I walked up to Zmutt to get a good photo op for the Matterhorn. It was a beautiful day, the air was lightly scented with fresh flowers and there is nothings that fills my heart fuller than a mountain hike.
A little trail art. The alphorn was originally used to call cattle.
The flowers, or as Nanny used to say, the flairs, are really starting to bloom.
I was starving by the time I got back to Zermatt. It was 2:00. I ordered kartoffelkroketten mit raclette kase which is croquettas of potatoes and raclette cheese. They were lip smacking good. Of course, we Southerners know you can fry up an old tire and it will taste pretty good but this was way better than just any old fried thing.
Vibrant art across from where I was having lunch.
A 3-D advertisement for a local hotel.
The mountaineers’ cemetery is a moving reminder of the accidents that have occurred in the mountains around Zermatt. The tranquil site is a memorial to all climbers who have lost their lives here. This was the only woman buried in the old part of the cemetery, who died climbing the Matterhorn. if you can call 24 years old a woman. More like a girl, entirely too young to die.
From the Zermatt website, “The inscriptions reveal that women and men from all over the world have died on the Matterhorn, Täschhorn, Weisshorn, Liskamm, Obergabelhorn and on the Monte Rosa massif. At the mountaineers’ cemetery, visitors can see the graves of about 50 climbers who perished in the surrounding mountains. Most date from the 19th century, some from the early-20th century. This was the only American.” Most of the deaths seemed to be on the Matterhorn.
One of the more interesting pieces of art dedicated to a fallen climber.
The “Grave of the Unknown Climber,”is a tribute to the more than 500 deaths, which have taken place on the Matterhorn since 1865. And of the missing and dead, who could not be found or completely removed after their fall. There are still 27 climbers whose bodies have never been found.
The following words are engraved in the mountain guides memorial stone: “Mountain guides: victims of their vocation.” The text continues: “Here, we lost our lives. Up there, we found life again. On the holy mountain of the Lord.” I believe with all my heart that I would rather live one day doing what I love than cowering in my house, afraid to live. I was fascinated by the gnarled hands reaching up.
I noticed something unusual in the regular cemetery - most of the tombstones had photos of the deceased. So many times I have been in a graveyard and wondered about a stranger’s name on a tombstone. It would be fascinating to see a photo.
Tonight was a very interesting buffet cookout. We started with the salad bar of at least fifty choices.
Next was the buffet with a plethora of more salads, like potato salad and various vegetables.
There were at least 10 kinds of meats such as ribs, filet steak, cowboy steak, chicken, lamb, hangar steak, sausage, and more I can’t remember. Our friend Jack Wetzel would have been in hog heaven. I always fill up on the salad and vegetables, my favorite part of the meal. I know that I am a little weird. However, if you think I am just trying to be healthy, you would be wrong. I love all the bad things you can add to both. Just to mention Southern cooks, we can turn the healthiest vegetable into a pie with sugar and butter.
Dessert was grilled pineapple accompanied by mango sorbet. The entire dish was sprinkled the chopped nuts flavored with anise seeds, a mind blowing combination. I was so stuffed that I wandered around town for an hour. How will I ever go back to real food?
So I bid you good night and God bless you all.
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