Zermatt — The Mountain Keeps Its Distance
Mountains don't disappear when clouds arrive. Only our ability to see them does.
Setting
Zermatt Village
Pennine Alps/Zermatt, Switzerland
Spring afternoon
46.0207º N, 7.7491º E
Observation
Cloud cover obscures the Matterhorn. A light rain falls over the village. The roads are largely quiet with the only prominent sound being the rain. Colorful umbrellas are the only sign of foot traffic along the roads. In places like this the weather changes without warning. It was only one day earlier that the Matterhorn stood over the village in all its glory surrounded by sunshine. Now there doesn't seem to be any evidence that the Matterhorn even exists. Mountains don't disappear when clouds arrive. Only our ability to see them does.
Moment
The clouds have rolled in and it is raining although the rain is light and does show signs of slowing. However, the clouds remain. Not only is the Matterhorn not visible but the surrounding mountains are obscured as well. The weather decides the course of the day. Rather than wait and hope for the weather to change, we begin to walk.
A leisurely stroll through the village is first on the agenda. Now the town can be seen through an unhurried lens. The weather slows us down enough to take in our surroundings and notice more details. Those small things that may have been missed if we had been hurrying. A village reveals itself differently when no one is rushing toward the next viewpoint. Somehow the chilliness and dampness become part of its charm. There is also something to be said about casually admiring the shops along the way without the hordes of crowds. It’s more personal. More intimate.
It seems only natural that a village stroll on a damp and dreary day would inevitably lead directly to a Swiss chocolate shop. An entire shop filled with Swiss delights to choose from. The aroma inside offers a welcome shelter from the damp air outside. Somehow, a Swiss chocolate shop feels exactly where a rainy afternoon in Zermatt should end.
Reflection
A clear day shows us the mountain. A rainy day shows us how we respond when we don't get the mountain.
