St. Luc

Tuesday, October 12

Walking into St. Luc, my first impression was that we were staying in a ghost town. Everything was so quiet. There was this incredible bubble of silence that was interrupted only by the rushing of the river and the occasionally noisy llamas.

The mountains surrounding St. Luc made me feel like we were in a canyon of sorts. The acoustics created by the mountains gave everything an echo, even the silence. Closer to our lodge, you could hear the water cascading over rocks and moss. The town of St. Luc has maintained a quaint charm and allows its natural setting to stand out. It was truly spectacular.

On our second day, we went on a day hike (with llamas). The boys were sent to gather the llamas and we were on our way. Though I am not a big hiker, climbing up to Hotel Weisshorn was an incredible experience. The trail was overgrown with trees and as we neared the top, they tapered of to create an opening. When I could finally see the hotel, I immediately expected Jack Nicholson to run out with his axe.
The top of the mountain was cold but remarkable. I felt like I could really breathe, the air was so clean and pure. As I stretched out my legs, knowing they'd be sore in the morning, I decided that the people who climb this mountain just to stay at the Hotel Weisshorn must be crazy. Either that or they never go into town.

The silence up at the top of the mountain was deafening and almost eerie. Even the wind was noiseless. Though unnerving, the silence gave me a sense of safety. I felt an innate calm surrounding me, making me still and enabling me to find my own inner silence. It is a feeling I will always remember.