Ah yes, Interlaken. Without my trying to sound like a know-it-all, I consider myself an Interlaken expert. I should be. I used to work @ Balmer's Herberge. I have also returned there 8 times since 1991, last being in 2002. It's everything you can wish for on a European journey. However, I recommend you visit near the end of your journey. The place can spoil you (and damage your wallet you if not careful!). It should be considered a welcome break from all the foreign culture you have been soaking up for the past few weeks. It's mostly filled with Americans, Brits, Aussies, Kiwis, South Africans, and, of course, those proud Canadians. Sometimes, this American just needs a good burger, fries and cable TV, broadcasting a ballgame in ENGLISH (not that there's anything wrong with $1 gyros sandwiches 9 days in a row, drunk hooligans at a rugby match, train station gypsies rummaging through your pockets or asshole Parisian waiters!) At Balmer's, there's always a bed. You'll never be turned away. For fun, I recommend "canyoning", which is very exhilarating and will toughen you up since it is physically demanding. I also recommend jumping off the top of the Alps on a tandem paraglider. Going to the top of the Jungfrau by train on a clear day is magic. Skydiving, river rafting, mountain biking and glacier skiing activites are a blast. Now that I have maxed-out your credit card, allow me to suggest some creative ideas that won't break you......Cook at Balmer's. Buy your groceries at the giant MIGROS across from the West train station or the COOP a few blocks from Balmers. Approximately the same food prices as the U.S. Every night @7:30pm, a free movie is shown in the hostel. Also, do your drinking @ the Balmer's Pub in the basement. The local beer (brewed a few blocks away) is called Rugenbrau and is quite good. You can rent rollerblades or a bicycle and cover the wonderful nearby villages of Bonigen, Wilderswil (old castle on the hill) and Unterseen. However, the best part of the "Berner Oberland" region is covered on foot.
It can best be described as "Yosemite x 20". I have led many hikes through the region. If you are limited on time and only have about $15-20 to blow, I highly recommend the following journey:
From Balmer's, walk 20 minutes to Wilderswil Station. Purchase a train ticket to Lauterbraunnen. Transfer to the Funicular-type train to Murren and hike down 30 minutes to Gimmelwald ("heaven on earth"). Stop and say hello to Walter at the Hotel Mittaghorn, and relax on his benches overlooking a breathtaking cliff. Walter is a senior fellow, the polite owner, porter, cook and bartender of this charming chalet and he'll be be happy to sell you a beer, if you forgot to bring your own. Now walk over to the famous Mountain Hostel and say hello to the travelers that didn't want to party at Balmer's (They also saved about $5.00 per night and received a view "to die for" in relative tranquility). Now hike down to Stechelberg (approx. 1 1/2 hrs.) If you're still in good shape, continue along the valley floor, following the river to Lauterbunnen (or just catch the bus from Stechelberg, then the train from Lauterbrunnen, back to Interlaken so you can pick up some food before the MIGROS or COOP closes @6:30pm, sharp!) If it's a nice clear day, I guarantee you will run out of film (or memory) for your camera, snapping up photos of everything in sight! The whole journey takes about 1/2 to 3/4 of the day. If you don't have the $15-20, then just hang out at Balmer's. They have a library of books, quiet rooms to sleep or write postcards, and a grassy backyard with several hammocks and a ping-pong and foosball table. Take a good long walk in any direction. You won't be disappointed! True, the local Swiss aren't the most exciting people in the world, but if you observe their well kept gardens and their solid style of construction and the quiet, disciplined way they go about their business, you will agree that they really take pride in their work and love their country. They're also very well-educated. By the way, perhaps I'm the lucky one, but I've never witnessed evidence of crime in town or at the hostel.
I hope I've been helpful with this long-winded article. I also realize that Balmer's is not for everyone. And that is OK, too. I admit, I'm a little biased. I stubled upon the place in 1991 near the end of my two month initial voyage to Europe, connected with the place and was offered a short-term job folding blankets (the Swiss Way!) and workeing the kitchen for few hours per day in exchange for room & board. Sometimes, the place can resemble summer camp, but hey, I always enjoyed summer camp as a kid. During the Summer months, there are many college students on holiday and things get a little crazy, but after midnight, noise is kept to a minimum. I've always been fortunate to travel through Europe in the Springtime. I highly recommend it. The weather is great and Balmer's, as well as most of Europe, is much less crowded. And no doubt, the Swiss can get a little "anal" sometimes (but always polite). The place well kept, clean and comfortable. If you're tired of sharing a room with several other travelers, splurge and get a private room with two beds. They're quite comfortable and not too expensive when you consider the rest of Switzerland. Eric Balmer (a most interesting and inspiring gentleman) has cultivated a budget traveler's haven that's worked since 1945. Do not believe the ridiculous comments about the staff blasting loud music over the P.A. system to get you out of bed. Total hogwash! Soft music is played about 1/2 hour before breakfast and a few friendly announcements are made about various excursions planned for the day. The staff is very carefully screened before they are hired. They're usually polite and responsible. They're there because they want to be there.
Presently, I do the legal thang in the big city. Every year, I look forward to a little "escapism" (take the suit & tie off, put the backpack on). Traveling Europe is what you make of it. It's all about adapting to your environment. It's a series of "little victories" for new, inexperienced traveler. For example, you barely make your train on time. You get the last bed in the pensione. You figure out how to read a map, communicate with locals in order to get from point A to point B, read a menu, count money and get along with your fellow travel partners. You have to keep an eye on your gear, stand in line for a museum, and try to enjoy all with very little sleep. Sometimes, it all gets a little confusing and exhausting. My point being, there's nothing wrong with occassionally pampering yourself with a decent bed with a down-filled duvet, a hearty Swiss breakfast and then spending a few days getting lost in one of the most beautiful places on earth. You won't want to rush this one!
I returned with my fiance in May of 2002. The weather was magnificent and it was great to see some old friends and make some new ones. I hope all travelers get the opportunity to experience this special place.
Here's the website:
www.balmers.com
Happy Travels.
Jeff
Santa Monica, California, USA
Either way I'm jealous. Where else have you been?
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