Annual balloon festival begins in Château d'Oex

This weekend the 30th annual international balloon festival got underway in Château d'Oex. Thousands were on hand under Sunday's picture-perfect sunny skies to witness hot air balloons and airships from all over the world taking part in various exhibition and competition flights. A couple of lesser known aspects of the festival include the fact that there is a champagne and oyster bar right next to the take-off area that is part of the VIP area but is actually open to the public (don't worry, the prices scare most away)...and the fact that you can actually ride in some of the balloons on some of the days, with flights available on a first-come-first-served basis for around SFr 300 per person. The festival continues throughout the week culminating in a fireworks display and mountain lightshow at 19h00 on Friday January 25 that puts even Gstaad's New Year's pyrotechnics to shame. Visit the event's official website here, and watch the video below for a taste of the action.