Hike by the Senda Ruinaulta.

Last weekend I went for this hike by the Senda Ruinaulta, which had been billed as a small, Swiss version of the Grand Canyon. The walk was relatively short, which was great, as I was able to sleep in and leave around mid-morning and still be at Laax by noon. The weather was quite warm and incredibly sunny- there was not a cloud in the sky. I was actually quite relieved that much of the hike was through the woods, as it kept me from being burnt to a crisp. Plus, the woods were mostly pine trees, so it smelled heavenly.

A super green meadow in the woods.

I stopped at the Lag la Cauma along the way and enjoyed my picnic lunch. The lake was a gorgeous blue-green color, and had mostly been turned into a large swimming park, with docks anchored around the lake, well-kept beaches, and paddle- or rowboats for rent.

Along the trail there were glimpses of the gorge, which was quite impressive.

Mid-way through the hike, there was an elevated viewing platform over the gorge, so you could really see the aqua river twisting through the stark, white stone of the gorge.

It was quite a nice, small hike to go on for a quieter Saturday, and I really couldn't have asked for nicer weather!

This tree had the brightest yellow fungi(?) growing on it!

It's clean, Swiss-style.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Switzerland is an almost freakishly clean country. It truly is incredible. I was reading this story today about cleanliness in Switzerland, and it recommended an ad campaign. (I've added an example below.) I find it pretty hysterical, but I also have a sneaking suspicion that some of the activities depicted in the ad do actually happen! I know for a fact that I've seen people taking a scissors to their lawn and/or their bushes to catch something that grows slightly astray...