Switzerland - first encounter

This is a story about our first encounter with Switzerland, a country which we wanted to visit for quite some time but never got the chance nor time to do so.
Naturally, being the first visit, we planned for the most scenic route possible because we wanted to see everything. Well, not everything, but as much as the itinerary permitted. 
The most accessible option was the Bernina Express, a panoramic train with giant windows, that traveled between Tirano, Italy and Chur, Switzerland. The train was reaching the maximum altitude of 2253 m (Bernina Pass) so we were not that disappointed of the weather at the time of departure from Tirano. We did however felt sorry that we couldn't see but glimpses of the beautiful valleys and meadows on the Italian side and the famous Brusio spiral viaduct, a key attraction along the Bernina Express due to its unique construction shape. 

By the time we reached 2000 m, the clouds scattered and we could finally see the world of perpetual snow, crests, icy peaks and abysmal valleys. Everything seemed so silent and calm as if nothing and no one disturbed this heavenly place. A step outside the train was an outburst of sheer joy mixed with an instant freezing sensation. A brief purification, intense and long desired. 

 Alp Grum (2091 m)

As one might imagine, the rest of the journey was a restless desire to capture everything, to memorize every tiny detail, to see the big picture and store the energy within. Those who have hiked, at least once in their life, know what it means to be up there, to feel and acknowledge their insignificance in the world and embrace the will of the mountain. There is rarely any experience more purifying and for that moment alone, the journey was a success.
 Old buildings in central Chur
It was already nighttime when we arrived in Chur, a small and elegant town, said to be the oldest in Switzerland. We checked in at the hostel, had a quick snack and went out. Only narrow streets and bright colored buildings that seemed to have been recently restored. The atmosphere was, as expected, very calm, the streets were almost empty although it was a Saturday night



The following morning was a pleasant surprise. It snowed heavily, like in the times we were children. The entire town was suddenly engulfed by a thick white layer of fresh snow and the only sound was that of the church bell...
It was the last time we had snow during our Swiss stay and we could say it was well timed. For the rest of the journey we were hoping only for clear skies and mild temperatures.
Next stop on our map, Zermatt. Again, we opted for the scenic route, that was the Glacier Express. This time we were a bit unfortunate with the weather, as it was mostly cloudy during the entire journey. Nevertheless, we had short glances at the picturesque Swiss countryside that resembled our Romanian landscape, with scattered households, lonely trees and beautiful meadows.


The beautiful symmetry of the snowy landscape revealed itself as the train was meandering towards its final destination, at the foot of the mighty Horu.
To be continued...

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