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Recharing the batteries

Summertime means swimming in the Rhine and sunbaths, and the approaching Herbstsemester it also means it is group trip time in the Gillingham Group

This years trip started with a 3 h train ride from Basel (via Olten to Bern to Fribourg to Bulle) to Gruyère. Then, we needed to change again and went to Moléson-sur-Gruyères by bus.

After a quick break at an auberge (who recently changed ownership, messing up our reservation a bit), we hiked to Plan-Francey in around 1 hour and enjoyed the sun's brightness. We then split up. One group took the cable car to the mountain top of Moléson, where they sunbathed and enjoyed the lovely view. The other group was brave enough to hike up there and enjoy a nice view between all the sweating and heavy breathing—it took them another hour to reach the summit. The braveness was not without punishment, though—after they arrived, the view from the summit subsided and was replaced by an even nicer grayness.

Still, we ate some lunch on the summit and drank coffee in the restaurant up there before we quickly went to the summit mark in 5 minutes, where the view still was mainly gray. We then went down again with the cable car to Plan-Francey and walked down to Moléson-sur-Gruyère using a different, more scenic route. In Moléson, we then dined and spent the night at the auberge.

On the following day, we woke up early and visited the village of Gruyère and the (repulsively fascinating) Giger museum. After lunch, we hiked through the green fields of Chemin du Gruyère to Broc (where we were forced to take a significant detour due to a vast construction site for a new train connection). In Broc we had a 'guided' tour at the Maison Cailler, where we learned about the company's history and how good swiss chocolate is produced. The most exciting part of the tour was the production line making mini-Branchli. The group trip ended with a workshop where everyone made their own decorated chocolate bar. Finally, we tiredly took the bus to Bulle and the train back (to Fribourg to Bern) to Basel (via Olten). Tired, but mentally recharged and ready to face the rest of the year.