Mountain Driving

We were so sorry to leave Bad Ragaz yesterday that we almost cried. The resort where we were staying was really amazing. In the morning, we went to the fitness center for workouts and stretching, followed by bathing in the thermal pools. This was a relaxing way to start the day! We had a late breakfast and pulled out of the hotel by 12:30 p.m.

Here are some photos we took of the lovely fall colors at our hotel in Bad Ragaz:

Here is what we look like when we're driving our car with the top down; it will remind you of the Beverly Hillbillies:

In the car we are able to fit 2 large bags, 2 carry-on sized bags, and 2 backpacks!

We checked out the town of Bad Ragaz before we left, and I made friends with a few cows that I couldn't resist:

It's hard to explain how beautiful the drive was that we had between Bad Ragaz and St. Moritz. We drove up the Fluela Pass (elevation 7818 feet), and there were many switchbacks both up and down. Here is some of the scenery we saw along the way.

Here's a cool bridge we passed along the way:

This is at the top of the pass:

This photo shows the windy road really well:

We were so blessed to have a beautiful sunny day for this drive! After about 2-1/2 hours of mountain driving, we arrived in the town of St. Moritz. When we drove past an inviting lake, Brock's "boat radar" went off, and we discovered the St. Moritz Yacht Club! Of course he had to explore this for a few minutes. They host a Volvo Challenge Match Race. Here are some images from the lake and yacht club:

The next stop was our hotel, the Kempinski Grand Hotel des Bains. This was another relaxing, deluxe hotel. We had a delicious meal at the hotel's "Enoteca" restaurant: some pastas, and a filet for Brock.

Brock said St. Moritz is the most expensive ski resort in the world. If there was enough snow to ski right now, we would be skiing, but the snow is only in the high mountains. The bellmen told us that 2 weeks ago it snowed at the hotel. Not long after we arrived, we had a heavy downpour. The rain continues today.

Here are some images we took of the hotel and grounds:

We plan to explore the town and ski area today before we depart.

Brock has finally chosen a name for his new car: "Bella". Translated, it means "pretty" in Italian. Today, Bella will be in Bellagio! No kidding. We are driving to Bellagio, Italy, along Lake Como today. Stay tuned.