Picture postcard

Your intrepid travellers left Lucerne today for Meiringen. The husbands demonstrated their superior strength by taking the suitcases and heading to the railway station. We went to settle the hotel and city tax…..something you have to pay in lots of European cities. Gallantly we tried to catch them, they stopped. Yes, we will catch up , but no ,off they went rushing away. We could hardly see them as they went so fast. Finally we caught them….they were stopped by a red pedestrian sign. They said ,we just weren’t trying. Oh dear.

Today was a short train trip but the scenery was breathtaking.

 Green plains nestle beneath the soaring mountains. Farmers are mowing the grass for winter feed . Some of the farmers are using traditional methods still as we saw them using a hay fork to heap it ready to stack. Most were using modern machinery,even a blower. Cows, obviously contented, grazed along with the occasional small mob of sheep. We know the cows are contented as we had the most amazing ice- cream last night.

Once at Meiringen, we ditched the bags at the hotel. We were going not…. I know you will be shocked, to a mountain , but to a waterfall and gorge created by the ancient glacier and then water over a long period of time. Alpbach schlucht is the waterfall where Sherlock Holmes battled with his nemesis Moriaty. There is a star on the wall where they fell.

You get to the base of the waterfall via a funicular. It was not as steep as yesterdays but just as good.

Now , since we could only see the bottom section of the waterfall , we decided in a moment of weakness to go to the top.

Mike volunteered to stay and guard the bags in case Moriaty decided to return and steal our valuables. We headed off.

1000 + stairs later…

 That tiny spot is the star to mark the dramatic fight and death of Moriaty.

Every year , a group , dressed in vintage costumes, come to the waterfall to celebrate Sherlock Holmes and his stories. There is a museum at Meiringen for Sherlock Holmes as well. We were to visit the museum tomorrow , but oops it is not open in the morning.

A perfect place to enjoy our picnic lunch. Opposite this spot is the entrance to the Aareschlucht gorge.

The gorge has been created by the action of water ,the minerals in it wearing a way the limestone, and also the action of rocks from glaciers. Rocks carried in the glacier, were whirled around in crevasses and carved out the rock.

Surprisingly in the last War, a room big enough for 185  soldiers was built in the bottom of the gorge with exits to the train and gorge. The room was wood lined and heated. Enjoy the gorge.

        There are small paths into the rock, but most of the walkway is attached to the gorge walls. They are perched about one third up the walls above the water. As you look up, the walls tower over you and below is the rush of the water. Although you are aware of the noise, it is not until you leave the gorge , that you realise the strength of the sound. Amazing.

We needed recovery time ,so booked in and got settled . The town is a base for the skiing fields in the surrounding mountains , so is quiet at this time. We had plenty of time for the boys to consult Sherlock. He did not give us much guidance for dinner but we did find a great restaurant.

 Well that’s your lot for today.

More adventures tomorrow.