Grüetzi, Grüetzi! That's Amoré!: A 2015 Italy/Switzerland Trip Report - Complete!

[mare1203]

Hi All! I am so, so sorry for taking forever and a day to update this thing. I could give you a bunch of excuses, but you don’t want to read them and I don’t want to type them. Either way, life happens and things are improving, but I apologize nonetheless. Rest assured, I never forgot about the report and I WILL finish. Even if it’s over a year later. I can’t just abandon things. Actually, since I feel so bad about it, I decided not to post at all until the darn thing was completely done and I just need to post. And I am happy to report that I am both done with the writing portion and the uploading of photos to Photobucket, which I find easier to use than the internal posting system. So, I’m going to try to post regularly until I finish it off. For those of you who jump back in, thanks for reading, and for those who decide to hop aboard...

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[tgeorge]

Yay! This is one of the trips I find very interesting and I can't wait to finish reading how the rest of your trip went.

 

[christannj]

Hooray!! I was afraid that something happened to you but your sister assured me that you would eventually finish it. This will be just in time...several of us are doing this trip at the end of August and now we will know what to expect....thanks in advance

 

[mare1203]

The Swiss Chalet Dinner

When we last left off, we had finished our hike and were waiting for the Gornergrat to come pick us up to take us back down the mountainside.


When the Gornergrat arrived Kathy and I took the opportunity to take a few pictures before getting on. One of the other adventurer’s commented to us and then her family, ‘that’s such a good idea to take posed pics like that! How come we don’t do that’. We’ve got a little practice, and we definitely steal ideas from others. It was a nice and relaxing trip down. By the time we got off it was nearing 8:30 pm and we were ready for some dinner! It was also still surprisingly light out. Once out of the station we took the main road towards the restaurant we had been recommended;


The Swiss Chalet.


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The Swiss Chalet is located about halfway between the Gornergrat station and the Hotel Zermatterhoff. It was maybe a 10-minute walk. When we arrived, Steph enquired about seating and we and another family were led to tables right away. As you can see from the picture above, the restaurant featured an outdoor area as well as indoor seating to accommodate the varying weather.




The Swiss Chalet is family-owned and aptly described as an oasis of cozy atmosphere.We certainly agreed. It had a warm feeling and a menu to match. I have a weakness for this style and loved all the wood.


A picture of the bar area. You can find the Matterhorn everywhere around here, as well you should.
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Inside, the rooms were separated by walls, including some windows! We were seated in one of the side rooms near the front of the restaurant. I love all the little chalet touches on the walls, but I think my favorite was the hanging lamps.
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Once we were seated, we perused the menu for what to eat and drink. Unsurprisingly, we decided to share a bottle of water and a bottle of wine. The Pinot Noir we chose was a Swiss Chalet Reserve wine and we found it smooth and refreshing.
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To start we shared a raclette, which Jessica recommended on our bus ride earlier. Raclette is a dish indigenous to parts of Switzerland. The raclette cheese round is heated and then scraped onto diners' plates. Traditionally the melting happens in front of an open fire with the big piece of cheese facing the heat. One then regularly scrapes off the melting side. It is accompanied by small firm potatoes, gherkins, pickled onions, and dried meat. This wasn’t very big and I would recommend 1 for every 2 people, but as it was an appetizer for us, it worked out well. I thought it was delicious.
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We each ordered a different entree. One of us went with the beef stroghanoff. It is beef and mushrooms in a brown gravy with noodles. A bit heavy but good flavors and if you like stroghanoff you’ll enjoy the dish.
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Next up is the beef filet with herb butter, potatoes gratin, and vegetables. It is what it looks like and is a good, but safe choice.
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Finally is the Wienerschnitzel, or breadcrumbed veal scallop with french fries and vegetables. This had a nice crust on it and the fries were delicious.

We chose not to get dessert as we were full from our entrees and finished up the wine for a sweet end. Overall, I thought the Swiss Chalet ended up being a nice choice for dinner. The food and atmosphere were cozy and comfortable, and I feel like anyone could find something good on the menu here. Our waitress was attentive and we would recommend eating here if you find yourself in Zermatt.

