Day 3: Randa - Zermatt - Rifferlalp

can you see the face in the rock?

 As soon as the daylight lit my room, my eyes opened. Way before the alarm clock. It was six in the monring. I run to the window, taking in the first images of the day.

I made the first coffee of the day, using my own personal espresso mashine, intalled in my room! I loved that detail! I munched on the bar of the chocolate. Outside it was foggy and raining. I thought of the locals. Is this their summer? And then I thought they must make enough money to be able to go on vacation somewhere sunny like Greece. Maybe they even like this kind of weather!

Randa

Again I contemlated the fact I was there. I had created this reality.

The reason I was in Switzerland was one of Jonah's Intensives. It is the name used for his seminars. The teacher I have often mentioned in this blog and I love so much because they give us information on how to get out of our survival mode and give the power back to ourselves instead of just following anyone. Saturday and Sunday were going to be learning days.

I had dreamt of this journey 2 years back, when Jonah and Hossca had given a seminar in the same place. I always wondered if it was possible for me to do it the "difficult" way instead of just going to the Athens Intensive being held in March. The previous winter, I made a decision. To save 10% of MY money for a journey. Not Andonis's money, the money that came in for his illness from donations of friends and family. My money. The small amount that I got for babysitting and the occasional help I got from my parents. Back then I did not know the destination, all I knew was that I would not open that piggy back for any reason.

 The destination became clear last April.

So here I was, drinking my coffee in Switzerland. As I was there sitting outside the hotel, smoking and drinking my capuccino, I realised that the rocks on the mountain have faces. Sleeping faces, angry faces... The mysterious faces of  the mountain. I also see faces on trees. A gift Antonis gave me. The capacity to see the faces of nature.

Rifferlalp

I had a warm monring chat with Elena and gave her a masticha-sesame bar as a gift. The one I bought back in the Athens airport.

There was an 8.00 train to Zermatt. I got offered a lift to Tash, but I already had bought the train ticket.

I walked in Randa under a light drizzle, adimiring the architecture, the vegetable gardens and the colourful flowers on the porches.

By 8.20 I was in Zermatt. Very early for our 9.00 appointment.

This gave me the opportunity to wonder around a bit....

The time passed and we got on a train that goes up to Gornergrat and stops in Riferlalp. 2222 m altitude. I could not see much from the train since the fog was still there. I admired the beauty of fog.

While waiting for the seminar to start, I wandered around this hotel, which had wonderful details: the sculpture of a cow, old sleds, old toys, even a small wooden train!

The seminar started and we learned a lot. I do not wish to share the content of the seminar. I believe that, whoever wants to know more about their teachings can use the links in this blog.

Meanwhile, the weather got better, the wind came and it cleared up a bit. Their majesties, the mountains, honoured us by revealing themselves.

Lunch break was in the luxurious reataurant of Riferlalp hotel. Italian cuisine once more. Penne al Pesto. Simply delicious.

By the time the seminar finished for the day, Mattrerhorn was clear. All I wanted to do was lie down on the grass, in the bright sunshine and look at this rock. I breathed the clear air and took in the sunshine. This was heaven.

Time to go back to Zermatt. In the train and down to the town. Wondered around, sat down with friends, had beautiful conversations and enjoyed the afternoon. Time to go back to Randa. In the train and down the valley. I did not think of myself as a tourist, but as a traveller. 4 trains in one day! A beautiful day...

The weather had changed so many times today... It was unbelievable for me, the stranger. I guess the mountain is not an easy thing, just like the sea is not easy. You have to repect it's force and go with the flow.

Back in Randa things where quiet. They way I like them to be. I made a mental note to try and see the river up close if I had the time.

A warm talk with Elena, a free salad for the waiting, carbonara from Maurizio and off to bed. A was knackered!

2 b continued...