Santis, cable cars, milch huts

Let me describe what it is like waking up in Switzerland. I'm in Unterwasser, up in the mountains. Think, the children's book, Heidi. I open a door off my bedroom onto a terrace, where I look up as the sun burnishes the exposed granite peaks. Chalet type homes are scattered along the grassy lower slopes and the rising sun glints off the windows. Next I hear a clanking or knocking and wonder: Is it water? Monica took us the first day on a little walk to a waterfall. It was quite close by, just at the edge of the village. No, what I'm hearing are cow bells on the milk cows as they walk by to eat in the fields.

The weather here is a lot like Michigan. The mornings are chilly and last night Johanna and I took a walk to see the super moon above the peaks.

There is a hotel down the street as well as a bike shop where I topped off my tires after putting the bike back together. Everything arrived great. There is also just down from the bike shop a milch hut where local farmers sell raw cows milk, cheese, yoghurt etc. Wonderbar!

I saw tourists decked out in mountaineering clothes ready for a hike, other tourists have donned the alpine hat.

Yesterday after waking up and building the bike and breakfast, we left in the car to go to the cable car which takes us up Santis, the mountain I can see out my window in the morning.

The cable car took us up the mountain where on the way up we saw tiny climbers decorating the sides. Eventually they'd make it to the top, for us much faster. At the top is a weather station, restaurant, and look out points. We spent about 3 hours at the top. Of course, I was hungry as soon as we got there. From out of my bag I pulled tea and my airplane snacks, the other girls the same, so we had a picnic on a sunny spot looking out onto Italy on one side, Lake Zurich the other, and Lake Bodenesse the other. we had panoramic views because of the height (ADD) and the sky was so clear. What a great day for going up!

The climbers arrived a little below us.  There were set ropes to guide them up a narrow ridgeline. They looked like little ants moving slowly. By the restaurant we discovered a door where the climbers came in and went outside to small pockets of snow on the ledge and a not very sturdy cable fence to prevent falls; hooked onto the cables were bells. As a family of climbers pushed through finally at the top I shook the cable and heralded them. Yay! The other girls did the same. The climbers looked exhausted, as if finishing a marathon. I hope they enjoyed their welcome. We were tired from just walking around and ringing the bell.

After getting home, I was looking for a rest, but when Monica said she wanted to put together her Ikea table, I jumped into the task. Imagine the comedy of three old ish women who read and speak different languages trying to figure out the assembly. It actually went quite well--especially when you consider this is the kind of thing that causes divorce. Soon the table was up and we were eating on the terrace a supper of salad and pasta as the sun set and the mountains slowly grew dark and brooding.