If you have read the post before this then you already knew about which activities are available up in that part of The Alps.
My husband and I wanted to do all of them except for paragliding only because we find it too risky. We both wanted to get home in one piece and we have more itinerary of our "to dos" in our bucket list so we avoided every sort of high risk activity that day.
Zip lining - check, off to the eagle glider which is just a few steps away but first a quick pic of both of them.
You have no idea how excited I was about doing the eagle glider because you'd be flown backwards on this one. I can already imagine the hard wind being blown through my long sleeves pinching my belly button a bit. I had to shush those scary thoughts of "what ifs".
When we got there, the line was very long! "What? Where did all these people come from?"; we thought. Apparently, those who did the zip line and some who took the cable car till there got off to have their turn on it, too. We did stand in that long queue and gave it up when we realized half an hour has already gone. We have to go down anyway and we wanted to do the carting because we saw that it was actually safe and you have control over the cart since it's mostly like biking - you may press the breaks anytime you feel like it, well, at least that's what we were told.
Off we walked back to where the carting is since it was closer to where the cable car station is. We already saw a long queue, too and I was starting to loose hope but I admit to being happy about it. Why? Even though, we were explained to that it is very safe and you get to wear a helmet and all, I saw how narrow and steep the path is and it's too hard to convince the scaredy me that it's safe.
Half of the queue were wearing helmets. We saw one of the carts slowly being loaded down the pulley and one of the Korean ladies took it, pushed it down the 20% slope ahead of her and stopped a few steps away from a Western woman standing next to another cart just on the side of the foot path. I thought it was odd that she was there. Once again, we stood there for a more than a quarter and another cart slowly goes down for another Korean lady.
This time, I lost it and asked my husband to just go back down on foot. I suspect that the lady standing next to the cart is probably waiting for someone in that long queue and the carts aren't going back up any faster. We could of course go back riding the cable car but I really want to see more of the place. I don't want to waste standing on another long queue since everyone seems suddenly all wanting to go back down. It was drizzling from when we stood in the eagle glider's queue and still drizzling but I had an umbrella so off we went.
If I were you, would you want to miss out on seeing this? Looking at this pic, I suddenly feel so small and insignificant.
Nearing the Korean lady who first took off, I saw the next one pushing the cart using her feet till the slope and finally caught up with the other one and off they went with a "weeeeee~~" which I find odd cause am not used to hearing that from them. Passing by the Westerner, my curiosity made me dare asking why she's still there. Apparently, she's waiting for her son who's also still standing in line and she's been there for quite a long time and told us the carts seem to be oddly slow at going back up.
Off we went and passed by a small piece of that giant water falls you saw on my previous post. A few steps away from it I could hear bells. Then I saw them and their kin. "Cows!"
You probably could tell that all I said after that was; "Aw.. so cute! So cute!", cause aren't they? How could someone just kill those beautiful eyed creatures? How? How? Did you know that they are so curious? Those bells on their necks suddenly stopped ringing and all of them were looking at us and one even walked towards us. His long lashed eyes, stared at me so innocently and tilted his head to the right. I actually took so many pics but don't worry I won't bombard you with them. We moved on and a few steps later I looked back and realized we haven't really gotten far away.
"Are we there yet?"; kidding, I asked my husband who laughed knowing that it's more of a 2km walk. "Oops! It's not too late to go back now!;" I thought but we noticed the cable cars just staring us on our left side. It's been stopping every now and then and I have no idea whether it was just because of the rain.
Surely, that gave us plenty of chances to have them in a still shoot. We went on and just when we were closing to what seems to be a cow's well for I could also be wrong, it may actually be a drinking water the cable cars went on another halt.
I took a few snaps and zoomed in. Can you see the many waterfalls on it?
"That's odd, it's no longer raining."; says my husband which I ignored cause I was busily trying to capture bumble bees hanging on to a Campanula making it look like an umbrella. Some were already tucked in their petal beds.
