Up Up Up on the Mountain Top!

So I'm finally able to write again. We're in Wengen, a ski town in Switzerland that is surrounded by the Eiger and the JungFrau. The JungFrau is the tallest mountain in Europe. The Eiger is pretty famous--there's a Clint Eastwood film about the Eiger that you should see if you are interested in it.

The mountains here are jagged and amazing. I try comparing them to our moutains in Southwest Colorado--like those around Telluride. Mountains have their own uniqueness. The way they rise from the earth or spread out. The way they throw rock up or just unfold. The mountains here seem more magnificent. And being around them I don't know how anyone could believe there is not a God. Switzerland is a pretty godless country, which is sad really. With this much grandeur around, it seems to harken to God. Dave and I have a theory about beautiful places. We think that the more beautiful a place is, the more screwed up and strange the people you'll meet there. We find this to be true in Colorado. It's a magnet for really messed up people. So the idea is that when people have an emptiness inside, or are in emotional or psychological pain, they tend to be attracted to beautiful places that have a soothing effect on them. It's like beauty can overcome the pain or the emptiness. Anyway, that's our theory. Switzerland seems alot like that, too.



So Friday we travelled here from Zurich. It's about a 2 hour journey by car. When you get to Lauderbrunnen you leave your car in a car park and take a train up the mountain to Wengen. It's a car-free town, so only electric vehicles are allowed. We had to pack all our bags plus all the filming equipment onto the trains--which was a serious project in itself. When we finally all got up we trekked up to the hotel. It's a very small town, but the views in all directions are stunning. I've tried to download some pictures and video for you to see. They put us up on an attic room that has a little ladder leading to the loft area where there are two beds. Declan loves it. It's like something out of a fairytale, really. Big darkwood beamed cielings and a Ripunzal style balcony build into the roof. Because we are at the top of the hotel, we have sky lights that look up at the towering mountains all around. It's amazing to wake up to.

The other room we booked was one of the suites downstairs where most of the filming is done. Don and Molly and Rebecca came down for the weekend from Chatel where they have been for a few months now (it's near Geneva). Don and Molly stayed in the suite for the weekend with all the camera gear and lights set up all around. The views from the suite are unbelievable! So they've gotten some amazing footage filming in there.



It's been absolutely stunning weather the last few days. Yesterday Molly, Declan, Dashel and I explored the town while everyone else filmed all day. Declan played in a little winter playground. The filming crew took a train up from Wengen to Kleine Scheidigg, a large mountain 30 minutes up by train. Dave said it was the view was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen, particularly because the sky was absolutely clear. Last night we ate traditional fondue at Mary's Cafe--a LONG 25 minute walk from the hotel. It's funny, because we left at 7pm, thinking the hotel was right there in town, when it actuality it was about a mile from the hotel. The hotel reception neglected to mention this to us. So what we thought was a short stroll became a long walk in the dark and cold. We were walking in the opposite direction of town and everyone was sceptical that there would be a restaurant that far from town. But there was. It was a good dinner, but nothing like Dave's fondue and raclette. I'm convinced he makes the best in the world.

Today is the last day of filming and I know everyone is just exhausted. Tomorrow Dave plans to ski with his good friend, Frank, who is coming up from Zurich today. Both Declan and Dashel are slightly sick, so I'm praying it doesn't turn into something big for either of them. Don and Molly leave to go back to Chatel today. It's been nice having Molly around to help me with the kids. She watched them both last night so I could go to dinner with everyone without either child "appendage". It was a nice change of pace. Though I think I drank a little too much wine.




Hope to write again tomorrow, before we head back to Zurich for one night more before departure. I'm getting the itch to go someplace warm! And believe me, the rest of the trip will be VERY warm.