Let's leave the «tedious shops» in the village and fight our way «back to nature». Jean-Jacques Rousseau couldn't have said it better. Let's see – like Albrecht von Haller – whether we can find peace of mind. Our goal: the Grosse Scheidegg. Our weapons: a Postauto (postal (public) bus), a sledge – and of course our sanity. The sharpest of all weapons.
In Meiringen we use our first weapon. It's yellow and is classy.
With chains we're off through the village. Yes, exactly, you read correctly. With snow chains. Where is the snow please? The locals are crazy – or is that foresight? Never mind. OK, off we go. We're going back to nature. To find our inner peace again – if we have ever found it before. It can hide itself well.
Now it's getting tight. It's not only in the curves that every millimetre counts. Good, our yellow weapon is stronger than this white vehicle. It's scared and takes the passing point.
It's jolting loudly. But: the street is getting whiter. Dignified silence. Aha, now the chains definitely make sense. A big compliment to the bus chauffeur. Well thought through.
Ruedi Simmler,
Deputy head of PostAuto Switzerland for the Bern region
In Gschwandtenmad we've come a good bit closer to peace of mind. Maybe this Albrecht von Haller wasn't so wrong after all. Out of the bus, open your eyes. The stress is gone. The magic of Rosenlaui.
Now we're done. The bus stop gets little attention in winter. The house is closed, too. Boards protect it from the snow loads. But after the curve it pops up again. The Hotel Rosenlaui. Honestly, hand on heart: we have to take a photo. It looks quite impressive from up here. It's just standing there, resting. The guardian of many stories and secrets.
Many a well-known guest has come and gone. A house which has earned a story of its own.
We also drive past it. It's closed in winter though. The Rosenlaui Gorge.
Hold on. Stop. From here on, only the Postauto can continue. Phew. We've got one. Sledging run and street melt into one. A smooth thing. Ha, the snow chains really make sense.
In the battle for our peace of mind, we pick up our next weapon at the Schwarzwaldalp at the hotel: the sledge.
That's just not possible. Sliding directly down? No. Let's internalise this place. By the way: where's the stress?
What a view. Somehow we're in two places at the same time. A view of Grindelwald...
... and a view of Haslital...
...and, of course: we're living in a digital age. Going completely without isn't possible. The obligatory peak selfie.
So, let the fun begin.
Someone's missing...
I'm tired. Lean me against the wall.
We got that right in the end.
Rolf von Wyl,
chauffeur, on co-existence with the sledgers
Beep beep... Postauto. We're solidly united and leave the dear chauffeur the right of way. He's got a little more horsepower under his a...
We're sitting in the warmth again. The bus takes up back to Meiringen. Behind us, hard work is going on. The piste has to be perfect tomorrow.
Nightfall takes the reigns. The Rosenlaui lays itself to rest. Oh, we forgot something all day – that's right, the stress of the daily grind. We found peace of mind. At least for a day. Mission accomplished.
Tourist Center Meiringen
Bahnhofplatz 12
CH-3860 Meiringen
Tel. +41 33 972 50 50
Fax +41 33 972 51 50