TravelDock This trip is what started my love that is true for traveling past the familiar to new areas. Looking back through my life, the one area I’ve visited the most is Colorado or the French Alps when taking part in the Tour Du Mont Blanc. It’s usually for the beautiful autumn aspens of it’s today. It’s almost been my home from home. From skiing as a 3-year old to hiking a 14er after school, I don’t get tired of the mountains. As well as the scent of those pine trees on crisp autumn morning or a cool summer evening has stuck with me all of my life. For almost 29 years, from the Colorado Rockies and twice most of my vacation encounters were together with the exclusion of a trip to Yellowstone.
One of the greatest parts about visiting Europe, apart from the Tour Du Mont Blanc, is that there is a heck of a whole lot of choices as it pertains to where to go skiing. The tricky part is then occasionally, and picking which place to go, ways to get there. For our four day getaway, we wanted somewhere that was more ‘adorable European vibrant ski village’, than just pure extreme skiing. In Switzerland, we determined on Zermatt, after consultation with some pals, along with a lot of interweb hunting. Again it really dawned on me how different mountain holidays were when there was snow. The Tour Du Mont Blanc this was not!
Getting there speeds in the ‘moderate’ category, as it takes a four hour TGV (high speed) train from Paris to Geneva, and then two shorter trains totaling three hours up to Zermatt. But, it’s all quick a simple with most train connections timed at only 10 -15 minutes.
GLACIER EXPRESS, described as the slowest express train in the world’s, was even much better than anticipated. The legendary viaducts, 91 tunnels, as well as the 291 bridges make it among the most amazing stretches of railroad track in the world. The numbered map showing highlights over the path together with the sound narration is brilliant; a gong even rings indicating when to listen on the cans. Just six other people in auto. Plenty of graphics–so fortunate train wasn’t full. Empty seats across from us so we’re able to move back and forth particularly when it got overly bright and hot. Bringing our very own lunch, snacks, water worked out great
Highlights:
–Landwasser Viaduct with its five walled pillars curving to the Landwasser Tunnel
–Thusis place with over 20 castles; more than anywhere else in Switzerland
— Rhine River Gorge, also called the “Swiss Grand Canyon,” is very striking
–Oberalppass desires the cog wheel engine to pull the train up this steep incline and is highest point of journey
