Friday, February 7, 2020: Bex Salt Mine, Wine Museum

The 5-foot-high train going into the 400-year-old salt mine in Bex, Switzerland.

Riding the train, facing sideways.

The electric train engine, pushing a hopper car of stone cores and pulling passenger cars.

One of the 40 kg backpacks miners used in the centuries before the train was built.

The other way out, if the train doesn’t work — a one-person elevator.

Describing the stairwell that they used to get in and out in the centuries before the train and the elevator.

One of the drills.

Close up of the diamond-tipped drill.

The Mercer Island delegation enjoying lunch at a restaurant created 400m deep in the Bex salt mine.

Visiting the Chateau d’Aigle, which has been converted into a wine museum.

Enjoying a concert of two alpine swiss horns.

Alpenglow