The hike was starting to take its toll on my sole so I slowed down. More people caught up with us. First was a couple who were jogging whose friend on a bike caught up with them, too. They all slowed down and talked to us when it started drizzling again. The next ones were boys and then a family and more and more voices could be heard walking behind us. It seems like many have taken the road less traveled that day.
One more speedy cart passed by which pushed all of us to the safe side of the cliff with a few cursing at him for being so careless and inconsiderate and went laughing when they realized we're all looking at them. I can't really blame them, I felt like cursing at him, too cause he took this slope at that speed.
I started getting cramps and it seem to be getting dark but mother nature sure knows how to entertain you with her charms.
I passed by so many of these tiny little flowers growing on the sides of the cliff, some on the edges. Some makes the breeze smells like them it makes you just want to stop for a while, close your eyes, inhale and forget the whole world but it's also so beautiful out there to do just that.
Besides, who would want to miss capturing this? It's not a solitary bee, it's a bumblebee but he's sleeping here alone. I wonder how far his home is that he got stuck up here all tucked in those petal bed. I bet you can't sleep looking like that huh! Neither can I!
Keep walking was the only option so we did. Every now and then we'd pass by what looks like houses but they could also be just a huge woodshed or a barn. I didn't take a peek inside so I can't really tell.
Most of them were close to what looks like a real house. They made me think this - "All this rich soil and no vegetable garden? If I live there I'd probably plant plenty of veggies around my house. The plants seem to thrive very well there but then come to think of it, it was summer perhaps that's not the case in winter.
Just when we were nearing the next cable car station, the road close to this eerie looking trees suddenly became a dead end. Green arrows of chalk told us to take a narrower mud like path. We had to slow down cause it started raining hard. I actually wanted to keep walking downwards till the road to our hotel but my bag was getting really wet and I wasn't sure my gadgets would be safe with the downpour.
Walking down to the station, I noticed the pine forest below us. I wonder if I could actually get lost between those cone tipped greens. Once again, I felt like a dot looking at that lush of green out there.
At the station, we found out why the carts were too slow. They were no longer sending anything up. That explains the party that suddenly appeared and caught up with us. When we got there, we met a dad and a girl who speaks the same language as we do and we found out that the cable car from above won't be going down anymore cause they were waiting for his wife and son who happen to be in the "carting queue", too. Apparently, he just found out that they were no longer sending carts. That means, everyone who were still up there had to go down on foot till where we are, too. Holy cows! Am sure glad I made that choice earlier !
Unaware, I scanned my ticket to take one egg ride. The door won't budge. One of the staff went to us and informed us that we have to buy another ticket. That's when we realized we only paid one way. This is why I don't think you would be able to go back up there if you go paragliding first.
Btw, every cashier we went through to every activity we did, asked if you have a discount card and they do give discounts, so if you're travelling to any country in the EU, get a discount card if you know you'd be doing many activities before you do any of them cause it does make things cheaper.
When we got to the city, it was still raining hard and some kids were waiting for it to stop as well. The boys bid the only girl in the group goodbye in the language I understand so when she sat inside, I interviewed her about what her hotel is like just because. We ended up having a longer conversation cause the heavens went on a lonely mode that day since the sun must have taken too much water in the clouds, it went pouring harder. More laughter and tips of where to go and what to do in Amsterdam cause she was heading there a few days later and we finally bid each other goodbye cause the heavens finally stopped crying.
We walked back to our hotel enjoying everything around us while looking forward for a decent meal in the resto below. When we got there, we saw the sign on the door that says; "Closed for two days". Another .. what??? It's weekday! We find that odd. In Italy they do siesta so nobody works around 12 to 13:30 when we went travelling there. I didn't expect the Swiss to be like so but then it could also be that it's just our hotel.
I didn't really want to hike back down another half an hour and get to the city at 21:00 pm, rush eating cause most of the shops close at 22:00 pm so I convinced my husband to forget his pizza wish and we just ate bread with cheese and fresh broccoli florets from our garden.
We wanted to enjoy the view some more but someone suddenly turned out the light. Oh well, time to hit the bed and put my tired legs up my pillow and read the book I brought with me, so I thought ... but looking back at all the pics took the reading time away.
