July 9 I took the cable car early in the morning to First. As the cable car lifted me over the streets and hotels and red-roofed chalets, I looked back on Grindelwald in its little valley, a snug green bowl of woods and pastures. But dominating all, drawing the eye up, were the Alps.

The gondola disgorged me at First (2168 m). Here is the departure point to more than 60 miles of hiking. I decided to take the most popular and classic trail to Bachalpsee (50 mins). Since it was still 8:30 a.m., there were only a dozen or so hikers ahead of me. The starting climb from First up the initial hill was moderately steep. Trails are well-marked for the most part, signs showing directions, average hiking time and degree of difficulty, which is a matter of judgment.

Bachalpsee (2265 m) is a delightful reflecting pool amidst an Alpine pasture. Wonderful views everywhere. From Bachalpsee to the Faulhorn is 1 hour 15 minutes, all uphill, with easy rock scrambles except for the snow along the climb to Faulhorn.

I reached Berghaus Faulhorn before noontime. It is one of the oldest and highest mountain hotel in the country. The Faulhorn views are the best in the Swiss Alps. The Eiger on one side and the Interlaken on the other side.

After enjoying a mini picnic-lunch, complete with local bread, local cheese, apples and my PowerBar, I continued to hiked down to Bussalp along the meadows and soft Alpine pastures. One has to take notice of the diversity and variety of shapes and colors of the Alpine flora. The altitude provides differences between the mountain flowers and those found on the plains. The effects of strong solar radiation, the cold and the wind, make it more brilliantly colored. It is like going on a botanical excursion. Somehow I may have come across some Edelweiss.

I reached Bergrestaurant Bussalp at 1:30 p.m. after wandering through the meadows and the local cowherds. Those herd of brown-and-white cows, each wearing a leather collar and brass bell are the Alps' most celebrated picturesque attractions. Every summer for centuries, Swiss herdsmen have driven their cattle up into these mountains (the word "alp" means "high-country pasture"), where they graze and grow fat and give the milk that makes the cheese for the world's ham sandwiches. Here I had my real lunch (Bratwurst) while enjoying the view of the surrounding peaks. I decided to take an easy way back to Grindelwald by postal bus. It was a 5 hrs hike with great unforgettable views of the mountains! The pictures don't do justice. It is a sight too glorious to adequately capture in a film. To view a slideshow presentation, click here: Grindelwald gallery.

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