OOOhhhhhh hello all!

Yes, Grasshopper, I forgot to mention the incredible fields of wildflowers -- they were absolutely incredible!!

Ursula, thanks so much for that website (which I haven't looked at yet!). How interesting that Poschiavo struck me as so tiny and it's larger than Zuoz and even larger than Pontresina!! I'm really surprised!!

Yes, jw, I finally posted the photos online. Finished moments ago! Of course, many many of them were repeats of views that I loved, so I only posted 42 out of the 115 that I took. You can look at them at
http://community.webshots.com/album/79095617dhIGaT

or do a member search for "swandav" or a photo search for "Zuoz" or "Engadin."

Well folks I'm exhausted. I plan to spend tomorrow actually *looking* at my pictures and playing around with the einen-blick site.

'Night all!

s

What a fantastic trip! Great report, too. I'm going to print this up so I can read it better. How fortunate it was that you all hit it off so well.

Morning folks!
It's raining here and I LOVE it.
I don't think anybody minds. Just what humans and nature needed so very badly. It was ways too hot for too long. What a relief this is...

s,
Thanks so much for posting the pictures. Will have a look at them later today.
Yes, I was surprised as well regarding the population of some of the villages.
Hope, you had a good night's sleep and aren't exhausted anymore!

Grasshopper,
Thanks to you as well, for the pics.
I didn't have too much time yet to look at them. I really want to profit of all my energy today to have some of my work done.

Hi y'all, Well you can guess why I'm so late in checking in here -- I've been looking at wonderful photographs of the Engadin. Thank you S' and G'!!! Magnificent! Grasshopper, I especially like the one of the walk that killed you; I can relate to that. And I think both of you took a picture of a village or was it St. Moritz from afar? G', it is your number 28 and S', it's your number 33. Can you verify for me what town that is? And S', those wildflower shots are gorgeous. This has been so much fun!

p.s. S' I wonder if the tropical storm/depression is heading your way? Seems like we are all having rainy days. J.

Hi friends,

I am so tardy in replying to this thread. I have been busy or lazy, more of the latter I confess.

S, thanks for posting such a wonderful report.....such imagery! Grasshopper and Ursula, thank you for your additions.

What great memories! I'm sorry I missed out on the activities in remainder of the week in Zuoz.

jmw, it was good to hear your sweet and gentle voice. Hopefully you will be able to join our GTG some day. (We will have another GTG won't we s, Grasshopper and Ursula?) Perhaps Poschiavo? I'm all for it!

I loved the photos, s and Grasshopper. I am working on putting photos of my six weeks' sojourn in Europe on Ofoto. I'll let you know when/if that happens.

JW, that was the town just north of Zuoz. I am wracking my brain trying to think of it's name but it escapes me. Both of us took the photo from the bike path across that huge space of wildflowers.

Hi All!

Thanks for the kind words on my tr & photos!

That town is, I think, S-chanf,just north of Zuoz. I had that photo mis-labeled as part of the St Moritz bike day, but it was actually on the Inn Valley bike day, and pretty early in the day too. The day was just spectacular, I think, and lost none of its magic even as the cycling got harder and (grinding) harder and (huffing puffing) HARDER!!

I've gone back and tried to correct my mis-labels & sequences at webshots. O, I'm so BAD at details! So if you see any more slip-ups, please alert me!

s

Hello folks,

I finally found some time to get back to travel things instead of business and tennis. And after some trouble with my e-mailbox (access was not possible for a week) I am glad I found some nice messages from some of you there.

S, like jw I love every word of your trip report. So you walked up to Hotel Castell in Zuoz? I am not sure if I told you that I stayed there for a week a couple of years ago. It is a good hotel, too, but not as good as the Posthotel. The views might be better from the Castell, though. I suppose you did not walk the path further up (5 minutes) to the little "Felsenbad", eh? It is a small natural pool in a little gorge above the hotel, with a sauna and sundeck beside. A LOVELY place!

