What We Had
Sunny and Warm
High: 69° Lo: 48°
Averages
High: 67° Lo: 51°
Currently
CHF
Conversion rate on our visit: CHF1.00 = $.9606
Murren
Overview
Murren circa 1257
​From the Murren city website: Mürren, the Dorf auf der Mauer (Village on the Wall) was first documented in 1257. Over the centuries its name has been written in a variety of ways: Montem Murren, Murron, Murn, Mürn, Murne, Myrrhen, and Mürren. It is an old Walser settlement, traces of which can still be detected in some of its buildings and also in the local dialect. It is thought that people from Lötschen in the Valais came over the then negotiable Wetterlücke (gap). In contrast to Wengen, Mürren is one long village along the mountain terrace, with no further villages beyond.
On our way to Murren we stopped for a break in Simplon. We grabbed some goodies and drinks at the Tea-Room Arnold and took a few moments to take pictures (outside the bus for a change) and marvel at the local scenery.
Very Swissish
Looking up the street
Locals at the bar as Dean and Fancine enter
Our group having a treat
Our group having a treat
Our group having a treat
Just an interesting sign - Fresh chicken from Simplon
A local guest house
A farm next door
Just a pretty scene
Tea-Room Arnold 3907 Simplon Dorf Tel: +41 (0) 27 979 11 25 FAX: +41 (0) 27 979 16 28
What We Saw
Zermatt and the Matterhorn
We went to Zermatt with the hope of seeing the Matterhorn. We didn't get a shot of it (I guess we just weren't patient enough). The shot below was taken by Janet.
The Matterhorn Picture by: Janet M
The Zermatt Shuttle coming into the station
On our way
Arriving in Zermatt
Looking through the downtown
Near the old Hotel
Grand Hotel Zermatterhof
If the sky were clear that would be the Matterhorn
Local vehicles are limited
On a good day this is what we`d have seen
There`s a sign post up ahead...
At times the view was pretty
Our shuttle back down
What We Saw
Lotschberg Tunnel
Switzerland was laced with tunnels. We took a train (the whole bus with us in it) through the Lotschberg Tunnel. To say it was a tight fit is truly an understatement. There was no more than 6 inches between the side of the bus and the railroad car.
From Wikipedia:
The Lötschberg Tunnel is a 14.612 km (9.079 mi) long railway tunnel on the Lötschberg Line, which connects Spiez and Brig at the northern end of the Simplon Tunnel cutting through the Alps of Switzerland.
Want to know more?
Waiting in line to board the train
A bus exits from the other direction
Looks like it`s coming out of a cocoon
An now we have to fit into the car
Wow some REALLY skillful driving by Hans
The cars we traveled through to exit the train
Out the other end and passing the engine
What We Saw
Schilthorn
Our visit to the Schilthorn was the highlight of our trip. We took a cable car to the top of the mountain. Out on the observation deck we took many pictures of the beautiful Bermese Alps. WHAT A VIEW! Although we couldn't see down into the Lauterbrunnen Valley we had a good view of the lakes to our north. We spent over 45 minutes just taking in the views.
The video below of the cable car that took us to the Schilthorn. It looked small from here, but as you can see from the photo below we all fit in.
Cable Car Arrives
Where We`re Headed
Loaded Up
On the Observation Deck
Beautiful (note the skiers below)
Jan and Jack
Mya and Dean
Looking West
Looking East
Our view out the window
Us
8 trips & 10 Years Together
Schilthorn 9744 Summit in Bermese Alps Overlooking the Lauterbrunnen Valley Bermese Oberland, Switzerland Tel: +41 33 826 00 07
What We Saw
Hiking, train/cable car to Lauterbrunnen
Our afternoon in Mürren was broken into two parts. The first part was spent visiting Lauterbrunnen, the destination of our first visit to Switzerland, ten years ago. We walked east to the train station and took the train and a cable car to the valley below. We walked from the train station to the other end of town and then stopped at the Hotel Oberland for a break and some refreshments (the chocolate cake was yummy). The hotel was where we stayed ten years ago on our first Rick Steves' tour.
