Engelberg

Elise went on her 3rd grade week-long class fieldtrip last year to Engelberg, and we kept saying that we wanted to go there so she could show us around. Well, we took the opportunity in September to go there on a Saturday, and it was well worth it!

We arrived mid-morning and, just as we were pulling into the parking lot in front of the monastery, we saw the cows coming down the street!

It's a tradition in the fall to bring the cows down from the hills in a big parade (they do the same in the spring when the cows are taken up to the hills to graze).  The cows are adorned with beautiful flowers and ribbons.  And, of course, they have their giant cow bells.  We jumped out of the car and ran to follow the parade.  It circled around the main square of town a couple of times, so we had a chance to see it up close.  What was most striking was how loud it was!  Those cow bells are huge, and the sound of all of them together was so, so loud!  It really was an amazing sight and sound!

Engelberg means "Angel Mountain", and there are statues of angels all over town.  There's a working monastery in the town, and Mount Titlis towers over the valley.

After seeing the cow parade, we had time to walk down the main street of town, eat  a nice lunch (with the best zimt ice cream for dessert), visit the monastery, see the cheesemaking, and, of course, take a horse carriage ride.