Michael and I met up with Max and Kathi this morning. Decided to take them to one of our favorite places - the Lauterbrunnen Valley.
Lauterbrunnen with its most famous landmark, the Staubbach Falls, is the gateway to one of the most spectacular valleys in Switzerland. A total of 72 waterfalls fall down into the Lauterbrunnen Valley from the vertical cliff faces which can be several hundred meters high.
This waterfall is close to the cable car in Stechelberg.
We took the bus from the Lauterbrunnen train station to Stechelberg cable car station. Decided to walk the mostly flat terrain from Stechelberg back to Lauterbrunnen.
We walked along the rushing glacier water stream. Along the way, people had stopped and set up prayer rocks.
The trough valley is so unique! This characteristic trough valley is depicted in many books as a classic example of this type valley. The waterfalls are also unique and extraordinary that they leave an impression on people. Goethe, the famous German writer and scientist, was so inspired by his memories of the Staubbach Waterfall that we wrote his famous and memorable "Song of the Spirits over the Water."
We watched base jumpers and paragliders swoop from high above into the valley below. The base jumpers in their flying squirrel suits are difficult to spot at first. You just have to listen to the "swoosh" sound to see the parachute open up.
As we walked along the floor of the valley, we spotted a baby cow that had just been born. Mom was busily licking it clean. The baby made an attempt to stand but couldn't find its legs. A couple and a lady had stopped to watch as did we for a few minutes.
Max brought along his drone. It is so small compared to the one Michael has. The four of us sat on a bench and watched, on an iPad, the pictures the drone sent back. Beautiful scenery!
We walked up to the Trümmelbach Falls.
The Trümmelbach Falls (German: Trümmelbachfälle) are a series of ten glacier-waterfalls inside the mountain made accessible by tunnel-lift and some of the walkways and rock formations are illuminated.
The Trümmelbach alone drains the mighty glacier defiles of Eiger (3967 m), Mönch (4099 m) and Jungfrau (4158 m) and carries 20,200 tons of boulder detritus per year.
Its drainage area is 24 km², half of it covered by snow and glaciers. The falls carry up to 20,000 liters of water per second.
Trümmelbach are the only glacier waterfalls in Europe inside the mountain and still accessible.
I kept seeing faces in the rocks. Michael kept telling me I had quite the imagination today.
Do you see the Lion King next to Max and Kathi?
We took a little rest. Enjoyed some plum cake, apple cake and a little salad.
The Trümmelbach Falls are about halfway from Stechelberg and Lauterbrunnen. The weather took a turn for the worse so we didn't walk the rest of the way through the valley.
At this point, we had walked 19,738 steps so we opted for an early dinner at the Goldener Anker. Jeanette is on holiday so we didn't get to see her. Her husband Rene is the chef.
This is our favorite dish. Veal steak with a dollop of whipped cream which oozes into the morel mushroom sauce. The assortment of vegetables were so fresh!
It is also served with homemade butter noodles! Yummy!!!!!
What more could you ask for in a day? It was full of great friends, beautiful scenery and delicious food. Wonderful day!