Tag Archives: Zermatt

SWITZERLAND & NORTHERN ITALY #7: ZERMATT & THE MAGNIFICENT MATTERHORN (Part 2)

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Breathtaking.  Absolutely breathtaking!  As I took in the view, I remembered back to when I was a small child growing up in Lakewood, California, eighteen miles from Disneyland.  Back then, Disneyland issued ticket books, and the rides were categorized by ticket letters.  An “A” ticket ride was a yawner, but an “E” ticket was the most coveted— your ticket to the best rides (with the longest lines).  My brother and I always made a beeline for the “Matterhorn,” a roller coaster ride that took you by bobsled in and around the mountain.  At the time, I didn’t know there was a real Matterhorn in Switzerland; I just thought it was a thrilling Disneyland ride!

Here we were seeing the real thing, as close as we could get without getting in the snow and hiking to it.  What a sight to behold!  The highest point is at an elevation of 14,691 feet and we were viewing it from Trockener Steg at 9,642 ft.  And, we had the entire viewing deck to ourselves for a while.  Where was everybody?

Our tour leader, Susy, sharing information about the Matterhorn to our group of nine travelers.
Not your typical souvenir! The Matterhorn was inside this bar glass.
Taking in the views from the gondola on our way back down.

On the way back down, we all got off at the Furi gondola station.  The group decided to stop at the restaurant for a snack before deciding whether to ride the gondola back down to Zermatt or hike the remainder of the way.  As we settled in, I gazed out the window and saw nothing but clouds.  The beautiful blue sky was shrouded by those clouds I had seen roll in earlier that morning, which meant the Matterhorn was now white on white—that is, if you could see it at all.  We celebrated our good fortune of having seen it during the morning before the clouds rolled in!

To save his aching knee (most likely, another meniscus tear acquired during our Patagonia trip), Bruce opted to ride the gondola back to town.  I hiked the three miles back—or at least I had hoped to “hike,” but I ended up on a paved road the entire way.  Still, it was a beautiful walk, and I was able to find some interesting subjects to photograph:

Susy said to follow the Zermatt signs back down to town, but there were three different paths. Which one would lead to where I would be meeting Bruce? It was an adventure, but I managed to get there!

Scenes along the 3-mile hike back down to Zermatt:

Those clouds I mentioned earlier? There they are! This is that white-on-white I was talking about; snow against a mucky sky. Zermatt is in the valley off in the distance, and where I was headed during my solo hike.

After meeting back up in town, Bruce and I visited the small historic quarter on Hinterdorfstasse.  The 17th century wooden homes, barns and sheds were so interesting.  Some had been renovated, others left as is.

It had been such a magical day!  We were so grateful to have experienced such a wonderful week in Switzerland, especially this day.

Next up:  SWITZERLAND & NORTHERN ITALY #8: ONWARD HO TO ITALY WE GO!

SWITZERLAND & NORTHERN ITALY #6: ZERMATT & THE MAGNIFICENT MATTERHORN

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When we went to bed the previous night, we had hoped to wake up to a sunny day and blue sky.  Snow-capped mountains look so flat against a mucky background, and we were hoping to see and photograph the Matterhorn at its best.  Bruce and I were not disappointed.  Just look at the view out our window!

(For all photos, click on the image for a full screen view.)

I could hear cowbells off to the right. I was quite surprised to find this kilt-clad shepperd checking out his cell phone.

Before heading to the Matterhorn, however, Susy led us on a walking tour of the town.  As more clouds gathered in the distance, all we could think of (and mutter to each other) was, “Let’s get on with this tour and get up to the Matterhorn before we lose our awesome weather and views!”  Zermatt could wait until after the Matterhorn! No disrespect to the town, though.

Zermatt, in one word, is AWESOME!  Sure, it’s a tourist town, but for good reason.  In the winter, it’s a premier ski and winter sport resort, and the rest of the year, Zermatt is great for hiking and so much more, including skiing!  The area is Europe’s largest and highest lying summer skiing region, and the training site for numerous national ski teams. 

Full of Swiss charm, Zermatt is very photogenic.  I can remember admiring Zermatt and the Matterhorn in picture calendars my dad used to bring home from his medical office.  Pharmaceutical reps gave them out at the end of the year, so they could remind doctors of their drugs they “should” prescribe to their patients throughout the following year.  But how many calendars does one medical office need?  Lucky for me, Dad kept the notepads and pens at the office and brought home the calendars for us kids to enjoy.  I blame those calendars, in part, for inspiring my insatiable desire to travel.  I blame my dad’s slide show screenings following his international adventures with my mom, too.  And, I “blame” with total gratitude…

An interesting feature of Zermatt is that gas and diesel vehicles are prohibited, which is great for the environment.  The only vehicles allowed in Zermatt are electric— music to my ears!  (We realized just how much we had appreciated the quiet once we arrived in Italy and were surrounded by loud motorcycles!)