Upon leaving the restaurant, we made our way back to the hotel. Other than the few bars that were still serving drinks, not much was happening in town. As mentioned previously, the stores close rather early here, so we went back to the hotel for some shut-eye. And to take a few more pictures of the Matterhorn.









The Hotel Zermatterhoff does not have air conditioning, mostly because it’s not necessary 99% of the time. We left the windows open to get some air in, which was nice, except that you could hear the bars nearby and they were definitely hopping until well in the night. Not a complaint, per se, just an observation and experience. We were sort of stuck between keeping the windows open to get some chill and airflow, and hear all the nighttime activity or shut the windows and have it be quieter with no airflow. Not a complaint, just an observation and fact of life. I don’t believe ABD is staying here this season, but the same is true for most hotels around the area. I really enjoyed this hotel overall!
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[bearsgirl]

We just returned from this ABD. You do stay at the Zermatterhoff (2017 itineraries have different accommodations) and you are correct about the lack of air conditioning. The family next door to us left their door open at night and were woken up around midnight and 1 a.m. with bar patrons, just like you. We had a FABULOUS time on the Alpine Magic and your TR helped us to make the decision to go.
Thank you!

 

[walnut611]

Yay! I'm so happy you're continuing with your report

Hope your sister had a beautiful wedding

 

[mare1203]

Yay! This is one of the trips I find very interesting and I can't wait to finish reading how the rest of your trip went.

I'm looking forward to posting it all!

Hooray!! I was afraid that something happened to you but your sister assured me that you would eventually finish it. This will be just in time...several of us are doing this trip at the end of August and now we will know what to expect....thanks in advance

Hi, yes, I ended up being a disboards hermit for a while, but I'm good. Yes, there should be a lot of good info for you to use on your upcoming trip. I know you'll have a great time!

We just returned from this ABD. You do stay at the Zermatterhoff (2017 itineraries have different accommodations) and you are correct about the lack of air conditioning. The family next door to us left their door open at night and were woken up around midnight and 1 a.m. with bar patrons, just like you. We had a FABULOUS time on the Alpine Magic and your TR helped us to make the decision to go.
Thank you!

Oh, duh! Of course they're still staying at Zermatterhof for 2016! Weren't those balcony rooms just amazing?!? Worth it despite being woken by people having a good time. I would never stay in a hotel or room view like that on my own, so that is one part of the ABD experience that impresses me.

I always forget they're planning a year out. Did they change the Lucerne day from a boat ride/bbq or are they still doing that? I think the amendments to the Lucerne days are the biggest positive for the 2017 itineraries, but I wouldn't be surprised to hear they changed it early (though, contracts and all, it might not have been possible).

Yay! I'm so happy you're continuing with your report

Hope your sister had a beautiful wedding

Yep! I'm back! Kathy & Jeff's wedding was gorgeous and we had a wonderful time! We were actually just back at WDW last weekend and Jeff quipped, Disney is fun, but less fun when you aren't randomly running into people you know all the time. He's right, continually running into family and friends at the parks and resorts was super fun. Thanks for reading along!

 

[mare1203]

Matterhorn in the Morning and some Goats

The next morning, we woke up for our Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah Day! It’s ropes course time! At 7:45 am the church bells began to ring in Zermatt; they mark the official wake-up for the town. Church bell wake-ups have been used throughout Europe for centuries. It also signals the beginning of the workday because as soon as they were done, the drills and other street construction began in earnest.




We also woke up to an absolutely perfectly clear view of the Matterhorn! Not a cloud in the sky!




I had some coffee in the room and snapped a pic along with the mountain. Best wake-up ever!

As an aside, if you are lucky, there could be an opportunity to do the Sunrise on Gornergrat. It is offered each Thursday and you can book a ticket through the Gornergrat site. It is something like 90 swiss francs and includes the Gornergrat ticket as well as a sunrise brunch. We had a couple who learned about it through their own research and booked the trip. While they said it was an early morning, they were into photography and said they got some amazing shots, and would highly recommend.




