What a stormy night. Thunderstorms, thunder and lightning that lit up our Felix as bright as day. The rain pelted the roof, the wind shook our three and a half tons timidly. Meanwhile, my midnight thoughts were already drifting to the next day. I had planned something very special for us, but our trip to the glaciers seemed to literally fall through.
At some point, Peter calmed down (is he actually still responsible for the weather?) and we awoke in the morning in complete peace. Regula opened the window and the sun shone on the mountains and coloured the sky blue.
"What's wrong now?" "I thought it was going to rain all day too." Once again we sat up to a big bear, the meteo bear!
After two - or was it three? - seconds of thinking, it was clear: we'll go up, take the first gondola and enjoy the sun for as long as possible! We had never been dressed and ready to hike so quickly. To be on the safe side, I checked the temperature at the top of the mountain: 2° Celsius. I quickly rummaged for long pants, scarf, hat, gloves and two cosy warm jumpers and jackets from the back rows - the so-called winter rows - in Felix's wardrobe.
If you stay at the Diavolezza car park (in winter this is probably the car park for winter sports enthusiasts), you get a return gondola ticket per person included. Of course, we didn't miss out on this and were up on the mountain early in the morning.
Apart from a small group of 5 glacier explorers, we were all alone. Apparently many believed the weather forecast. Good for us. So we stood in front of the two glaciers: the Pers and the Palü glaciers. In front of us the Piz Palü (I love this name already because of the sound!), the Piz Bernina and some other pizzas. (Piz, by the way, is the Rhaeto-Romanic word for summit).
That's how the energy overcomes us up here. There is no other way I can describe it, we are once again in each other's arms with joy, full of deep gratitude for the opportunities that life offers us.
As I climb to the next small peak, I notice how the 3,000-metre altitude is making itself felt, my breath becomes shorter, I wheeze. Even though my passport has said "Swiss" for years, I can't always hide my origins in the Berlin lowlands. My Berg-Gämseli friend hikes alone for an hour, I look for a sunny spot on the terrace of the Berghaus. And: correcting the first chapters of our book. Yes, it takes longer than expected. But I'm enjoying the time here at home to the full. Priority management. Energy level, family, friends & nature: Prio 1. Everything else: somewhere behind.
So I'm sitting up here thinking about everything I've already read about glacier melt, pollution, climate change and resource-efficient living. Maybe I'll write a separate post about it - because I've really read a lot about it here.
Just this much: The snow circus that goes on up here (and in almost all winter sports resorts in the world!) seems to me to be neither nature-friendly nor resource-saving. In summer, the snow on the slopes is covered with a fleece (material?) so that the ski season can start earlier in winter. Snow cannons are ready, and from autumn onwards artificially produced snow is blown. There are hardly any drag lifts any more, posh chair lifts everywhere and even wind-protected viewing tubes with conveyor belts to the restaurant.
And then there is the additional equipment for each individual: lots of plastic composite material, which is also subject to the latest fashion and technology and "has" to be replaced regularly.
And so I look at the glacier, thinking about the fact that my perhaps future grandchildren, if they hurry to come to this earth, will probably hardly see the glaciers in this splendour any more. One day I will sit here with them and tell them about the glaciers. And show them these beautiful, impressive pictures.
And then I manage it: I push the unpleasant thoughts aside and enjoy. In the meantime, my girlfriend is back from climbing and we are eating Bündner Pizzoccheri with savoy cabbage (I translate: buckwheat noodles with savoy cabbage), potatoes and cheese. A poem, this meal. A delight, this view. Great gratitude to be here.
Merci for "travelling with us
We are thinking about taking another break from travelling in the summer and visiting our families in Germany and Switzerland. One of the ideas is to organise a Lecture about our long journey to the Persian Gulf to prepare. If you would like to, what would interest you the most? We will also tell stories here that don't find a place here on the blog. We're thinking of the Bern and Berlin area - simply because we have family there. But other places are also conceivable. Feel free to write to us.
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On the one hand beautiful, on the other hand sad what you are writing.
But that's just the way things are. 😔
Some of the young people have already given up having children, for precisely these reasons.
This is also the case with my daughter and her partner.
Enjoy what's still going on. 👍
Yes, our son also has this attitude at the moment. Which has to be respected absolutely. and is also understandable somewhere, isn't it?
Best wishes!