Ballenberg
SWITZERLAND Diary : Day 9 - 13th April 2014
Ranked as the only open air museum in Switzerland, BALLENBERG showcases the rural settlements, representing each and every zone in the country, within its 164 acres of land. Built on a hilly forest that is surrounded by the Alps, lying scattered with meadows, it re-creates the country side magic all in one place. Consisting of huts, chalets, stone buildings and all kinds of residential structures, exhibiting various ancient living conditions & offering demos of age old practices followed in the country, this open air museum captures the very essence of the Swiss way of life.
The thought of witnessing "Switzerland in a summarised form", dragged us to this place. It was more of a leisure start that morning in comparison with the other hectic days of the tour. It was also our last day in the beautiful country. The bright, sunny day began with boarding a train from Interlaken west to get to Interlaken Ost. At a two minute walking distance from this station, is the ferry terminal above the river AARE. Though this river originates and ends in the country covering many parts, it flows in narrow, winding channels throughout Interlaken, merging with Lake Thun on the west and Lake Brienz on the east.
Cruising the Brienzersee (lake Brienz) was scheduled. Ferry ride on this lake came 'free' with the SWISS PASS. A one way ride would take about 1 hour and 15 minutes with a few stops in some pretty villages on the way. We boarded the typical Swiss ferry and were soon amidst bright green waters. The boat had an open deck and also a roofed cabin with an in-house restaurant. Polished, shiny wooden furniture adorned the indoors. We were impressed with both the indoor and outdoor seating capacity. Passengers were free to occupy any area on the ferry. We were happy with the wooden bench type seating arranged on the deck, open to the sky, offering views of the beautiful Swiss Alps & villages, that flanked either banks of the Lake. We drifted at a medium pace.
Half way through, the ferry landed at the gateway to the GIESSBACH falls. The operator announced that the waterfall was well worth a visit, with a funicular ( Giessbachbahn ) ride up a mountain. Passengers were free to get off, visit the waterfall and later continue their journey on the Brienz . The funicular RIDE interested us. We decided to deboard the ferry and visit the waterfall. The ticket for the funicular is not a part of the SWISS PASS. We purchased return tickets at the counter on the quay. The upward sloping ride lasted for less than 5 minutes.
We landed on a flat surface atop the mountain. It was surprising to find a well developed forest land. A little further away, to the left from the funicular stop, is the GRAND HOTEL GIESSBACH. Built in castle form, this century old ancient hotel is maintained in great condition and is a the prestigious hotel in the area, offering breathtaking aerial views of the Lake Brienz, from any point surrounding it.
Characterised by meadows, mountains and a forest area that leads to the bountiful Giessbach falls, the place is a domain of its own. We spotted guests from the hotel hiking, biking or simply walking around soaking in the surroundings. Enjoying the complete peace and quiet we followed a mountain trail that wound its way, leading us further up to reach the waterfall. After a couple of turns into the forest surrounded by tall trees, we found ourselves on a wooden bridge, with the water cascading in various tiers along the rugged, tall mountain side near it. We could spot people scattered on another bridge at a height. The origin of the water, however, seemed far far away & was not in sight. We could see that it dropped from a great height and tumbled into the Lake below.
There were trails leading to the topmost point. Few of us managed to cover an additional tier above. Time was running short and we couldn't manage to reach the topmost point. We were happy to witness whatever we could in that short period. It was an unforgettable walk through the rugged mountain forest. In an hour we found our way back to the funicular and glided down to reach the pier within no time.
We were just in time for the next ferry. Drifting on the deep green waters, we continued our journey on Lake Brienz. We sat indoors relishing coffee and some snacks till the boat hit the shores. We got off to find the "open to sky" Brienz banhof ( train station) right outside the quay. A bus stop occupied a small area near the station. It was an easy bus ride to the the BALLENBERG MUSUEM. Flying past some of the most beautiful country side, the bus came to a halt near the western entrance of the museum. The entry to the museum was free with the Swiss Pass. We were all set to explore a mini Switzerland. Green meadows and the bright blue sky welcomed us with open arms. We were provided a map of the area at the reception counter for ease of navigation.
Even with the map in hand it seemed easy to get lost in the vast piece of land. The entire area was divided into four zones, each zone representing northern, southern, eastern and western Switzerland respectively. Clearly the living styles of each zone were different from the other. Houses and structures represented the zone they occupied. Apart from vast forest areas, well maintained gardens, fenced farms, green fields & meadows that are set up according to the medieval times, there are functioning kitchens, barns, cloth mills and bakeries displaying usage of traditional tools while maintaining the exact style of work adapted in the olden days. We found plenty of domestic farm animals in many places, playing their role in showcasing the interesting way of Swiss farm life.
The idea of simple living, blessed with plenty of fresh air and unparalleled free gifts of nature, sure had an impact on us. We spent time in all four zones to understand their differences. We were able to witness a wrestling competition in one of the open grounds, where crowds flocked around, with a majority of them sitting scattered on the surrounding green meadows, to witness the event. Meandering pathways and roads running up and downhill, kept us active throughout. Walking into the forest like set up was amazing. We perched ourselves on a longish wooden table laid out in the open and treated ourselves to some home made lunch and drinks at noon. It was a great outdoor picnic. We managed to cover all the zones in about 3 hours, visiting every model house, kitchen and functioning workshop to experience the unique lifestyle for ourselves. The play area in one of the zones provided some entertainment for the kids. Overall it was time well spent. We found our way back to the entrance. A bus ride from outside the museum gates completed our journey to Interlaken that evening. Packing luggages, cooking dinner, cleaning up our chalet and rounding off with some good laughter & memories is how the last day ( Day 9) in Switzerland ended.
