This was an early day.

A Grand Circle Tour has a couple of program components. There are a series of included excursions – at least one on most days. But there are also significant blocks of free time. Additionally, in every country we have the opportunity to participate in ‘optional excursions’. These extra-cost opportunities present experiences not found in the included offerings. Normally the optional excursions attract a subset of participants – a smaller group, a bit more personal.
So it was that today’s excursion was one of those optional offerings. The difference being that EVERYONE signed up for this one. Interesting.
In retrospect, everyone made an outstanding choice.

The trip started with a bus ride thru some pretty dramatic canyons to Trummelbach Falls.

Trummelbach Falls are a series of 10 waterfalls cut deeply into the canyon wall. They are the combined flow of meltwater from the three big mountains: Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau.
You start by riding a funicular to the half-way point. From there you can walk up to #10 or down to #1 or poke around and ride the funicular back down.
Cheryl and I headed up to #10 so we could film the falls in succession.
We got back to #6 and she rode down while I completed the circuit.
In the fullness of time I’ll post a series of videos. Until then, here are a few stills to give you an idea of the power and volume of water carving into the caverns.

Arriving back at the base we checked out the obligatory gift shop.

Across the valley we saw one of the 72 waterfalls cascading down the cliff face. Our guide told us that the drop is so long that by the water never hits the valley floor. By the time it gets there it has vaporized into mist.

Back on the bus we drove to the Lauterbrunnen train station where we boarded the Jungfraubahn for the trip to the Klein Scheidegg station (the highest rail station in Europe).

On board the train we saw some spectacular scenery.

Arriving at the train station we had lunch, then some free time to wander, shop, enjoy the majesty.

There is a story that the three peaks are related thusly. The Mönch (monk) is protecting the beautiful Jungfrau (maiden) from the Eiger (ogre).

At the appointed hour we boarded another cogwheel train for the short (most of us could have walked there) ride to the upper gondola station.
There we boarded gondolas for the ride down to the village of Grindelwald.

In Grindelwald we met our bus and were whisked away back to Interlaken.

The adventure for the evening was laundry.
There were a couple of laundromats within walking distance of our hotel. In the one we chose the cleaner was busy cleaning, sweeping, polishing, maintaining almost the whole time we were there. He does a really great job.

We dropped our clean clothes back at the room and headed out again for dinner. We found a nice restaurant that served us a pizza and salads that were perfect.
On the way home we shopped a bit for chocolate and viewed some lovely sights.

Then it was time to pack.
Suitcases out by 7:30 in the morning and we’re on the bus at 8:15 headed for Seefeld Austria (by way of Lichtenstein).

Till then…
R