So after rejecting offers at Gene's to wash clothes stating "we're in an apartment for a week it will have a laundry." It doesn't. So on Friday when we arrived we decided that the first wet day we would find a laundry - We knew there was one in Interlaken in 2008 so surely we would find one nearby..
Well as described in the last blog, our rainy afternoon (Sunday) was spent up the Schyinge Platte, after which we really didn't feel like trundling dirty washing to a potentially open laundry mat that existed five years ago and may not exist anymore. So instead we went to dinner at a local hotel/restaurant, "The Barren" (the bear) which specialized in wild things - course not really understanding German we didn't really get that till we walked out and realised the sign which advertised Ken's wild boar roulade was advertising the house special. Not sure where the wild boars are as we've seen very little of any wild animals except maybe cats. Seriously cats in green fields stalking mice or just bumbling around look to be in their perfect element.
Back to dinner (the pseudolaundry), The restaurant was in a traditional Swiss building, I'm not sure if we entered in the wrong entrance but we were met with big Bertha who would look at home in a German S&M movie..She instructed us to our seats and presented us with english menus. Thankful for small mercies we both choose 'traditional meals' Ken the boar and me rosti, feeling peckish I also wanted a soup, there was a soup of the day advertised but when I asked Bertha shrugged her shoulders looked bored and told me the potato soup was nice.. So I ordered the potato soup as did Ken.
Later as we were eating Bertha came back and told us in a tone that did not brook disagreement "It is good yes" and it really was good. My Rosti came out as one would expect piping hot, layers of shredded potato cooked in butter (dare I say) layered with cheese, speck (bacon) and more cheese. It was nice but very rich. Ken on the other hand had accidentally ordered the house special. Alone it would have fed us both, two huge slices of roulade looking like fat sausages on his plate, Minute steak of boar, wrapped up carrot, gherkin and other bits. Services with a redwine poached pear, massive amounts of apple, red cabbage and brussel sprouts, Oh and a entire dish of spatzle. Amazingly he finished most of the dish but the brussel sprouts!
Rolling home we headed to bed, promising that Monday we would definately do washing and have a 'quieter day' catch up on the blog contact people etc.
True to form Monday was a slow start but it didn't matter too much because it was washing day and catch up. After noting, no water back home, having a chat with Brian and attempting to catch Chris and Dad (failed but hey!), writing some blogs we packed up our bags and headed into Interlaken.. First stop off the train was the youth hostel - surely they have facilities right? Wrong, they have a laundry service for guests only but its not self laundry. (wash and dry) But the lady was friendly and thought there was a laundry mat in Unterseen (interlakens poor cousin across the river, so hefting our bags like santa clause we went the way we were told. Can I say that it was most pleasant to be out walking along the river at interlaken with the sun shining and reflection of the alps in the river.
The river in the most amazing hyper blue colour and clear as a bell, saw lots of people fly fishing from the banks but didn't see any fish. It was also the first time we had really walked through interlaken (or Unterseen) in the day time and it was very relaxing. One of the strangest things is how quiet it is. It is strange, interlaken has a major train line and we were walking not far from it, and the river, and usual city things but it was so quiet. The water just seemed to glide by without any sound. Even the normal city noises seemed muted - just struck me as odd.. but like the quiet up on the alps which is broken by bells and birdsong. Very Peaceful sounds.
We also easily found the laundry and put our clothes in to the machine without any issues. We then set off to explore Interlaken (or to find the public toilet would be more accurate) while we waited for the washing machine to do its thing. After wandering around I eventually found the tourist information centre but no toilet. The area had also gone from being lovely and quiet to touristville. Lots of flashy stores with expensive watches and chocolates! (think i need to eat more chocolate - tragically the blocks I brought were filled with hazelnut cream opps not such a good buy after all)
We did find the toilets and made it back to put the washing on to dry. Strangely enough there was a bakery nearby and a place to eat over looking the river. So we put washing on to dry, hung the non dryer able clothes on the back of the park bench and had a picnic lunch! Barley Salad, bread rolls and two apple filled pastry things kinda looked like little pots! All very nice, the sparrows thought so as well, then the ducks well one duck came up to say hello Ken went to take an picture while getting it to come closer and the old biddy on the bench next to him started screeching at him.. I think she was telling him not to feed the ducks but who knows.. then she yabbered to her friends so obviously Ken did something horribly wrong! I didn't go over and yabber at her but it did kinda spoil a nice lunch!
They left not long afterwards and with lunch done and washing dry it was time to go back to Wilderswil. A quick check of the time tables I realised we could make it back to Harder Klum for sunset, if we were quick. So we raced back to the slow train (actually an exaggeration as the train from interlaken to wilderswil is fast as its along the valley floor. We made it back home and then back into Interlaken to head up the very steep cog rail to Harer Klum.
Bravely, once more I got one a mountain rail way and enjoyed the views as we rose from Interlaken to the top through a tunnel in the rock. The steepness was like the cog rail in the blue mountains but far longer! Arriving to the top, I finally was able to find Ken a Beer, but my order of 'white wine' made the poor lass think twice. Anyway eventually I had a glass of something and we enjoyed it outside in the warm sunshine, while laughing at a bunch of young (early 20) americans who had walked up - initially they were hot but cooled down rapidly. agh well head into the swiss alps and go up high wearing very little.. hmmm.. the boys seemed a bit smarter and had carried up jumpers. Anyway we've posted some images of the views so I won't wax on but the sun went down and we had completed out task of laundry and had throughly enjoyed out day!
