Yesterday in Wengen

Yesterday was a brilliantly gorgeous autumn day.  Brett wanted to go mountain biking (he recently bought a mountain bike off of a craigslist-type thing for a really good deal (that’s his Christmas present)), but I forced him to come hiking with his family instead.  Actually, I didn’t have to force him, because he just went early in the morning, and Jethro and Hazel have swimming lessons in the morning anyway.  He actually ended up getting home right as we were going out the door, which was surprising and nice.  (Then we went to a second-hand sporting goods store while they were in their lessons and he bought some ski boots.  Christmas present part 2.)

ANYWAY.  Then we came home and quickly ate lunch and then drove to Lauterbrunnen where we parked the van and got train tickets to go up the mountain a little way to Wengen.  This is a good way to go up a mountain because it’s super-cheap.  3 franks for Brett’s and my tickets (because we have a half-price card for the year) and 3 franks for Jethro and Hazel’s.  Nice.

The train ride was quite short, but it sure was fun. 

Umm, Jethro looks waaaaaaay too old in this picture.  Such a good-looking kid—but really, he can’t REALLY be that big can he?  (Oh, and yes, we found the hat…in the hat cupboard of all places.) 

Oh, my little sweet, adorable, cute baby boy!!  (Yes, he’s still my baby!!  Don’t go telling me he’s a toddler or any other such nonsense!)  I just ADORE this little face.  I want to cover it in kisses ALL DAY LONG! 

In the valley, the sun was already behind the mountain (good thing probably, or else there’d be even MORE pictures), but when we started to climb, it was brilliant.

I love this picture.  It’s so sweet.  What great men I am surrounded by.

Here’s the front of our train (we were in the back), and a train coming toward us.

 

And now on to the scenery overload.

Oooh, perty.

So this is the little village of Wengen, and we walked back down to Lauterbrunnen which took us maybe an hour and a bit.  It was a very nice trail, and we had a good time (although Ethne was pretty whiny) but I’m kinda thinking that in the future I would rather hike up the trail, and then take the train down.

There are lots of pretty hotels in Wengen.

 

I finally remembered to bring my little tiny tripod, so we stopped for a family picture, but unfortunately, we did a silly thing and took the picture into the sun without checking out how it would look, and we were waaaay dark.  I had to lighten it up a TON to even get it this good, and it really had wacko colors so that’s why it’s black and white.  Sad.  Oh well.  (And again, Jethro is so big and tall looking!  What’s going on here?!  Maybe it’s the hat.  Maybe we’ll have to lose it again.)

 

And then we did this.  (Okay, just kidding.  We just saw them as we were crossing the bridge to the parking garage.  It seemed like it would be pretty cold for such shenanigans, but whatever floats your boat.  Ha ha.)

I’m so so so SOOOOO glad we got this little hike in because today was cold and rainy and icky and I’m pretty sure that yesterday was the end of the nice weather for the next six months.  Waaaaaaah.  But yesterday sure was nice.

The end.