Switzerland was the favorite part of our trip, for several reasons.  The first week was fun, but hectic with frequent traveling, so when we got to Einsiedeln we were able to settle in for 5 days.   And Switzerland is beautiful where ever you look.  The sights were awesome, and everywhere our tour guides took us was more spectacular than the last.   And our tour guides, Marie and Chris’s cousins’ were just great to be with.   They treated us so well, and spent so much of their time with us.   It was just easy to relax and have fun.  And have fun we did.   We were looking for a ‘low impact’ trip, without so much planning that we could not stop and have a coffee or a beer to relax.  And we were successful throughout our trip, and made especially enjoyable to be with the family.

Einsiedeln was the birthplace of Chris and Marie’s Grandmother and our home base.  People here in Wisconsin only know Kato Kaelin, but in Einsiedeln Kaelin’s are everywhere.   Back in the 800’s Meinrad, a Benedictine monk came to Einiedeln to try to live a hermit’s life of prayer.   But his advice was still sought out and people came to the Dark Forest.  Around 835 he was murdered, but Meinrad’s tame Ravens led others to the murderers. And the raven motif remains in the heraldic arms of the monastery.   A chapel was built at Meinrads site and maintained for hundreds of years and a Benedictine community founded.  In 948 the first monastery church was consecrated, St Mary’s monastery of hermits.  Somewhere in the 1400’s the statue of the black Madonna was moved into the church at that time.  Many changes over the years, but Marie said this would be the most beautiful church we would see and she was correct.  Never having been to Rome I could only imagine the great churches and this would match my imagination.   The color and detail of the many paintings and beautiful altars leave you awe struck.  There are not as many monks now as there once was, and there is lot’s of locals employed to keep up the grounds, tend to the horses, and the many needs.

So that was our base, our hotel the Drie Konigs was right across the street.   We started each morning and ended each night with a view of the monastery.  Einsiedeln itself is not a large town, large enough to have it’s own brewery and a number of businesses.   Charles says years ago there were many more tourists that came to the monastery and stayed for days, and now the buses come and leave in a day.  So some of the small hotels are being converted or rebuilt.   It was an enjoyable town to walk.  We spent time at the cousins’ houses, they took us up the Holzegg, me for a walk the girls for a ski lift ride!  And enjoyable drinks and food.

We did a Lake Lucerne boat trip that I loved.   And we started out on the far end of the lake so we could meet cousin Emil before we left.   And we all wished we would have had more time with him.  The views on the ride were breathtaking, and lunch in Lucerne and some sight seeing were enjoyable.   We went to Amden, home of the Gmur’s where Karl Gmur’s father was born.   I can’t find enough different words to talk about how beautiful it all was.

Charles and family thank you so much.   You made this trip a “Trip of a life time”.   I felt honored to spend time with all of you.  A special thanks to Marie who made the whole trip possible for us.   Thank You.  Marie has headed home now, a chance for her to see friends, and her house!  We will see her next in Florida.

 

I will post a few more pictures here.   If you cannot get enough of pictures scrolling across your computer screen I have loaded all of Marie, Chris and Randy’s pictures at:

http://www.photoshow.com/members/rtomb/all

And there is a button to watch full screen in the bar at the bottom of the photoshow.

If you ever have a chance to go to Switzerland, don’t hesitate!