I awoke my first morning in Switzerland to rain, but there was no way I was going to let that affect my plans. I was off to the Top of Europe! My innkeeper helped me with my train tickets, even printing them out for me, so I was ready to go. I hopped on a train in Interlaken that was bound for Grindelwald., a climb of about 1500 feet along a gorgeous mountain river. As we climbed in elevation, the snow became more prevalent, and when we reached Grindelwald, a throng of skiers were waiting, ready to board. I had to change trains here to one bound for Kleine Scheidegg (elevation of 6672 feet). I sat with an older Swiss couple, my guess in their late 70s, attired in stylish ski gear, heading off to ski the mountain. This is something I observed
everywhere in Switzerland – people of all ages who are robust and healthy. The gentleman noticed my enthusiasm as I was looking out the window and asked where I was from. He seemed thrilled to learn that I was from California and had plenty of questions, including “So, what do you think of Arnold?” He also commented, “His wife needs to eat something,” to which I readily agreed. As we got off the train in Kleine Scheidegg, he insisted on showing me where my next train would be waiting, and then he took off with his wife in a spray of powder. And then began the most extraordinary part of my journey.
I boarded a bright red train with yellow stripes that headed up, and I mean up. During the entire journey we climbed from 6672 feet to Jungfraujoch, which sits at an elevation of 11333 feet, definitely the highest elevation I’ve ever been in my life. Along the way we stopped at two underground stations, Eigerwand and Eismeer, and we were given five minutes at each stop to
observe the mountain through observatory windows that had been built into the rock. As the train worked its way through tunnels dug straight through rock, an incredible engineering feat, the air became thinner and thinner. And suddenly, there we were – at the Top of Europe. This nickname for Jungfraujoch is well-deserved; you see, this is the train station with the highest elevation in all of Europe. Up on this remote mountaintop sits a complex that contains a restaurant, snack bar, gift shop, and a post office that will postmark your mail “Top of Europe.” There is also a practical part to all of this in the form of a weather station. Oh yes, and there is an Ice Palace! This is an entire structure built of ice – floor, walls, and ceiling, with ice sculptures throughout. Lots of fun! I also went out onto a trail that leads to an observation point. As you can see, there
was a heavy snowstorm, and my face froze within seconds. Many people commented that it was a shame that I went up to Jungfraujoch on a day with no views, but I had no regrets. After all, it’s not every day that I get to experience a blizzard!
After walking around for awhile, I had to sit down. It’s true that higher elevations and thinner air can lead to some dizziness and head rushes! I decided to rest over lunch in the restaurant, where I was given a table by the window from which I could watch the raging snowstorm outside. Soon, though, the last train
was boarding and it was time to make my way back to Interlaken. I took my
bright red and yellow train back to Kleine Scheidegg, where I boarded a different train bound for Wengen, a ski town that sits at 4180 feet. A third train took me to Lauterbrunnen, and yet another train returned me to Interlaken.
Upon returning to Interlaken, I walked home along the river, a beautiful stroll by quaint chalets, rustic buildings, and graceful bridges. I had an early dinner that night at the Bäron Grill Stübli, a wonderfully rustic authentic Swiss restaurant with thick stone walls, worn wood floors, and cozy lighting. Another perfect end to another perfect day!
I awoke my first morning in Switzerland to rain, but there was no way I was going to let that affect my plans. I was off to the Top of Europe! My innkeeper helped me with my train tickets, even printing them out for me, so I was ready to go. I hopped on a train in Interlaken that was bound for Grindelwald., a climb of about 1500 feet along a gorgeous mountain river. As we climbed in elevation, the snow became more prevalent, and when we reached Grindelwald, a throng of skiers were waiting, ready to board. I had to change trains here to one bound for Kleine Scheidegg (elevation of 6672 feet). I sat with an older Swiss couple, my guess in their late 70s, attired in stylish ski gear, heading off to ski the mountain. This is something I observed 
everywhere in Switzerland – people of all ages who are robust and healthy. The gentleman noticed my enthusiasm as I was looking out the window and asked where I was from. He seemed thrilled to learn that I was from California and had plenty of questions, including “So, what do you think of Arnold?” He also commented, “His wife needs to eat something,” to which I readily agreed. As we got off the train in Kleine Scheidegg, he insisted on showing me where my next train would be waiting, and then he took off with his wife in a spray of powder. And then began the most extraordinary part of my journey. 
I boarded a bright red train with yellow stripes that headed up, and I mean up. During the entire journey we climbed from 6672 feet to Jungfraujoch, which sits at an elevation of 11333 feet, definitely the highest elevation I’ve ever been in my life. Along the way we stopped at two underground stations, Eigerwand and Eismeer, and we were given five minutes at each stop to 
observe the mountain through observatory windows that had been built into the rock. As the train worked its way through tunnels dug straight through rock, an incredible engineering feat, the air became thinner and thinner. And suddenly, there we were – at the Top of Europe. This nickname for Jungfraujoch is well-deserved; you see, this is the train station with the highest elevation in all of Europe. Up on this remote mountaintop sits a complex that contains a restaurant, snack bar, gift shop, and a post office that will postmark your mail “Top of Europe.” There is also a practical part to all of this in the form of a weather station. Oh yes, and there is an Ice Palace! This is an entire structure built of ice – floor, walls, and ceiling, with ice sculptures throughout. Lots of fun! I also went out onto a trail that leads to an observation point. As you can see, there 
was a heavy snowstorm, and my face froze within seconds. Many people commented that it was a shame that I went up to Jungfraujoch on a day with no views, but I had no regrets. After all, it’s not every day that I get to experience a blizzard!
After walking around for awhile, I had to sit down. It’s true that higher elevations and thinner air can lead to some dizziness and head rushes! I decided to rest over lunch in the restaurant, where I was given a table by the window from which I could watch the raging snowstorm outside. Soon, though, the last train 
was boarding and it was time to make my way back to Interlaken. I took my 
bright red and yellow train back to Kleine Scheidegg, where I boarded a different train bound for Wengen, a ski town that sits at 4180 feet. A third train took me to Lauterbrunnen, and yet another train returned me to Interlaken.
Upon returning to Interlaken, I walked home along the river, a beautiful stroll by quaint chalets, rustic buildings, and graceful bridges. I had an early dinner that night at the Bäron Grill Stübli, a wonderfully rustic authentic Swiss restaurant with thick stone walls, worn wood floors, and cozy lighting. Another perfect end to another perfect day!
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