Sunday, Sep 6: Glacier Express between St. Moritz & Zermatt

We have arrived in Zermatt after an all day (eight hour) trip on the Glacier Express train from St. Moritz.  Most say that the Glacier Express is a misnomer because it does not pass glaciers (since a tunnel eliminated the highest elevation stretch) and is not fast (not an express).  I claim that the name is appropriate because it does move slightly faster than a glacier.  Nevertheless, it is a wonderfully scenic experience.

In St. Moritz waiting for the train to leave the station.

I had considerable difficulty with window reflections today, perhaps the light was brighter with the bright sunshine.  I apologize for the poor quality of the photos.

A scenic green and lush valley.

Crossing the landwasser viaduct again.

Stand up paddle boarding on the Rhine River (that is not us, we are on the train).

The "grand canyon of Switzerland".

A "selfie" that is not a selfie with the help of a fellow passenger.

Lake Oberalp near the Oberalppass at the highest point on our journey today.

Crazy avalanche control structures on a hillside above the train.  The picture is deceiving since it is taken through an overhead window.  The hillside is steep.

A scary looking pedestrian bridge high above the Rhone River.  This is not a typo.  Both the Rhine and Rhone Rivers originate in Switzerland.  We crossed the Rhine near Chur and now follow the Rhone on the other side of the Oberalppass.

This is the town of Andermatt, a fledging ski resort and a Swiss Army base, from the train which will soon be at the grade level train station after literally traversing down the mountain side.

Just a really green hillside that I found attractive.  The train is on a mountain side on the other side of the valley with the deep Rhone River between.

Finally, we arrive in Zermatt and check into the Sweizerhoff Hotel Zermatt and get a view of the Matterhorn from our room.  It is just a peek of the peak.  But it is a view.

And another view from the balcony of our room typical of Swiss architecture.

Then we head out to eat.  This is how the restaurant split our pizza (quattro formaggio ... my favorite) between our two plates.  It looks like a half eaten pizza only the other half looks identical on the second plate.  I thought it was cute.

I'm beat.  We're headed to bed.  Great day.  BTW, the weather is warm (50) with bright sunshine.  :-)