Buzz
Switzerland, a small country in the heart of Europe, is renowned for its breathtaking natural lakes and numerous towering mountains perpetually blanketed in white snow. Therefore, the predominant theme in the lives of Swiss people has always been... mountains.
Embark on a journey to the snow-capped summit of Titlis Mountain in Switzerland
Discover the art of conquering mountains, overcoming their challenges, and transforming them into spaces of productivity and utility. Throughout history, Switzerland has developed innovative cogwheel railways and mountain tunnels, turning snow-capped peaks into ideal destinations for relaxation, recreation, and even medical retreats, attracting numerous international tourists.
These are the towering peaks rising above 3,000 meters, such as Matterhorn in Zermatt, the 'Devil's Mountain Range' Les Diablerets in Gstaad, the 'Virgin' Jungfrau in Bern; Rigi, known as the 'Queen of the Mountains'... and Titlis in the 'Angel Village' of Engelberg, situated in central Switzerland.
With snow covering the peaks year-round and its close proximity to the world-renowned tourist city of Lucerne, Engelberg village and Titlis Mountain have long been a destination for many traveling groups. The village began to take shape after a nobleman from Zurich came here to build a monastery, residences, and workplaces for Benedictine monks in 1120.
In ancient times, contributions like building churches and monasteries were seen as the keys to unlocking paradise. The tourism industry began to flourish in the 18th century and by the 19th century, Engelberg had become renowned as an excellent resort with fresh air and friendly locals. Today, the village thrives mainly on tourism, with a population of just over 4,300 people welcoming nearly a million visitors each year.
Cathay Pacific Airlines, in collaboration with Discover The World Vietnam Travel Company, has provided Vietnamese tourists with the opportunity to experience Switzerland, including two days enjoying the peaceful scenery of a snow-covered Engelberg and daring to ascend the freezing Titlis Mountain.
Preparing for the cold ascent, predicted to be around -10°C, members of the group enjoyed a hearty breakfast at the historic 3-star Hotel Terrace, offering a variety of cold cuts, boiled eggs, butter, cheese, croissants, fruits, and honey spread on fragrant peach-flavored biscuits. Perched on a high hillside overlooking the valley with wooden houses and snow-covered roofs, the hotel has been welcoming guests for over 100 years, reminiscent of scenes often seen on Christmas cards.
In summer, Engelberg is adorned in green with rolling hills, mountain slopes, and fields growing high-quality grass for the cows that produce the globally renowned Swiss cheeses (in the monastery cheese factory at the foot of Engelberg mountain, they even sell cheese mixed with sage, chili, mushrooms, herbs…). In winter, snow blankets everything. But don't assume that life comes to a standstill because of the cold. There seems to be no such thing as hibernation here.
Local buses and tourist coaches constantly stop outside the Titlis Cableways station, where passengers disembark dressed brightly yet appropriately for the winter chill, wearing thick snow boots and carrying snowboards on their shoulders, ready for some snowboarding.
Not only adults but also many teenagers and children come here to enjoy the snow. They eagerly line up, excitedly enter the station, and then, in groups of eight, hop into a cabin of the Titlis Express cable car system to be pulled up high, passing through various stations along the way.
Passing through two stations, we transferred to Titlis Rotair to reach the final station at an altitude of 3,020m. Rotair features brand-new cabins, operational since December 2015, boasting 360-degree rotating panoramic views with entirely glass outer walls, providing easy observation of the rocky mountain walls and deep ravines below. The high-altitude terminal is a 5-story structure housing a restaurant, Swiss watch store, Swiss souvenir shop, Swiss chocolate shop, and a scenic mountain photography studio.
From the station, a walk of about 200m leads you to another architectural marvel, the Cliff Walk, which could be likened to a 'swaying suspension bridge' spanning two rock faces at an altitude of 3,041m.
Constructed of steel and cables, this bridge is only about 100m long, 1m wide, and sits 500m above the valley floor, costing 1.6 million Swiss Francs and over 4 months to build. Workers, equipment, and building materials were airlifted from the base of the mountain. This project was inaugurated in December 2012.
Only the adventurous members of the group dared to brave the towering snowdrifts to experience a once-in-a-lifetime walk across the lofty suspension bridge. Despite the biting wind and snow, everyone cautiously took each step, overcoming fear to jubilantly triumph over the bridge!
Source: Businessman Saigon
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Reference: Travel Guide by Mytour
MytourMarch 11, 2016