I am surprised you rented bikes at the railway stations. I thought bikes were included in the hotel package?! ANd how far did you ride from St. Moritz? Did youmake it to Surlej or even to Sils?

I am sorry I sent you on this bike path to Zernez. You know, I did it as a cross-country skiing trip in January before and did not know it is a rough gravel way. The snow covered it and the xcountry track was perfectly prepared.

Poschiavo, hmmmm... it is definitely one of my favourite places, too. Yes, it is distinctly Italian, but w/o the hassles of Italy.

I must add some thoughts re: population etc. It is true that the COMMUNITY Poschiavo has a pop. of about 3600, but this includes the nearby villages of Le Prese, San Carlo, San Antonio etc. as well. I estimate the VILLAGE Poschiavo has a population of not more than 2000. And the BORGO (the tiny old town which you love, s) has obviously not more than 1500.

Poschiavo is not really a winter destination. I have not been there in winter, though, so no personal experiences. But I saw on the internet some very interesting packages, offered by some of the hotels in Le Prese (Hotel La Romantica) and Poschiavo. Well, it must be quiet and, since it is located south of the Alps, a bit warmer and sunnier (although the valley floor is probably NOT sunny in January). A bike tour around the lake is probably well doable.

However, I would definitely prefer a village in the Engadin. Pontresina sounds good, but to be honest - I LOVE Sils. You cannot go wrong with any of the villages in the Engadin. Walking, riding cable cars, sitting on sunny terraces, having excellent food, riding horse-drawn carriages ... oh what fun! I am looking forward to my next vacation there (in January probably!).

I love your pictures, s and Grasshopper! The wildflowers are unbelievable. By the way, God means forest. In my opinion your pictures (s) 6,7,8 are not taken in Soglio ... it must be Guarda! More comments later ...

That's it for now. Back to less enjoyable things.

Ingo

Good Morning, All,

What a great eye, Ingo!! Thanks for the help. I don't know why I got so turned around . . . well yes I do. I have no head for details.

No, we didn?t make it to Sils. We got past Lej Champfer and got to Silvaplana and about 1/4 of the way down Lej da Silvaplauna when we were overcome by the wind. It was very cold, the wind was very, very strong, and the sky looked like it was about to storm. So we decided to head back after watching the wind surfers for a while. Is Surlej at the place where that small castle-looking building sits alone on the other side of a land-bridge (between Lej da Champfer and Lej da Silvaplauna) from Silvaplana? I think you can see it at photo #30.

I thought Silvaplana was a wonderful town -- nice size (not too small, not large) with lake views. So I imagine Sils would be even better, with both lakes at its feet. So Sils is one more of the wonderful things I get to look forward to on my next visit!

Speaking of next Engadin visits, I went back and read Ingo's Engadin trip report from September 2002, and I am once more humbled. I can see that we didn't even scratch the surface of this area!! Just the small notes and hidden treasures that you mention (like your hint here on continuing on the Zuoz walk for five more minutes to find a gorge, sauna, and sundeck) add so much punch to a visit! I've copied several paragraphs on Poschiavo (walks, valleys, etc) to help with my next, hypothetical, mythical, extended visit there.

I also hunted for the photos from the 2002 trip that you had posted at cartogra (later hpphoto), but I can't get to them anymore. If they're still there, will you send me a new link please? Pleasepleaseplease???

I'm just really struck by the beauty and the ambiance of Poschiavo. Not only does it lack the hassles of Italy, as you say Ingo, it also lacks the crowds, eh? There was really not one little thing to rub me the wrong way. I'm very interested in the four-star Hotel Le Prese in the town by the lake -- what was your impression? Is it charming and historical like the Engiadina? I'd sure like to see some photos of the town of Le Prese, but I can't seem to find any.

Well I'm just jealous as all h*** about your January trip. At least now we'll be able to picture the great scenery you'll be enjoying every day!

