Page 44 - DIVA_2_2022

International International

Difficult approach chose the easiest approach. A gondola from luxury Junhgfrau-Eggishorn Grandhotel but on the opposite side, close to Moosfluh was lovely and sunny after the rains, and the We see the entrace
to the glacier Fiesch carried us to Fiescheralp, taking us hotel which opened the Belle Epoque of alpine (described in viewpoint 3, Diva No.2/2021). I first hour of the trek was easier than I had to the cave_but 40
up into the cloud and I hoped it would be tourism at the foot of the Eggishorn in 1856. also remembered reading about this approach expected. Perhaps that was because the guide more minutes of
Last effots - after sunnier ahead. Once past the cloud we saw It was incredibly popular for decades, even and searched for it, but there was nothing on made it easy for us – he was one of the most difficult decent
those huge bulders magnificent scenery – the Fiescher Glacier, though it was only accessible via a mule track any map. However, I found another photo of experienced I have ever met, and seemed to
there will be the second largest in Europe, to our right, and and bridle path. It would be difficult to believe an intensely turquoise ice Palais with people know every stone and bush. Restaurant after
glacier the tunnel before
the tunnel in front of us. We went though such a luxury hotel could exist in so wild a inside. It had huge ceilings and fairy-tale the descent to the
the kilometer-long rock tunnel and emerged place, if not for the ruins and the postcards turquoise walls. I searched again for where this It was a long descent down to the Glacier. I glacier_Marjela
into an open area. A restaurant was the only from that time. It became more accessible beauty could be found, and found a record of a knew it was under what we could see and I
building in the middle of a vast open space; when a cable car was built nearby in 1968, trek to the ice caves of Aletsch. I contacted the was no longer surprised by the optical illusion
we took coffee and prepared for our meeting but soon after the hotel burnt to the ground guide whose name was on the photo, to ask if of closeness. We followed the red and white
with the Glacier. Hundreds of meters from the and was never rebuilt. I hope one day it will what I had seen was real. marked path through the magnificent Aletsch
restaurant we saw the edge, which, from that be; the cable car is now a gondola, and this Forest – a UNESCO world heritage site. After
height, did not seem too intimidating. A closer is such a fascinating and enigmatic place. A He responded quickly and sent me the trek the forest, the path is marked blue and white,
look, however, showed that we had to descend rebuilt hotel would be precious for nature- itinerary, not on any map. I realized that I meaning to take care, and we continued our
over steep, wet rocks polished smooth by the lovers, hikers and maybe, as in the past, for would be privileged to be shown the ‘secret’ descent in a different landscape, until we
retreating glacier. We had to slide and crawl people with lung trouble as the air is so pure caves. I had to go, even though I was aware it turned off the path towards the huge glacier. I
part of the way, and the closer we approached, and healing. would be a difficult trek. The guide reassured realized that the real trek started here, but with
the more we realised how gigantic it was. me that I would not need special equipment, good explanations and this guide, it did not
What colour is the ice? Blue? No: deep but that we should go slowly and carefully. So seem that difficult and we were all confident.
Suddenly, we saw the entrance to the cave. turquoise! I went.
Another group was just returning, so we Since that day at the cave the Aletsch ice has The scenery we saw was invisible from above,
used their route to finally reach the cave, magnetized me. I feel as if it is living, and Not shown on the maps – secret place and unique. It was like being on another planet
and it was breathtaking. It felt like the living, asking us for help. I wanted to feel it more, He proposed we joined a family from Berne with no plant life, surrounded by orange and
breathing, beating heart of the Glacier, but touch the real pulse, get closer to its heart, and, for security, and I accepted his suggestion brown walls, huge boulders and, and green,
the impression was tragic, as if the Glacier if possible, to save it. At the very least I wanted with pleasure. Later, I learned that the trek utterly green, lakes. Perhaps, all this was
was crying – tears were falling from the top, to raise awareness about it, to alert people to was a anniversary gift from the family to the covered with the Glacier a century ago. We
and was not possible to go in as that meant its peril and discover what secrets and beauty parents; their long-held dream. The family saw crystals in the boulders. There was a place
that part of the ceiling could fall down any it hides. When I was researching, my eyes were delightful, and I was happy to be with where two of the green lakes resembled cat’s
moment. We were speechless, looking at the were suddenly captured by amazing photos of them. As we were starting early, I arrived eyes and it was called Chatzulecher, which can
natural blue ice inside the dark cave. Above a dark blue or even unreal turquoise colour. in Riederalp the night before. I went up to be translated as “cat’s eyes”, perhaps because of
us, the Glacier was dark grey, as if no longer It was unbelievable, and it was somewhere Moosfluh to check where the cave could be as I the lakes. We continued past brown boulders
living, but inside it shone a strong blue, as if its inside the Aletsch Glacier but clearly not what still could not believe it was nearby. Previously and more lakes, blue and green. Then the
pulse was still beating. From where we stood I had seen. I wanted to know where it was, and I had stayed at the Villa Cassel, more of which glacier and its caves was before us. All this was
we could see that, although invisible from the how it was possible to go so deeply under the in a later article, but this time I stayed in the titanic, huge; we were tiny, dots.
top, this entrance was 4-6 meters high; it only ice. Intrigued, I started to search. very beautiful Walliser Spycher Swiss Chalet-
looked small because of the scale of what was style hotel with exceptional hospitality. I was True guardian of the ice palace - Defender
around it. We returned, overwhelmed. I thought I had seen everything the Glacier still very worried about the trek, however, of the Glacier
had to offer but could not work out where this because I knew it would be challenging. We entered a cave. It was grey outside, but
Historical excursion: the ruined Junhgfrau- place was. I did remember a discussion when inside it shone blue. Overwhelmed, we tried
Eggishorn Grandhotel I was staying in the area, mentioning another The next morning we met at the gondola to enter other caves to see the ice inside.
On our way back we stopped at an interesting approach from a different location closer to the station. I was introduced to the Bernese family, However, the real miracle was ahead. We
place – in the wildness are the remains of the Glacier tongue. This was not in Märjelensee, and we started. The gondola trip to Moosfluh found a cave which led deep inside – a natural

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