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Thursday 5 February 2015

The road to Silvaplana, Val Mustair and into Italy.

Chur, (pronounced Koor) is the Cantonal capital and for us our night stop. Exhausted after our drive today, we leave exploring until the morning.


The morning is bright but a slight chill, walking in the shadows of the old town we enjoy the alleys and fountains, the Cathederal. The Scalara stone used to build the streets houses is rather grey, now we feel even colder. We find a lovely coffee house, to warm in the sun. 


A early lunch in Chur and we are back on the road.


Another day another pass! The scenery is just so stunning, this is the Julier pass.




Passing the towering Nair standing at just over 10,000 feet.


It is quite late when we arrive in Silvaplana for the evening, the cloud hangs low, snow on the high peaks.


In the early morning we are amazed at the view that we have.





Today we are going to walk in that huge landscape. The photographs below for us need no explanation, it is just wonderful walking.








On the fast flowing stream we eat our lunch watching the Dippers busy with theirs.





We have to stop again shortly after lunch, just to sit in the warm sun and admire the Autumn colours.


We had seen them before, a magnificent bird, the Nut Cracker and we were surrounded in their calls.


Later, walking deep in the forest we are pleased to watch a Red Squirrel eating nuts.



A not so good a photograph, some of the Squirrels are black, a first for us. Sadly failing light and their shyness, this is the best we can do. But below a Starling posed beautifully for us.


The following morning we drive through the Parc Naziunal Svizzer, heading for Italy.


Arriving at the remote village of Mustair with it's Carolingian monastery and church we take a walk and lunch. The road ahead drops through the green valley. Farmers work the fields with their tractors and we know, sadly this is Switzerland's end. The start of Italy and a new adventure beckons as we too descend and cross the border.

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