European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 3, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Bush Tours enjoying Switzerland an adjustment Here an adjustment there. By Janet d Agostino staff writer i our guide t Lerbert Haller has had his share of problems with Rowdy and disruptive travellers. He once had to leave two soldiers at an autobahn rest Stop for the military police to pick up. But party Hardy types usually choose Tours to Piik s known for colourful nightlife like Amsterdam and Paris. People who pick Switzerland want to see the Snow covered Alps and the Lush Green Countryside and to Sample Fondue. They Are not there for All night parties or All Day shopping. That was the c ase1 on enjoy Tours four Day trip to Switzerland Over the easter Holiday. The bus left Friday morning from the c ventral pick up Point in Mannheim West Germany headed for Lucerne with a Brief Stop in the country s capital Bern. The 19 travellers on Haller s bus were a quiet pleasant group willing to spend Long hours on the Road. They were punctual at every Stop and even Pic ked up after themselves on the bus. Other buses smelled like garbage trucks after the return rendezvous in Mannheim and they were willing to adjust to unexpected changes in the itinerary. Quot this was one of the Best groups i have had so far Quot said Haller a guide for about a year. Quot it was a patient group which made it easier for  the first change was announced on the Way to Lucerne. Haller said we would spend the night in a hotel just outside the City and move to a hotel within the c Ity for the following two nights. He also switched the Days of the optional Tours to Italy and grind Enwald and announced that we would not Stop in Zurich on the Day of the return trip but would visit Lake Constance instead. The changes were made because hotels were fully booked and Many Public places were closed for the Long easter weekend. The hotel change was made by enjoy Tours but Haller said he decided to vary other parts of the itinerary so the group would have something to do every Day despite the Holiday. Lynn Oliver of Mannheim and her Mother Carolyn Brown who was visiting from St. Louis mo., did not object to the changes. Quot i think Haller did a real Good Job in adjusting to the closing of the shops and finding things for us to do Quot said Oliver. The tour was typical of most in that there were obligatory stops at quaint tourist haunts. But Haller did not overemphasize these stops or pressure people to go into the shops and buy things. The optional Tolk entertainment and cheese Fondue dinner in Lucerne for 50 Swiss Franks about $33 a changed from the second night to the first a was better than Many such outings offered on other organized Tours. The yodelling Swiss Folk songs and cow calling went on for More than two hours but audience participation helped prevent an overdose of Swiss tradition. The meal was less satisfying. The cheese Fondue was tasty but the main dish of strips of veal was heavy on the sauce skimpy on the meat. One plus the restaurant gave out its recipe for cheese Fondue on its reserved seating cards. Brown enjoyed the show but said that she would have taken More Money if she had known in Advance that the Price did t include drinks. The tour was not for those hoping to get some extra sleep. The optional Tours left at about 8 . And kept going until Early evening. But the trip gave 1 St it. Colin Hanzlik of Mannheim and his wife Melody a Chance to see much of the Swiss Countryside. Quot now we can return on our own and spend More time in the places we liked Quot said Colin who is assigned to c co 577th Armor in. It turned out that saturday s optional trip to Italy was t so optional. Bill Lambert and sgt. 1st class Rosemary Rodrigues of Wurzburg wanted to stay in Lucerne but Haller told them that the group would be changing hotels that night making it difficult to arrange a rendezvous with the couple that evening. Lambert and Rodrigues went on the trip to Italy a and afterwards said they were glad they did. The scenery on the ride to Lake Como in Italy was spectacular. The ride itself was hair raising. After we crossed into Italy the roads quickly narrowed barely allowing a car and bus to pass at the same time. The bus frequently came to impasses with Large vehicles which were forced to Stop and Back up. Bus Driver Volkmar Surov whose full time Job is driving a Gas truck said he was not intimidated by the narrow roads. It was Surov s first time Down the Road to Lake Como in a bus though he has been Down Many such roads on his motorcycle. Of course there s More room to Man Euver with a motorcycle than with a bus on the switchbacks we traversed. At Lake Como we took a chartered boat to the Small Village of Bellagio where we had lunch and shopped. Bellagio is similar in ambiance and layout to Germany s Rudesheim restaurants and shops that Cater to tourists line its narrow streets. We returned to Lucerne at about 7 . To Settle into our first class hotel. The rooms were much larger than those at the first hotel and had telephones and televisions. However the breakfast was no better consisting Only of Rolls juice Coffee and Tea. On easter morning we left Early to travel through the Alps towards Grin Elwald. Our first Stop was Brienz the woodcarving Center of Switzerland where Karl shield 68, gave up his easter morning to demonstrate his Craft. Shield who has been a woodcarver for 50 years said he Learned the Trade from his father who worked at the same factory. Next Switzerland morning departures enjoy Tours Kaiserslautern West Germany base Price.