Switzerland - Interlaken and Zermatt

Today we planned to go see the Ballenberg Open Air Museum, which was having a festival. This "museum" is basically a large park with exhibits of Switzerland throughout the centuries. You can see how the people lived and worked through replica housing and on-site craftsmen showing the trades of the time. This week there was a huge festival and thinking we may be strapped for time, we forfeited our tickets and instead visited Harder Kulm right next to our station and a few minutes' walk from our hotel.

Harder Kulm is a high point (4337 ft / 1322 m) above Interlaken that you can reach via a VERY steep funicular - see video descending it.  

At the top is restaurant and some viewing areas. The previous days we could see people hang gliding off of the area around it.

There's not much to do up there, but the funicular ride is fun (Shellie may not agree) and the scenery at the top and the view is nice. It was an easy trip taking only about an hour to see everything. The funicular seating is limited, so if it is crowded, you may have to wait to ascend.

After returning to the station, we checked out of the hotel and got on the train bound for Zermatt. We had a couple train changes and the whole thing took about 2 and half hours.

Zermatt is a car-free town - cars can park outside the town limits, so taking a train worked out well. We also booked a hotel very close to the station - the long-winded "SchlossHotel Zermatt Active & CBD Spa Hotel."  Basically, the SchlossHotel.

The hotel room was very nice and our little suite had a view of the Matterhorn.

We set out to explore the town and ended up at the Matterhorn Museum which has small setups of rooms and equipment from the time the Matterhorn was first being expedition.

We ate Swiss food at Whymper-Stube, along the main road. It's a cute little place that serves traditional Swiss dishes, including Raclette, a very popular melted cheese dish. It has a strong smell when it's heated up - so beware.  I like the taste when I'm eating it, but if I'm not, the smell is distracting until you get olfactory fatigue.

After dinner we strolled along the main road, window shopping on our way back to the hotel.

Zermatt - Not sure why my picture shows a car -
there aren't any, 'cept those little jitney things on the right