Famous visitors
by Manara
My picture shows part of the facade of the Hotel Interlaken, featuring plaques that commemorate two famous guests who stayed there: George Byron and the composer Felix Mendelssohn. It is at N° 74 of the Höheweg.
George Byron was there in 1816, according to the plaque, but that was just one of various visits to Interlaken. At that time the hotel was named Interlaknerhof and was the very first hotel in Interlaken, created by transforming what originally had been the guesthouse of a nearby monastery. Even nowadays, after all the changes that the hotel has undergone, the hotel bar is still in the same room of the old monastery tavern.
Felix Mendelssohn was another frequent visitor in Interlaken, and he had started spending holidays in this region since his childhood. In 1820 a doctor had decreed the air of this region to be particularly salubrious, and this was important when holidays were meant especially to provide a “change of air” for the sake of health.
Games Children Play
by riorich55
After our high flying tandem paragliding adventure, Sue and I walked over to an area we had seen from our aerial vantage point. As we sat down and grabbed a pretzel and something refreshing to drink we enjoyed watching these children play some type of board game we were unfamiliar with.
If anybody who read this tip knows what they were playing please let me know so I can post it here and give you the credit for letting me know what it was they were playing.
At one point the boy got mad (probably being beaten by his sister) and roundly kicked one of the pieces a good distance.
People in this region, as most...
by Nexus7
People in this region, as most of Switzerland speak German, but it is not normal German, they mix in words of French. If you speak German through school or not naturally, and try to speak it there, forget about it, you won't understand a word they're saying. It's very cool sounding though.
The other languages spoken to a lesser extent are French in the West, Italian in the South, and less than 1% of the population speaks a language called Romansch which I believe is of Latin origins. All four of these are official, but my experience tells me that German is primarily used. Switzerland is notorious for being neutral in just about any conflict. Its physical seclusion helps and the ideal of the people is just to stay out of it. Because of this Switzerland has been quite prosperous, especially after WWII when everyone else was rebuilding. They are definately a different kind of European. It is hard to describe, so you'll just have to meet a Swiss.
pack your woollies in summer
by call_me_rhia
First of all, especially for going up the jungfrau, so wear sensible clothes: it means long trousers and long sleeves, in the first place. On the train I was sitting to a really pretty and "classy" Japanese lady in fancy miniskirt and high heels: she spent her time shivering and couldn't walk anywhere, especially the ice palace. Mind you, she was not the only one of the train lot wearing such clothes. A woollen jumper and mittens (and maybe a hat and scarf too) can really make the difference between an enjoyable day or a miserable one. Better buy them in town - high on top they're seriously overpriced
A journey to Schynige Platte.
by dabidc
It may be that many people have travelled this rack and pinion railway to a major viewing place opposite the Jungfrau, the Monch and the Eiger, but to me it is the first time and hence it is very much Off the Beaten Path.
On the boat jurney back from Thun yesterday, the genleman I talked to mentioned the cap of cloud on top of Niesen, the mountain close to Spiez, well the forecast was correct and the wesnesday dawned perfectly clear and sunny. The improvement in the weather attracteted many tourists to visit the Mountains and the Interlaken Ost station was very busy.
I was soon on board the frist rain to Wilderswil and then on the cog rail train that slowly climbed the mountain, from an elevation at Interlaken of 567 m to the height at Schynige Platte at 2068 m. The journey time is just over an hur as the train twists and turns its way up the mountain. First there are views over Brienzersee and Interlaken and also Thunersee, until the train travels through a tunnel and suddenly the vista of the 3 mighty mountains is greeted with oohs and aahs as we all take in the impressive sight.
The flags of all the cantons
3 peaks
Grimsel Pass
Spiez - medieval church
