Zermatt in September 2019: Part 2

After lunch in the hamlet of Findeln,

we set off down the steep path back to Zermatt.

I loved these dark coloured chalets against the blue of the sky.

Looking back and noticing snow on the mountains in the background.

The path is very steep in parts, like this one here down to the next hamlet.

I was wearing appropriate mountains boots,

but walking poles would have been a great help too,

especially where there were rocks and tree roots on the path.

The striking Matterhorn mountain appears to us many times during our way down.

Another mountain range and chalets dotted on the slopes.

The cows were mostly lying down at this point of our journey.

There were no enclosures to keep them in one pasture

and I wondered why.

I went a bit closer and then zoomed in even further to capture the cow bell.

The narrow paths downwards and plenty of rocks, 

so it's best to look where we place our feet.

A bit further down on the same path. 

The lower one with the barrier is for hikers

and the one above had a signpost saying it was for mountain bikes!

There were sometimes small cabins along the way

and benches to rest awhile and drink some water.

Best to choose a bench in the shade as it was a rather hot day.

The shady parts were extremely welcome!

As we neared the town of Zermatt, there were many more chalets.

I was happy to catch these two grey horses and a carriage.

No ordinary cars are allowed in Zermatt and all local vehicules are electric.

Some of the bigger hotels have horses and carriages to transport visitors.

It had taken us much longer than expected to hike down to the town again.

It took us over three hours.

It's true that I stopped often to take photos

and once or twice we left the beaten track!

This house on the top of a rock always fascinates me.

One day I must go up there to see what it's like.

On our last morning, I got dressed early and went outside just after 6 am.

I wanted to catch the first rays of sun as they hit the peak of the Matterhorn.

Time: 6:48 a.m.

The first sun illuminates the summit.

Time: 7:01 a.m.

The mountain is fully illuminated, but not yet the surrounding area.

Time: 7:12 a.m.

On the other side of the sky a tree silhouette against the purple and pink

looks equally lovely. 

The time here is 6:41 a.m.

Ten minutes later, the sky looks completely different.

A cut-out silhouette of the mountains at sunrise

The last shot of this iconic mountain, showing the surrounding areas.

Going back to the train station with our suitcases and enjoying the flower laden window boxes

and the flag from the Canton of Valais.

A lovely photographic souvenir of these beautiful days spent in the mountains.

Click on the link below if you would like to see Part 1 of this stay

Zermatt in September 2019: Part 1

Zermatt in September 2019: Part 1

The star of Zermatt is the beautiful Matterhorn mountain.

This was taken from above the town from a lovely restaurant in the mountains.

I really like the way they have arranged bottles of flowers on high ledges

 in front of this marvelleous view.

But first of all, we'll visit the town before going up into the mountains for a hike.

Switzerland is well known for its beautiful arrangements of geraniums

and they're particularly beautiful on the wooden chalets.

Here is the hotel we stayed in which is very near the small centre,

but just on the other side of the River Matter Vispa that runs through Zermatt.

A pretty garden in a side street.

You can see the dome of the museum on the upper right.

From the balcony of my hotel room

I could see the Hotel Julen in typical darkened and weathered wood

which shows off the window boxes of flowers so well.

This was taken in the early morning.

Another chalet adorned with flowers and even a pair of mountain boots.

The Zermatterhof is a beautiful hotel in classical style.

This is where my son and his bride stayed last year in August

 and it's where the wedding reception was held.

Here is the link if you would like to see it:

A Wedding in Zermatt

The church steeple of St. Mauritius.

This plaque in the main street is to honour the first man to successfully reach

the summit of the Matternhorn with two guides.

It was a dangerous ascent and the equipment was rather rudimentary.

You can read about it here:

The first ascent of the Matterhorn

On the second day of our stay, we took a funicular up to a station called Sunnegga.

This is the view that greeted us!

You can see the glacier on the right of the image.

We took a small path down to a little hamlet called Findeln.

