The Masters Year at EGS, June/July 2011

It's a different girl that arrived in Saas Fee on June 9, 2011 than the one who arrived starry-eyed and awestruck in 2007. A tour of duty in a lovely location is still a tour of duty. One would think that with the thesis finished, printed and ready for defense I would be dancing on air. And parts of me are. The other parts are dragging a damaged ankle that stops me from joining in the dance and a psyche worn out from so much "thought" and process.

Everything here looks the same - familiar. The school, the hotel, the chalets, the little town. I know where I am and how to get where I need to go. But the mountains change from minute to minute, depending on the light and atmospheric conditions. That is the most exciting thing!

I decided to roam the town with fresh eyes and see what I could find that I hadn't already encountered. That's where the "troupe of locals" photography on FaceBook came from.

I settled into my room then went walking, gingerly at first to see how the ankle would hold out. Most of the shops and attractions in town are closed as their tourist season doesn't open until late June. Makes it easy to not spend money!

Also encourages ambling and resting. On one of my walks I found the site of a wee bonfire and the charcoal that was left seemed perfect for sketching. I didn't have anything to put the messy stuff in, however. I decided to approach some folks who were photographing the marmots nearby and discovered that my French was adequate enough to ask for a napkin to put the pieces in and have a little conversation as well. It is such a benefit to speak (if even badly) a second language!

The second day I went up into the woods and discovered something called a "barefoot path". It is a short trail with a variety of textures to walk over barefoot, beginning with wood chips, then small gravel followed by larger gravel, then rounded rock set into cement and ending with a glacier water-filled pool to walk in. Quite an experience! Oh, and there was also a couple of "arm baths" - troughs filled with running glacial water that you soak your forearm in for 30-60 seconds to encourage circulation, relieve headaches and all kinds of malady. I could only do the 30 seconds as the water was numbing!

Going further into the wooded trail which was flanked by a type of aqueduct, I was treated to spring blossoms that I didn't see last time since it was later in the summer when I was here then. They seemed so delicate and vivid. And the green.....everywhere the green. And the stone....everywhere the stone and rock and rushing water. Who wants to go to school when there's this to study???