Just when I thought I had succumbed to my “fear of heights” my fear returned at 7500 feet in Zermatt, Switzerland.
A Little Piece of Heaven
I should have known, when I got the notice two days before I left to pack snow boots, that I was in for some rough terrain. Today, as I faced my 3rd mountain at 7,500 feet, in Zermatt, Switzerland, my understanding of perspective was truly challenged.
Once at the top, I saw that everyone was skiing back down the mountain. My heart fell not only because I do not ski, but because we were advised to stay to the side lest we be knocked down by a skier. What someone who’s not there with us wouldn’t realize, though, is that there was precious little room ‘to the side’ before we’d simply fall off the side of the mountain!
Brunch in Zermatt Switzerland
They told us that we’d be hiking back down, and were enticed to do so with the promise of a gourmet Swiss brunch of cheese, freshly baked croissants, dried meats and fresh fruit at the Chez Vrony. Chez Vrony was once a small farmhouse and is now a restaurant with over 100 years of history.
The trail was our only guide, and we navigated through patches of ice, snow and even mud.
The long hike down to the Lodge
As if that wasn’t treacherous enough, mid-way down the skies suddenly turned grey and the wind picked up to blow snow so swift that it blinded us to the trail ahead. It’s somewhat fitting that our lashes looked as if we’d been kissed by angels, because as I gazed up and wondered at the majesty of the landscape that surrounded me, I couldn’t help but feel that GOD was right there with us, whispering in our ears and sharing his masterpiece.
Cable Car, Zermatt Switzerland
I did panic again when they said we’d be taking a ski lift back up and that we’d ride a cable car down the opposite side. My fear of falling is so very real and I was in such a panic I could barely speak! Thank goodness for my colleague Michael, who helped me calm down. Telling me he would be right back, he excused himself…
Come back next time to learn what Michael did for me after watching my face fade to a ghostly white!