We considered a trip up to the other side of the valley (with a repeat of the hike we had taken 10 years before), but decided we really didn't have time and that it wouldn't be worth the CHF 120 it would have cost. So we headed back up to Mürren.
Heaing to the train
Beautiful Scenery
And more beautiful scenery
And Still more
Train Station
Staubbach Falls
Getting a picture of the falls
Hotel Oberland...our hotel from 10 years ago
Stopping for a refresher
Heading back up to Murren
Hiking, train/cable car to Lauterbrunnen
What We Saw
Hiking to Gimmelwald
We spent the remainder of our afternoon hiking down to Gimmelwald. One would think that a hike heading downhill wouldn't be any big deal...and it wasn't to start. However, after a while walking downhill can be very tiring and difficult on your knees and feet. None-the-less we made the trek and took the cable car back to Mürren.
Water, water everywhere Hiking to Gimmelwald
And who said good things don`t come in threes?
Very Swissish
Looking up to the other side of the valley
Walking downhill isn`t always easy on the toes
Beautiful Flowers
More Flowers
Avalanche Control
Wow
Two old men taking it easy
Grimmelwald
Where Heidi would have lived
Beautiful flowers
Where We Ate
Hotel Gornergrat-Dorf
We stopped at the Bistro Bar of the Hotel Gornergrat-Dorf for lunch. Our waitress was a challenge. We had moved one of the tables so the four of us could sit together. This didn't please the waitress. Then when we asked for water, she made it clear that there was no tap water for this part of the restaurant, i.e., we had to buy bottled water...(huh?). A language barrier...I assume?
Anyway we finally ordered and the food was good. As you can see from the picture of my plate, I had a lot more than just lunch. It was one of the few times I found Rosti on the menu. It's odd since to many in Switzerland they consider Rosti their national dish. It was DELICIOUS!
The meal was followed by the continuing challenge of the waitress. It took almost 15 minutes to finally get our bill. And it was clear that the waitress expected a tip. Ha! Last laugh was on her.
So the food as good, but the service was not up to Swiss standards. Because it's a resort town?
Rosti...Yum
Bob and Carol pass us by
Another shot of the dinning room
From across the street (where Bob and Carol had been standing)
We had dinner together on our first night in Murren at our hotel. The food was well prepared and tasted great.
At our table and the table along the side
Our table as well with a little of the next one
Our table also
The other table
Dinner Menu
Where We Ate
Restaurant at the Schilthorn
Breakfast on the Schilthorn was CLEARLY THE BEST OF THE TRIP. A true American style buffet with ALL the fixin's. OUTSTANDING. And the view was fabulous. The restaurant took about 45 minutes to revolve the entire 360°. Great Food and a Great View. Do NOT pass up this opportunity.
Yum
The Restaurant Revolved
More Seating
Our view out the window
Over Linda`s Shoulder Showing the Motion of the Restaurant Restaurant
Where We Ate
Restaurant at the Hotel Blumental
We ended our full day at the restaurant at the Hotel Blumental. There weren't a lot of choices for dinner (our hotel was just too expensive) so we decided to go here. The advertisement out front said that Rick Steves recommended it (turns out it is in his Swiss book) and with good reason. The food was great. By now we were used to the prices in Switzerland for food so that didn't really throw us. Anyways there wasn't a lot of choice. If there had been we might have missed a great place for dinner.
Connie, Ellen, Donna and Liz from our group Dean and Fancine in the back
He`s just saying welcome in German
Out front
Here we are
Restaurant at the Hotel Blumental CH-3825 Mürren Tel: +41(0)33 855 18 26 FAX: +41(0)33 855 36 86
Where We Ate
Breakfast
We ate breakfast on our final day in Murren at the hotel. A standard European breakfast. As with all the others it wasn't special, but filling and got us through to lunch.
Breakfast
Breakfast
Where We Ate
Whymper-Stube
Deane and Fancine enjoying fondue Picture by: Janet M
This is not a restaurant at which we ate. Janet took this picture Deane and Fancine enjoying fondue.
Joe, Michelle and (of course) Janet were there as well.
