SWISS RAIL HOLIDAY June 2013 - Part 2

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jay-ell71
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SWISS RAIL HOLIDAY June 2013 - Part 2

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Post by jay-ell71 »

Part 2

Day 2

We chose to go “boating” on Lake Briezersee today. After a 15 minute walk we arrived at the boat dock. What a lovely day this proved to be. The scenery was, of course magnificent and the boat’s hull was painted with edelweiss and ribbons in bright colours.
It was very pleasant indeed to sail across this huge lake... there was a cafe on board too.
The boat crossed and recrossed the lake stopping several times, a Hop -on-Hop Off boat no less! We left the boat at Murengen and took the funicular to the falls were Sherlock Holmes and Moriarty, purportedly met their end. Quite spectactular. The town has embraced the story and there is a plaque on the rock face across the ravine marking where the dastardly deed was played out. They have photos of members of the Holmes Society, dressed in period costume and an explanation of the event in the small visitors’ centre There is also a bronze of Holmes in the centre of town.

We took a train round the lake back to Brienz, had some lunch and then back on the boat to Interlaken and our hotel.

Day 3

Kandersteg... our honeymoon town and perhaps the real reason we are visiting Switzerland. First we got the train from Interlaken to Speiz. Speiz is a terminal for many train services. The train was in the station when we got there, but the electronic sign did not show Kandersteg, we checked again and this train was on the right platform at the right time. To cut a long story short, when the train left the station, one half when up and the other half went down!! It split and we wern’t on it. There was no-one to ask until it was too late. We had to wait an hour for the next train and Speiz is hardly a metropolis. We had coffee and got the next train to Kandersteg. It was the only travel hiccup of the whole holiday.
Except........On arrival in Kandersteg, we found that “our” honeymoon hotel is now a Care Home for the elderly!!! Probably appropriate, but a bit disappointing. We had lunch in a different hotel, took a gondola lift up the mountain where we did our skiing all those years ago and enjoyed the sunshine and the view. We found the town had expanded considerably as you would expect but it was lovely to reminisce.
Back to Interlaken for a final night in the Metropol.

Day 4

Off to Zermatt. Once again we had to change trains in Speiz. This time there was no drama, the train was waiting and we were soon away. All train services in Switzerland are intregrated. That is the next train, bus or boat is cordinated so you never have to wait more than a few minutes; mostly the transport is waiting for you. How they do it I don’t know. We invented the railway, but cant run it efficiently, or economically. Rant over.

Zermatt is a perfect mountain/ski/walking town, presided over by the Matterhorn. Our hotel The Swietzerhof was very nice indeed just a few steps from the train station. Our room was lovely with a balcony overlooking the local tennis club. Of course the mountains are all around, very picturesque. We were there for a late lunch,which we had in a cafe on the main street and we stayed in the town for the rest of the day, visited the Matterhorn Museum and swam in the hotel pool.
Once again dining room was sparsely occupied, but this time some Italians joined the two tables of Brits. The menu was better than the previous hotel. Service excellent.
Jay

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