more matterhorn

You didn't think that was it, did you?  No, no.  Seeing the Matterhorn stirs.   You feel the need to do something, to paint it, photograph it, gawk at it, somehow link yourself to it.  You don't know whether to sit and reflect near it or spasmodically kick your heels together and run about wildly.  Maybe it was just the altitude.

Sure, the elevation of the Matterhorn is striking.  (I'm good at these observations, right?  The Matterhorn is tall; Paris is pretty.)  But it's the mountain's eery isolation that sustains your focus.  You really can't help but stare.  Whilst staring, I, for one, did not imagine climbing to the top.  Nope, looking at that monstrous piece of chiseled rock did not make me want to cling to its side and call it conquered.  Many have this calling, though.  Do take a moment to read about Edward Whymper's sad, sad tale.  He's the man whose success and tragedy put Zermatt on the map in 1865.  

There we were, bathed in sunshine, euphoric...and free from 

the foggy mire in which we'd been wallowing.

(If you don't want to see a bahzillion photos of the Matterhorn juxtaposed by various people and things, 

do close the browser window immediately.) 

Needless to say, we were not alone on our mission.

I became excited - but so excited - when I saw this  dog...
until I realized that he was merely on break from his lucrative photo-opp job.  

Mountains don't need fame or my pity,
but I do feel sorry for the other neighboring mountains, which are stunning in their own right.

Rock sculptures daringly close to the edge.

Some were more enamored by the snow than the views.

In a last minute move, we decided to hop off of the cog rail train at Findelbach and hike back to Zermatt, the path of which Jude will show you again here:

We were so glad we did, for the fresh air and perspectives were worth the gamble of possibly finding ourselves alone on a slippery snow path with babies and a sneakered girl in tow.  

Alas, the footing was just fine and the sights were finer.

The descent led us to a whole new landscape which had been hidden.

I want to be four.

Along the way, Tim spotted this sign

and reserved us a table for a gen-yoo-ine Raclette dining experience, without the touristy touch.  

On our final day, we scooted back our return plans and squeezed in
one last, little hike on the Matterhorn trail.

We perfected the art of Ergo naps!  

We miss them already.