Day 7: From Matterhorn to Berner OberlandOn the Road to Zermatt through Simplone
Today was a very full day with lots of travel and really great sights. On our way to Zermatt to see the Matterhorn, we stopped at the village of Simplone, named after the pass we were crossing. Here, we had time for some coffee and excellent, homemade pastries. I had a Schwartzwald Torte (Black Forest Cake). As we drove out of the little town, we were fascinated by the stone shingles on the local buildings. I'm sure they are quite durable! Next, we traveled through Simplone Pass. It was a beautiful drive with lots of switch backs, tunnels and amazing views. Martin gave us some interesting Swiss history lessons, including the story of the origin of the Red Cross and the often unsuccessful attempts to summit the Matterhorn. |
Zermatt and the Matterhorn
We had great flexibility in how we wanted to spend our time in Zermatt. Of course, everyone wanted to see the Matterhorn, but surprisingly, we could see it really well from town. Still, we decided to take the optional ride up the funicular to the observation area to get the best views of the mountain. We were happy with our decision and enjoyed time taking in the scenery and treating ourselves to a light lunch at the restaurant at the top. It was pretty amazing to look at the Matterhorn over my plate of fries! Back in town, we toured the local church and then walked out to the meadow area below the Matterhorn before meeting our crew back at the train station. As a group, we navigated the train system, including a ride on the new train that sped at extraordinary speeds through the mountain tunnels. At the end of our ride, we met Marion who had driven the bus there to meet us. Thanks, Marion! You're awesome. |
Lauterbrunnen Valley
As we headed to the Lauterbrunnen Valley, Pam and I were both worried we had over-remembered the beauty of the valley . . . but we had not. It didn't seem possible, but it was even more stunning than we had remembered. As a group, we took the bus down to Stechelberg and rode the cable car up to Gimmelwald before switching to another car to take us up to Mürren. Once again, the heat kept the rain away, so we were treated to great views. Our group supper was fondue. The owner of the place was an entertaining character, and he gave us a bit of a cooking lesson. We had three delicious courses—salad, Fondue and sherbet for dessert. |
It was a great day that brought us back to the reason we signed up for this tour. Lauterbrunnen remains one of the most beautiful places (if not the most beautiful) we've seen in the world. We feel so blessed to be back, and to top it off, tomorrow is laundry day! Woohoo!
Our Return to Lauterbrunnen
Returning to the Lauterbrunnen Valley was a main reason we booked this trip. It was such an amazing moment to be rising above the valley once again as we climbed to Mürren. On our last visit, we had stayed in Stechelberg in the valley. We loved it there, but we really looked forward to the magnificent views from our village on the mountain top! |