During our walking tour, we saw a few locals walking their dogs, and we also saw a guy walking his bull.  BULL???  After doing a double-take and catching this shot after he passed, I had to wonder what would have happened if his bull got angry.  I didn’t want to stick around to find out.

As the path through town gradually ascended, our anticipation of seeing more of the Matterhorn grew.  This was our first unobstructed view:

Our walking tour ended where the magic was about to begin—at the station where we would board a gondola to the Matterhorn viewing platform.  Surprisingly, we had beaten the crowds and had no problem getting on the next gondola.  When we arrived at the top, there were times we had the entire viewing area of the upper deck all to ourselves!

Free Kleenex was offered before boarding the gondola. That’s a first!
We were headed up the line on the left with the first stop at Sunnegga, followed by another ride up to Blauherd.

Coming up next:  SWITZERLAND & ITALY #7:  ZERMATT & THE MAGINFICENT MATTERHORN (Part 2)

SWITZERLAND & NORTHERN ITALY #5: ALL ABOARD!

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Although our end destination for the day was Zermatt via the Glacier Express train, our travels along the way were spectacular.  The day was beautiful—perfect timing as this was one of the highlight days of the trip.

Our first stop was the charming and picturesque alpine village of Brienz where we strolled along the lakefront. The village is known for its talented wood carvers, and everywhere we looked, there were charming carvings that we enjoyed along the way.  We also visited a shop to see wood carvers working on their creations.

(For all photos, click on the image for a full screen view.)

This village felt like being in a post card or photo calendar that had come to life—a feeling I had felt repeatedly throughout Switzerland.  My photos don’t do Brienz justice, but these are the scenes I shot during a short visit to this tiny village:

I never thought I would see palm trees in an alpine village, especially after I turned my back to the mountain view below.
Behind this sign was a set of lounge chairs. There was another set further down the lakeside path. Nice!
Circling Lake Brienz on our way to our next destination.

What our group of nine was about to experience next was something none of us could say we had done before:  Ride on a car train IN our minibus!  This was required to get through the nine-mile tunnel that would lead us to the train station to board the Glacier Express.  While waiting our turn, there was enough time to run off to capture a few shots of the beautiful snow-capped mountains surrounding us. 

A popular spot for paragliding, I was also able to capture this paraglider getting a birds-eye view on a spectacular day.

After being ushered onto the train, there were a few minutes to hop out and catch a shot before we left for our dark journey.

A view from the bus windshield.
Headlights spared us from nine miles of darkness.
Our lunch stop in Brig before boarding the train was fabulous! Dining al fresco on a delicious meal of local cuisine.

All aboard the Glacier Express!  Known as the world’s slowest express train, the shiny and spotless red locomotive took us through tunnels and across bridges, from one gorgeous panorama view to another. 

I bolted from my seat as soon as I realized viewing the scenery and shooting photos through the windows just wasn’t going to cut it.  After a few attempts shooting through small open windows at the end of the car, I made my way back to the bar where I joined a German tourist who had the same idea.  We had the entire area to ourselves, the windows were huge, and they opened from the top down—perfect for photography.  As the two of us chatted, we wandered back and forth from the left side to the right, shooting whatever caught our interest on each side.  We had a blast!  Photographers take note:  If you ever ride the Glacier Express, abandon your seat and make your way to the bar car!

Our arrival to Zermatt brought smiles and feelings of excitement as we were about to see the highlight of Swiss beauty:  the Matterhorn and the charming village that serves as its gateway.  The mountain would have to wait until the following day, but checking into Hotel Alex, just a short walk away from the train station, was an amazing sight itself.  None of us expected what we were about to see and experience.

Tap the cowbell under your seat when you are ready for your next drink!
The restaurant’s wine cellar
The late afternoon view from our room. The Matterhorn, not visible from our room, was off to the right.

Founded in 1961 by Alex Perren Sr., the former ski instructor and mountain guide, along with Gisela Becwar who he married in 1964, put their love and full dedication (and a lot of money) into their resort.  The next generation currently runs what is one of the most memorable places we have ever stayed.

These are three of the large stained glass panels that were mounted on the walls of the restaurant where we had dinner our first night. They depict Alex and Gisela enjoying their outdoor adventure passions.

Next up: SWITZERLAND & ITALY #6: ZERMATT & THE MAGNIFICANT MATTERHORN