In an attempt to make visitors feel better about spending an eye watering 175 euro (per person !) to take the train journey inside the mountain up to see the view from Jungfraujoch, the Swiss have added other attractions.
It was (unintentionally) hilarious. We felt like we had stepped into "Plastic Alpine World" - a series of increasingly corny experiences around every corner.
Exhibit A is Steve inside the 'Alpine Sensation' which attempted to replicate the experience of being inside one of those snow dome toys ie. those things 1970s kids got given by well meaning but misguided grandmothers. This was accompanied by some random wooden Pinnochio looking sculptures with what sounded like the Swiss version of "It's a Small World After All' playing over the loud speaker. Aaaah. Make it stop!
This was followed by the Lindt chocolate making exhibition complete with life size mannequins of Swiss men in pristine white chef outfits making chocolate. The Chinese tourists loved the mannequins. They were posing with them enthusiastically in a series of made-for-television poses. I was too busy laughing into my gloves to take a photo.
Then there was the ice area with a long corridor of ice (or perspex). We weren't sure if it was real or not, even after taking our gloves off and feeling the walls and floor. Here I am admiring the penguin ice sculptures while doing my best impersonation of a Chinese tourist photo stance.
And just when we thought it couldn't get any funnier, we found an ice sculpture of Sherlock Holmes. I mean WTF? Why Sherlock? In a Swiss mountain. How bizarre.
Oh and did I mention that the tour exited into a gift shop with 'Top of Europe' souvenirs? I know. Right. Who would have guessed.
And there was of course the self service cafe where one sausage and a cup of tea was the same price as a 3 bedroom house in Glenfield.
But the view WAS impressive.
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