I think I was overwhelmed (and still am) with how beautiful the place is that I wish I could share all those pics with you in one post. Unfortunately, it would be like "robbing you off" the chance to see and experience it for yourself cause who knows, one day, you may make it there, too and I wish that you do.
I agree, it's late and maybe too early in the morning for some of you to read this long a novel post but you see, it's my birthday here in Steemit yesterday and I just can't help blabbing now cause am two years old and still going! ^ ^
THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH for your undying support! I really appreciate all of you and I can't THANK YOU ALL enough. Cheers!
I'm afraid due to the lateness of the hour, I found myself skimming the text as I looked at your photos, but I can't help but recall my own annoyance at the tourists one encounters at popular tourist destinations punctuated by meeting interesting people when I have escaped the lines at the big attractions to go do something else instead.
I can't blame you :D
but thanks for at least bothering to comment despite that it's already late
I guess we left for the zip line too late
the mountains were too overwhelming so we went climbing on the other side which ate our time but then again
it's alright cause then we have one more reason to go back :D
but you're right it's a pretty touristic place
I felt like I was in Venice everywhere I look - flood of Asians :D
I worked at a theme park for several summers, and the Asian tourists with incredibly expensive cameras were a common sight.
Wow nice place....really excellent photography.. I always follow you, thank you so much my friend englishtchrivy
thanks
it also won't hurt to cast your upvote ;)
This place is god's own land its like a heaven wow simply superb :D
Another great diary of your adventure in Alps and it is nice to see your beautiful pictures, the most amazing are the mountians and green trees around, I can imagine that in winter it is really cold there. The cable cabs are very helpful and look impressive, again a lot of human power needed to build up such structure. I like the picture with little calfs, they are really cute :)
Hi!!! You have a great trip here in the mountains. I can see from Your photos what a beautiful place it is. Even this rainy day does not make it less beautiful. I can almost imagine the air you're enjoying. I see those several waterfalls in the photo. I see them 3. I like the view of the cable car over the precipice. I imagine my heart is sinking at this height. It feels incredible. A delight! I like this bumblebee hiding from the rain, these little blue flowers and cheese instead of pizza. :)
But you have another trip. It lasts 2 years here on Steemit. I congratulate you on this milestone. I hope that it was also quite interesting and useful. Otherwise, you probably would have left this place like many others. I just have a question for you as one of the long-livers in this community: what was the most joyful, or the most pleasant , or the most memorable for you here? What? Just remember one of the coolest moments. I'm really interested because 2 years is a really good piece of time and you can safely sum up. Who disappointed the already is gone: (. But I hope that I will continue to read Your interesting stories. Once again, congratulations To you ! Good luck !
thank you
that's a lot of questions :D
sorry I was late to reply
but I barely make it here
it takes my VI 4 days to recharge these days
and is almost down till 34% when I let it go
Is it okay if I just mention the most memorable moment? It was the night I thought I won't be able to recover my password after replacing it and not being able to click save on the file.
That night, I met two of the kindest souls here, I've never met them then but they stayed up all dawn to help me finally recover my password. I treasure both souls to this day. They are one evidence that our cyber experience can be so amicable and friendships could develop on the web.
I'd rather not name drop but it's the most memorable because = which idiot would be so irresponsible losing his password?; some would have thought that had I asked the wrong person for help but asking those two people made me feel so at home afterwards knowing, there's someone you can rely on here, who'd treat you kindly despite such mistake.
Amazing vacation! I love all the photos. It is stunningly beautiful. I hate lines of people anywhere, so on vacation, I would like it even less. I too, wouldn't be waiting in long lines if I could do something else.
Your photos are impressive!
Very spectacular pictures from a bird's flight!
Bravo, @englishtchrivy
I wish you new amazing adventures
and interesting impressions!
thank you
Very fascinated shots... You really enjoyed your trip .... I like those nature photography they are awesome.... You very true in your story; sometimes when you came across a beautiful Smell, you feel like to stay around to enjoy the beautiful day and forget others things... Hehehe... Thx @englishtchrivy for updating us of your trip..