Lazy Day in Wengen

Wednesday, March 18th

The weather was a repeat; what more can one say. Sunny, warm and spectacular.

After two days of trying to do it all the group tempo eased back a bit. One contingent left their ski gear behind and made a day of traveling to the “Top of Europe,” the Jungfraujoch. With two train rides each way, gawking time at the top, lunch at a hillside restaurant on the way back and a stop at a bar in town it was late afternoon before they returned to the hotel.

A second cluster visited the First area and found wonderful snow and an additional way to risk their lives; a zip line. Of course Claudine, Robb and Kim had to try it figuring if anyone could engineer a zip line it would be the Swiss. Kim’s video of the trip will tell it all.

Others took the day off, skied short days or found other ways to soak up the ambiance of Wengen.

BEAUSITE PARK HOTEL, WENGEN
The Beausite Park Hotel has been the SM Euro hotel of choice for most of its past Wengen visits. Situated on one of the highest points in the village most rooms enjoy a postcard southerly view down over the village and to the looming mountains beyond. Both the view and the hike up to the hotel take your breath away.

Photo by Larry Geist

While the hotel dates back to the early part of the last century, the rooms and public spaces have been updated and are truly “4 star.” Small rooms, typical of older hotels, have been combined to create spacious suites on the view side.

It is a bit of a climb from the train station to the hotel but the hotel will send a cart down to pick up weary skiers if necessary. The food and service maintain the 4 star rating. On Tuesday evening a seafood buffet was offered as an appetizer but could have doubled as the main course.

All in all, the hotel is proving to be a fine home for SM Euro travelers.

SPOON REPORT
Poor John Powis. He has the spoon for a second day, being unable to find a recipient in the group. Passing it on may prove to be a problem.
First, with only 33 travelers, there are fewer candidates than with a larger group and
This is a pretty competent group. Except for forgetting to pack properly, the group has proven to be skilled at map reading and following directions. Steve Sanford has not left his wife at any rail stations, Bob Dixey has not made any offending remarks to German skiers and Sylvie OKeefe has behaved herself in the bar.
Finally, there is some suspicion that friends are covering up mistakes made by friends; truly shameful behavior.
So John has the spoon for a second day.