It’s Sunday so it must be time for our weekly visit to that most beautiful of countries. A virtual wander to Switzerland. A place we haven’t managed to visit for a few years but which is very much on our hearts.
It’s a land that is dominated by the mountains. The Alps.
In every direction your eyes are drawn to the mighty snow covered peaks. How do you squeeze so many mountains into such a relatively small country.
60% of Switzerland is mountainous. That includes 451 mountains. 24 are over 4000m. That’s a lot of mountains to either climb or just enjoy from the beautiful valleys.
Apart from the monumentally stunning views the thing that strikes you is the quality of the alpine air. It feels so crisp, so fresh and so clean. It’s a staggering feeling. No wonder doctors would often recommend a trip to The Alps to recuperate.
Yes it’s good to reach for the heights some days.
I’m in! It’s sounds good! I am on my way now to recuperate in the alps! I’ve been practicing for those mountainous climbs. π
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You would so love it. So many beautiful small chapels in the valleys. I can see you flying up the slopes and leaving me in your wake. π
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Running up slopes? Hmmm… I haven’t trained for that. Better start practicing. π
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Your steps are a start. A good start. πβοΈβ½οΈ
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How can one place be so beautiful?
Meanwhile it’s 111 degrees F. in Southern California today.
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Itβs a stunning place
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Such breathtaking views! Hope to see this in person someday.
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Hope so to.
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We went to Bergen and rode the train up the side of the mountain.
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That would be wonderful
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Your last picture reminded me of that.
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Good
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Truly picturesque. Thank you for sharing.
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Thank you
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Majestic mountains.
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They are
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π
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π¨ππ
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Those photos of the Alps are gorgeous.
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Thank you
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So beautiful! I so love this scenery – I can see why you chose to visit so often. I would too!
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It is a special place
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Oh, I SOOO needed Swiss Sunday on Saturday Night! Thank you for taking me away from sweltering heat and smokey air to the beautiful alps!
I most definitely need to recuperate. Do you know a doctor that can word it right to make insurance pay for the tripππππ¦
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Sadly not sure our NHS have that as a care pathway these days. Maybe we can pick you up on our next trip there. xx
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It’s not THAT far out of the way ππππ
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Not really x
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Looks like you already have a βgangβ gathering pace to accompany you to the Alps when you go! No wonder, such a beautiful place and lovely man to go with x
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Better book a bigger camper van. x
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I think so …
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βΊοΈx
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All good pictures – the monochrome especially so.
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Thank you sir
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Sigh,,,,,, Lovely pics.
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Hope your happy. x
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Tired.. Did too much on that break. Need another holiday to recover… Hope you’re ok
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Why donβt you book one. Iβm ok, tired but ok. x
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We are not going back to the Clachaig until the world is in a better place. You wouldn’t know the place. The only reason we were there the second time, was the Mr just went and booked it before that first trip which had been moved from May. Glad you’re ok.
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What was wrong with it. Is it just the new protocols. Maybe somewhere else?
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It’s just dreadful. And we were not the only ones thinking it either. It’s an utter shambles and being run like some POW camp. Appalling food apart from the breakfast. Only a couple of real ales on. Doors open everywhere so you freeze. Now all that… fair enough… given what’s going on. But it does not come cheap– especially when you get a fortune added to your bill by mistake but no apology for stuff you never had and you listen to the boom box going in the kitchen till whenever despite all music live or otherwise being banned– and then there’s the way guests, whether resident or not are treated. There was a guy on the Fri nite who had stood at the actual door for ages in the pouring rain with his dog, having walked from the camp site and just wanted a drink. But there’s notices and chains everywhere, and no-one on, so he didn’t know if he could get in, People were actually being turned away when there were free tables, unless you were a resident. . There was a young couple who were but they had chosen to just come outside having had enough. His mum had died a few months ago and he was there honoring her memory cos she swore by the place and he’d never been. And he couldn’t understand why anyone would want to go there. But the piece de resistance? Well, where we used to live was home to many top of their field doctors and scientists, not just locally but in Scottish, UK and world terms. So my Mr spots one he knows sitting with several others he knows. So the guy, Scotland’s top liver specialist, stops to speak for a moment. He is wearing a mask, we do not stand up. And we’re all told that we cannot speak to this guy and he is told he cannot speak to us unless we live in the same household. Meantime it’s perfectly obvious the table he is sat at cannot be one household cos there’s ten guys –all fancy consultants sat there and there’s folks everywhere wandering about with no masks despite the hotel’s insistence you must produce a certificate signed by a GP. Totally has lost the plot and just should have stayed closed right now if this is the best they can do.
