Laowai

We returned Sunday from a great vacation to the Jungfrau region of Switzerland. I have so many photos to share – I hope not too many. Here goes.

This is where we stayed – in a small mountain town called Gimmelwald. There’s not much there except a few modest hotels and hostels, some farmers and their cows and a gondola station.

Here’s a barn (I guess it’s a barn?) with the ceremonial cow bells hanging under the eaves. As you hike around you really do hear cow bells ding-a-linging. If you want to learn all about Swiss cows in the mountains read this.

Goats too.

Heading out for a hike. It is so very nice that you can be way up in the mountains and you only had to take a pleasant train ride and a gondola to get there. There are lots of options for beautiful quiet hikes… er walks, even if you have a stroller to push.

We walked to a rushing stream that came from the glaciers above. I was so reminded of spending time along rivers like this as a kid. Maybe it was the sound of the water or the smell of the woods that made the memories pop into my head. I remembered Dad making himself comfortable on a rock, Mom getting snacks out from a backpack and getting busy jumping from rock to rock with Jennifer. 

The wildflowers were all out to greet us.

Later we walked up to the next town. Up, up, up. In the background you can see the gondola cables, a cow fence and then the railing for the stairs that we were on.

The next morning we were back on the gondola. It’s Bea’s favorite thing. She says she likes when it swings. I like it too but I still find myself gripping the nearest railing as we go so smoothly along. 

That’s enough for now – I’ll do the rest in another post.