The iconic train journey across Switzerland is the Glacier Express, and today our friends Ken and Paula and Kathy and I were able to ride on it. It is aptly named as it crossed deep gorges and hugged the side of the mountain at high altitudes. Snow-capped peaks stood out against the sky, and mountain waterfalls cascaded down steep cliffs. The autumn colors were at peak density and the golds were particularly striking. What a memorable trip, made all the more so by the beauty of the Matterhorn in Zermatt, where we debarked for several hours.

Have you ever had a day planned when something totally unexpected happened and your day was enriched as a result? That was our day today! The journey was spectacular, but the activities at a cemetery in Zermatt were touching and impressive. Today was All Saints Day, and the city churches had a ceremony remembering the faithfully departed. A robed procession with crucifix and candles walked through the city as church bells pealed, followed by hundreds of people to the beautiful cemetery in the center of the city where each grave had been meticulously cleaned and planted with fresh flowers. Family members gathered by each grave site to light candles as a red and black uniformed band played Christian hymns. It was a heart-warming scene that brought a tear to the eye as old widows knelt down at the grave of a husband, helped by their adult children or grandchildren, or parents stood with heads bowed at the grave of a child. It was a sound and scene that will leave a lasting impression. WEG

View on Glacier Express

The Matterhorn with Ken & Paula, Wayne & Kathy

Zermatt Church Exterior

Zermatt Church Interior

Zermatt Church Ceiling

All Saints’s Day Ceremony in Zermatt, Switzerland – November 1, 2013