Our Sunday began as we left Luzern and headed southwest to Grindelwald. The drive was lovely with photo opportunities right & left. Sometimes the best you could do while the bus was moving was to just put your camera against the window & click away.
We stopped at an overlook of Lake Lungren and enjoyed for a few minutes the spectacular views of the lake and hills beyond.
Returning to our drive, we passed a Swiss military airport in the valley below. I've rarely seen such a photographic military location.
Our major stop for the day was the open air museum of Ballenberg. Set on 164 acres of the countryside, the museum features over 100 buildings representing 11 different regions of Switzerland. We only had time for maybe about 1/2 of the regions, but thoroughly enjoyed seeing the cattle grazing (and ringing their bells), and watching the artisans making pottery, wood carving, spinning thread, and making cheese.
After a quick lunch at the park, we headed for Brienz, a small town along Lake Brienz, the easternmost lake either side of Interlaken. In Brienz, we were fortunate to see two steam powered locomotives preparing to push their passenger cars up the hills. Also we walked along the shore a bit, up a lovely residential street which surely must win Brienz's yards of the month judging (if they have one), and some shopping at a wood carvers shop.
Finally, it was off to Grindelwald, our home for the next three days. Grindelwald sits in a valley at 3300 feet, surrounded by several peaks of the Bernese Alps. It is a hub of mountain sports activities year round. Our hotel is near the train station, but very quiet.
Sunday evening, several of us broke bread together in commemoration of the Lord's Supper, then broke bread as a meal with all of our group.
Tomorrow, the mountains.
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