A Glass Factory and a Boat Ride on Lake Brienz

April 29, 2017 ─ This report isn't about a hike, but rather an excursion I did with my dear friend Jana. 

First we went to visit the Hergiswil Glass Factory (nicknamed "Glasi") on Lake Lucerne, the only glass factory in Switzerland, where all their creations are hand-made. A small museum describes the history of the factory, and there is a large exhibit which explains the uses and manufacture of glass, with lots of hands-on participation. The best part is that you can watch the glass blowers and glass pourers create pretty and useful objects.

After the Factory visit we did a day trip on the train, traveling over the Brünig Pass to Lake Brienz near Interlaken. The day before it had snowed up to 40 cm in some places (including my home-town of Zug) and since we had an early spring, the landscape looked weird with too much green showing through the white landscape.

On Lake Brienz the weather was milder and we took a pleasant boat ride on the lake from Brienz to Interlaken (First Class! No squeezing in like the sardines in 2nd Class), and walked along the Aar River Canal between the two train stations (East and West) before heading back home. All-in-all, a good day!

** The Aar River, one of Switzerland's main rivers, flows into Lake Brienz from the East and out of Lake Thun in the West, then flows through Berne northward to join the Rhine River at the border with Germany. Interlaken lies between the two lakes, and because there are several low bridges on the Canal between the lakes, ships cannot cross from one lake to the other.

Special effects with glass at the "Glasi" glass factory in Hergiswil, Switzerland

I could watch them working and shaping the glass all day.

The huge ovens costs millions and last only 5-7 years, then need to be rebuilt from the ground up.

Special effects with glass at the "Glasi" glass factory in Hergiswil, Switzerland

The keepsake from the trip: A marble made from the throw-away glass.

Riding the train First Class over the Brünig Pass

This view of Lungern Lake near the Brünig Pass is usually stunning in "winter" but with this recent snow, the large amount of green makes the landscape look weird.

"The Musicians of Bremen" in real life hierarchy. A wood sculpture in Brienz, a town renowned for its wood art.

We had an hour to kill before boarding the boat, so walked along the lake (Brienz) for a short stretch.

Lake Brienz

Our boat approaching the dock in Brienz

Our boat, the "Interlaken", which will take us on a 1-hour ride on Lake Brienz, to Interlaken.

We are riding First Class, so have lots of room on the upper deck. 

Leaving Brienz on the North shore and heading to the South shore of the lake.

The lake truly is this wonderful turquoise.

Lots of people waiting to board the boat.

Here the climate is warmer, so the snow has receded quickly. Recently we walked along the entire North side of this lake, from Brienz to just before Interlaken.

Heading West toward Interlaken, with Mount Brienz in the background.

Near Interlaken on the Aar Canal, the boat has to travel backwards to its final docking station, as it can't turn around there to head back out again, and it can't continue to Lake Thun because of the bridges.

Other ships that travel the lake, waiting on future crossings.

We walked along the Aar Canal a bit to stretch our legs, two kilometers between the East and West train stations in Interlaken.

All along the way, the fantastic peak of Mount Jungfrau (4,158m) accompanies us.

All along the way, the fantastic peak of Mount Jungfrau accompanies us.

 

Interlaken on the North shore of the Canal.

Crossing the canal before heading to the train station Interlaken West

On the way home through Berne, the mountains look stunning in the background.

On the way North from Berne, this is the Eiger/Mönch/Jungfrau trio which you can see way better from the West than when you are directly in the Interlaken area.

After leaving the Lucerne area, we crossed the Brünig Pass and rode the boat on Lake Brienz, with a bit of walking in between.