Voyage a Zermatt

Zermatt, Switzerland

After taking care of some early business in Geneva, I hopped aboard the InterRegio line from Geneva to the town of Visp, which connects to Matterhorn Gotthard line to Zermatt. The whole trip endured 4 hours, but 1st class seating (a luxury I picked up on my trip to Japan) made it pleasant and the ride between Visp and Zermatt was the prettiest. The train shimmied along the narrow edges of cliffs, looked down precipitous gorges, cross rickety bridges, passed tunnels and caterpillar'ed its way through glacial valleys where steep mountains flanked it on both sides. The train car had super wide and high windows that facilitated viewing the alpine panoramas. This train clung to narrow-gauge tracks that you would more likely expect to see on kiddie trains at small amusement parks.

From Zermatt, Switzerland

I checked into Hotel Allalin, which Travelocity made it appear like an overpriced Best Western (no offense - I stay at BW's quite often on the road), but it proved to be a 4-star hotel just off the main drag of Zermatt. I was greeted with a bubbling glass of white wine at reception, gourmet snackage in the lounge, and hand-crafted chocolate in my room. It was expensive, but well worth the views and the comfort. The only downer was the reception lady during the evening shift who seemed to dislike either snowboarders or foreigners - because she did not give me nice looks when I returned to the hotel after dinner. I had been in Zermatt for almost 2 hours before I noticed the Matterhorn was just within view of the hotel.

Oh yes, and McDonald's was on the menu for dinner. Americans, don't shudder - this was the classiest McDonald's I've ever been to. Although it cost 20.00 CHF, I ordered tiger shrimp cocktail, a panini-like version of a hamburger, and Fanta. You can be assured, however, that their recipe for fries has not changed.

Today's Expenses:

• 153.00 CHF - 1st class one way train ticket from Geneva Airport to Zermatt


• 25.00 CHF - snackage


• 82.00 CHF - souvenirs (8 keychains and 1 t-shirt)


• 20.00 CHF - McDonald's for dinner

Montreux + Les Rochers de Naye

Click for Photos

I was running on less than two hours of sleep, and it was already 6:30 in the morning when we arrived in Geneva. An hour early thanks to speedy tailwinds. While everyone else wisely spent the first few hours on a refreshing nap, I fought the sandman for a few more hours with a hot shower, breakfast and arming myself with (expensive) Swiss-enabled telecommunications: a wifi account and internaional roaming plan. I was all set to roam the alps with my iPhone.

I met up with Drew to snack on some typical European breakfast items... some of which might not have been so kosher with the "Biggest Loser" contest at work. But, hey. It ended up paying off for the challenge we would later meet. We shuttled over back to the airport from the hotel, and bought some unexpectedly expensive (but worth it) tickets to Montreaux - a village on the opposite/eastern side of the very long Lac Leman. With the hot alpine noon sun warming my face through the train window, and the rhythmic song of the tracks, it did not take long for my eyelids to slide down like a broken garage door. I woke up somewhere between Vevey and Montreux to see the dramatically vertical walls that were the mountains that edged the lake on its southern and eastern sides.



When we got off at Montreux an hour later, Karin was already waiting for us with tickets for the cog-wheel train to Les Rochers de Naye - an exposed alpine bowl at the summit of a mountain overlooking Montreux, the valley and the lake below. It was chugged up steep inclines at a leisurely pace, passing by panorama after panorama - passing unguarded cliffs, crossing archaic bridges and chuting through tunnels... many elements of which were constructed about a hundred years ago. The journey ended at the base of a large exposed alpine valley, riddled with lines etched by skiers and snowboarders. With great gratitude from Drew and I, Karin narrated the scenery sharing details that most tourists would never know.

When we disembarked the train, Karin without much explanation marched on through the snow and toward a grand overlook at the edge of a cliff - protected by nothing more than a yellow cord and traffic signs with an illustrated stick-figure falling to its doom. Fortunately for me, I decided to trade in my loafers for hiking boots before I left the hotel. As we passed a few yurts that were available for hire, Karin pointed to the summit a few hundred feet ahead and above us. In my mind I thought: "... damn, that's where we're going?" but my heart pumped: "dude, let's beast this"... as my friend would say.

From Montreux, Swizterland

Karin was dressed perfectly for the conditions - attire that made her appear as if ready for ice climbing. Meanwhile, Drew in his jeans and I in my Brooks Brothers corduroy pants didn't appear to fit into the circumstances too well. Nevertheless, we trudged on and up... digging our toes and the blades of our shoes into the snowpack. With heavy breaths and determination (and still scoring no more than 4 hours of sleep that night before), we made it to the summit where a spectacular view of the alps awaited. Well worth the adventure.

From Montreux, Swizterland

We slid back down the treacherous slope by the seats of our pants. It took Drew and I a little longer than Karin to get down. However, when we finally arrived Karin met us with 3 champagne glasses and a bottle of white wine in hand. Cheers. We lounged on some beach chairs outside while we waited for the train for the return to Montreux.

Ensuring that we experienced every highest form of Swiss public transportation, we took the bus to Vevey where Karin served a delicious spread of meats, cheeses, tarts and wine. We talked and ate until stuffed and until the sun had set over Lac ("Lake") Leman. Karin didn't let Drew or I fall asleep the whole hour ride back to Geneva airport, ensuring that we get a good night sleep only when we go to the hotel. This was a good thing.

With this kind of first day in Switzerland, we were off to a good start. Much thanks to our hostess Karin for the tour around the lake and mountains.

From Montreux, Swizterland

Today's Expenses:

• 64.00 CHF - roundtrip train ticket from Geneva Airport to Montreux


• 32.00 CHF - roundtrip train ticket to the summit area of Les Rochers de Naye


• 3.00 CHF - bus ticket from Montreux to Vevey


• 59.99 USD - Boing Hotspot international wifi roaming plan


• 5.99 USD - AT&T international roaming + 0.99 USD/min


• 24.99 USD - AT&T international data roaming add-on

(yes, "holy crap", it's expensive)