A Day of Waterfalls

On our last day in Launterbrunnen, Switzerland, we explored the valley and saw as many waterfalls as we could.  The most impressive was a glacial waterfall that literally carved its way through the inside of the mountain, creating shoots for the water to crash down as it went.  As part of a county park, the city had mined a very nice trail along the inside of the mountain, and where it was particularly dark, positioned lights so you could see the falls.  I think in total there were something like 16 chutes cascading down inside and outside of the mountain, draining the rivers above into the valley below.

Inside the mountain, the roar of the falls would bounce of the walls and create a very ominous, thundering sort of sound.  Pure force...power...water eating away at the mountainside.  I felt very small and frail walking along the trail, thinking about what would happen if I lost my balance and tumbled into the falls.  Still, it was a type of waterfall I had never seen before, and wasn't likely too again.  So, despite Mom's pleading for Dad and I to stay away from the railing, we both leaned over and took as many pictures as we could.

A word about Mom, I was so proud of her. DEATHLY afraid of heights, she still didn't want to miss out on the fun, so like a good sport, she came along and hugged the mountain-side, very slowly climbing her way up. People looked at Dad and I like we were horrible for dragging her up when she was near-tears the whole time. It wasn't worth explaining that she did it herself. When we got to the chutes just outside of the mountain, the REALLY impressive views, it was early in the trail and she wouldn't come near the edge to look down. Dad and I flanked her, and gradually, as we went up into the mountain, she gathered all her courage, and started edging her way towards the edge. Be the time we got to the top, she was looking over. She was leaving hand prints in the iron railing and keeping her backside as far towards the mountain as possible, but she was peering over the edge. As we made our way back down the mountain and passed the impressive chutes for the second time, she came closer and closer to a proper look down. At one point, she got in front of Dad and I, and as we stood on the trail above, we saw her on the ledge below, by herself, peering over the edge. Yes, she looked like a terrified cat stuck in a tall tree, but she did it! WAY TO GO MOM!!!!!!