We then headed down to the buffet for some breakfast. It was a nice, European breakfast selection. You also had the option of ordering eggs from the kitchen if you would like.


Hey, we made a hidden Mickey! Uncle Walt would be proud.


Oh look! There he is!


The day before, Steph and Jessica informed us that we would be leaving for the Forest Fun Park in 2 waves. The first wave left at 8:50 while the second took off at 9:10. This was done for two purposes: ordering electric taxi’s for the ride over and giving the employees of the fun park time to start outfitting half the group with their gear rather than everyone at once.


On the way to the Forest Fun Park we were able to see the goat parade.




The Valais Blackneck goats, also known as glacier goats, are some of the most famous residents in the southern Swiss mountains. With furs that are half black, half white, they both unique and highly photographed. For about 7 weeks each summer, a herd of about 50 blackneck goats pass through Zermatt as part of the goat parade. This happens around 9 AM and then again at 5 PM. ​

 

[mare1203]

Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah


During our welcome, the guides informed us that they would not be referring to this day as “zipping” because it was an adventure park and included much more than just ziplines. In fact, the run we would be completing as a group had very little zipping at all. The park has a number of different runs you can complete.


After a short taxi ride, we arrived at the Forest Fun Park. To begin, we met up with the employees who helped fit us with our gear. This included our harnesses, helmets, carabiners, and gloves.

Note: We were told to leave all our cameras and phones at home. I run and when I go on runs I carry my phone and an ID in a SpiBelt that goes around my waist. I wish I would have brought my phone with me to take some pics of my own. Either that or my camera. Yes, there are times you need two hands, but as long as you are decently coordinated and have a wrist strap or belt to hold your phone you’ll be okay. Of course it is on you if you lose it, but we had some downtime throughout the course and I would have liked some of my own pictures. Between Kathy and I we have more than 1,500, so you can see my dilemma, I know. Rest assured, they do have people on the course taking pics as well as the guides when you are in areas they can see you.




After being fitted, we met on the training course attached to the check-in area and were given instructions on how to work the gear. This consists mainly of what to do if you find yourself stuck, or you need to brake. Both very important skills to learn or master! When you are out on the course, you are basically on your own or with your fellow adventurers, rather than having staff there, which was new for me. I’ve only been to ziplines where guides assist with both take-off and landing (I’ve also only ever been in Hawaii where I’m told they have some more strict regulations). I didn’t find it difficult to learn or follow the directions. We were also given the rules while on the course.


One person max on the ropes. No more than 3 people on the landing.


Keep your "free" hand hovering over the rope and land with your feet. If you don't make it across, turn backwards and "monkey crawl" your way to the landing.


Be sure to attach your lock and adjust as you are moving. These pics are like a more illustrated version of IKEA directions!

Note about kids. The suggested age for this trip is 6+, but for the ropes and zips course alone, I would recommend thinking about postponing the trip until a kid was 9 or 10. Not because the kids can’t do it, but because if you’re a shorty, then some of the course will be much more difficult and demanding for that reason. Our youngest were 8 and they were awesome and totally made it through, but it would have probably been a tiche easier if they were a little taller. So actually, don’t even go so much by age as by height.


From the training area, where you practiced the moves and maneuvers, we were released into the wild and onto the actual course. The adventure group goes on the Green Run, which is the longest of the 5 runs offered. There aren’t any long zips on this one; mostly shorter zips and ropes challenges. It took us a good 2 hours to get through the whole thing. I think if we would have been first it would have taken about 45 minutes to an hour. It was really long!


It is physically demanding. And you’re up in the trees. We loved it and we are in pretty good shape. Our whole group was generally active in our regular lives, but it could be difficult if you aren’t used to being active. It’s also up in the air, so height fears might be manifest on this particular day.


