*Chapter 17*

Beau Rivage

 
 
“You coming Daz?” I strongly hinted.

“Er yeah sure.” He agreed.

“Josh?”

“Coming man.”

We were meeting the girls outside the mall opposite the Bahnhof, no point embarrassing the lovebirds at the hotel. Of course most of the tourists are long gone by now, only overnight residents are left to prowl the streets.

“Looks like it might rain like.” Josh suggested while we waited for the ladies.

“It’s been too nice today for rain.” Darren offered.

“Ah tell ya, ah can smell it like.”

“Next you’ll be smelling currywurst.” I proffered.

“Hey guys.” Claire called over as the female contingent arrived.

“So which way?” Laura queried.

“Down to the roundabout then along the main drag.” I supplied remembering the way Heidi brought us this afternoon.

One or two shops were still open despite the late hour, not that we lingered long to look inside. It wasn’t far – well nowhere in Interlaken is far really, to the home of Ronald in the town.

“We’ll um, just get a burger.” Mand offered dragging Daz towards the door.

“Laters guys.” Laura mentioned with a twinkle in her eye.

“Gis a call when you’re headed back Drew.”

“Sure, no kissing now you two!”

“Drew!”

I scooted after the others who were already some distance up the road. Was that thunder? A second loud clap confirmed the diagnosis.

“Ah said it was gonna rain.” Josh mentioned as the first wet spots coloured the pavement.

“Come on, its not far.” I encouraged catching up to them.

Whilst still fairly warm the light had quickly dimmed and cars were already switching their lights on. We were caught in the open when the rain really broke, with no immediate shelter to hand it was a case of leg it or get soaked where we stood. The good news was that after a bit of doorway hopping I could see our destination maybe another hundred metres along the street.
 
 

“Gee-zuss!” Claire exclaimed.

“I guess we drew the short straw.” Laura added.

The Beau Rivage is certainly in a different league to the Hotel Crystal, a grand hotel of the Belle Epoch.

“Come on, we can do it in one from here.” I opined.

“Race youse then.” Josh challenged.

“If you insist.” I offered as I set off.

“Why you…”

I’ve said before that I’m not much of a runner so it’ll come as no surprise that not only did Josh beat me to the hotel’s entrance but Laura and Sal too – I’m sure if she hadn’t lost a sandal Claire would’ve arrived before me too. I’m just not built for running okay!

“What kept you shorty?” Josh mocked as I arrived panting.

“Thought you ought to win something.”

“Twice in a day, you’re losing your touch double O.”

“Double O?” Sal queried.

“The names Bond, Drew Bond, licensed to race.” Josh announced in a very poor Sean Connery.

“OO7.” Claire stated.

“Or in Drew’s case OO3½!” Laura suggested.

“Oi, I am here when you’ve done.”

“Hark, was that a voice I hear?” Josh hammed.

“Come on, let’s find the girls and get dried out.” I proposed.
 
 

The entrance area was huge, all mirrors and sofas, I led the way towards the reception desk.

“Um, excuse me?”

I’m sure the receptionist had watched us come in but she finished whatever it was she was doing before looking up to be greeted by a handful of damp teens.

“How can I help?”

“We erm are meeting some friends that are staying here?”

“Indeed, name?”

“Drew Bond.”

“Not you yer dummy.” Josh informed me.

“Oh right, sorry, Grönberg, Roni Grönberg.”

“On the German cycling team?” Josh added.

“A moment please.” Snooty stated before turning to consult her computer terminal.

“Flippin’ posh this, I feel well scruffy to be in here.” Laura mentioned.

“Hey Drew, over here!”

I looked around and spotted Ron at the entrance to a big lounge area.

 
 
“This place is well cool.” Claire mentioned when we reached our hosts.

“Our rooms are in the attic.” Gret advised.

“Ewww, get a room you two!” Laura suggested as Tali and Josh started exchanging saliva.

“Don’t encourage them.” I giggled.

“So um, what are we doing then?

“Coffee?” Ron suggested.

“Sure.” I agreed.

“Thought you would.” Greta observed.

“There some loos?” Sal asked.

“Loos?” Ron queried, her English is okay but doesn’t run to colloquialisms.

“Toilets Ron.” I translated.

“Oh sure, out in reception.”

“Thanks,” Sal allowed, “ladies?” She suggested to the others.

Laura and Claire joined her for the trip, I still don’t get the whole can’t go on your own bit!
 
 

“Come on Gabs, you can help me with the coffee.” Ron ordered as the girls headed off.

“Jawohl mein Kapitan!”

“Give over Gab, so where’s my shadow?”

I guess she meant Mand.

“Hot date in Maccy D’s.”

“Do tell.” She pressed as we waited at the bar.

“Daz, Darren on our team?”

“Pah, boring, I thought at least that dishy blonde Italian.”

“Think she’s been lusting for a week or two.” I supplied, “those two are really going at it.”

“What is it the English say? They are in lurve.” Ron chuckled.

“Ladies?” the bar person enquired.

“Er hi, can we have coffee for eight please.”

“Sure, I’ll bring it over, you are by the window?”

“Um, yes, thanks.”

Errand complete we headed back to the seating we have commandeered.

“He’s a bit of a dish.”

“Roni!”

“Was only saying.”

 
 
The coffee arrived; Josh and Tali actually put each other down at some point and beyond the glass the rain finally ceased.

“We going for a walk?” Gret suggested.

“Could do,” I granted, “guys, walk?”

“Sure.” Laura agreed, “not really seen much of this place.”

Five minutes later we were walking through the bit of park opposite the hotel, it was still reasonably light but by the time we reached the railway station it really was starting to fade so rather than wander along in the gloom we made our way into the station. Railway stations are fascinating places, people coming and going, trains heading to exotic locations and Interlaken Ost Bahnhof has to be well up there.

“That looks well cool.” Sal noted looking at a big poster on the station wall.

“Jungfraujoch, top of Europe.” Claire read out.

“Bit of a boast.” I suggested.

“You guys never read anything like?” Josh enquired, “You go up inside the mountain to get there.”

“How do you know Joshy?” limpet Tali asked from his elbow.

“Ah just read the leaflets like.”

“Its expensive, a hundred and fifty Swiss Francs.” Ron observed.

“Well that’s me out.” Laura stated.

“Like we were gonna go.” I noted.

“Just saying.”

“We should probably head back,” Sal suggested, “its nearly half nine.”

“Yeah, I need to pack tonight.” Claire added.
 
 

We were nearly back to the German’s accommodation when Gret spoke up, “anyone fancy some frites?”

“And just where are we gonna get some, Maccys is down the other end of town.” I supplied.

“Dur!” Gret pointed to a brightly lit shop almost opposite the hotel.

“Lets do it.” Claire grinned.

Hygenic Fisheries* it wasn’t, but about as near to a real chippy I’ve come across since we moved to Germany. So okay they didn’t do fish but you could get kebabs, sausages, schnitzel and even some pie type thing but unlike a chip shop its all cooked to order. I succumbed to a kebab with my fries, Josh had a bratwurst and everyone else just did the potato sticks.

Tins of carbonated water washed the salty delights down, I think everyone enjoyed the impromptu feast and it was with some reluctance that we vacated the snack shop.

“Catch you tomorrow.” I mentioned.

“No mountains at least.” Tali noted.

“Yay.” Sal chirped.

“See you.”

“Night girls.”

“Put him down Tal!”

“Bye!”

“Tschuss!”

 
 

We watched Ron and co head back to the Beau Rivage before starting the walk back to our own accommodation at the other end of Interlaken.

* The fish and chip shop in Warsop.

© Maddy Bell 07.02.14