Saints in the cave - Monday, June 21, 2010

Saints in the cave - Monday, June 21, 2010

Today we started out to Einigen, the closest town to find an internet connection. We asked at the Migros (grocery store) and several other stores and were told that the only place in town was at the Bahnhof (train station) so we went over there. It was a coin operated computer station that charged by the minute - equivatent to $1.00 for 5 minutes. Between the 4 of us we were able to send short reports to family then it shut down after about $5.00 worth or 25 minutes. That seems like a lot but considering we had to type in all new e-mail addresses and try to figure where the keys are located, we spent too much time correcting our mistakes than typing.
After shopping then for groceries for our week at the Oesches, we brought them home had lunch and packed coffee and snacks for the afternoon. We traveled around to the other side of Thunersee to the Saint Beatus Caves which were inhabited in the 12 century by monks then opened up to the public in the early 1900 by the Hartmann family. The caves were formed and continue to be formed by rushing water coming down from the mountains above and creating channels in the limestone rock in some places big enough to drive a car through. The highest point in side the mountain walkway was 300 meters above our entrance point and
Continued to within 400 meters of the top of the mountain. It was very damp and wet inside and very loud rushing water at times. We were taken through by a guide who explained various formations in both German and English. No pictures were allowed so all we have is the brochure we received at the entrance. Then it was home for supper and a relaxing evening. Jean and I did take a short bike ride for an hour or so before retiring for the night.