It’s Sunday and it’s time for a bit of glorious Switzerland. Time to finish our 2015 journey to the Gornergrat. Last week it ended with the family at the top of the 10000ft rocky ridge looking at the panoramic view of the Alps.
I remember stood by the small stone Gornergrat Chapel and tried to think of a reason to light a small candle. Nothing came to mind. Life was pretty good. Little did I know that if you fast forwarded a year my mums funeral would have just been held and that my soul partner would be just a couple of weeks away from leaving this world as well. Yet here she was stood next to me full of the joys of life. With hindsight I should have opted for the chapels complete stock of candles.
Just minutes away from doing our last big walk together as a family of three.
But you know what I can’t think of a better walk to go out on.
I’m a seasoned hill walker in the UK but I have to say in the mighty Alps – it’s much better to be going downhill. So we started from the ridges highest point and descended. My almost perfect streamlined aerodynamic body shape – think Homer Simpson rather than Usain Bolt – gave me plenty of downward momentum.
The views just kept being astonishing.
We headed towards the Lake of Riffelsee. A place featured on millions of screensavers world wide. A place high up (so to speak) on our family bucket list. Would it be that good in reality. YOU BET and MORE. A small tranquil lake which perfectly frames the reflection of the Matterhorn. Yes it rightly deserves it place on the worlds greatest natural spectacles top table.
Eventually our son convinced us to save his little legs from further punishment and make the rest of the journey by train. A truly unforgettable experience.
Sending big love to you xx
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Thank you so much xx
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Lovely.
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It must be quite something traveling up or down a mountain on a cog train. I’m assuming it couldn’t climb that steeply on a conventional track.
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No some of the climbs they go up in the Alps are brutal.
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I would assume so.:)
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😊
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It is
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I was just about to ask you how your son managed. Those slopes are mighty steep, even descending can be challenging. Given my level of fitness, it’ll be the train – up and down.
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The part we did was surprisingly gentle but very rocky in places. We stopped before the slop really kicked in.
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Wow! Lake Riffelsee, is it? You’re right. Seen it so many times. Thanks to you, I know its name. It has a haunting quality to its beauty. A place of stillness and secrets.
It’s so unfair that you’re doing all this marvellous work for the Swiss Tourism Board and not getting paid for it.
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Thanks. It really is a place which feels like a dreams portal. The people we passed were not talking just looking transfixed
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I can imagine that. It is mystical, evident from your photos.
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It really is
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Beautiful… what a blessing to have these lovely memories of a beautiful adventure with loved ones..
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It really is. Thank you
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Gorgeous photographs and even lovelier memories.
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Thank you. Yes they are special to us.
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amazing! it sounds like my kinda heaven! I am so happy you had that last trip with your partner too before her death. xoxo
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It’s the sort of place you just realise it’s something so special.
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Wow. Breathtaking.
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It really is. I bet your country will have so many special places.
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They do. 🙂 I tend to want to see Europe, because I can’t.
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Maybe one day. Dreams sometimes happen. It’s like me and Nepal.
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Hard to write about (and recall to mind) such a bittersweet experience, but i’m very thankful you shared the beauty of it with us and hope the positive memories it brings back are at least a little form of compensation.
The Matterhorn is just an awesome act of Nature. Your reflection in Rifflesee is perfection.
You’re right – there could be few other places, if any, to beat that walk.
🙏 🙏 🙏
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It’s underwater but a certain Barrier comes to mind. Epic while it lasts.
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Heard today that Google street view is mapping my state’s great reef so that in a few months time you’ll be able to follow the 1200 km drive from my house, walk the 300m from the car park to the beach then follow a scuba trail around the reef, all without ever leaving home!
Keeping the memory alive! 😉
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That sounds cool.
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I wonder if they’ll ever take it to the next level and we can be able to walk anywhere on Earth in 3D with VR glasses??
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That would be cool. Maybe they could add a make over filter so I walk around the paradise which is my back garden….
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Now there’s a money making scheme!!!
Charge people to provide a custom-designed virtual garden for their home and they could save a fortune on acquiring and maintaining plants/lawns their gardens and just have sets of VR goggles!
You in??
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It’s a winner. We will test it on my garden first. Hoping to see a miniature Que Gardens…
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Virtual reality does not have the same constraints as our ‘regular’ version!
Even so, that could be ‘pushing it’ 😉
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Yes it would be a big ask.
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Really spectacular vista.
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It is
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👍
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😊
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Beautiful images and I am sure memories for you. SO quite a walk to take on here too. In fact a far harder one I’d say. But I do see your kept your chin up re the stock of candles. A nice touch x
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Yes one day I’m going back with the mother of all candles. xx
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I thought you would x
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😊
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Another splendid climb with photographs to match
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Thank you sir
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I wrote a part of my Annabelle Riley story called Jungfrau…I think it is scheduled to be published mid-October. Do you have any insights on Jungfrau?
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Quite a few round the area. But never went all the way to the top of that mountain. Train was just too expensive for us at the time.
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So beautiful!
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It is really.
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Wonderful pictures!
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Thank you
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Such stunning photographs. Thanks so much for sharing them as well as your thoughts on the journey…
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Thank you for reading it
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It seriously is my pleasure – I look for your posts every time I log in to WordPress,,,,,
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That is so kind of you.
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I don’t know about kind, I just enjoy your posts. 🙂
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Thank you
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Welcome!
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Beautiful! Makes me want to travel again!
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It makes me want to go back so much.
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Great post.
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Thank you so much
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What an incredible view!
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It is.
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