Part 2 Summer in the Alps
The lodge owned a twelve passenger Mercedes van used for picking up guests and staff. I spotted the sign for the Glacier Aletsch Hotel almost immediately and headed for it. A family of five was there before me and the man with the sign was greeting them and checking them off a list. When he had shown them the way to the van, he turned to me.
"You must be Richard," he smiled. "I am Jan Nordberg. Welcome."
"Thank you. It's nice to meet you Mr. Nordberg."
"Please, it is very informal at the lodge. Please call me Jan."
"Thank you. Kristiana sends her best wishes to you and her mother."
"We are looking forward to having her back soon. We are expecting another family of four in about twenty minutes on a different train, so if you don't mind, we will wait for them. It is almost two hours from here to the lodge."
"I had no idea it was that far from Lausanne. It didn't look that far on the map."
"Mountain roads are slow and my van is no Porsche," he chuckled. "Most of our guests make their own arrangements to get there, but some, like these people, travel by train. I am happy to take them to the lodge in comfort."
"Can I help you with the luggage?" I asked, noticing it piled up nearby."
"Thank you. If you can find a cart, we can move it now before the next train arrives."
I looked around and saw an unused wagon on the other side of the station and headed toward it. I pulled it back to Jan's location and began loading the luggage. There was enough time to put it in the van and return with the cart to await the next guests.
"I must put you on the wage list, Richard," he smiled. "You are already earning your pay."
"No ... this is a free demonstration in thanks for your willingness to interview me."
He smiled and nodded. From what I could see, Jan Nordberg was a calm, likeable man with a pleasant demeanour, well suited to the hospitality business. I would take my cues from him as we went along.
The second train arrived on time and I stood with Jan as he held the sign. Soon, a young family with a cranky, crying girl and a silent, sullen looking boy approached. The parents looked pretty stressed, I thought.
"Hello. Mr. and Mrs. Charbonneau?" Jan asked.
Jan got a weak "Oui" from the husband, and began to try and talk to them in French. It wasn't working very well. I decided I could help.
"Monsieur, we will take your luggage to the van. What are the names of your children?" I asked.
"Monique and Robert," Madam Charbonneau answered quickly, happy that I spoke their language.
"Monique! Robert! Come with me. You will sit in front so that you can see everything."
I hoped Jan wouldn't be too upset with me, but I noticed that the other family had chosen to sit in the back of the van. That left several seats open in the front. I took a quick look at Jan and got a subtle nod. Little Monique had stopped crying and Robert was looking much brighter.
"Help me with the wagon, Robert," I ordered lightly. That brought about a further positive change in his attitude and a look of relief on his parents' faces. The now quiet and cooperative group moved to the van to begin our trip.
I got a nice thank you from Madam and a smile from Monsieur. I was off to a good start it seemed. I felt Jan's hand on my shoulder and an approving nod as Robert and I pulled the little wagon outside the station to the van. The children clambered aboard ahead of their parents and promptly occupied the first two seats on each side of the aisle. I helped Jan load the luggage and then found a seat between the two families. We were off.
I was glad we made the trip in daylight. We left Lausanne and drove around Lake Geneva south to Montreaux and Martigny before following the upper waters of the Rhone River through Sion and Sierre toward the glacier. The scenery was spectacular. Jan was a good, careful driver, concentrating on his task.
I talked to the parents and found out they were from Normandy, just across the channel from England. They would only be staying for a week, hiking and sightseeing. This was only a part of their summer vacation. They were going to Italy next. I wondered what the children would do, but I'm sure Jan must have some facilities for young ones. I guessed their ages to be about six for the girl and nine for the boy. I noticed the parents holding hands and smiling and I wondered if this was some kind of getaway for them. Whatever stress they felt on arrival in Lausanne seemed to have disappeared on our drive to Bellwald.
The drive was blessed with good weather and spectacular views from the river valley that we followed. We were heading toward the Aletsch Glacier, the feature of the area and hence the name of the Nordberg lodge. The diesel van moved effortlessly up the mountain inclines on the broad road and when Jan turned on the radio system to play some local Swiss music (I assumed), it further brightened up the atmosphere in the little bus.
We turned off the main highway in Fiesch, arriving in the town of Bellwald at the hotel in a little under two hours. Jan informed the guests that they could check in at their leisure and that some food would be set out for them while they waited. He thanked them for their patience on the long drive and hoped they would be very satisfied with their accommodations and the surroundings during their stay.
Jan showed me where the luggage cart was and together we off-loaded the luggage, sorted it by family and brought it to the front desk, or welcome desk as they called it. I got another pat on the shoulder and a thank-you from Jan as I moved into the hotel to look at my possible surroundings for the next few months.
The outside was classic Bavarian-style in appearance. Steep roof, white stucco exterior with sculpted boards and trim in dark brown. Leaded casement windows featured shutters which were decorated with brightly coloured painted flowers. Off to one side was a separate building with a sign indicating rentals and storage. For those who brought their own equipment, it could be stored securely in there.
The grounds were neat, but not very developed. No point, I supposed, if they were covered in snow for half the year. The parking area was large and paved. I looked around and could see the ski area further up the mountain. There were many lifts and I could see a number of them running. There appeared to be a mountain bike race in progress. I saw a sign indicating that competitors should check in at the starting point at the top of one of several chairlifts.
The public parking area was half full and many had bicycle carriers on their cars and vans. A number of commercial buildings formed what I assumed was the town center. The Nordberg's hotel was one of five hotels in the area. I guessed Bellwald was not too far off the beaten track since a steady business had been developed over the years in both winter and summer.
A woman I thought might be Kristiana's mother was working behind the desk and checking in the new guests. She was very attractive, and while not showing the blonde hair of her daughter, she bore a similar appearance. Like Jan, she smiled a lot and talked to the guests as she took down their particulars. I didn't see any sign of a bellboy, but a typical hotel luggage cart was stationed near the desk.
The children were busy helping themselves to the snacks the hotel had provided while their parents had found two very comfortable looking lounge chairs while they waited to check in. They looked happy and again, were holding hands.
Jan had disappeared and I waited until the woman at the desk was finished with her guests before I approached.
"Hello, I'm Richard Barton."
"Hello, Richard, I'm Hedda. It's so nice to meet you. Kris has told me so much about you."
"Ah ... oh ... I didn't know."
"We talk on the telephone often and she called me after you left yesterday. She is very excited that you might be working here this summer."
