Ride to Zermatt

After a beautiful train ride (using the glacier express - one of the most scenic railways in Switzerland, and I would argue all of Europe) we arrived in Zermatt.  This is one of the most out of the way destinations one could find in Switzerland, at the same time one of the most picturesque as the Matterhorn towers above it.  It was a bright beautiful day, and as per the advice of our train conductor, we took advantage right away.  We scooted off to our hotel (a 100m jaunt from the train station) dropped our luggage, left dad for a nap and headed to the Gornergrat - the train that ascends from the town to a panoramic view of the Alps and the Matterhorn.  

It was 60+ degrees out, so we left the hotel with just our long sleeve shirts on.  We arrived at the ticket station, and I noticed the celsius reading of the temperature at the top of the mountain.  It said 6.  I didn’t know the exactly translation other than to say that that was cold.  I ran back to the hotel and grabbed jackets for us both - thankfully.  As we returned to the ticket booth, we weren’t exactly sure the process for boarding the train until a nice young woman said “you get on here, and have the opportunity to get off at different spots along the way.”  She was a scientist, in Switzerland working for two weeks.  She had done the Gonergrat before with her mother, but it was cloudy and they weren’t able to see much from the top.  She hailed from southern California, and had layered adequately for the journey to the peak of the Alps.  We had an enjoyable conversation on our way up, her filling us in on tidbits of information we didn’t know about the area.

At the top, it was cool, but we Minnesotans were ready for it.  I ended up peeling layers after a while and enjoying the sun at the top of the mountains.  We could see for what seemed like miles - glaciers, lakes formed from melting snow, peak after peak of alpine mountain. We were let off at a hotel - go figure, a hotel at the top of the Alps - with a view to die for.  Glad we weren’t staying there as it was a haul and a half to get anywhere, but it was a nice concept.  Beyond the observation deck, there was a higher area to view from - so Morgan (our new friend) and I decided we’d head up that way.  It was up a bit with a climb using a rope for assistance.  I figured that as a snow native, I didn’t need the help, but the sun mixed with snow made for a slushy slippery experience.  My New Balance shoes weren’t going to be enough to launch me up the hill.  Rope it was.  

Mom and Morgan!

From the top, there was again a wonderful view- can you go wrong at an altitude of 12,000 feet looking through the sunshine to the Alps?  As I came back down the rope-slope, I had to swat my right arm at something - what the heck?  I looked back at the critter that I had just encountered, and noticed it was something I had never seen before - prior to last night.  After dad’s encounter with the nun and dog, and the hummingbird moth, he googled a picture and explained how the critter worked - he had watched it for at least 45 minutes after all.  How in the heck was a hummingbird moth at the top of this mountain we had come up?  There wasn’t any vegetation, there weren’t any other animals - I had no idea.  But, it was like dad was up there with us - enjoying the sites. :)