Wednesday 4 August 2010

Global warming?

I know I promised part 2 of our UK trip, and it is coming soon I promise, but first I wanted to write up about our few days in Engadin.

After dropping our kids off at camp in Tschierv (Unter Engadin in Graubünden), we then spent the day hiking in the national park and then spent the night in a small hotel in Zernez taking advantage of not having any children with us. We made a three hour tour climbing from 1887m up to 2328m but took an hours break on the way down making it then fours hours. The sun was out so we decided to take a nap and enjoy the quietness of the park.



Zernez:


After we'd checked in at the hotel, we then took a walk around the village trying to decide which restaurant we should have dinner in. We chose the Hotel Baer Post and were happy with the quality food and atmosphere it offered. 

The next day we decided to go in to Ober Engadin and walk along the valley to the Morteratsch galcier. We'd visited here 18 years ago in 1992 when I was pregnant with Aaron. My parents were also with us that time and we've got a picture of my dad and I standing in front of the tongue of the glacier (I'll see if I can find it and scan it in). 
What I saw yesterday shocked me! I know we're always hearing about global warming and the effects it is having on the glaciers, that they are receding. Well yesterday I saw it with my own eyes and could hardly believe it.

Here I am standing at the point where the glacier came to in 1878:

The hubster at 1920:




Here I am standing at the point where the glacier finished in 1990. This is what shocked me - when we visited in 1992 all of the space behind me was filled with a massive, thick glacier and now look at it!  Gone! I must have said "WOW!" about 50 times, which made the hubster smile :)


Just look at how much it has receeded in the last 10 years  - a whole 183 metres!

Me standing on a broken part of the glacier holding a freezing cold piece of ice:

The tongue of the Morteratsch glacier as of 03.08.2010:

Mr D. infront of the glacier:

 Me infront of the glacier:


Me STANDING on the slippery glacier!

It was both spectacular and shocking at the same time. It made me wonder what will happen to our water supply once the glaciers have melted as we get our water supply from the lakes who in turn get theirs from the mountains and glaciers. Interesting and scary thoughts......
We will come back in 10 years to see how far the Morteratsch glacier has receeded......
After our walk we took a wander around Pontresina and then drove through St. Moritz and then over the Julierpass to make our way home back to Speicherschwendi.


The weather has turned nice so the hubster and I are off to the lake for a bit of R&R this afternoon - he's been at the office this morning while I've cleaned the house of 3 weeks of grime ......yuck! We deserve it........swimming, snoozing, reading, sunbathing, in other words just chilling without the kids!! Life is good (although we are missing them)!
UK Part 2 will be uploaded tonight. Until then....

Hugs,
Becca

2 comments:

  1. What lovely landscapes. I grew up in Alaska and have been shocked in how much the glacier have receided there. Glad you and Roland were able to get some alone time.

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  2. WOW! ;) You two are quite the explorers. Beautiful, beautiful pictures, Rebecca.

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