$209 single room supplement 3 nights .$60 Fondue dinner.$33 italian tour.$20 Cable car ride.$18 total $340 base Price includes round trip bus transportation three hotel overnights with breakfasts sightseeing As per itinerary and services of tour guide. Scheduled tour dates and prices May 11-14, $209 May 26-29, $209 june 15-18, $219 june 29-july 2 $219 july 6-9, $219 july 20-23, $219 aug. 3-6, $219 aug. 17-20, $219 sept. 1 -4, $219 sept. 14-17, $219 sept. 28-oct. 1, $219 oct. 6-9, $219 nov 1013, $199 and nov. 22-25, $199. Enjoy Tours also otters two overnight versions of this Switzerland trip with midweek and weekend departures. Other companies that do business with on base travel offices Otter similar arrangements door was the obligatory souvenir shop. Haller brightened up a Rainy easter sunday by buying everyone Cream puffs decorated As rabbits. Haller was also hoping to get free rolex Silver spoons for the tour members at the Bucherer watch store in Interlaken but the shop was closed. We finally reached the ski resort of Grin Elwald at the foot of the Eiger Monch and Jungfrau mountains. We had a Choice of taking a Cable car up one of the mountains for 28 francs $18 or shopping in the Small Village. Those who chose the Cable car found the rain turning to Snow As it ascended and the flakes were coming Down thick and fast when we arrived at the top. We lunched with skiers getting in their last runs of the season. With the Snow obliterating the View no one in the group lingered at the top. On our Way Back from Grin Elwald we stopped briefly at the Sachsen Church which was visited by Pope John Paul ii in 1984. It is famed in Swiss lore for a priest who put an end to a feud Between two Brothers in the Village. We then returned to Lucerne where we were free for the rest of the evening. On monday morning we headed Back to Germany with several stops along the Way. The first was in Lucerne at the Bucherer store. Haller was determined to get us those spoons and returned to the bus triumphantly spooning out the souvenirs. The next Stop the Isle of Maina in Lake Constance was another deviation from the tour brochure. The Island owned by a swedish Prince is a Paradise of Flowers and beautifully kept gardens and fountains. Group members decided it was definitely better than stopping in Zurich a Large banking City that was closed for the european Holiday. We travelled to our last Swiss Stop the quaint Village of Stein am Rhein for lunch. Haller recommended an inexpensive Spaghetti restaurant which was a Good move on the last Day for anyone Low on Cash. We then headed into the Black Forest and our last Chance for shopping in Triberg where we visited a cuckoo clock shop and had a Chance to try Black Forest Cherry cake at a cafe. The ride Back to Mannheim was extended by an hour Long traffic Jam during which Volkmar put on a German language videotape of the movie Tootsie. Also to pass the time prizes were distributed Lambert got a bottle of wine for being our group s Odeler at the Lucerne restaurant and evaluation sheets were Given to the passengers to Complete. We took time for a Sandwich dinner at an autobahn rest Stop and arrived in Mannheim Only 10 minutes late. Unfortunately everyone on the Transfer buses had to wait for More than an hour for a bus that was returning from the French Riviera a another victim of the traffic jams on autobahn 5. Haller gets High Marks for versatility for switching the itinerary to fit the Holiday weekend and Surov gets High Marks for getting us off that Cliff hanging water hugging italian Road. Both get High Marks for their engaging personalities. But enjoy Tours could do a better Job of informing customers before they sign up that itineraries will change on european holidays. Granted there is the Standard Quot itinerary is subject to change without notice Quot line on the brochure. But some tourists especially newcomers to Europe or family visitors from the states May feel misled if they get on a tour and find that Many of the scheduled stops have been cancelled due to holidays As we did. If those tourists Are Lucky they la get a guide like Haller and still be Able to enjoy their trip. We did. 12 stripes Magazine May 3, 1990 we a for May 3, 1990 stripes Magazine 13