April 13-19 Zermatt in a nutshell

We left Paris Friday April 14th after a night at Java seeing some punk and post punk bands. We reserved an Uber to Gare de Lyon and he was on time, early even. We made our way and as planned went to Pret A Manger and waited for our 7:21 train. We really as first class to Visp and then transferred from Visp to two other trains directly into Zermatt. We called the hotel to send our bus/ electric vehicle to pick us up. Zermatt was hot and bustling because they had their Zermatt unplugged concert series. We were excited and everything was beautiful. We saw the Matterhorn at every angle especially in our balcony in our room. We talked to the hotel workers and were ready to map our stay. We went for the best light fare at the hotel next door Hotel Schonegg - we had a salad with wagyu beef and then edamame and hummus and beetroot falafel. It was sunny and dare I say hot which surprised me. We relaxed a. It and then went to the brown cow for some food and stares cuz that’s what people

So when they see an interracial couple. We had a messy cheeseburger and a salad a loads of pork and it made us realize that we need I be careful with our restaurant selection the next day we woke up had our breakfast at the hotel and then went to explore the town. We went to learn about how to get our ski tickets and rentals. We had lunch at an Italian restaurant where we had a salad and margarita pizza. That night every restaurant was packed and couldn’t get into Grampis so we settled on an Italian restaurant next door. The food options here are Italian or German and very meat focused. We found some gems though at Michelin rated zermatt kitchen, grampis when we finally got in the next night and Schonegg. It is all very very expensive so we averaged $100 CHF each meal. On Monday April 15th we finally got ready to ski. We woke at 7am and had our free breakfast then went to pick up our ski tickets super expensive and then we went to the rental place for our skis, boots, helmet l, goggles and poles. We were ready just to learn that the sunegga funicular was not operating something about controlled avalanches so we went to bus stop to head to Gornergrat. We stood there and ask some folks if we were in the right place and they recommended that we walk to the train station. So we walked with our gear to the station. We get there and learned the train would depart in 12 minutes. We excitedly get on the train and ride up and up and up with such magnificent views and the fear or anxiety started to creep in. We get off the train and go through the turnstiles and lock into our skis. We proceeded to ski down some blues. The signage was diffferent and terrible but we understood the color system and skied and skied til we got to some reds which were difficult for me but I went back to basics and worked my way through them. After about an hour we wanted to figure out how to get to Sunegga back near town. We had to get on a lift said one person we asked so we did and then we get to another area and we ski and ski and I almost went down a black when my husband called me back then we asked another group but no one knew anything and one woman kept saying she was not local. We met a Scottish man who said we needed to get on another lift toward rothoen which we did. No maps or signs just numbers and colors and directional names which had no meaning. Getting off the lift my husband and is skis were intertwined and I fell. Hit he gave me his arm and I got us easily. We skied and skied. Then we asked some folks what direction sunnega was and they said just go right… we accidentally got in some ungroomed terrain but we got around and went on a groomed trail and we kept skiing. We fought, I was out of breath because of my altitude sickness but my husband said at least we were under the trees at this point. We skied and skied and I started to feel hopeful it looked like we we ending were we wanted so it is flat and we’re skiing. The we come to an abrupt straight drop. My husband was prepared to talk me across so he asked me to follow but I thought I could that this steep my way. I listened and took two turns and was on my back. I slid straight down which was actually nice and I made sure to stay loose and keep my skis up so I didn’t break my legs.i wa so exhausted and dizzy at this point. My altitude sickness was really affecting me and I struggled getting up. So I had to pop out of one ski get up and lock back in. We skied more and we came to the end where we wanted. 3 hour long trail was nuts for me cuz I didn’t know where where I was going and when it would end. The mountain were massive and wide trails and it was too much for my senses. I knew I couldn’t ski again that day or the next day. I was so sore because I worked so hard. We slept in on Tuesday and just walked around and ate at restaurants. On Wednesday when I wanted to ski again- I finally caught a cold which my husband was battling since Paris. My cold completely knocked me out and I Sam suffering as I write this. Plus we’ve had every weather condition from spring shiitake warm sunny days to snow and cold today. So much fog and we can no longer see the Matterhorn. So I’m in bed on Thursday April 18 as I write this. I expect to stay here until lunch and dinner. I look forward to getting on the train tomorrow morning to head down to Munich. Zermatt is beautiful and the mountain is formidable and impressive. It is also very expensive and seems to be for the international rich from Europe and Asia. I wouldn’t recommend spending more than three nights here but it is a sight to be seen. Onward.