There were definitely some nerve wracking parts, and I consider myself a pretty adventurous person. You won’t fall b/c you’re tied in, but it makes you apprehensive either way. The grandparents in our group chose not to partake and not everyone in our group ended up making it, as an FYI.

Once you are done with the green run you are free to do any of the others. We chose only to do one more; the blue. Why should you do the blue run? This is why.


Who doesn't want a framed pic of that?!?

The blue run is not only high in the air, but consists of 85% zipping. It also has the longest zip in the park. I did the blue run twice because I’m an actual a 10-year-old.


The guides will stay as long as the last family wants. You will have the choice of walking back to town or having them arrange transportation. We walked back. It’s only about a 10-15 minute walk along the river. Literally the only reason the guides arrange a taxi in the morning is for the experience. I didn't want to overwhelm the descriptions with pics for this post, so I'm going to add an additional pics-only post with a few more of our favorite shots from the park. Enjoy!​

 

[mare1203]

Zip Gliding Away


Sorry not sorry. I couldn't resist.




























I found this random pic in the guide pics, and figured it would be a nice bookend to this post.​

 

[BluesTraveler]

Very interesting about the lack of air conditioning - that's the kind of thing that would be rough for me so I am glad you posted that detail.

 

[tgeorge]

I would have also done the lines multiple times like you did I'm also a kid when it comes to those types of activities

 

[bearsgirl]

Very interesting about the lack of air conditioning - that's the kind of thing that would be rough for me so I am glad you posted that detail.

The Regina Palace in Stresa doesn't have air conditioning either. A lot of hotels in Europe either don't have A/C or don't have it at the level we are used to in the United States.

 

[kanadar]

Yay!!! You are finally back Funny enough, my phone let me know 1 year ago we were zipping! It was a lot of fun, but I would have preferred the blue course more. The green course was long (partially because we kept getting stuck behind people getting stuck) and not enough zips for me!

The Regina Palace in Stresa doesn't have air conditioning either. A lot of hotels in Europe either don't have A/C or don't have it at the level we are used to in the United States.

Actually the Regina Palace does have A/C. It may not have been up to the level we're used to but there definitely was one. I remember because I slept so well there! The fan on the A/C was set to run all the time so it was the perfect white noise for me!

 

[mare1203]

Very interesting about the lack of air conditioning - that's the kind of thing that would be rough for me so I am glad you posted that detail.

Happy to help! A/C is one of the main amenities ABD uses first when searching out hotels, as an fyi, so it's usually not a problem. Also usually not a problem here because it's almost never necessary. We just happened to hit an unusual heat wave. Actually, when we were in Lucerne, they hit record heat! That hotel had A/C, though, so no worries there.

I would have also done the lines multiple times like you did I'm also a kid when it comes to those types of activities

Glad I'm not the only one! It's usually me and the children in those situations.

 

[tgeorge]

Glad I'm not the only one! It's usually me and the children in those situations.[/QUOTE]


I'm convinced this is why my niece and nephew love to hang out with me.

 

[mare1203]

Lunchtime and a Story

Just a short update today. I'll be back with a longer one tomorrow! Once we arrived back at the hotel, it was an afternoon of free time in Zermatt. We changed into clean shirts and headed out in search of some lunch. There are a ton of hikers in Zermatt, so you aren’t out of place in hiking or casual clothes here.


We walked around a bit before running into a couple from our adventure at the Cafe Du Pont. We asked if they’d like to join us and they affirmed, so we grabbed a table.


A not so great picture of their menu. The Restaurant Du Pont is the oldest restaurant in Zermatt and located just outside the Hotel Zermatterhof and the Matterhorn Museum. It specializes in the local specialties of Valais and touts itself as the best cheesehouse in town.


Both Bob and Kathy chose the sausage and fries.


I went with another Swiss specialty: Rosti! Many consider the Rosti to be Switzerland's national dish. This is the Rosti with ham and cheese. As you can see, Rosti is a grated potato dish, in the style of a fritter, or pancake. Originally popular at breakfast, Rosti is now eaten at all times. It was a big portion, but delicious! Highly recommend.


