Zermatt

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We had plans for today if it looked like clear skies and no back up plan! We rejected Trafalgar's optional excursion to Kleine Matterhorn Glacier Paradise at about 119 CHF and wanted to take the Gornergrat Bahn to Rotenboden Station to walk to Riffelsee to see the Matterhorn reflected in water. The cost was 114 CHF. We had decided not to prepurchase online as there was no cost advantage and if it was bad weather, we didn't want to do it anyway. Last night looked all clear for today, so Clay went online before group photo to buy them. Monday tickets were not offered online! We had a few hours of panic and despair during dinner. We walked down to the station after dinner for some reason believing it open. It was not. We tried the Information Center, already closed. It was Sunday night. I was still optimistic because we usually get great advice from hotel receptionists. She would know if there was any possibility of our not being able to do this tomorrow. We came in with our questions about Gornergrat and where to get ice and when breakfast opens to find Stephane standing there chatting with the desk clerk. We waited while they ignored us. Clay finally went up to her and she asked if she could help. Clay opened with Gornergrat and before she answered Stephane started obstructing our queries and her answers while telling us we couldn't do this. Huh? You have to walk down he said. I said, they sell return tickets. He said no you can't walk to the station. We just walked there and back after dinner. Finally, he let her speak and she gave me a brochure and assured us that people walk up and buy day of all the time. They would be running and have tickets available. Whew! Breakfast began at 7am. Ice from the bar after 3pm. It turned out you could ask for and get ice at breakfast too. Wonderful. But what is Stephane's issue? He is the first tour director we have ever had who operated like he was selling time shares and not offering service to tourists. He had yesterday reiterated that those of us who had decided to go cheap and not buy his excursion here were going to regret it. That on top of his statement on day 2 that if you didn't book his complete optional package all Trafalgar owed you was a bus ride with hotel, breakfast and not even all luggage porterage meant that we had never asked him for any help or advice on our individual plans. We wouldn't ask him for assistance and we didn't and he still overheard and tried to obstruct our efforts. It is beyond all comprehension!

We got up early. Clay went to the Kirchbrucke by the Hotel La Couronne for sunrise. He was so impressed that I hope to go tomorrow. We'll see what the departure schedule looks like later. We had breakfast at 7am and headed to the station at 8am. Clay got in line and bought our return tickets and we boarded a 2nd 8:24am train. We rode to Rotenboden Station and had a quick clear look at the Matterhorn. We studied the tiny flower gardens growing in the rock cracks and then set off  for the Riffelsee. Carol stayed on a bench by the station and enjoyed the people and fantastic changing views. We 3 sat on rocks for an hour and never got a clear cloudfree view! As we hiked back up to the station, we saw a man sitting on a boulder painting. Mom fell multiple times trying to walk over to him, but she didn't even skin her hands or hurt herself. We each bought a glicee print of one of his original oil paintings. Near the top of the trail, Mom misstepped again and this time injured herself. I think she thinks she pulled a muscle in her calf. We reboarded the train to the top at Gornergrat. We had a picnic lunch up there of food we'd collected this morning and during the trip as the view of the Matterhorn cleared. We cleaned up our table and after a few photos we cleared out for the train back down to Rotenboden. The clouds that had framed the peak of the Matterhorn cleared as we all tried to get our photos. Clay alone raced back down and back up to capture the Riffelsee reflection. We caught the next train back down to Zermatt. We bought Mom some liniment and did some additional souvenir shopping. Mom said she couldn't walk anymore and went straight to her room. I gave her Aleve and Carol and I fashioned an ice pack for her. By dinner time, she thought she couldn't walk but didn't want anyone to go out and try to find a cane for her. She wasn't going out to dinner though. Also, she'd looked at menu on her way to the hotel and didn't want to spend that much. We photographed the menu at the crepe takeout window for her. It wasn't Swiss but at least it was something different and European and not so expensive. When she called to ask us down to their room with the dining table for 4, I told her we'd be down in 30 minutes. I was glad I delayed because shortly we heard what sounded like a cow bell parade in the street. It was a goat parade! Clay and I looked out from our balcony and then raced downstairs. The goats were gone, but there were 3 Alpenhorns being carried along behind them. The 2 men & a woman in costume set up in front of the church and played a few songs. I never thought they could play music on those horns! As they played, I noticed a shop across from the church had a long sleeved t-shirt that Carol had been seeking. After dinner, I told her about it and we went and got her one. On the way, we heard Alpenhorns again and followed them and caught a group of men practising a last couple of songs before packing their horns. I didn't know they could take those horns apart either! Mom & I want Clay to take us to sunrise on the Matterhorn tomorrow before departure. We'll see. More tomorrow!

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