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Awoke after a fantastically comfy nights sleep, had Swiss breakfast. As it was Swiss national day all the staff were wearing red and there was a holiday feel about the hotel. I had an unlikely sounding breakfast of cold porridge with bits of fruit in, and it was very creamy and yummy!!
We decided to try a bike ride as tourist information had given us a booklet with a range of bike rides showing us a small graph of the ascent and decent involved. We chose the easiest looking one and packed up a picnic and set of up the valley, past the boys scout camp, until we reached a notice saying that there was a one-way system as the road was so narrow and tortuous. We were soon pushing our bikes up a narrow road cutting into the cliff face along the side of the gorge. (Note: it was actually quite sunny!!) and we eventually reached the top of the gorge into a wide hanging valley. A much more gentle slop lead along the river for maybe 4 miles and then a final climb to the hotel at the end. This took the best part of the morning so we had a drink at the hotel then turns back. Incredibly quickly barely turning a pedal we were back at the top of the gorge. We ate our picnic lunch on a rack at the rivers edge then back down through the cliff into Kandersteg just to see Rory's scout troop crossing the road to go to the start of their Swiss national day celebrations. We arranged a liaison with them but first to enjoy again our room, being able to sit comfortable read lying on the bed and going to the loo w/o putting on shoes and walking a reasonable distance ( writing this now it sounds rather lazy).
Richard went back up the valley to see the scouts stalls from all around the world set up. Crowle scouts/explorers had done old fashioned British sweets , apparently a popular stall.
On RIchards return we wondered round the town and had tea, I notice the waitresses always look a bit anxious when you order tea ...... I quite enjoy seeing what comes...jugs of hot water mugs with or without tea in sachets....slices of lemon...
Pizza for tea in hotel then off out to the national day celebrations.
The para gliders never came but all the locals were out with tourists waiting ( it was a bit cloudy) then we began to hear the band marching down the street, the towns clubs and groups all had a place in the parade. But the band was gradually drowned out by shouting from another parade , all the scouts marching down the hill, Crowley scouts second out of maybe 30/40 troops !! All holding their country banners and singing heir songs. Everyone gathered on a field, a big bonfire, a few speeches no one could here, the Alphorn duet and we found the boys Brian and Angela in the mele. FIreworks and the bed bed , the fireworks went on sporadically into the early hours!
Alison
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