Switzerland

We have now been in Switzerland for over 10 days. It has been a whirlwind of activity and we have not had a chance to update. We arrived in Zurich on the 11th and spent 3 days there walking around the city taking a boat down Lake Zurich and visiting a friend of Valley's Dad who he met when she was visiting Canada. She made us a traditional Swiss meal of boiled potatoes, Raqulette cheese, pork and pickled onion, baby corn and pickles.



From there we headed to Solothurn/Selzach where Valley's father's Mother's Side of the family lives. This includes the town butcher and Mayor of Selzach, we met too many people to go into detail but they are very hospitable. It is common for 3 generations to live in one very large house here and the families are very large.
The first day we went up the local mountain in Selzach and had a meal at over 1000m altitude. I rode up with one of valley'y cousins on a borrowed mountain bike. The next day we saw the oldest boroque city in switzerland (soloturn). We were lucky enough to stay at a relative's house for two nights before heading to the Interlaken Region.

Soloturn



Selzach



We arrived at the hotel Lindenhof in Brienz after a quick drink in the famous mountain town of Grindelwald overlooking the mountain Jungfrau (taller than the highest peak in the Rockies). Brienz was the highlight of the trip.

Grindelwald


Brienz



The hotel Lindenhof is owned by Valley's Dad's cousin Kristian Fotsch and we were treated extremely well. Besides the first class accomodations we went up the Rothorn Bahn (little steam engine up Rothorn Mountain to over 3000m). It was incredible. We also went to the town of Meiringen where Valley's father was born and saw a very amaying rock canyon, and ruins below the local church which were 1000 years old. There was also a castle built between the 13th and 14th century which no longer had any internals but had a staircase to the top.

Rothorn




Hike



Klaus`s First Home



Meiringen





Valley's family was very friendly and we learned a lot about the Fotsch family history. Kristain lives in Brienz with his wife Ursi and two daughters Chantel and Fabian. I think we convinced Chantel to visit Canada next year.

After leaving Brienz we visited a former resident of Pemberton BC now residing in Switzerland. He took us on a tour of Gstaad and the surrounding area. He is a long time friend of Valley's dad and is now running a limo service for the rich and famous who all own chalet's in Gstaad, amoung other things. So we have learned and seen a lot more about Switzerland than any other country we have been too. We are currently in Bern for a few days before making our way to England.

Bern

Basal