Day 8: Bern to Interlaken

Today, we finished our time in Bern with a tour of the Einstein Museum. As a patent clerk in Bern, Einstein developed the Special Theory of Relativity that, even after seeing an explanation at the museum, none of us understands. Something about the speed of light staying constant while time and space are relative. Owen enjoyed the museum but, at 8, it was over Garrett's head. It also covered Einstein's struggles as a dual citizen of Germany and Switzerland as a Jew during WWII, which was unexpectedly interesting.

After lunch, we caught a one hour train to Interlaken, a resort town between two lakes that serves as the gateway to Alps entertainment. It looks much like Truckee or Breckenridge, except with the Alps all around. Our Swiss train pass continues to make things easy.

Interlaken.

The whole town is booked by tourists on summer holiday, so we had to walk from hotel to hotel (with 55 pounds on my back) asking for a room in person. We found space at the City Hotel Oberland, on the main drag. They had no small rooms, but the hotel made a deal with us for a suite, so we booked it. This is easily the most expensive stay of the trip, but with the kids in the other room, maybe we'll get a good night's rest.
City Hotel Oberland (on the right)

Once we were settled, we learned the bus system and took the bus to the train station with mountain routes (Interlaken Ost). We decided to visit a mountain town called Lauterbrunnen. The train ride presented incredible views.

Crazy 8's on the train.Mountain stream.

Interlaken advertises every conceivable outdoor activity. We lauged at "zorbing," which is strapping someone into a huge sphere and rolling them down a hill. Garrett, of course, volunteered to zorb...

In the clouds, if you double-click the picture, you'll see a paraglider.

Lauterbrunnen is a small valley town in the mountains. It's well known feature is Staubach falls.
Staubach Falls

The boys in Lauterbrunnen.

We decided to stay in Lauterbrunnen tomorrow evening, so we stumbled into a hostel (Valley Hostel) that has a room available for a family of four, for 109 swiss francs (less than $100/night). It makes up for our expensive hotel stay in Interlaken.

While walking around Lauterbrunnen, we noticed these cows on the main street with enormous cow bells.
I've got a fever, and the only prescription is more cow bell.

We ate dinner in Lauterbrunnen and took the train back down to Interlaken, confident that we have a place to stay tomorrow night and a new base camp for exploring much higher into the Alps. Tomorrow, after dropping our gear in Lauterbrunnen, we are considering taking the aerial tram & train up to Murren (a tiny village built on the edge of a cliff in the Alps) and possibly seeing either Trammelback Falls or going to the peak above Murren.

We will sleep well today after a full day of walking and high expectations for tomorrow.