Klangweg

I realize I say this every time we find a new place to hike, but this one might be my favorite. The Toggenburg Klangweg (the Sound Trail) is definitely up there when it comes to theme trails for children. Some friends told us that it had been extensively renovated and reopened in May this year, so of course we needed to go check it out. It is a one way trail, about 6 km long, with close to 30 stations along the way all dedicated to noise. Does this sound like my children, or what?

We started with a gondola ride up to the trail from the valley where we discovered a small playground and bounce house.

I'm not sure my kids will ever quite grasp how lucky they are to have access to such cool playgrounds

After awhile, we finally managed to drag them away from the slides and on to the trail itself.

how do trees manage to grow out of rocks?

We quickly happened upon the first station which was a series of three wooden columns with a metal tube hanging inside each stele. Once you strike the tube, the vibration of the metal is transmitted to the wooden post, creating a reverberation and is not only audible but also physically noticeable. The info sign says the reverberations from each strike can lasts up to ten minutes. I believe it.

We came to the largest megaphone on the planet.* Of which we, of course, had to climb in.

*not verified by the Guinness Book of World Records

Next came a series of Xylophone stations where we got to bang on tubes to make noise/sound/music...you pick. Also, apparently in September Christmas is already on our minds.

One of the coolest ones to me was the Glockenbühne (Bell stage). The info sign on this one said: A concert of the bells that swing at the necks of the willow animals grazing everywhere is constantly playing. On the Toggenburg sound path you can get in the mood by moving slowly or faster through the bell stage. Your body will vibrate the bells and – will trigger its own melody depending on how you move. This way you can also experience yourself as part of a herd of livestock. You trigger sound and sound just like the animals in the Alps.

Of course, we only really knew how to run through the bells (and fast).

At this point in the hike, the smallest Powell was looking like this:

So we made a stop at the mountain restaurant for lunch.

And then we were off again.

We found more bells to ring, singing sculptures, cool animal carvings, things that spin, swings in the forest, and a huge tuning fork.

In between we took time to enjoy the views and soak in the mountain air.

One of the last stations was the Klangmühle (Sound mill). There are two hollow rotating wooden cylinders inside an old mill room. The cylinders are strung with well over 100 equally tuned strings. As you rotate them, you can pluck the strings or let the plectrum create a wave-like sound. We, of course, couldn't not touch them as they rotated.

What a hike. I will never tire of views like this.

And Olivia will never tire of post-hike ice cream rewards.

And as for Charlotte, I think she's a llama girl.

Two parades in one day!

The Swiss (and Liechtensteiners by proxy) love a good parade and they will turn out in mass for one. Some are quite regular (Räbechilbi or Fastnacht) while others are are to commemorate an anniversary of an event that I most likely don't know about because my Liechtenstein history isn't that great.

Today, however, we were in for a treat! There were two parades scheduled through Vaduz. In the morning was the Princely Liechtenstein Tattoo and in the afternoon was everyone's favorite - the cow parade.

We start with the tattoo a parade which combines the tradition of marching music with modern musical styles such as pop and rock - and always in motion, sometimes precisely choreographed, sometimes dance-like, sometimes complete chaos.

After a break for lunch, we eagerly awaited the return of the cows. All across the alps in September and October, many Swiss farmers are busy returning their animals from the mountain pastures down to the valley. After spending the summer grazing on meadows with fresh herbs, the bovines will be spending their winters in the (relatively) warm barn.

Although a sort of mundane agricultural event, the Swiss turn these alpine descents into an opportunity to praise the beloved cows. By decorating and dressing them up with the biggest bells, the farmers showcase their beauty and agricultural achievements.

And we are 100% here for it.

Seealpsea & Ebenalp Hike

Just on the other side of these mountains...

A view from our balcony

...are a series of hikes nestled in the northernmost extent of the Alps. They are a little more advanced than what we typically attempt with the girls, and Amanda and I have been looking for an opportunity to try them since we learned about them two years ago.

We were also lucky to host some friends and former neighbors from Dallas who were willing to indulge us in more serious hiking while the girls were at school. Hope you enjoy the pictures as much as we enjoyed the journey!

First up was Seealpsee. The Seealpsee is a breathtaking natural wonder creating a picturesque ambiance like that of a fairy tale. The lake is nestled in the Alpstein range and is widely recognized as one of the most exquisite mountain lakes in Switzerland. The lake’s clear waters reflect the surrounding mountain peaks, and the green pastures extend up to the shoreline. It’s an ideal destination for hiking, picnicking, and swimming during the warmer months (we didn't attempt this!), offering a peaceful getaway for those seeking tranquility and the unspoiled beauty of nature.

The hiking crew!

Trees growing rocks? Rocks hatching trees?

After a quick lunch, we headed up to Berggasthaus Aescher. Aescher, a 170-year-old guesthouse/restaurant perched on the edge of a sheer cliff high above Seealpsee. It was made famous when featured on the cover of the National Geographic book “Destinations of a Lifetime”, so of course we couldn't live within 45 minutes of it without going to visit. We started by riding the Ebenalp cable car up the mountain, then took a short hike down to restaurant. On the way we passed through a large cave with an old hermit’s hut and open air chapel, aka Wildkirchli.

Next stop: up!

This looked fun!

After two long hikes there's nothing like cooling your feet off in a nice cold mountain stream! I think our visitors agreed.