May 26: Flüelapass

All right! Just one more train ride, the sixth of the day, straight to Zernez. Right?

5925

Hmm, that cloud is extra-dark.

5927

And by the way, WRONG about a straightforward final train ride. The Vereina Tunnel between Klosters and the Unterengadin (Lower Engadin (Lower En Valley (the En is the local, Romansch name of the Inn River))) was closed that day for some reason, so it was bus time. Oh, perfect timing, rain.

5934

Because, nothing like barreling around hairpin turns in a large bus just after the rain slicks the roads up, right? Actually I was pretty excited to have the detour, because it promised to be infinitely more scenic than just going through the tunnel, as see here.

5940

This is the Davosersee, so we must be getting into Davos...

5943

...but first, a quick blur through a side-daylit tunnel.

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Ah yes, here we are!

5953

And after that the real climb started, up over the Flüelapass to the Engadin.

5956

This church is one half of its hamlet.

5958

There's the other half to the left! So far, so scenic.

5961

Nothing better to make a house feel cozy than to bundle it up in land.

5964

Shortly, serious snowpack.

5968

A spring freshet, fresheting.

5975

Impression of the zebraic landscape looking back down toward Davos.

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And then: the hut at the height of the Pass!

5980

Bacteria-tinted thawing pools.

5982

A mysterious disenhoused chimney or ???

5993

More erosional hydrology in action.

5996

It was soothing to be able to look almost straight down out the thin bus doors.

5999

Now time for the tortuous descent.

6013

Whoo-oa! Hold on to yer coffee.

6017

And then, finally, an apparition of the Engadin! I'd recognize those two towers anywhere.

6022

So good to be back in the land of exuberant sgraffito.