Zermatt, Switzerland--Part 1

We went on our first, big European holiday to Zermatt, Switzerland. Despite half of our family being sick, it was amazing! Amazing and expensive, but we'll focus on the amazing part. Zermatt is a little village tucked in the valley under the shadows of the Matterhorn. The Matterhorn is still one of the most deadly mountain climbs to this day. It has quite the presence. Zermatt is a electric powered vehicle village, which means no personal cars/trucks. Taxis, busses, and shuttles are electric and bikes are the primary mode of transportation. It is a small, quaint little ski village where walking is a way of life. It takes about 15 minutes to walk from one end of the village to the other. You can only get to Zermatt by train, which costs about 5 Swiss Franc per round trip.

Chris and I.

Chris and I with the Matterhorn right behind us. Mya called the Mountain "Cloud Mountain" as it was often engulfed.

Mya with Chris.

Claire and Mya. They were so cute. Everyone couldn't believe how little they were and how well they had done.

Claire making her way to Mr. Brad.

Breathtaking view of the Alps!

Precious Mya checking out her skiis.

The Gondolas that we rode to the top of the mountain each day. Claire called them "the bubble."

The Matterhorn

The trip was organized by some people involved in Finance. Transportation, breakfast, a 3 course dinner each night and a 4 star hotel were included in the package. Our bags and gear were loaded onto carts which were then loaded on the train. It was so convenient as the carts were then driven down to the hotel, so we didn't need to lug our stuff across the village. We stayed at Aristella. I neglected to take photos of this hotel, but it was recently renovated in 2010. The rooms were modern, comfortable and spacious by European standards. The bathtub was amazingly large! Breakfasts were delicious--fresh fruit, fresh breads, cheeses, meats, vegetables, cereal, yogurts, eggs. They were typical European fare with some American as well. The hotel had a spa, which included saunas and two steam rooms. Our only gripe with the hotel was that it did not have a swimming pool. It would have been a bit more convenient if it had, but a great place regardless.

We were excited to take our kids skiing for the first time. We have been looking forward to this for some time, but it seems Mya was just a bit too young last year. We enrolled them in Ski School, which was somewhat of a disaster. The instructor (most of which were American or British and NOT Swiss) was wonderful. He had Mya's heart from the begininning when she insisted Mr. Brad help her put on her boots; however, he also had 6 other children to teach who ranged in age from 3-9. Nightmare! It didn't go so well. Chris and I went on one run, only to come up to Mya having a meltdown. We stayed with them for the rest of the session, ate lunch, then decided Mya and I would return to the hotel for a nap. Claire stayed and worked with Mr. Brad. She did great and loved it.