#29 The Glacier Express - St Moritz to Zermatt, Switzerland

The usual purpose of a trip by train or other mode of transportation is to get from one place to another. With the Glacier Express, the trip is the destination. It is a 7-hour ride of only 200km from St Moritz to Zermatt through deep gorges, delightful valleys, rivers, 91 tunnels and 291 impressive bridges. With fondness and pride, it is publicized as the "slowest express train in the world."

We noticed right away that the fellow travelers on the Glacier Express were relaxed and excited, as were we, much like children all. In contrast to other train rides, it was a festive and fun atmosphere. The Panorama wagon made it possible for us to have a grand view of the majestic Swiss Alps and blue skies.

We had reserved a 3-course meal which was served with cloth napkins and "silverware." Another nice convenience was a travelogue via earphones (offered in 6 languages).

All that glass and sun was great for viewing the scenery, but the mirrored images made taking photos difficult. However, this produced interesting shots, such as this one of the curve in the track.

From our vantage point up so high, we could see tiny villages dotted in the steep slopes of these mountains. I observed construction and farming equipment and wondered how the workers managed to move them into such precarious places.

Every village had a church or several and my eyes were always drawn to them first.

It was hard to decide which was more impressive--looking up or looking way down. Here the railway, highway and river run parallel for several miles.

Around every bend was a new and majestic sight, such as this waterfall way below us in the gorge.

At one point we left the train to watch the engineers switch to a cog engine. The Furka railway operates in summer. In a simplified explanation, in the center of the track is a cog rack while spur gears drive the locomotive. Don pointed out to me that by listening closely we could here the clinking metallic sound. It was reassuring as the locomotive proceeded up the mountain tooth by tooth.



#28 St Davids Cathedral - Pembrokeshire, West Wales

It was raining (surprise!) the day we visited St Davids Cathedral, and the photo at left captures the essence of that. St Davids is an important presence in Pembrokeshire, and the town grew up around the cathedral because of pilgrimages. So important a saint was David that Pope Calistus II in 1220 declared that two pilgrimages to St David equaled one to Rome in the Middle Ages. In my research of the life of St David, I learned that more is known about the lore than his actual life. He is the patron saint of Wales and the people are very proud of his legacy, embellished or not.  

Bishop Gower built the Bishops Palace and medieval bishops commanded their vast wealth from the comfort of it.

This view, from inside, only hints at the massiveness of the cathedral. I couldn't find the actual size, so I deduced that its importance is not measured in square feet. In 1995 Queen Elizabeth II conferred city status to St Davids, population less than 2,000 people. As for Pembrokeshire, St Davids "put it on the map." I think importance is not measured in numbers either.

Since the 6th century there has been a church on this site when St David established the first monastery here. One hopes that the noble purpose of the intricate craftsmanship was to inspire worship of the Lord Jesus Christ. From floor to ceiling to windows, this has been accomplished. As much as I stood in awe of what gifted men and women can do, I recognized the One who is honored above all. St David taught his followers to 'be joyful, to keep the faith, and to do the little things I do.'

We all agreed that the ceiling with its beautiful wooden beams and carvings were our favorite. Of the 3 hares, at least one appears to have no tail.  We found that amusing as well.

This painted ceiling is viewed from the mirror installed in the floor. This allowed us to study it without getting a crick in the neck!

#27 Day Trip - Dedham, England

Dedham is a charming village in Essex County, just a short drive from Colchester where our cousins, Gary and Jen, reside. We accompanied them on this delightful outing--another of many well-chosen trips they planned. This is my favorite picture--boats on the River Stour, central to Dedham's charm. John Constable (1776-1837) is Dedham's most famous painter. His "The Hay Wain" was awarded the Gold Medal by Charles X of France. The river paths are much the same as when he painted them.

As we stood on a little bridge over the river, this was our view. It was a fortuitous stop in more than one way. It was there that we met a very friendly man who told us we must visit Pembrokeshire, his home.

Stour House was once the home of Randolph Churchill. I'm afraid that this was the only peek we could take of the grounds.

This weavers cottage is one of several 16th century houses, where weavers who fled persecution once lived and worked. The style is half-timbered, referring to the trim on the upper half. We are pictured here with Jen.

Gary is curious about everything.

We had to climb over a gate to continue our walk. At every turn we came upon more surprises, such as this little bridge. Obviously it's not old, but was still worth a photo op.

As we walked around Dedham, we passed many houses with lush grounds such as this. We think it would make a great summer cottage for us! Again, we thank Gary and Jen for a most pleasant day.