Switzerland Summer 2011

Typical Swiss Family

 Woefully late, we are posting just a few pictures from our trip to Switzerland in July-August 2011.

Typical Swiss Family with Typical Swiss Pet

We spent some time in Zurich visiting Katherine's aunt Moni and her cousins Yvonne and Fabian and their young children.

Ava

Katherine's Cousin Fabian

Kath's Cousin Yvonne and Son Aris (+ one on the way), Zurich

Nora and Aris

 After a few days in Wil with her  aunt and uncle Burgi and Walter and her grandmother we headed off to the family hut (despite the rain and fog).

Churfirsten

Huesli, Alt Sankt Johann

Ruedi had already been in Switzerland for almost a month, three weeks of which was spent biking with a riding pal from Iowa. Cecile arrived around the time we did. We took several small walks until the weather cleared. On the first good day, Oliver and Ruedi climbed the Schiebenstoll.

Typical Swiss-American  Grandparents (with pet cow)

Schibenstoll (2234 m)--Oliver Climbed with Ruedi

The next day, we climbed the Säntis (which Ruedi and promised Oliver he could do once he was 10). Nora and Cecil joined us by cable tram.

Säntis (2502 m)

Lisigrat (narrow ridge passage to Säntis)

Oliver on the Lisigrat

We celebrated the 1st of August with Nana and Katherine's aunt and uncle Margrit and Sepp. The day before was a Alpengottesdienst--an outoor ecumenical service complete with alphorn players and one the the best yodel clubs in the valley.

Alphorn Players

Cow-Bell Players

Jodel Club Säntisgruess (click for audio of similar group)

The four of us took off for three days on our own to Zermatt (home of the Matterhorn).

Granaries, Zermatt

It was a beautiful 7 hour trip by bus and train (with many changes). Zermatt is a totally different world from Alt Sankt Johann, packed with international tourists and hikers. But if you walk uphill for about an hour, the crowds thin out substantially. We stayed in a hiker's hostel, with a large group kitchen. There were several groups of English and French who had hiked for a 7 days from Chamonix (Mount Blanc), staying at huts along the way. (Advice: try to secure you spot in the communal kitchen before the group of 15 French hikers start preparing their three-course meal). The first full day we took a gondola up to Schwarzsee, and then hiked the rest of the way to the Hornli Hütte, at the base of the Matterhorn. From here, the hard-core climbers begin their ascent to the peak (after spending the night at the hut; they need to start at 4 in the morning in order to make it back while there is still light).

Matterhorn

Alps

Oliver in the way to the Hornli Hütte

Nora on the way to the Hornli Hütte, Matterhorn in background

At the Hornli Hütte, Base of the Matterhorn (3,260 m)

The next day we walked up to the Riffelalp, and then took the Gornegrat train the rest of the way. The views were unfortunately limited by the clouds (normally one can see many 4000 meter peaks). Caught in a brief freezing rain, we took the train back down, returning happy but exhausted to our hostel.

Gornegrat (3900 m)

The next day, we returned by rail to Wil for one last day with the family, and then the following day we came back to Göttingen.