SWISS ROLL DAY 11
27-06-07
Wednesday

Today’s highlight is the cogwheel train trip to the Top of Europe (photo). The Jungfrau Railway takes us to Europe’s highest altitude railway station at 3500m approx. The final stage up is on a 108m lift, which makes the trip in 11 smooth seconds. The weather isn’t the best at the very top (photo) but we do get glimpses of the terrain and get out for a few steps on the glacier. You have to take the mountains as you find them.

Back down the lift then and into the famous ice palace, carved into the glacier. Temperature is minus two degrees but it is easy to walk around and view the chambers and the ice sculptures.

The journey down takes a different route and we end up in Lauterbrunnen, the Valley of the Waterfalls. We transfer to the bus and travel a short distance to see the spectacular Trummelback Falls (photo), where melt water tumbles down from the mountains (where we have been this morning) to start a river in the valley. We go up the falls in a funicular (11 SFR) and walk down to the bus and back to the hotel.

Head out for a meal this evening, looking for Rosti and veal in particular. Find it as part of the Menu of the Day at the Ambiance Restaurant (part of the local Splendid Hotel).

The menu consists of some six courses: salad, barley soup, cheese tart, rosti and veal (in a mushroom sauce), a chocolate dessert and coffee. Add in wine (18.50 SFR) and water (5.50 SFR) and the bill comes to 101.40 SFR or about sixty EURO.

Down then to the Marketplatz to listen to the closing section of a folk music concert, mainly music from a brass band, including a feature of Alpen horn and flag throwing.

On the way back to the hotel, the inevitable happens and we buy a Swiss knife (the 14 feature Hunter version). Including engraving, it costs 32 SFR.