Zermatt Switzerland

We arrived by train at midnight.
 This morning we wake up and look out from our hotel deck to see the Swiss Alps rising up into the mist.
The forecast is 90% chance of rain showers.
 But we are going to head up the Matterhorn mountain and try to ski anyway.

This is what we can see of the Matterhorn this morning. After getting our skis we make our way half way up the mountain as far as the gondola will take us to the Matterhorn Glacier. The cable car that goes the rest of the way to the very top is not running due to fog perhaps? The skiing is very tough. The snow is wet and mushy but we ski for a short time down the mountain until we hit a wall of fog. We are totally blinded for most of the run and cannot even see each other as we struggle to keep headed down to a clearing.  Then it begins to pour rain. Somehow we make it to the next stop down the mountain.

Lunch seemed like a very good idea at this point. There was a restaurant on the mountain that saved us. 

Skiers dancing outside on the deck of our restaurant to fun music.
What else do you do when you can't ski? Dance!

We take the gondola back up just to check if the conditions are any better.
 The cable car is still closed and the fog and rain continue.

We managed to catch a short break in the day for photos.
 We really do not dare to ski any more in these conditions and decide to head back down on the gondola.
 But not before one last break for beer and wine on the magnificent Matterhorn mountain.  

Our hotel has just added a new spa where we can sauna, steam bath and jacuzzi when we get back to town.
Now the rain begins to turn to snow. 

We find a great restaurant for a traditional Swiss fondue dinner.

This is a fascinating device for making Swiss raclette.
The bar above melts the top layer of cheese so you scrape the lovely melted cheese onto a plate to eat with bread.

The Bolens breakfast table every morning at our sweet hotel. 

This is the lobby sitting area at our  hotel that always feels so warm and inviting. The hotel is a small family operated  21 room chalet style inn up in the hillside overlooking Zermatt.

Each evening a fire is lit and guests can sit around and enjoy beverages 

We stand on our deck and look out at the mountains. This is the snow on our second morning.

We begin our day with a walk down the hillside into town to explore.

The back of our hotel is behind us 

The front of our hotel faces the Matterhorn mountain. 50 years ago it was the first on this road. The family shows us photos of the building when their grandfather herded goats on this hillside.

The beautiful town of Zermatt is very unique since there are no cars allowed at all.
 Only electric cars are permitted which keeps it all very quiet and clean.

But of course..... we discover a St Bernard on the streets of town.

There are still some of the oldest original homes left in the heart of the city on The Hinterdorf.
Some date back to the 15th century 

You see these some of these old homes up on the mountain side too.