Thursday, May 14, 2009

As Promised...


So here are some pictures from our trip to Europe. It has taken a while to go through and cut down from 700 to 350 (still too many but how do you delete them!) This makes me want to go back. Hopefully it will make you want to go, everyone should visit Switzerland in their life!
Starting off with my favorite part of the trip, skiing the Aqui Di Midi in Chamonix, France. UNREAL! You extreme skiers would be in heaven. You take two trams to get to the top, the second being the steepest tram in the world!
Most people use a guide to do ski this resort because there is no ski patrol. There is only 1 run and it is 14 miles long. Along the way, you are skiing on a glacier, so there are deep cracks all over that people can fall into if they aren't careful. 
You get off the tram and then hike with your skis down this trail you can see behind us. There is a small rope to hold on to and below is well over a 1,000 foot drop! Yikes.
Then the day begins, skiing down this one run with views you can't even believe. This picture is a glacier waterfall that you ski down. Check out those peaks up behind our heads. The Alps are insane mountains. And you should have seen where some of the skiers there were coming down. 
Since it was spring the glacier was melting (not that it ever really totally melts). We could hear it crackling. Kind of an eerie sound. This is my mom and I by a glacier pool. If you haven't ever seen my mom ski you are missing out. She is amazing on skis!
There are castles everywhere, in every valley on every mountain side. 
Beautiful buildings in Lousanne, Switzerland
Skiing Verbier, Switzerland

Lauderbrunen, Switzerland, one of my favorite towns. You have to take a tram to get to it, there are no cars here. 
This is a typical swiss chalet. They are so neat and detailed. 

I ran into the Hunchback on top of one of the Cathedrals. He is uglier than they say!
Smart cars, everywhere!
The Castle Chillon
And ahhhhh.... the Matterhorn in Zermatt, Switzerland. 
Anecy, France. This town was like Italy with water canals. 
And there is a small taste of our Europe adventure. There may be more to come so stay tuned!

8 comments:

Mandy and Brian said...

You don't know how jealous I am!!!! I need to see more of your pictures. My favorite one is Todd being the hunchback....he does a dang good job! Maybe too good of a job?

made sweet said...

speechless!

the trip looks amazing! those trams are so cool. the smart cars are so teeny! or maybe todd has an abnormally large armspan? i'm not sure.

Jenae said...

Love these pictures. Looks like you guys had a trip of a lifetime. See you next weekend hopefully!

Andrew and MeKenzie said...

I am so jealous... The pictures are beautiful and I miss you!

sue said...

That hunchback looks a lot like Todd. Only the hunchback is a little better looking....bahaha.

lindsey said...

Wow you guys. Thats incredable. So glad youmade it alive off that crazy mountain!

Jenny said...

Awesome! I'm insanely jealous as well. I'm extremely impressed with that 14 mile ski run. Nice work making down that. The other pictures are beautiful. Switzerland is beautiful. We still want to come see your house.

Eden said...

Ohhh the memories your pictures bring back! I love Switzerland. Glad you had such a wonderful time.