I decided to take a break Sunday and visit Sion. Kent and I had
visited Sion in 2014 on a Sunday, seeing the Valère basilica
when church was in session was pretty cool.
10:11 Switzerland time 02:11 California time
Followed the crowd up the hills towards Valere Basilica.
I've been here at least twice with Kent but have never had to navigate
before..
10:20 Switzerland time 02:20 California time
Dusty: There is a new (since 2017) very active zipline between the
hills for the Chateau and Valere..
Dusty: The mechanism is quite loud, I found it disturbed my hill climbs
Dusty: Eventually I managed to tune it out and enjoy people enjoying
themselves...
10:23 Switzerland time 02:23 California time
On the way up to Valere, I heard music and quickly started recording
what turned out to be a high school marching band playing a dress
rehearsal up in the Chateau de Tourbillon - AC/DC's Thunderstruck
Unfortunately the iphone microphone barely picked up anything, even
cranking the volume to 11 doesn't help much.
It appeared the basilica was closed for restoration..
When i got to the front door of the basilica about 1040 (before I
thought services were scheduled to start), the local priest (i guessed)
arrived smoking his pipe and chatting up the few folks here in German
and French...
One by one I quickly realized the way was shut unless you asked him,
then he would wave you inside..
When it came to be my turn he ignored me since I didn't say anything..
Others approached, I believe he told them it was closed since they
turned away.
Finally I asked him if he spoke English, I had to repeat myself, then I
believe he said it was not possible for me to enter (not sure), then
finally he
waved me inside.
Inside everything was closed off..
I found the basilica, there were 5 people in 3 groups in absolute
silence, and i joined them sitting in the very back row
( everyone else was in back as well)
The father held something out for his 2 sons but i couldnt tell what
I was amazed what real silence sounds like, those walls mist be crazy
thick.
I stayed perhaps 10 minutes before another father and 2 young sons
showed up, shaking hands with the first group, then father 1 gets out
the small container of holy water he was carrying for the new family,
they touched it and did some religious thing....
A few minutes later someone else entered, kneeled, acknowledged the
congregation of 9, and walked over to the podium and started flipping
pages...then the padre walked in, kneeled, and went behind the big
curtain..
I then knew showtime was fast approaching and I made my strategic exit..
If there hadn't been only 1 way in and out I might have stayed a while
longer, but I didn't need to be more disruptive than I already had.
I kept wondering why the dozens of other people outside hadn't tried a
little harder to see Valere
10:47 Switzerland time 02:47 California time
10:47 Switzerland time 02:47 California time
10:47 Switzerland time 02:47 California time
10:48 Switzerland time 02:48 California time
11:06 Switzerland time 03:06 California time
Bought a beer at the cafe between the hills to guzzle on the way up to
the Chateau, I trick Kent taught me in 2014
11:19 Switzerland time 03:19 California time
When I was climbing up to the Chateau I saw a couple of teens coming
down the trail with instruments, I gave a thumbs up and asked
"Thunderstruck?!" After a confused second they smiled, nodded and
thanked me..
Dozens of others followed downhill, about half still in uniform and the
rest already changed back to street clothes...
11:26 Switzerland time 03:26 California time
11:26 Switzerland time 03:26 California time
12:04 Switzerland time 04:04 California time
12:12 Switzerland time 04:12 California time
12:19 Switzerland time 04:19 California time
They apparently had a big earthquake here in 1946
I made my way back to Martigny
13:20 Switzerland time 05:20 California time
13:33 Switzerland time 05:33 California time
20:36 Europe time 11:36 California time
Dusty: Guy who owns donner box place is my new best friend - he speaks
decent English , I'm "California!" Everyone knows California..
Dusty: much funner to say (and I think less controversial) than "les
etas unis" (usa)
Dusty: Also chatted the town drunk since i was carrying my open can of
beer on the sidewalk which was a mistake, started hearing in French
about
too many English in Verbier and maybe too many Americans..
Dusty: Lots more increasingly animated French monologue mentioning
"George Bush 1" and later I think "Reagan" in I believe affirmative
tones...
Dusty: Had to tell him a few more times "je nes pas parles francais"
before finally saying "cheers" and walking off...
13:34 Switzerland time 05:34 California time
14:41 Switzerland time 06:41 California time
14:47 Switzerland time 06:47 California time
14:51 Switzerland time 06:51 California time
14:52 Switzerland time 06:52 California time
15:13 Switzerland time 07:13 California time
Kent: Zip line between the major features of Sion! Not sure
what I think about that
Kent: Tourbillon castle made it until the 1700's
Kent: I would have loved to see it
Kent: The contemporary drawings of it makes it look very nice.
17:15 Europe time 08:15 California time
Kent: Wow! That's serious construction in there
Kent: My first solo trip to Switzerland in 2000 I took a guided tour of
the Valere
Kent: I was only one on it
Kent: They had just completed a major restoration at that time
Kent: Just 21 years ago...
17:23 Europe time 08:23 California time
Kent: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Octodurus
17:26 Europe time 08:26 California time
Ray: What a great trip, Dusty!
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Saturday August 21, 2021
Lac du Vieux Emosson
