A weekend with Michael

Apparently I have been here for 10 days as my data expired this morning.  Panic not, I have updated it. 

I have had the most wonderful weekend with my father, who flew over to join me, topped off with 100% in both of my exams this morning: the times systems exam scheduled for 80 minutes took me 25, much to the instructor's horror - and then relief when he marked it.  I think he thought I had made a terrible mistake.

On Saturday, Dad and I took the train to Luzern (or Lucerne, if you must) which we had been recommended to see - Luzern, not the train.  We didn't actually hang around to see the place, but having also been recommended to take a ferry, we jumped on the first boat.  This took us around the lake for an hour, finally stopping at Beckenreid, from which we took a cable car up to Klewenalp.  All of this at great expense of course.

Having found ourselves at Klewenalp, there was nothing else for it but to climb a mountain - all of this strictly ad libbed and unplanned of course, as what is a day if you know what you are doing?  Indeed we chose Beckenreid because it was as far as we could go on that particular boat, and chose Klewenalp because that is where the cable car went, and I did so much want to experience a cable car.

View from the cable car

We decided to hike to a restaurant called Brisenhaus SAC, which we had been told about by the woman who sold us the cable car tickets.  It will take about an hour and a half, she said.  She was probably about right, but when we got up there we decided to stick with a large beer each and a Mars bar, as the place was certainly rather more hovel-ish than restaurant, and filled with flies.  After our energy had renewed somewhat, Dad seemed to want to climb higher.

I agreed on the strict basis that we would "go a little way up" and then finding ourselves high above the hovel-chalet, I couldn't help myself but continue.  I am not a quitter!

The chalet in the far distance

The last couple of hundred metres to the ridge were some of the most painful in my life to date.  In fact the last ten or so I barely managed to squeeze out.  However, reaching said ridge we found a view so breathtaking that the energy seemed renewed instantaneously. 

The first peek

We continued along the ridge gradually higher to Resetenstock, a peak of 2290m, and the view became more and more immense.  We even found snow!

Every last agonising step became worthwhile just to see that view.

The way down was almost as hard, with burning knees especially as we were trying to out-descend the incoming weather.

Yes, we were up there. That little lump, top middle right.

We got back to Zurich tired and sore at about 2200, having stopped in Beckenreid for fondue and beer on the way back.  I do like the Swiss food - but I am not so keen on the prices!