We enjoyed the Cafe Du Pont for a quick lunch. Don't expect gourmet food; this is Swiss comfort food. We weren't super hungry, even after our day on the ropes, due to the heat, and this tided us over. The company was great, though. If you are looking for another good meal spot in Zermatt, our companions recommended the Restaurant Whymper Stube across from the hotel. I have heard great things, but probably more of a dinner spot than lunch. Whymper was the man who led the first successful ascent of the Matterhorn, so you'll see his namesake all around Zermatt.


The couple had done the Matterhorn museum, which was located next to the hotel. The tent in this pic is a pop-up shop next door to the museum. They recommended it, but we never made it over. Not enough time. If you do have a chance, I would check it out, though!


I should also mention that Zermatt was in earnest preparation for the 150th anniversary of the 1st ("semi") successful ascension of the Matterhorn. I think the next ABD was actually there right around the anniversary, as we were about 11 days early.

Story time! Because no beautiful mountain should be without a both harrowing and tragic story. Also, perhaps a small spoiler alert if you are going to see the Matterhorn and don't want to hear about the controversial first ascent! The successful ascension of the Matterhorn was the last Alpine peak to be climbed, and marked an end to the golden age of alpine climbing. I add the aside of "semi" to successful, because the first successful ascent of the Matterhorn was also part tragedy, turned into major controversy and made worldwide news. While the original party of 8 all successfully reached the peak, only 4 of the original 8 made a successful descent down the mountain, after one man slipped. Upon slipping on the north face of the mountain, the man subsequently pulled 3 other men directly behind him down with him, resulting in their death. 3 of the 4 men's bodies who slipped on the way down were rescued, and later buried. One body, that of Lord Douglas has never been found. Only a pair of gloves, a belt, and boot were ever found belonging to him. After some investigation into the accident and upon closer inspection of the ropes, it was found that a few of the ropes used should have been in reserve, and not being used as main ropes. The 4 survivors had to answer for their responsibility in the accident and were accused of cutting the rope to ensure they were not also dragged down. While 3 of the guides were tried in court, they were all later acquitted. The tragedy nevertheless leaves a black scar on an otherwise monumental moment in climbing history.

After finishing lunch we went out in search of some shopping. There is quite a bit of shopping to be done in Zermatt, but it’s pretty expensive. If you want to look at ski or hiking clothes, gear, or other Matterhorn accessories, then this is your place. Otherwise, wait for Lucerne as it is a little cheaper and there are popular souvenirs such as Swiss Army Knives and chocolate all over Switzerland.

Earlier that day Stephanie had offered to go on a hike with anyone interested in the afternoon. She told us to meet her at 4:00 and we would go. We planned on doing the hike, so we made sure to make it back in time to join. We did use our afternoon time to shop for our White Elephant gift later on in the trip.


On our way back to the hotel for a short rest we also stopped at Stefanie's Creperie for a crepe (carbo loading in anticipation of the hike; it’s important.) The creperie offers both sweet and savory options.




These were made fresh. It's a small shop, right on the main drag, but has lots of personality.


Kathy got a chocolate crepe.


I chose banana chocolate. Sorry for the lack of "bitten into so you can see the gooey inside" shots, but rest assured both were delicious. Nom nom.​

 

[mare1203]

Hiking Edelweiss


At 4:00 we met Steph for the hike to Edelweiss, which is a small hotel, hiking stop, and teahouse in Zermatt. There were about 12 of us in all, so it was a nice size group, though not everyone made it to the top. This was not a planned activity for the ABD, but rather Steph liking to be active, wanting to spend her free afternoon hiking, and offering us to come along. It's an easy trail to follow, though not an easy hike, so you could do it during your free time if you go on the trip and your guide doesn't mention it. We were told it was about a 45 minute hike up to Edelweiss and found this to be pretty much spot on. I would call the hike mid-to-strenuous. It is certainly not for the faint of heart or for those who are not currently active. But, the trail is well marked and it’s mostly uphill, but no scrambling or anything like that. The hike/tea house can even be found on TripAdvisor under Edelweiss if you want to search it out beforehand.


