Finally, I was able to get a picture of the house that was in the final scene of the Korean series, Crash Landing on You.
Michael and I got to talk with Thea this morning, when we were having breakfast. She is an exceptionally talented artist. Check out her website at http://pastellbild.ch.
This is the second destructive rain storm to hit Switzerland. There was one in June and now another in August.
She showed us a video of the hail and rainstorm damage they had at her house. A huge amount of rain and hail came down in a very short amount of time.
The koi pond at the Guest House has been leaking for the past couple years. There must be a leak in the liner. They are thinking of doing away with it.
An advertisement for koi was put in the paper. Someone from Brienz took 7 of the koi. However, during the last storm, the pond was destroyed and only one of the koi survived in the mud.
Now again, on August 12th , this region has experienced another destructive rainstorm.
"Violent thunderstorms swept through Switzerland on August 12, 2024, causing significant disruptions, damage, and the evacuation of residents. The storms were accompanied by over 70,000 lightning strikes, a rainfall rate of 50 mm (1.97 inches) an hour and wind speeds up to 90 km/h (56 mph), resulting in widespread flooding, landslides, and mudslides.
"The village of Brienz, approximately 75 km (46.6 miles) southeast of Bern in Bern Canton, was among the hardest-hit areas. At around 18:30 local time (LT), the small Milibach River, swollen by torrential rains, burst its banks, carrying debris, boulders, and wood from higher elevations, and causing flooding and significant damage in the village. Cars were swept away, and the local train station was inundated. However, some buildings sustained severe damage from the rushing waters, and the town’s passage was closed. Train and ferry services to Brienz were suspended, with buses providing replacement services."
"Stormy weather sparked the evacuation of 70 people from the town of Brienz. No one was reported missing, and there were no injuries, according to the Regional Leadership Organization Upper Brienz (RFO). Storms damaged buildings, parked vehicles and public transport infrastructure. Residents took refuge in a gymnasium. The Milibach in Brienz overflowed its banks at around 6:30 pm. The debris, consisting of stones, rocks and wood, caused a collector above the village to overflow and the debris flowed uncontrollably into the Seematte, Rybi and Steiner parts of the village and around the church. Buildings, parked vehicles, roads and public transport infrastructure were damaged. For safety reasons, residents were told to boil their water. The full extent of the damage to infrastructure, including roads and bridges, remains to be assessed. Persistent rain has hindered recovery efforts, with six houses still at risk of collapse."
"The rain and thunderstorm cell that fell over the village also hit Brienz Rothorn Railway hard. A stretch of 2.2 kilometers shows severe structural damage to the route, the stone bed foundation and the drainage. In addition, the ballast is contaminated over a length of 1.4 kilometers. The historic steam-powered cog railway, a beloved tourist attraction, sustained significant damage on August 12th. The railway, which typically operates from May to October, announced the closure following a comprehensive damage assessment."
"Therefore, the operation of the Brienz Rothorn Railway had to be suspended for the current season due to the massive damage caused by the storm. The rain and thunderstorm cell that fell over Brienz on Monday evening hit our railroad line hard. Following a comprehensive damage assessment, it was determined that it is not possible to resume operations before the planned end of the season. Repairing the 2.2 kilometers of damaged track and addressing the contaminated ballast along an additional 1.4 kilometers is estimated to cost around 5 million Swiss francs and take several months. The railway aims to resume operations in May 2025."
Unfortunately, they also immediately had to suspend operations at the Mountain Hotel Rothorn Kulm.
The closure of the Brienz Rothorn Railway is a significant blow to the region’s tourism industry.
The railway, which dates back to 1892, is renowned for its scenic journey through the Swiss Alps.
The hotel at the summit of Rothorn mountain has also been closed due to the damage.
Today we are headed to Glasi in Hergiswil.
The Glasi Hergiswil, is the only remaining glass work factory in Switzerland where glass is still blown and shaped by hand.
The Glasi Hergiswil was founded by the brothers Siegwart in 1817. The Glasi was threatened to be closed because of old machines and technology but it remains open, due to the efforts of the community.
Visitors have the opportunity to observe workers as they produce different things made of glass. The Glasi has a museum and is home to the first glass labyrinth in Switzerland.
Today, Michael and I watched them made a Christmas tree, two different types of glasses, and a heart shaped bowl.
Yes, he flipped it over and it didn't break
Taking it to the cooling area.
Not every attempt was successful. There were three failures before a successful tree was made.
Of course, there is always something new to look at and to buy in the two different shops. Yes, they do ship. We have shipped for years and are doing so again this year.
I finally was able to get a photo of the house at the end of the Korean series, Crash Landing on You. It is definitely one of my top three Korean series. You can watch it on Netflix. The series has a unique plot, a beautiful musical score, and interesting scenery; especially the scenes filmed in Switzerland. The house can be seen by the Kaiserstuhl stop.
Decided to try going back to Interlaken from Glasi via Meiringen instead of back to Luzern with a change then in Bern. The length of the trip back to Interlaken this way cut off an hour travel time.
The train tracks were damaged in Brienz so we will have to catch a bus in Meiringen to Interlaken. Heck, it will be a new adventure.
It is amazing how efficient and organized everything was to get off the train and onto the buses. In fact, per the train schedule, we left 4 minutes late from Meiringen and arrived 8 minutes early at the Interlaken Ost train station.
Since the conductor told us where the buses would be located, I made sure we were seated in the first car of the train so we could be first in line for the buses. I decided to go on the double decker and sit in the front seat.
There were four buses waiting at the train station to transport people and luggage to Interlaken, Brienz, or the surrounding communities.
Difficult to tell where the damage in Brienz is located.
Stopped by the Coop to pick up something for dinner.
Well, another day comes to a close.
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