Where Bloggers Live is a group of ladies who post about their homes (inside and out), towns, and generally their lives. Be sure to check their links below to read about some of their travels.
I’ve done a fair amount of traveling in my life – and have some wonderful memories. Sadly, most of my serious travel was back in the day when we didn’t have cell phones (imagine that) and not very good cameras for the average traveler. I do have pictures, but they’re not good ones at all – so the ones I’m posting I found online.
I worked for a VERY large travel company ‘back in the day’ and was able to do a fair amount of both personal and business travel. My first trip outside the US was to Switzerland. It was a business trip sponsored by the Swiss government, so we were really well treated. I was truly overcome by all the marvelous scenery. We spent 10 days in October, stayed in a different town each night hosted by lovely hotels. We went from town to town on the train and that alone gave us spectacular scenery. We were in a group of 6 with a tour guide who took our luggage every morning and had it waiting at our hotel for the night when we arrived.
So many memorable sights in 10 days and some very frightening (for me) events. First, I’m terrified of heights – would never ride the scary high rides at carnivals, etc. So, a cable car – not for me.
However, my most memorable day there was just that – in both a cogwheel train (a strange little train that goes up and down a mountain pictured below (which I believe has since been discontinued and replaced), and a cable car in the air.
Transferred from that to a very small narrow gauge electric railway for nearly three miles that just hug the edge of the mountain taking us to Murren – a small no-car tourist town. On arrival in Murren they rushed us to another terminal for a cable car ride seriously high in the air to the Schilthorn.
The Schilthorn is famous for being the setting where the 007 movie, ‘In Her Majesty’s Secret Service’. The panoramic revolving restaurant at the summit, Piz Gloria was featured in the film. We got to eat in the restaurant and wander around out on the deck (in the snow) before the equally scary trip back down to Murren.
There we stayed in the Blumental Hotel – a family-run, chalet-style hotel that was very quaint and cozy and very comfortable.
We enjoyed walking around the village after a lovely dinner with the owners and… I remember they had a “hotel cat” and she befriended me that night and snuggled with me at bedtime.
All in all it was a fantastic trip. There were others that were interesting and memorable, but I’ve already made this post too long. Be sure and check out my co-hearts in the “Where Bloggers Life” group
Bettye at Fashion Schlub
Daenel at Living Outside the Stacks
Jodie at Jodie’s Touch of Style
Leslie at Once Upon a Time and Happily Ever After
Sally at Within a World of My Own
What a magical trip!! So proud of you to have powered through your fear of heights to enjoy all of these experiences. I am somewhat scared of heights, too, and did a ziplining course in the Dominican Republic that was waaaaay out of my comfort zone.
Would love to visit Switzerland and Austria. Enjoyed my week trip to Germany so very much and can only imagine that those countries are even more beautiful.
Oh, what a wonderful trip that must have been, Iris! I have never traveled out of the country overseas. I’ve only been to Canada, so your trip really sparked my interest. Especially the part where the “hotel cat” snuggled with you at night. How very sweet!
Thanks Debbie. Yeah, I think that particular hotel was my favorite and I certainly remember more things about it – probably because of the cat. It was a wonderful trip – so very long ago.
Iris
Beautiful, Iris!
Switzerland is definitely on my list of places I’d love to see. I was lucky enough to go there in high school and thought it was heaven on earth. So beautiful! I don’t think I knew that you worked in the travel industry. What a great opportunity… I hope you post some of your other travel adventures.
Yes, it truly is a beautiful country. I guess most of my ‘friends’ these days don’t know about my travel industry job. It was so very long ago, it was almost in another lifetime. But a good one. I guess we always complain about aspects of our job, but this one had some really good things. Maybe I’ll think about posting some of my other travel adventures.
Iris
What an awesome trip! it’s a shame you don’t have many photos of it but memories are always better than photos! 🙂
Hope you are having a nice weekend 🙂
I do have a few photos, but the lighting and type of camera, you can’t really tell what you’re seeing. The memories are great though.
Iris
What an incredible time that must have been Iris. The memories just make you smile, I bet. I bet you felt like a queen being taken around like that and not having to plan a thing.
And kudos for still going on the cog with your fear of heights. That’s impressive.
XOO
JOdie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
You’re right Jodie, and it was great to “feel like a queen” for just a little while. I probably wouldn’t have gone on the cog had it not been for the two men in our group. Before I really knew where we were going they got on each side of me, took my arms and escorted me onto it. I was terrified, but thanked them afterwards.
Iris
Oh, what a wonderful trip with magnificent hosts! One of the most annoying parts of travel is all the schlepping and lugging..so to have someone do that part for you? What a dream!
I don’t know that I knew (or I forgot) you used to work in the travel industry! How wonderful to be able to travel for work like that!
Is there anyplace still that you would like to go, that you haven’t??
Yes, it was an awesome trip, especially for my first one out of the country. And yes, one could get spoiled really quickly to that kind of service. You probably didn’t know about my work in the travel industry. It was a very long time ago – there were some pretty good trips and I went to places I would have never gotten to. I would have loved to go to Alaska. Had the opportunity when I was at the travel company but it was one where you had to pay a small part of the trip, and I just… Read more »
I’m with you on the fear of heights, but with such amazing views, I would be willing to give it a try myself! It’s awesome that the Swiss government were such great hosts. That’s definitely a good way to do it 🙂
I don’t know if they trips are hosted quite as well today as they were back then, but it made for an awesome trip – especially for my first one out of the county.
Iris