Zermatt 3

Back down in Zermatt town we thought we'd get on the free bus and just stay on for the round trip which according to the map looked quite extensive.  For some reason though it only went part of the way - can't be snow as there wasn't any this low down.   A couple of snaps through the bus window.

We then made our way slowly back along the main street to our little hotel.

This poor thing's head has been rubbed a few times too many.

Hopefully this is not a real, stuffed, marmot.

We'd walked past this take-away crêperie last night and they looked really nice, fresh crepes being cooked on request, so we thought we'd have one for our meal tonight.  Ian chose ham and mushroom and I opted for smoked salmon (£18 each) but sadly it didn't suit my very fussy taste.

I'm so glad a Brit was the first to climb the Matterhorn

Back at the hotel we enjoyed a complimentary glass of wine which was offered if you were happy to not have your room cleaned each day - quite frankly we don't make a mess and are more than capable of making our own bed.   We then packed ready for a fairly early start tomorrow as we needed to be back at Zurich Airport mid afternoon and it was around a 4 hour train journey, changing once again at Visp.

Breakfast was again very good and we had an interesting chat with an Australian lady to our right (whose husband had left at 0500 to get a train as they were full - glad we'd got our tickets yesterday) and a couple from New Zealand whose son, also there, worked in Switzerland and explained the whole tax system to us.  The New Zealanders were heading to London for a few days afterwards so we gave them a few pointers on what to expect.

Heading for the station we met these lovely ladies on their way to church, but unfortunately given the language limitations we couldn't establish if they always dressed this way for church or whether it was because it is Pentecost today.

This is one of the electric taxis I mentioned before.

More sheepskin seat covers.

A few pictures of Zermatt town as we walked down to the station.  It really is quite a charming place and although I detest snow with a passion, I can imagine it looks really picturesque in the winter.

Having bought our train tickets yesterday, as per usual, we had time for me to nip down to the Migros Supermarket 5 mins past the station and get us sandwiches and a drink for the journey.  This train definitely has tinted windows but here are one or two shots along the way.

Bern Cathedral as we sped past.

I still haven't got the hang of selfies, but I quite like this one.

Settled in the lounge at Zurich Airport, or rather on the terrace.  

On boarding we found that yet again, despite having booked our extra legroom seats back last year (and amending them several times when BA decided to change things around) we found ourselves in non emergency exit rows.  After the fiasco going to Tampa in March we were really p*ssed off and for once Ian let rip.  Our economy stewardess was new but immediately said she'd speak to the chief stewardess who apologised profusely and invited us to row 2 of Business Class with an apology that she couldn't offer us a meal as these were pre-allocated, but that drinks would of course be complementary.  It is so annoying that BA Head Office/IT/Whatever mess around with people's bookings and then leave it to the staff on the plane to take the flack but we were grateful for the way Hazel immediately and professionally dealt with the situation.  Her colleague kept plying us with fizz and in fact once all the paying Business Class passengers had been served, Hazel came over to say that there were meals available if we'd like but we'd declined as we'd already eaten in the lounge.  

An interesting few days, the train journeys were OK but probably not as wonderful as we'd imagined - maybe the wrong time of year/weather and the eye watering cost of everything certainly put a bit of a damper on things.

A quick update on Ian's shortage of breath; he went to the GP after we got home and it turned out that the sinus node in his heart was malfunctioning and he needed a pacemaker and with our grateful thanks to the NHS/Medway Maritime Hospital he was fitted with one less than a week after we got home.

Zermatt 2

We had several options for how to spend the rest of the day and decided against a trip to Glacier Paradise on the basis we'd seen one glacier already.  Instead we opted to go up the mountains on the opposite side to the Matterhorn so we could have a view of it.  In the height of summer (July/August) you can catch connecting trains all the way up to Rothorn but today the train would stop at Sunnegga, as there was still too much snow and ice further up.  Actually, what we didn't realise until we went to the funicular station was that today was its first day of opening this year.

 

This funicular was originally built in 1980 (renovated in 2013) and was Switzerland's first to run entirely underground.  A long tunnel leads to the carriages and the ride takes just 3 minutes to ascend 668 metres. (internet images)

Once at the top we came out into the bright sunshine, blinking like two little moles, and what a glorious sight greeted us.  Warning - you are going to see a lot of very similar shots but I don't care - the views up here are stunning.

It wasn't obvious what was down the hill, but other people were walking that way so we followed.

Before long we could see a small lake and various piles of icy snow.

In the skiing season I should imagine this place is buzzing, but on a late May day it was rather quiet.

The views really are breathtaking.

There were several of these conveyor belt type things and we chatted with another couple debating what their use was; the best I could come up with was a launch pad to catch a nonstop ski lift.

I just wish that the river I tried (and almost failed) to cross on the Isle of Skye by stepping stones had had a little bridge like this.

Walking clockwise around the lake.

We knew we were too early for the Edelweiss season (July) but we hoped to see a few wild flowers.  There were certainly plenty around and I spent a long time on my stomach trying to get decent shots.  

L-R, T-B:  Gentiana alpina, Cerastium alpinum, Crocus, Pulsatilla alpina subsp. apiifolia, Pulsatilla vulgaris, and the last one I can't identify.

We suddenly noticed hang gliders over the mountain peaks - what an incredible experience that must be.

We asked a Chinese lady to take our photo and once she'd got over the initial shock that it was a “real camera”, she was really quick off the mark and snapped some rather nice shots.  I particularly like this first one before we'd even had a chance to pose.

Launch your child down a slide and straight into a freezing cold lake - an excellent idea.

More Pulsatilla vulgaris (Pasque flower) which I've grown at home with limited success but I managed to find a few seed pods here so will try and get them to germinate.

These Sempervivums give such vivid colours, as do the lichens.

Possibly my favourite photo of the whole holiday.

So many photos, maybe we should have brought a change of clothing with us.

This mini funicular is probably meant for kids who are too idle to walk back up to the main station, but with Ian's shortage of breath we were more than happy to make use of it.

The pod was so small it could only take 2 adults.

We decided to get a cuppa and so wandered into the café area.  Forget that the first of these images is out of focus (blame my shock on seeing the prices) and I know that we're up a mountain and everything has to be transported up here, but here's the bottom line:  £18.75 for a sausage and chips, £8.85 for just a portion of chips which makes the cost of one sausage, albeit quite a large one, £9.90.

We sat watching this little train slowly wending its way up the valley, we think its heading for Gornergrat.

The hang gliders still soaring high on the thermals.

I can't imagine why there is what looks like terracing so high up?

We had originally hoped to go up further to Blauherd where there is another walk around a lake but as I said earlier it was still closed.  I think this is the Blauherd cable car station on the top.

We were trying desperately hard to equate the peaks we could see with the map we had but it was really difficult.  Walking into the funicular station I noticed the (I assumed) driver just waiting around so asked him if he could help us orientate ourselves.  He was extremely helpful, walked back out with us and explained that a lot of what we could see was actually over the border in Italy.

I'll think I’ll leave the final view to the wonderful Matterhorn and hang glider (bottom right).