Sadly, today is our last day in Switzerland with our dear friends, at least we have a full day planned to spend together.  We gather our bags and meet Sigis and Gaby at their car, then begin our journey toward Zurich, stopping in Flumserberg at the Tannenboden gondola station to hike the ski resort area. It is another gorgeously sunny – and yes hot – day, perfect for being up in the Alps.  Riding the gondola up to the top of the ski area, the views are – once again – stellar.  We rise higher and higher, passing over grazing cattle and the crazy toboggan run thing that sends rides hurtling down the metal tracks at breakneck speed.  Until they get behind someone going slow that is! 

Up at the top, we disembark at the Maschgenkamm stop and begin our hike – fortunately – down the mountain!  The resort has numerous trails spreading across the mountains, some hiking only, many for trail bikes as well.  We meander down, stopping to admire the vistas – or for the cow ropes/gates that we need to open to cross.

It is just magical up here – even with other people around, it is so quiet and beautiful – and melodic with the cows and their bells alongside in the mountain meadows.  

Arriving at a crossroads, we take what we (after the fact) figure is a shortcut from the gravel trail, which wends its way along the meadows and on the edges of the hills before we intersect back with the main trail.  A little harrowing in parts, but it probably cut off a good ½ to ¾ of a mile of trail – and you can’t beat the views!

At almost the halfway point, we arrive at Seebenalp – a hotel in the middle of the resort on the shores of the Grosssee lake – where we stop for a bit of refreshment.   (If you look back in the photos above, you will see the hotel as a little teeny building way, way below where we started our hike!)

Rest stop accomplished, we follow the directional signs and head down, down, down further along the slopes – in the quiet peacefulness with the Walensee lake below us in the distance. 

The views just keep coming – it is wonderfully spectacular up here – and we are all too soon arriving back down at the gondola station – complete with the herd of cattle we must pass through to conclude our wonderful 5+ mile hike at 7,000 feet altitude!

An hour and a half later and we are on the outskirts of Zurich, stopping on the lake at Seerose for a drink, just the 4 of us, before continuing on into the city proper to meet Matthias and Bryan for drinks and snacks/dinner at Bauschanzli – a lovely restaurant on a little spit of land in the Limmat River.  It is an absolute pleasure to meet Bryan for the first time, and we spend a delightful couple of hours eating, snacking, drinking and catching up on all things. 

The evening ends too soon – don’t they always? – and we bid a tearful goodbye to Gaby and Sigis, while Matthias and Bryan escort us to the Tram and ride with us out to the airport transfer where they can walk back to their apartment.  More tearful goodbyes and then we are off to the Zurich airport Hyatt (the tram lets us off virtually at the front door!) for our last night stay in Switzerland.  An entirely wonderful and lovely trip spent with some of our favorite friends.  We can’t wait to visit again, hopefully soon.