Paradise Part I

Four years ago when I studied abroad, I was lucky enough to travel to a little town called Zermatt at the base of the Swiss Alps. In my mind, this place is paradise, and after visiting, Aidan insisted if there was only a lake with boats, it really would be paradise :) Between the numerous hiking trails, clean air, fresh pine trees, the sounds of the river, and the breathtaking views of the famous mountain, the Matterhorn, Zermatt has and continues to be my Nirvana.


I was bouncing with excitement when Aidan and I decided to travel back to Zermatt, and that bouncing continued the entire train ride. Zermatt was every bit as beautiful and perfect as I remembered, and my plan for this blog entry was to post a few pictures to let you see for yourself, but then we got into a few interesting situations that I have to share... 


Our first full day in Zermatt, we loaded up our packs, ate a solid breakfast, and headed to the mountains early for a full day of hiking. We were in heaven as we climbed through the mountains, stopping for water, snack, photography, and bathroom breaks. We made it to the top of one trail sooner than expected and had a delicious lunch while chatting with the owner of the chalet. He recommended that we continue up the trail, heading to the base of the Matterhorn, the highest peak you can climb to without professional support, and the place where ice climbers spend the night in order to get an early start to the summit. The lovely Irish man told us this hike would "not be a problem for fit people like yourselves." Famous last words. 


Two hours later I was in hysterical tears 30 minutes from the top of the mountain. Though we were almost to the top, we had traveled over stairs that jutted out from the mountain and were a misstep away from a drop to my death. We had traveled over ice that covered a 12 inch pathway (get out a ruler, it was THAT small) and used only a rope bolted into the mountain for hand support. The entire time all I was thinking about was how in order to do this at home, I would have signed away my life. It is no exaggeration when I say that one step in the wrong direction would mean more than a broken bone. It would mean death (see photo below).

To make things 10 times more interesting, we were traveling behind a group of American high school kids, 40 of them to be exact, and during the less treacherous parts, Aidan and I enjoyed talking to these polite and interesting teenagers. We joked about Vandy and Notre Dame and gave them advice as they started considering colleges. About the point I became hysterical, two of their comrades were equally as terrified, in hyperventilating tears, and unable to move any further. I knew we were in danger when AIDAN suggested we turn around and go home- that the view wasn't worth our lives. Two of the high school kids jumped at the opportunity to return to the town with us, and the four of us began our descent. For me, the opportunity to coach two girls who were even more afraid than me was a welcome distraction from my fear and allowed me to return safely and calmly to the town. Throughout the rest of our time in Zermatt, we kept running into the kids around the town and really enjoyed the familiar faces and fun conversations! (And we were really happy everyone made it back safely!) 




Coming home from our 10 hour "hike," we were blistered, sunburned, windburned, and in desperate need of a bratwurst. In a small Swiss town, this should not be difficult to find, and we finally found a little local spot with huge wursts and a delightful side of the Swiss/German (I don't know which) version of hashbrowns. We did not just eat at this establishment one night but several, and we got to know the owner- this adorable older man who spoke no English. With our limited German knowledge, we communicated mostly via hand signals. 


One night, we were enjoying our meal at the little place and about to ask for the check when the owner brought us a wedge of Raclette (Swiss cheese) and a basket of bread. Completely stuffed from dinner, neither Aidan nor I really wanted this extra cheese but knew it was rude to turn it down. Thank goodness we didn't because it was the most AMAZING cheese I have ever eaten. In fact, when I finish this entry, I may head across the street to the fromagerie to get some for dinner! :) We ate every last bite, and not knowing how to communicate with the older man, we simply gave him a thumb's up and a huge smile. He, in turn, smiled, and whipped out his I-Phone to show us the huge wheels of Raclette that were in their basement below our feet. Did I mention I absolutely love this little town?


Our last evening in Zermatt also happened to be the semi-finals of the Euro Cup with Germany playing Italy. Switzerland has three official languages: Italian, German, and French, so it is no understatement to say that this soccer game was HUGE. Aidan and I ended up in the Italian bar with the German pub across the street, and we watched the game listening to yells and screams going back and forth between fans. For any sports fan, it was a blast, and to make things even more exciting, Dan Marino was only a few feet away enjoying the games with his family!


Aren't convinced this place was unbelievable? Here are my pictures, so you can see paradise for yourself :)