Sunday,
January 3, 1981
Waited
outside the hospital to be picked up by fellow P.T. Elisabeth J and her
boyfriend, Michel, at 9:15. We were going skiing and Elisabeth decided we should
go somewhere picturesque. Gstaad! Took the Autobahn to Lyss and local roads to
compensate for a missing link in the Autobahn towards Bern. They asked if
Michel’s driving frightened me, but he was only going very fast. I was getting
a different perspective on the scenery from a car. We rejoined the Autobahn and
zoomed to Spiez. There we turned off to take local roads through the Simmental
valley. It was a clear day and we could see the Alps all along. The stream in the valley had several wooden
covered bridges. Passed through pine woods and farm land on the lower hills. I
saw a pictorial road sign indicating deer. Then saw white-tailed deer grazing
near a barn. Only patches of snow in the valley. As we approached Zweisimmen,
we suddenly were driving between meter-high snow banks. The towns along the way
were full of worn wooden chalets with red-checked curtains in the windows. The
flower boxes were filled with evergreens with cones. In Zweisimmen we turned
off into what is known as the Saanenmöser Depression, rather than a valley.
Later we dipped into a bowl, wound through the town of Saanen with its landmark
church (1444-47) and the hexagonal-roofed church tower. Saw a red hot air
balloon rising above the town.
Soon
entered the bustling ski town of Gstaad at about 11:00. Gstaad is known for its
visitors who are “crowned heads, movie stars, and other distinguished persons.”
The Shah of Iran is said to have a villa here. We saw Rolls Royces, including
one used by the Grand Palace Hotel. This hotel stood out above the rest and is
known as the cream-colored castle. We drove into town to find a sports shop
renting skis. Elisabeth had her own skis and boots (8 years old!), but Michel
was a beginner like me, and we needed equipment. The man obliged us all by
speaking to me in English, to Michel in French, and Elisabeth in Swiss-German!
After being fitted with skis, boots, and poles, we were directed to the Eggligondolabahn/Eggli gondola cable car
which was supposed to be on our left as we left town. We didn’t see it and
headed back to ask directions again. It was on the right! Michel parked his
12-year old Ford Capri and when a Rolls Royce pulled up next to him, he asked
the occupants to please be careful of his car!
Wearing our ski boots, we walked stiffly to the gondolabahn, buying round-trip tickets for 8 CHF/$4. Elisabeth bought a one-way ticket. The gondolas held 4 people and took 20 minutes. The view was spectacular and I wished I had brought my camera. My skis were only as tall as my head, so I think they were more manageable as I tested myself on a small slope several times. I was getting tired of sidestepping back up the hill. Elisabeth went up the T-bar lift and after skiing back to us, announced that it was a good slope for us; the hardest part was the T-bar. Each time we used the T-bar, it cost us 1.60/CHF/80 cents. The T-bar is on a coiled tension rope, and we knew not to sit on it, but to let it pull us. It pulled us not only up hill, but down into a depression before going up again. Some parts were steeper than others. The top was fairly flat, so it was easy to get off. We were at the very top of our own mountain and had a 360 degree panorama of snow-covered and tree-covered mountains. A splendid day and a splendid view! I succeeded in skiing down and all too soon reached the bottom. Went back up twice more before going to the lodge for drinks. I tried an Ovomaltine/Ovaltine, an enriched chocolate drink. After a half hour break, we resumed skiing for two more runs. At 16:15 we left, Elisabeth skiing all the way down and Michel and I taking the gondola. We had to return the rented equipment by 17:00. It cost us 30 CHF/$15 for the day. We stopped for an aperitif (tea) in Zweisimmen, before heading to a restaurant that Elisabeth liked. We wanted to eat in the front room of the restaurant with rough wooden tables and cow bell decorations, but it was full. We were ushered into the more elegant dining room with wood carvings everywhere, even on radiator covers and window frames. We wanted a fondue, but they did not serve that in the dining room because of the smell! Fortunately, a table opened up in the front room, and we got our fondue. Elisabeth likes fondue because it is more intimate and social!
Headed home and I was dropped off at the hospital by 20:45.
 |
| Ski equipment rental rates |
Wearing our ski boots, we walked stiffly to the gondolabahn, buying round-trip tickets for 8 CHF/$4. Elisabeth bought a one-way ticket. The gondolas held 4 people and took 20 minutes. The view was spectacular and I wished I had brought my camera. My skis were only as tall as my head, so I think they were more manageable as I tested myself on a small slope several times. I was getting tired of sidestepping back up the hill. Elisabeth went up the T-bar lift and after skiing back to us, announced that it was a good slope for us; the hardest part was the T-bar. Each time we used the T-bar, it cost us 1.60/CHF/80 cents. The T-bar is on a coiled tension rope, and we knew not to sit on it, but to let it pull us. It pulled us not only up hill, but down into a depression before going up again. Some parts were steeper than others. The top was fairly flat, so it was easy to get off. We were at the very top of our own mountain and had a 360 degree panorama of snow-covered and tree-covered mountains. A splendid day and a splendid view! I succeeded in skiing down and all too soon reached the bottom. Went back up twice more before going to the lodge for drinks. I tried an Ovomaltine/Ovaltine, an enriched chocolate drink. After a half hour break, we resumed skiing for two more runs. At 16:15 we left, Elisabeth skiing all the way down and Michel and I taking the gondola. We had to return the rented equipment by 17:00. It cost us 30 CHF/$15 for the day. We stopped for an aperitif (tea) in Zweisimmen, before heading to a restaurant that Elisabeth liked. We wanted to eat in the front room of the restaurant with rough wooden tables and cow bell decorations, but it was full. We were ushered into the more elegant dining room with wood carvings everywhere, even on radiator covers and window frames. We wanted a fondue, but they did not serve that in the dining room because of the smell! Fortunately, a table opened up in the front room, and we got our fondue. Elisabeth likes fondue because it is more intimate and social!
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