GIMMELWALD in the ALPS

GIMMELWALD, SWITZERLAND
Sunday, September 16

Gimmelwald is a quiet little tourist town where lives 130 inhabitants. The local School closed down because only 4 children live in Gimmelwald! So its a quiet, quaint little place pretty much off the beaten path.

We are staying in a small hotel called The Mittaghorn Hotel. It is owned and operated by Walter, a balding 88 year old with thick glasses and a "shuffle" in his walk and one prone to rules and opiniated so much that everyone often catches a glimpse of it! His young man helper, Tim, sent us an email the day before we got here that he had been involved in a bicycle accident that left him incapacitated with two broken arms. He gave us the option of staying or not; we decided to stay anyway. But Walter made out stay comfortable.

This is probably, hands down, the most beautiful place in the world! The entire area is built upon steep hillside with emerald green meadows, cold streams of water cascading down the hills to the Jungfrau Valley below. Across the river flowing through the valley the snow capped mountains tower high above the valley floor, adorned with a covering of snow. Created by a thousand snows for a thousnd years, ancient glaciers shimmer in the noontime sunlight. There are so many they probably cannot be counted.

This morning we got on the Cable Tram and went up higher to a little village called Murren. It has more hotels, restaurants, shops and tourists than Gimmelwald. We boarded a funicular (a cable pulled train) and went up even higher. From there we were able to do a short hike around the hillside and end back in Murren. Part way down we stopped on a small rise , sat down and had our church service right there viewing over God's creation.

We arrived back in Murren about 1:15 so we sat down and had lunch. I had made appointments for me and Nancy to meet a couple of pilots in Murren at 2:30 to get a taste of PARAGLIDING off of a mountain, sail around on the air currents for half an hour and then land on the valley floor below. And so we did!

The pilots arrived and after introductions we walked up onto a hillside trail above Murren where we were strapped in, hooked up to our pilot and to the parachute strategically spread out on the ground behind us. Taking only about 5 steps down hill, the parachute became loft and we were airborne; sailing down over meadows, houses and cows. It was an exhilarating experience! Hanging comfortably beneath the beautiful Parachutes, we settled back in our comfortable chair and soared like an eagle! It was quiet and peaceful. As we flew over Gimmelwald I could see out hotel down below. Farther down we came to the high cliff that separates Gimmelwald from the valley floor. Out over the valley we sailed like a bird, heading for the huge mountain face across the valley, hoping for air currents that would take us even higher!

The flight was amazing! We landed safely on the valley floor at Lauterbrunnen without so much as a jar. Two short steps and we were done. I highly recommend this activity!

Back to the hotel; an amazing home cooked dinner by Walter and we were ready to settle in for the night.

....And so we did.