15th & 16th of October, 2005

Weekend in Meiringen

Leila took me to the small town of Meiringen (in canton Bern, central Switzerland) which has exactly two claims to fame. One, it's the place where Arthur Conan Doyle tried very hard to kill off Sherlock Holmes (he was decidedly unsuccessful). Two, meringues were invented there - apparantly. In any case, we arrived on a Saturday morning and immediately walked to, and then through, the Aareschluct ... which is an exceedingly narrow canyon through which the River Aare passes.

Sherlock Holmes gives Leila the benefit of the doubt Leila in the Aareschluct Keith not yet lost in the Aareschluct The Aareschluct widens a bit Leila near the other end of the Aareschluct You would have a funny expression too

The next day we took a gondola up to Planplatte (1600m) up on the Hasliberg and then went for one of the longest walks we have ever done. We traveled for about nine hours all-told, walking into the canton of Obwalden, visiting two lakes (the Tannensee and the Melchsee) and getting to the top of at least one mountain (2485 m altitude), before returning to the canton of Bern and struggling back down to Meiringen (602 m) to catch the last train back to Lucern (and then Zurich from there).

walking to the cable-car going up! At the Planplatte restaurant Leila finds something very odd, a crystal eagle Ok, we are off! It's warmer than we expected Amazing views all around
Stopping for a break, overlooking the Melchsee Aah, fresh alpine air. Sunlight on the Tannensee Looking back after having just walked through the tiny village of Melchsee-Frutt. Hey it's late and we have to get over this mountain range! Ok, time's running out and we are not exactly sure this is the right way
We reach the top of a mountain, 2.45 km up! Must go down. Holey rocks! Boyfriend struggling Hey, get up ... still got many miles to go! Nearly there

Ack ... we survive another epic weekend in Switzerland!!