France - Switzerland 2001 (2)

GutenMorgin... or something like that. I just tried out that little catchy greeting in the bank this morning and the woman broke out in rapid fire German... then I went to a grocery store and a tourist started asking me in slow, stifled English about some of the produce, throwing in a little make shift sign language (Englund would have been embarrassed for him) and when I answered in American English, he felt a bit stupid... thought I worked there. It's meant to be. Seamus and I will have to make our way back here for keeps and I'll just have to raise a family that speaks French, German, Italian and English.. wouldn't be too shabby and oh the scenery! This small one street town that I am in is called Lautterbrunnen..sp? It is just above Interlaken, which is just west and south of Bern in Switzerland.. all those details cause I know you want to track me on your map.

Now if you will refer to Lautterbrunnen on your detailed map of this valley and prepare to follow me on my hike, I will resume all accounts of this in short. First, this town. When I stand on the balcony of my room in the hostel, I look out into a valley, decorated with the most lush shades of green the rain can provide. The sides of the valley are lined with vertical limestone cliffs and the end of the valley, beyond the trees of the horseshoe which seal it, is a collection of some of the most beautiful snowy peaks I have ever lain eyes on. Through the center of the valley is a gushing river with the most icey-blue shade of water and several living green pastures which feed a handful of cows and sheep, though not in tacky excess. And each of the animals is wearing his or her own bell around the neck. Like in Italy I feel like someone is making music just for me as I meander throughout the small town, peering in windows to watch the people at their version of the daily grind.. which I must say is quite appealing compared to the American way. It's so much easier to live here! And they all seem so happy! I know why of course, seeing what I see each morning that I wake here.

The hostel I am staying in, Valley Hostel, is just like being in a home. It is family run by Martha, Franzy and Alfred. They are like mom, dad and sis when you're here. If you don't feel well, they check up on you. If you need some rain pants they offer their own. If you need some olive oil to cook, they give you of their own stash. I love it here. It is so clean and only costs 14 US dollars a night. The camping here costs just as much and you stay in a cabin, so why bother busting out my sleeping back when they give me sheets and a comforter! It's perfect....

OK; the hike. So, I met this lad, Eric, from Santa Cruz, here at the hostel. We all came together the other night in a game of Hearts, go figure.. the only card game played around the world that's enjoyable...well, one of them.. We were Ireland, Canada, Australia, Korea and US. So, Eric and I headed up, in the rain toward Murren, which is a 2 1/2 hour hike from our small town, mostly up hill. We got to Murren about 2 hours later (rock stars) having passed many gorgeous waterfalls and lush, plentiful forests. When we got to Murren we were in a fog so thick that you could feel the moisture of it on your face... it had stopped raining by now. But unfortunately, we had absolutely no view. We could barely see 20 feet ahead. We knew that would be the case, but after 3 weeks of lethargy on both our parts we were jonesin' for some movement.. (in his CA days, he's a mt. biker, so he craves activity like I do... needless to say, both of us were grunting our way up the hills). So, we didn't see much of the valley from Murren nor much of Murren. Apparently on a clear day, among all else, you can see the Eiger.. Anyway, from there we walked downhill to a town called Gimmelwald. Very small and both of these towns by the way don't allow any cars. The only access is hiking or gondola. From Gimmelawald we were able to see the rock faces across the valley that were about 25 pitches high... :) and the numerous waterfalls that poured from them. We headed down hill from there toward Scheltegard...sp? way off on that one.. sorry. As we were leaving town a little cat ran up to us meowing and rubbing up against our legs. Of course we stopped and held it and pet it. He crawled up on the back of my pack and nudged my head lovingly.. I eventually bent down to let him off but he just sat there like a sphynx and so I started to walk. He just took it all in and enjoyed the ride. Then I got him down, afraid of what would happen if he went too far. He just jaunted on ahead of us, leading the way like a dog, checking back to see that we were coming, eventually leaving us his dust to go venture through a near by pasture and find something to play with. From that point we meandered over the river and through the woods.. :) no lie. We saw several more spectacular waterfalls and then headed back through the valley to this town, settled in for a hot cup of cafe au lait, caffe latte, cafe creme and a super pizza. Back at the hostel, 6 hours later, we played Gin Rummy with a Brit that sounds so Australian, everyone thinks he's lyin' about his origin.. and of course had a bottle of wine.. red. I think I've had an alcohol drink every single day on this trip... with the Wolfe's, I drank, with theWolff's I drank.. on my own with new friends.. I drink. Uh Oh... don't worry dad, it's just like one a day... I don't have a problem... promise. Haha.. ;)love yas. -rai