We were up early on bright sunny day at Grindelwald. Today's agenda was a bit light, we were taking it a bit easy...
After breakfast, we took a quick round of the market checking out some souvenir shops and buying hiking sticks before heading to the First cable car station. First is not pronounced "First", it's pronounced as "Fierst" and that was a revelation!
The cable took us up from an altitude of 1034 metres to an altitude of nearly 2168 metres.
On the way we passed by meadows, with cows grazing on them and the chimes of the Trychel - a Swiss cow bell. The Trychel is significant in Swiss folklore, and a popular folk-legend of the Simmental tells how a young cowherd strays into a mountain, and is offered by a beautiful woman the choice between a treasure of gold coins, a golden Trychel, or the fairy herself. He chooses the Trychel. As opposed to regular cast-metal bells, the Trychel are made of hammered sheet metal, which results in a clanking, less crisp sound, but at the same time results in a bell that is lighter and thus easier to carry.
From First, we hiked up a good three kilometres or so from where we got a wonderful view of the Jungfrau range and the valleys below that literally left us spellbound and speechless!
If only the attitude of the Swiss was as beautiful as the view...
Mountain flowers fluttering in the breeze...
Parasailing over Grindelwald...
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