Christmas Day started with lovely messages and well wishes from home, and a video chat with Jen and Max. So nice to see them both and to catch up on how things are at home. Jen is the best daughter. She was wearing one of my skirts which made me laugh, but it looked so much better on her so it has found a new home. Max looked so cute (and sleepy), but dogs cannot see people on screen so he wouldn’t have known I was there. Today the skies were clear of clouds and brilliant blue, and the mountains and Matterhorn were in full view. Amazing. I didn’t think this town could get any prettier. I bought myself a 2 day pass to visit the mountain and make unlimited use of the cable cars and the train that goes to the main summit. I put off the cable car until tomorrow (chicken), and caught the train to Gornergrat which is 3089m high. Quite brisk up there 🙂 but amazing views across the ranges, and there are restaurants where you can warm up with something hot. I had a chat to a couple from Oregon who are en route to Germany for their daughters 50th birthday. ‘Honey this young lady is from New Zealand, why I can’t think of anywhere that is further than that’. 🙂 The train stops at 6 stations on the way up and down the mountain, and I hopped up and down all day. On spur of the moment I decided to do a 1.6km hike across one of the mountain passes, from Rotenboden at 2815m to Riffelberg which is 300m lower down. I think I took 200 photos just on that walk 🙂 so stunning. And so much fun to sit and slide down the steep parts of the track. The snow is quite deep in some places, usually discovered when your leg sinks thigh deep and you have to crawl out. So glad I am well prepared with my winter boots, thermals and waterproof gear. Lots of people were out enjoying the weather today, and dogs leaping through the snow looking goofy. Soundtrack for the day is quite Christmassy – a medley of Walking through a winter wonderland, Merry Christmas to you, Grandma got run over by a reindeer, and All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth 🙂 Happy Christmas everyone, I hope the holiday season is good to you. xx
white hot chocolate and apple strudel 
Wow beautiful photos 😍 what kind of pastry is that? Good luck for the cable car
It is apple strudel and a hot white chocolate 🙂 will have my eyes shut on the cable car for sure ha ha eek xx
Merry Xmas my dear friend, I keep reading each a and every post and am so happy to see you are having amazing time away. White Xmas is what I am so familiar with, enjoy it, it’s the best Xmas ever!
And don’t be a chicken, a cable ride will be so nice, you’ll love it.
All the very best.
Love from NZ xx
🙂 Thanks Drazenka, and happy birthday to you! I took the cable car all the way to the top of Klein Matterhorn today it is so beautiful even though I was certain I would die 🙂 Big kiss and happy Christmas to you and your lovely family xx