Hello from Saint Moritz

Friday, May 10, 2019
Saint Moritz, Grisons, Switzerland
We started our tour in Zurich which has a population of 400,000 and is the largest city in Switzerland. Tourism is the biggest industry followed by pharmaceutical, financial and then Swiss watches. It was a cool 9 degrees when we strolled through the Old Town with its medieval houses, churches and shops. We found a flea market with some beautiful fresh vegetables, flowers, cheese, bakery, olives, salami just to name a few. We stopped off at Sprungli chocolates, this is handmade swiss chocolate and is one step up from Lindt, which is also made here. 
The water out of the tap here in Switzerland is supposed to be the best in the world, so you don't buy it. The air is so fresh and the vegetation is so green. Beautiful fresh food is in abundance.
We continued our journey on to the Principality of Liechtenstein, clutched between Switzerland and Austria. We stopped at the capital of Vaduz, where the castle belonging to the prince overlooks the town. It has a population is 37,000, with the Rhine river running alongside the road.
We then ascended up the Julier Pass, an important Alpine road since Roman time. This area including the valleys are considered by many to be the most beautiful mountain alps in the world, with deep blue lakes, airy larch forests and peaks exceeding 3,657 metres and quaint villages with white stone houses in the characteristic Grison (chalet) style.
We arrived in St Moritz. St. Moritz is a luxury alpine resort town in Switzerland’s Engadin valley. It has hosted the Winter Olympics twice, has the Cresta Run, a world-championship bobsled run made of natural ice, and an outdoor Olympic ice rink. Its frozen lake hosts polo, cricket and even horse racing on ice. It has some of the best ski slopes in the world. It has a population of only 4,000 but this swells considerably due peak season. Most people have holiday chalets here. It is lined with ski resorts from high in the mountains as well as those to the line the shores of the lake, they all have great views of the surrounding alps. Some people get a helicopter in and out of here.
We have visited just after the peak season, the roads are clear and the snow is starting to melt. The streams and waterfalls are flowing. Most shops are unfortunately closed between the end of the snow season and summer. Just about all of the pubs too :( . We saw marmots running in the snow (they are a type of squirrel). The guide informed us she has never seen as many. The sun was shining and the view of the  alps has just been incredible.
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Comments

Michelle Walden
2019-05-10

Great to see you have arrived safely. Switzerland looks beautiful if a little chilly. I bet those possum merino socks are coming in handy!!!

Debbie
2019-05-11

Amazing pics !! Love the snow

Tony L
2019-05-11

Great piccys guys!

Robert
2019-05-12

Looks great, so much to see! look after Mark Kylie!

2025-02-12

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