Stephanie actually hadn’t ever done the hike before, so we had some fun searching for the trailhead. I always have trouble finding the trailhead at first. I’m great with directions, but for some reason hiking is always a crap shoot with me. I can be your guide for most things in life, but don’t put me in charge of a hiking map!


Is this the trailhead? No? Okay, we'll keep searching then. We did some asking around for the trailhead. It actually didn't end up being very hard to find.




Starts singing: The hills are alive...okay, okay, sorry, couldn't resist on a hike that ended at Edelweiss, and these Alpine grasses! The hike starts out fairly flat in the Alpine grasses before you turn upward and begin the more strenuous ascent.


We were maybe a third of the way up when we snapped this pic. That is our hotel, and funny story, but we could see some adventurers relaxing on their balcony. We tried and (obviously) failed to capture their attention.






Some nature pics from our hike up.


The views over Zermatt are incredible, as Steph is demonstrating here.






It's cool to see the village from that vantage point. It’s also easy to see the layout of the city to get your bearings.




About halfway up we ran into a waterfall. Nature’s air conditioning! It was really cool, pun sort of intended. Note: if you want to do the hike, but don't think you're up for the whole trip, this waterfall sort of marked the beginning of the true ascent. I think anyone in decent shape would make it here without too much trouble.


We even ran into this small grave site, from over 100 years ago!


During the hike, we got a chance to talk with Steph and learn about some of the other trips she guides. Both the Germany and the Central Europe trip sound awesome! We also talked a little about how it was interesting that the kids hadn’t really stuck to the guides this trip. In my experience, and in talking with others who have been on ABD’s, including guides, I’ve found that usually the kids will bond with each other and at least one of the guides. I think there are a couple of reasons that didn’t happen on our trip. First, one of the groups was a family reunion and had cousins who didn’t live near one another. Made sense in that they’d want to hang out with one another. Also, our group had more young boys than girls, along with 2 female guides. There were 2 8-year-olds, one who was a bundle of energy and the other was more reserved. They became friends with one another. And the 2 young girls on the trip were about 13-14, so they were going through a little of a ‘we’re not sure if it’s cool to think this is cool’ stage. I remember that age well.

Stephanie told us that she usually ends up doing the little girls’ hair and things (we had commented on her braiding prowess). So, we told her we would totally let her do our hair, if she missed it and felt like doing it. Kathy and I are definitely not above being actual 10-year-olds. Plus, I can’t do braids and love it when someone does them for me. In fact, the last time I saw Kathy I asked with puppy dog eyes ‘will you do me a favor?’, and she replied ‘what do you want?’, to which my dad didn’t even blink and said ‘she wants you to braid her hair.’ Yup, that’s me.


We made it to the top! And took a couple of pictures to boot! Yay!


Stephanie trying to selfie us all in...


And the result when the owner was like, here, just let me take the picture of the group!


Kathy immortalized our trip via social media and a fun border.


Once we made it back down the mountain, we headed to our room to clean up for dinner. This impromptu hike ended up being one of my favorite activities of the trip!​

 

[sayhello]

Gorgeous! That hike looks wonderful!

Stephanie is supposed to be one of the Guides on my ABD Danube river cruise in 2 weeks! (A lot of it mirrors the Central Europe trip).

Sayhello

 

[mare1203]

Gorgeous! That hike looks wonderful!

Stephanie is supposed to be one of the Guides on my ABD Danube river cruise in 2 weeks! (A lot of it mirrors the Central Europe trip).

Sayhello

Yes! The middle of her adventure season is the river cruises! You'll love her (though I think they're all great). I'll be interested to hear about the experiences with the guides on the river cruise, especially coming from people who have been on the regular ABD's, since it will be a little different format. Fantastic line-up of guides for the river cruises, though! I'm so jealous and looking forward to hearing from you and so many others over the coming weeks!