For the rest of us in the US, the Tour de Suisse will be broadcast from 8-9 pm today on Outdoor Life Network tv. Hope you get it & can watch!

s

Sorry, that shot is now #31!

s

Good morning/afternoon y'all, I've been looking again at some of the photographs from S'& G' and re-reading some of the posts above. Sort of piecing the virtual experience together, you know. (If you could see the ed-tech stuff I SHOULD be reading, you'd feel guilty for flinging such temptation at me.)

So you think the lovely village view is of S-Chanf? Ingo, is it as nice a town as it appears from afar? I'm trying to get a handle on which parts of the terrain are "gentle" rides and walks and which ones are the killers. The most spectacular views seem to be from your walk from Soglio. I wonder if there is a compromise? like a shorter version of the million steps? Let me double-check. S, is number 7 a view from the beginning of that walk?

Ok, here's another question: Ingo, is Borgo the old portion of Poschiavo? And another: Grasshopper, can you help me find the bus route of your gorgeous landscape "between Bellinzona and Thusis"? In which direction is Thusis?
And one more, G'-- can you think of the town on Lago di Orta that includes that lovely little canal?

I've been re-reading the culinary descriptions as well. You folks are torturing me. Keep talking. J.

This sounds like so much fun! Where do I sign up for the next one???

And speaking of fun, the temps in Zurich today seem delightful! That's more like it! J.

jw, yes, borgo is the historical old centre of Poschiavo.

S-chanf is a small village, smaller than Zuoz, but very nice with two or three nice three-star hotels. It is absolutely off the beaten path. It is known among Swiss and Germans as a good base for exploration of the National Park. So usually it is a base for hikers and friends of pure nature.

Soglio - hmm, there is no other path to Stampa. But you can walk the few hundred meters to that bench with stunning views of the opposite mountains and the valley, where the descent and the steps start. And back - this is absolutely no problem.

S, you should find the link to my photo albums in your e-mailbox. I added some snapshots of Poschiavo - I hope you don't mind.

The village Le Prese is by far not as beautiful as Poschiavo. It is just some houses to both sides of the road. The advantage is the location close to the lake. If I recall correctly Hotels Sport and La Romantica are only 100 metres away from the lake. No direct lake views, though. For a magical lake view you should stay at the previously mentioned four star hotel Le Prese. As far as I know it has a long tradition and is owned by the famous Triacca family (vinegrowers). I had a break at their lakeside terrace - it is unbelievable (you find two photos in my album). Let me have a look at my papers at home - I think there must be some info/brochure or so somewhere.

It's probably the best choice for you to stay in this four star hotel and explore the valley and Poschiavo from there. I would definitely recommend against winter, though.

Oh yes, I like Silvaplana as a base, too. You mentioned its good qualities. And it is affordable! Sils is a dream - even if you stay in the five star Hotel Waldhaus. It is not from this world.

Ahhh, time to go to bed. Have a nice day all.

Later, Ingo

S, Ursula:) and Grasshopper,
This has been a pleasure to read. I can picture the wildflowers and the bike rides, how great!
I also picture a small cat curled up next to the computer and the sound of mama's typing:)

How wonderful to read about your special GTG holiday - it sounds as though it worked out absolutely marvellously and that you all have made some special memories and some very dear friendships.
Thanks for sharing about it here so eloquently.
Kavey

I LOVED this trip report. Now I need to plan a trip to the Engadin. Sound like that is the place in Switzerland for us!

Well, it took all evening but I finally uploaded my pictures. I gave up on Ofoto but this site worked fine:

http://www.picturetrail.com/gid2371348

It seems that the slideshow shows only about a third of the pictures.

I hope you enjoy the pictures, especially the ones of the Engdine. They certainly brought back a lot of fond memories for me.

Judi! Those are gorgeous! What kind of camera do you have? Actually, I'd like all three of you folks that question. Such a wonderful collection of images! J.