The cows were still grazing at this high altitude of 2.288 metres.

Soon they will be leaving the mountains to descend down the valley

for their winter quarters.

When we arrived in Findeln, we headed for a wonderful restaurant, called Chez Vrony,

 with fabulous views and a welcoming outside terrace.

The long wooden tables and white parasols make it perfect to sit outside.

Isn't it inviting?

The view is pretty marvellous too.

This is where we had our after lunch coffee.

Inside the chalet restaurant looking out over the sunny terrace.

It must be so snug for skiers here in the winter!

Here are Vrony and Max, the lovely owners of this restaurant.

They kindly allowed me to photograph them.

Here is a typical chalet on stilts used for storing grain.

The large discs of stone prevented rats and mice from climbing into the building

to eat the stored cereal.

When we could tear ourselves away from the lovely terrace and delicious organic food,

we started our descent down the valley.

Another chalet in the same Findeln Hamlet.

The pathway down was quite steep, but the views were fabulous all the way.

If you would like to see more mountain shots,

come back at the end of September when I'll be doing the next blog entry!

I just added this colourful collage to wish you all a very happy

Autumn Equinox

on Monday 23 September!

30 Days of Compostion: 16-30

Day 16

What's leaving the frame?

Showing only part of our subject can be very intriguing

and I do very much like the expanse of negative space.

What's leaving the space on my embroidery scissors?

Day 17

Creating Depth

By setting my focus on the pebbles in the foreground,

I create depth on the blue and white material in the background.

Day 18

Create movement.

The fountain in the park creates the movement,

both in the stream of water coming down, the splashes

and the concentric circles.

More movement

This little family cycling in the countryside where I was walking.

The little fellow in the front was pedalling nineteen to the dozen!

Day 19

Perfectly aligned.

This doesn't only mean things all lined up in a row. 

The photographic example given was that of 'harmonious composition'

and how not to have conflicting elements in the frame which could make for confusing viewing.

I find that the whole scene of greens and that gentle blue sky work so well together,

but what I really like is the soft zig-zag of hedges leading us to a lone tree on the hill.

Also, if you look at the foreground of hedges and trees,

they lead our eye up to the small chalet in the distance.

Day 20

Deliberately discordant

In contrast to the image above, the fallen basket of yarn and odd crocheted samples

seems rather inharmonious.

Day 21

Square format

The square shape of this house in my neighbourhood

seemed to fit into the square format very well.

Day 22

Single focal point.

I set the focus on the geranium buds on my balcony

and allowed the leaves to provide a soft green background.

Day 23

Tiny subject

I think that this one is my favourite. I do love tiny things and this little crystal angel

seemingly flying through the air fitted so well into her sparkly, starry sky!

Day 24

Complementary colours.

On the colour wheel, complementary colours are those opposite each other

like red and green above.

More complementary colours seen at my local Farmer's Market.

Green and red vegetables,

but also purple aubergines (eggplant) and purple chicory

and the complementary light and bright yellow of the peppers.

Day 25

Monochrome

Monochrome doesn't only mean black and white (or different shades of grey),

it can also means subjects and background in the same colour.

These are some yellow chrysanthemums taken on a background of  similar yellow material.

Day 26

Abstract

Meaning of abstract:

Relating to or denoting something that does not attempt to represent external reality,

but rather seeks to achieve its effect using shapes, colours and textures.

Day 27

Repetition

Plenty of repetition here with the steps themselves,

the repeated patterns of shadows and the railings.

Day 28

S-Curve

The curve in this path of the rock garden can be seen to form an s-curve.

Day 29

Eye Contact

The easiest way of obtaining this was by taking a self-portrait in a mirror in my home!

Day 30

Break the rules.

Some rules, like not having our main subject right in the middle of the frame,

can be easily broken when harmony is retained.

A country path,  right in the middle of the frame, flanked by trees, can create a harmonious image.

This is the last part of my 30 Days of Composition.

I have really enjoyed creating them.