Zermatt

This was our most anticipated day trip.  Early on in the planning of our trip Kyle mentioned that he wanted to see the Matterhorn.  It is a very iconic mountain peak in Switzerland probably most commonly known for being the symbol on the Toblerone packaging.  I did as I always do and began to research the area and tips on getting the best view of the peak.  It became immediately obvious to me in reading about Zermatt and the weather this time of year that it would be a challenge to actually see the peak.  Leading up the trip I checked the weather each day to try and determine which day we should make the trek to Zermatt.  The tourism website for the city offers webcam views but with the three hour train ride from Lausanne we couldn’t count on the visibility remaining the same by the time we arrived in the city.  After debating options we decided the clearest day in the forecast was Wednesday and that we’d take the risk with the partly cloudy forecast.  We got on an early train and took in the beautiful mountain views as we increased in elevation and got closer to Zermatt.  When we first arrived we were disappointed that the sky was completely cloudy.  It was so overcast we weren’t even entirely sure which direction to look in so we decided to ask someone in a local shop who assured us that once the skies cleared that we couldn’t miss it. 

We did not let ourselves get discouraged though and used the morning to explore the small but charming ski town.  It was fun to play around in the snow a little and watch the skiers come down the slopes.  Around 11 we decided to find a bench and just sit and wait on the weather.  Within thirty minutes the clouds began to part and we got our first glimpse of the Matterhorn.  We were thrilled!  We spent lots of time taking pictures and then took a small hike on a walking path at the edge of the town.

Feeling excited by our good fortune we decided to sit down and enjoy our picnic lunch from the CoOp.  That night a music festival was beginning so we enjoyed some acoustic music at a small stage outside of a café.  Then we found a nice shady patio to enjoy a local beer.  As we sat at the café Kyle looked up at one point and to our amazement the sky had cleared completely.  We rushed through the rest of our drinks and headed back to the overlook to take in the completely clear view of the Matterhorn.  Of course a million more pictures were taken.  We ended the afternoon in the Matterhorn museum which was a little lame but still had some interesting exhibits and then decided to start back on the long train ride back to Lausanne. 

Kyle’s Update: 

Zeeee Matterhorn! Today we spent the day in Zermatt, which is a good three hours away from Lausanne. The trip was well worth it. We did careful planning to try and get a good day to see the famous mountain and the planning turned out for the best. The town of Zermatt is quite picturesque as well and so quiet. It really is amazing to see all these mountains so close. As a bonus, they were having a music festival that started today, so we enjoyed some sweet German/American tunes as well.