Kandersteg

I think I'm starting to get the hang of this vacation thing. Today we decided to go up to the mountains since there had been fresh snow over the weekend and since Gretchen has really only been to the Alps once since we got here. So we decided to head up to Kandersteg. We didn't actually know anything about Kandersteg other than that it was easily and quickly (2 hours) accessible by train--we don't have our winter tires on the car yet--otherwise, we didn't have a clue what to do once we got there. Fortunately, the people at the tourist office were very friendly and helpful (not always a sure bet in Europe, by the way), and they suggested we ride a chairlift up into the mountains and go for a hike around the Oeschinensee (a lake). That sounded great, other than the FREEZING COLD weather, but we toughed it out and headed up. We were surprised to find that not only was there a hiking trail, but there was a little ski area as well. We set off for the Oeschinensee, and after about 5 minutes I realised my toes were numb (despite knowing we were heading to the mountains, I wore my lightest hiking boots with cotton socks--I'm not a smart man). Having once had frostbite on my feet, which was not a lot of fun, I decided it might be best to head back to the lodge and warm up. Gretchen was really eager to see the lake, though, so she decided to press on. In some ways it was ideal for both of us--she got to take a long walk in the cold to see a frozen lake (she's from Wisconsin, after all, where some people orient their whole winter around frozen lakes), while I got to sit and drink coffee and read a book. Anyway, the scenery was fantastic, and the amazing thing is that Kandersteg is pretty much an afterthought--most people seem to know it as the place where you can put your car on a train and go through a tunnel under the Alps. There are just so many little towns like it that even though it's beautiful, there are countless other towns just like it. It may not always be the most exciting place, but what a beautiful country this is! (Here is a view of town from the top of the chairlift, as well as Gretchen in front of the church in town...and believe me, it was as cold as it looks.)