The Matterhorn Thrill Ride

Hansel and Gretel Village
Zermatt Switzerland
September 22nd


After our blissful nap in the Skoda Roomster, a strange looking vehicle, we set out on the trail to find the little village of Zermatt. Driving gave us a new perspective on the landscape and a lesson in the rules of the European roadway. We quickly learned the left hand lane was solely meant for tailgating and hauling ass. We quickly found our spot in the middle lane trying not to bother anyone. Once we settled in we were able to take in some of the scenery. From Geneva to Zermatt the countryside is speckled with villages sprouting out of the hillsides. One town’s homes’ foundations were mere extensions of the mountain walls. In complete amazement we snaked our way through the mountain passes and wound our way up to the town of Tasch which is the final destination to park your car and take the shuttle up the mountain to Zermatt. No cars are permitted in town.

We timed the shuttle perfectly and after a short ride we disembarked from the train in the town center and were met by a bustle of people milling around the shops and restaurants. The architecture is quintessential Swiss Chalet and our favorite wrought iron flower boxes filled with red and orange blooming flowers adorned every window. Looking closely at the buildings which is always required with Roby, you found attention given to every detail even the ornate downspouts on the gutters. Once we gathered ourselves and came back from Cloud Nine we set out to find our hotel. The air was cool and the sun was getting ready to set over the world famous Matterhorn Mountain.

Although the village is small we still managed to get lost trying to find our hotel. We thought my blackberry with Google Earth would be a great tool. Unfortunately no one told Google’s mapmakers that the towns and cities in Europe neglect to sign any of their streets so the directions are pretty much useless. You basically have to “sniff” your way to your destination. After two passes up the steep hill through town we finally found our road unmarked of course. The hotel was of a unique design; a very tall narrow building almost triangular in shape due to its strategic location on the hillside sandwiched between two larger buildings. Once inside all the rooms were tiny with a funky spiral staircase wrapped around the 3 dimensional triangle. We had a great comfy queen size bed with CNN on the TV so we were set. After a quick shower we headed out on the town to find a nice dinner and then a good long sleep. For the fall season the weather was exceptional and we only needed our long-sleeved shirts and jeans. After sticker shock on the first few menus we happened upon a cute little bar serving burgers and salads for a reasonable price-$15 dollars!! The tall frosty glass of beer went down a bit quick and the long trip and jet lag were setting in on us. Thankfully we only had a short walk back to our hotel. Before we could undress our eyes were closed.

The room was pitch black and we were hoping to sleep in a bit before we headed up the mountain. Unfortunately we forgot our hotel was located right next to an elementary school and a church. 7:00 am came and immediately we were welcomed to morning with loud church bells ringing for 15 minutes and schoolchildren running and screaming to school. Our intentions were good but were not to be had. Instead of fighting the noise we begrudgingly rose and prepped ourselves for the day. After a hearty “free” breakfast Roby and I headed toward the train station to take the highest open cog train in the world to the top of an alpine ridge with spectacular views of the Matterhorn. As we were chugging up the mountain we witnessed glacier capped mountains jutted above green meadowy fields. Again we were fortunate to have such incredible weather and clear skies to experience a perfect unobstructed view of the Matterhorn similar to our wonderful vista of Mont Blanc. At the top is a wonderful rooftop restaurant and giftshop along with observation decks for viewing the different vantage points of the mountain. Many ventured off to explore the area along the thousands of hiking trails along the glaciers winding their way down the mountain back to town. Unfortunately we did not have time to partake in the adventure so we huddled back on the train with all the geriatrics and lazy people. Our stay was short but memorable. Off to Eat our way through Italy!!!