Day 6: Wengen

Day 6: Wengen

DB and SC not noticing the helicopter off to their left

Weather:  Clear and cool all day

QOTD:

My heart wants to sigh like a chime that flies
From a church on a breeze
To laugh like a brook when it trips and falls over
Stones on its way
To sing through the night like a lark who is learning to pray

Breakfast same-same: shredded wheat and yogurt with side of toast

THB got a much better night’s sleep and thus can pay attention to the discussion of what is on tap for today. It appears that the Jungfrau is still very cold with problematic visibility so O (his last day) and B (co-organizer) will be the only two heading up the mountain today. Three other men are taking a more rigorous hike (HAH! 4 hours of transit and their hike was flatter than ours). THB and DB and SC are going to do the hike between Wengen and Kleine-Scheidegg in some combo of walking the trail and taking the train. N is hanging out in the morning, one or more of the three of us may join her in another easy hike from Wengen in the afternoon.

We leave around 10, walk to Allmend, then catch the train up to K-S, walk back down to Wengernalp (which didn’t seem far at all) for lunch at Alpstubli. SC has tuna salad, DB has bratwurst and some of THB’s roesti, and THB also has a bratwurst and a ton of roesti. Two apricot tarts, two waters and one Schweppes tonic, $26pp.

THB's go to lunch

Apricot tart

Back on the path and who do we run into but B&O, who are walking down a stretch from their visit to the Jungfrau. It was good the whole group didn’t go: not much visibility off the mountain and pretty much intense white light making walking around painful without sunglasses. They are hiking faster than we are, so they take off and when we get to Allmend we wait a few minutes for the next train down to Wengen.

Cowenploppen

Safely back in the room around 3pm for a rest up before our 7pm dinner. We meet in the “bar” (basically a few chairs in front of where drinks are prepared) and THB has a G&T made with Swiss gin; DB has a vodka gimlet…we treat for the drinks as a small token of appreciation for our co-organizers B and G who have put in a tremendous (and on-going) effort to maximize our experience.

Apricot parfait

Tonight we are only 8, and N has arranged for the chef to leave off one course (phew!) and go a bit lighter. The dinner is excellent, if still a long meal: amuse bouche of cauliflower puree with hazelnuts, a shrimp and fennel salad (think Thai mango salad without the heat), carrot soup, sea bass with risotto and a chilled apricot parfait with apricot puree on the side. The same excellent pinot noir as last night along with an astringent chardonnay that DB rated highly. Prices to be unveiled at check-out tomorrow morning.

The other dessert: finally a view of the Jungfrau!

Jungfrau (first full sighting in 3 days) and Silverhorn just to right

Mid-meal we had two sightings: the Jungfrau showed itself in an alpine glow (see pic) and Kofi Annan was dining in the other room (no pic, and as our group has proven to be a tad rowdy, Kofi was seated as far from us a possible and still be in the same restaurant).

Wild strawberries

Lots of discussion about tomorrow’s schedule as it is move to Muerren day. All factors considered: a hike (how hard/long); when and where will lunch be; allowing enough time for checkout and making sure our bags are ready for ship ahead; and of course leaving just enough time for a last minute of shopping in Wengen.