Lincoln Arphell's Mid-Life Travel Blog

Brienz, Switzerland

When you are young‚ traveling is more likely to be a haphazard experience filled with missed train connections‚ meager or no meals‚ and hours upon hours of endless wandering with no particular place to go. I don’t know about you‚ but I wonder how I ever survived those early journeys without either falling off the face of the earth‚ never to be seen again‚ or coming home so bedraggled and disillusioned as to never again leave the relative comfort of my own home. Of all the experiences‚ the ones that stood as the most heinous were the accommodations. They were a mixture of crowded youth hostels‚ dank and shabby roach hotels‚ and the occasional doorway.

It’s been a good number of years since those days and with the passing of time many habits have changed concerning my day to day life‚ so has my approach to travel. The most pronounced change of taste‚ for me‚ has been on the subject of where I choose to place my head at night.

Let’s be honest‚ going to some far-off country is nowadays wrought with hassles; from increasingly draconian security measures and ever escalating airline baggage fees to lousy or no onboard meals and twentieth century plane seats built for nineteenth century butts. The last thing I need after fifteen hundred miles in the air is to end up in a cramped stuffy hotel room with my luggage competing with me for bed space.

One day‚ I had a revelation. Since for me‚ the hotel is my “timeout” from whirlwind activities of the day‚ why not find a place where I can spread out and get a true feeling of being home away from home. So I sat down at my computer and began to search for a house to rent. Now before you say “what a hoity and pretentious way to waste money”‚ think again.

The destination was Switzerland‚ a land of immeasurable beauty which has held my soul captive since 1970. It is no exaggeration to say that no matter where I go in Europe‚ I feel compelled to always spend at least a few days in Switzerland. Regarding the accommodations‚ I had a couple of criteria; since I was traveling exclusively by train while in-country‚ it was imperative that the house be near the railroad station. This is not a foreboding choice like it is on the east coast of the U.S. where the areas around the tracks are not esthetically maintained. The other criteria was that the neighborhood had to have the right mix of country scenery and plenty of nearby opportunities for sightseeing‚ shopping and entertainment.

My destination was a little town in the canton of Bern called Brienz. This little gem sits just to the east of Interlaken on a beautiful lake called the Brienzer See. Not as well known as its neighbor to the west‚ Brienz is a favorite holiday place for the Swiss and other Europeans. Finding an apartment chalet is not a problem since the canton of Bern has its own tourist board which lists attractions and housing in the area.

By booking during the off season‚ I was able to snag a completely furnished chalet apartment for a little more than half of what it would have cost me to stay in one hotel room for the same week.

The chalet was situated just adjacent to the main street which meant that the neighborhood was quiet. Everyone’s small yard was well manicured and I really got the sense that I was a part of the Swiss community.

Originally built in 1631 and restored/renovated in 1981‚ the exterior had that classic Swiss chalet‚ well worn‚ russet brown timber look that still looked great after 378 years. The inside was tastefully decorated with natural wood furniture‚ shelves of books‚ and a fireplace. The two bedrooms although a little on the dark side (due to small windows and liberal wood paneling)‚ were comfortable and homey. The kitchen was modern and had a false wall that opened into a floor to ceiling pantry.

After a long day of seeing the sights and going out to eat‚ being able to come back to a fully appointed home cannot be overstated. With plenty of room to stretch out and roam around‚ finishing the day with a quiet coffee and cheese with some visiting friends makes the travel experience truly relaxing.

Orosi, Costa Rica

There are a lot of words that you could use to characterize Costa Rica‚ sub-tropical‚ emerging democracy‚ vibrant‚ chaotic. However‚ at the end of the day‚ it is best described as just freaking beautiful.

You can start with the sunsets. The high‚ tree carpeted‚ mountains hide the sun as it dips low in the sky creating an orange glow on the surrounding clouds.

The small village of Orosi‚ nestled in the Central Valley‚ is the perfect place to listen to the morning cacophony of jungle birds. At 5:30 am‚ with a hot pot of tea on the rooftop deck of the house where I stayed‚ you can sit down and let the cool morning breeze brush your face as you listen to the avian chorus. Toward the jungle canopy in the distance‚ you might only catch fleeting glimpses of wildly colorful‚ and sometimes ornate plumage‚ however‚ the real joy came from closing my eyes and opening my ears.

The village houses which dotted the mountains all had flocks of chickens‚ the roosters crowing “cock-a-doodle-do”‚ answering each other from every corner of the hillside.

Mixed with this were sounds never experienced anywhere else by this traveler. In the distance was a loud cry which sounded like a child calling his for mother; “ma ……ma”.

Into this ensemble‚ played the sustained discourse of high pitched twittering which was reminiscent of a traffic whistle.

 As the sun rose high in the sky and the birds’ “morning crazies” subside‚ a peaceful calm settles over the valley as the locals begin their daily activities. You have the sense that today is going to turn out pretty good.