Yay! I get to update! I'm using the hostel computer, which costs a whopping 5 swiss francs per 30 minutes, so I'm going to type fast!
Today, Lindsey and I arrived in Interlaken on time and just in time to check into the hostel before the front desk people (well bar/restaurant managers) left for the day. Apparently, they're having a holiday party tonight, so we're on our own! The hostel btw is called Happy Inn. At the moment, it is very loud and I'm having a hard time concentrating... but overall, it's a very nice, and yes, happy place:)
To get here, we had to change trains in Bern, which is about the time we realized we were no longer in France-land, or a French speaking territory. However, the German hasn't held us up much at all as everyone seems to speak German, French, and English.
The weather was fairlz nice, sunny and chilly.... but not snowing like it is supposed to do tomorrow. So we decided to hold off on touring Interlaken (a city between 2 lakes... as the name sort of alludes to) until tomorrow and we went straight to Lauterbrunnen. Lindsey has a nice Rick Steve's tour guide of Switzerland that told us to take a train from Interlaken to Lauterbrunnen and then a train up to Wengen and then a cable car up to another place to do a hike. The hike pass was closed.... so we didn't end up going up the cable car (which would have cost 40 swiss francs anyway), but we did hang out in Wengen for a while. Lauterbrunnen was beautiful, placed in a small valley between huge pointy and snow capped mountains. But the train to Wengen basically took us straight up a mountain, giving us spectacular views of Lauterbrunnen. Once we arrived in Wengen, we noticed that besides the cable car, taking tons of skiers up the mountain, the resort town had a huge natural ice skating rink. We took a chance on seeing how much, but it was miraculously all of 9 swiss francs to rent skates and to use the rink. I greatly enjoyed our little skate time in the mountains, while little kids played ice hockey and Lindsey skated circles around me (she used to figure skate, like for real.... ). With everyone carrying skis, snowboards, or sleds, I was becoming jealous of all the winter sports I was missing out on. But, my urge to play in the cold has been fulfilled.
We took several trains today, but honestly, being able to get out of the cold and see the amazing views was awesome. I can't think of a better way to see this area! Tomorrow, we will hopefully be going up to the Schilthorn, a very very high peak. If we get to the cable car before 8:55, (after getting from Interlaken West to Interlaken Ost, to Lauterbrunnen, and then Schtechleberg by post bus... Idk what a post bus is, but that's what we're taking!), then we get a 25% discount and can catch the James Bond breakfast!!!! I'm fairly excited about this breakfast, even though the panoramic restaurant we will be eating in will probably be blurred with snow... but who doesn't want a breakfast that James Bond would eat? Afterwards, or in case of a plan B, I'm not sure what we will be doing... but there are several little peaks, well large peaks, cable cars, hikes, and funiculars we can take. There is also a casino.... jsut saying, maybe for a plan Z? hehe....
Ok- I have 5 minutes left... so I should go check my online banking. Switzerland is a rich country for a reason.... they're making plenty of money off of me :( / :)
Reste cool:) or however you say it in german.... danke shay?
"Viel Spass".
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