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Thatβs awful. You compare it to what it was once. Itβs as if the pandemic has effected the collective brain function for many parts of our society. Surely we are better than this. Itβs as if the madness and incompetence of Cummings has become contagious. Not sure when sense will return. I was reading about a kid who was sent home from school and ordered to get a test. He was offered a test 240 miles away. Then we have that poor school where Boris did his – itβs safe for kids. Thatβs now had to close. I know places like the Clachaig has to make money but itβs expensive. You pay for the experience. What are you paying for now. xxx
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That’s what I feel. I am not trying to come over as some idiot who expects everything to be what it was but this place has a reputation and right now that seems to me it’s for putting their hand out for dosh. Period. If you don’t feel safe opening, then don’t. If you open then obvi have everything in place but get decent staff. Don’t treat your customers like prison camp inmates. Their old regulars were great but their bar staff were awful. The worst is they got on some idiot Scottish pub…the ten best to cosy up in this winter… from the Scotsman. And they are trumpetting this. Of course the damn thing was written by some idiot who never visited. it is on about great food, log fires, live music, wonderful ales. To see them there right now is an insult to some of these other pubs there, including one of our locals The Ship, who are doing it right and still managing to be kind and welcoming. I was also questioned….who was I what was I doing here, late on by one of their bar staff, standing down outside the kitchen wearing a mask… Yeah I admit it now I had been videoing the goddamn racket I was paying best part of 170 quid a night to listen to. ( When I complain I like hard evidence). Note the word ‘HAD’. I had stopped, not been seen and was on my way back upstairs. That noise stopped soon after. These staff know exactly what they are about as in they are breaking rules themselves. I said …none of your f’ing business. The hell with please treat our staff with respect’ when they have none for the customers keeping them in work.
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Itβs so changed since the last time I went. Maybe itβs best I give it a miss for a while longer. If we are able to and we do head up maybe keep driving and go to Torridon or Skye. There are places in a York which have gone that way. In fact one of the local pubs has. When we first arrived it had an old school landlord who would carefully polish every single glass. Now it serves fine food but you are treated like cattle.
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That’s a shame. Got so many happy memories of the various ‘bars’ of York. The only prob with Skye is I hear it is very over touristed these days. We will find somewhere else.
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Beautiful photos, as always. I enjoyed them,, and love the pic of Hawklad. Mountains are so awe-inspiring and there is something about the sheer bulk and size of them that is comforting in a way that is indescribable. I will likely never get to see the Alps, much as I’d love to, so I appreciate the virtual visits you provide. Thank you.
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Thank you for looking at them.
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It is most definitely my pleasure. π
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Thank you xx
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You’re welcome. π
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π
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The hills are alive…..a life time ago I saw that movie. Your pictures reminded me.
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Itβs that sort of place
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I’m going in to work now, the start of a full work week. Trying to be grateful for having a job at least but the load and the environment make it tough. So, I thought I’d stop by once more and sweeten my spirits looking at all your lovely photos, especially the first one. Church on a hill. The air still and quiet.
Even if I don’t have that in my life, in such times, even a photo of peace will do.
Thank you. May God grant you and your precious son a return there someday soon.
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Thank you. Itβs a beautiful country. I hope so.
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Very beautiful β€οΈ
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Thank you x
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Ahhh, so peaceful. Calms the mind down.
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It really does
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π
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π
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