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"There is nothing quite like climbing to the top of the Alps and looking down upon the earth. Everything in the world suddenly makes sense."
- Anonymous
SWITZERLAND
Day 8
After a refreshing night at our hotel, we were ready to tackle the Alps! To do this, we would have to take the gondola. The gondola lift is a cable transport, supported and propelled by cables (think of a chairlift for skiing or the sky ride at a theme park).
"My first gondola ride was a major freak-out until I saw a swimming pool below. I told my mom, 'if we make it out of this contraption alive, I'm finding that pool!' Mom had predicted that I would find somewhere to train in every country, and she was right! It's very cool to be able to say I've done that."
- Madeline
At the top, we got off the gondola and hiked 2.5 miles along the 7,000 ft. high Mannlichen ridge.
Almost all of the kids joined in, making it a fun family activity! There were occasional warning signs of falling rocks, which made me a bit worried at first, but after seeing those waterfalls and the breathtaking view, I didn't care if a rock slide took me away; it would have been totally worth it. Check it out for yourself below!
By the time we finished hiking, it was almost time for lunch. We decided to walk to Kleine Scheidegg so that we could work up an appetite. On our way there, we forgot about our hunger for a moment because the wildflowers were in full bloom all over the grassy meadows of the Alps. What a glorious sight! We enjoyed a lunch of bratwursts and potatoes (made in a black skillet drum), with apple kuchen for dessert. It was delicious!
The day that we were there just happened to be Swiss National Day! Established in 1891, it is the day that marked the alliance between three alpine cantons. All we really needed to know was that it was a big party day! We saw all kinds of celebrations. There was music, food, and costumes everywhere. Everyone can participate in the parade around town, whether they are locals or tourists. In the evening, their fireworks show could have rivaled Disney World... I've changed my mind- Switzerland is now my favorite!
Local musicians play on the street
Since I promised Madeline earlier that we'd find the pool we had seen from the gondola, we headed back to Wengen, this time taking the train instead of hiking. I'd recommend experiencing both - they are equally thrilling!
Once we found the pool, we were surprised to find out that it was free to get in!
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