the castle where the hostel is located

Walkway down next to the falls

At first we were not totally impressed by the falls, but after getting close we became more in awe. The river is so lazy and calm upstream the contrast is amazing.

Up close and personal with the Rheinfall

Observation Spot

 After the confusion of the first day, day 2 in Europe dawned with less mental clouds. The castle we stayed in was a thousand years old!

First morning in Europe! 

We hopped back on the train and headed to Zurich to catch another train to Interlaken.

Waiting for the train, and reading about where to go next

We had originally thought we would go to Zermatt and see the Matterhorn. However we have a Rick Steves book and he suggested Interlaken instead. I am glad we listened, we LOVED Interlaken! The train ride was just perfect. There was an older British couple chatting in front of us, and everything we went by was just so darned cute!

Love traveling by train!

Location:  47°40'40"N  8°36'56"E
Lodgings: Jugendherberge Dachsen

Did we really just go backpacking in Europe?

I just got back from 3 weeks in Europe, and yes, I had a backpack. Over the next however long it takes me… I am going to be sharing the experiences and sights enjoyed by myself and my husband on this trip. It was my first trip to Europe since the Euro went into use, and my husband’s first trip ever!  

It was a long trip, and the jet lag is still killing me. Therefore, let’s start at the very beginning (a very good place to start). Even us getting to Europe is a story! We left on June 13th (Friday the 13th with a full moon!). After work we went to the movie Maleficent with my coworker who drove us to the airport. It was a red eye so we didn’t need to be there until at least 9pm. When we got there and checked in we were greeted with “Oh YOU’RE the ones going to Zurich! I spent 30 minutes on your reservation!”  

Turns out the plane was delayed on the way into Kona, and the flight was going to be at least one hour behind, causing us to miss ALL the other connections. We were upgraded to first class for the Pacific crossing and given a hotel room in San Francisco since the delay of one hour in Kona meant a 24 hour delay in the rest of our flights. 

So we flew to SFO, checked into our hotel, took a nap, and called some friends in the area. I ended up having a dream about a place I wish existed, with a system of pools and falls and hot springs in a cave. Wish it were real! We took the cal-train and the BART into town and wandered around Union Square. It was odd to see it without the tree and ice rink, since the majority of times we have been there have been for AGU. 

Taken from the Macy's Building. Unions Square looking bare without a tree and rink!

After our friend Charity got off work we BARTed over to her place. We then went with her to a party of some of her Chinese Traditional Medicine friends and had a BLAST! She gave us a ride back to our hotel, and we set our wakeup call to try to get to Europe again!

Sign across the street from the Cafe where we had dinner and watched a bit of World Cup. Cafe La Boheme was very good!

What a wonderful 24 hour delay! 

Sunday morning now, we got to the airport and got checked in and ready to fly cross country. We flew back of the bus to Newark where… after landing early we had to wait, and wait, and wait for a gate to open up. We made our transfer to the next flight where we were seated in Business First! We had pod seats that lay flat so you can sleep! Also you get real blankets and pillows!

FIRST CLASS TRANS-ATLANTIC!? 

We were given warm towels, a placemat, real silverware, a three course meal, and lots of on demand movies! It was truly amazing. I watched The Secret Life of Walter Mitty and Saving Mr Banks. Then I slept and woke up in ZURICH!

First glimpse of Europe as we ate breakfast on the plane.