I was supposed to bring the HR Managers of Asia in Montreux for a day trip. Everything has been planned already but on the last minute they backed out for sudden change of schedule on their business trip. Lumi, my officemate and good friend helped me plan the getaway trip for my bosses. When she found out it’s not pushing through anymore, she invited me instead. Without second thoughts I accepted, I really wanted to go there even by myself but of course it will be not as fun as having somebody to go with you. So we set the date for our trip. Unfortunately it has been raining almost everyday here in Geneva and the trip to Montreux will not be as fun with this kind of weather so Lumi and her husband thought of somewhere else to go and they thought of Chamonix in France.

I already received my work permit just last week. This will entitle me for a transit to any Schengen territory as long as it’s less than 5 days so the change of plan turned out to be better!

At past 10 am, I was ready to leave to go to our meeting place and at past 11 we were heading to France already. It’s only 1.5 hours drive from Switzerland. The other reason why I’m so excited about this trip is I want to see how they guard the borders of each country.

We passed the border of Switzerland and France and yes there were police in but we weren’t checked at all. I was informed that going to France from Switzerland is not a problem at all but going from anywhere else to Switzerland is the tough one. It’s okay, I have papers anyway but was just curious how they search or check each car.

We reached chamonix at past 1. We went to the village and wow there are nice shops in their small village. Lumi said Chamonix is the ski resort for the rich and the famous and as I expect shops were quite expensive. We’ve ate in one of the nice restaurants there. I wanted to taste the fondue but remembered that I wanted to order that after finishing my lunch =( we had ice cream after meal. Yes at 2 degrees and with 3 layers of clothes we still had ice cream. I need to know if the Movenpick ice cream is still the best for me or there is something better in France and as expected Movenpick is still the best….

I saw the teleferique again, wow I can just imagine the view above 3800++ meters but there are so many posts in between and I can just imagine the sway I need to experience again everytime the teleferique pass by the post. As we were roaming around the nice little village they asked me if I want to get closer to the glacier, thinking they are inviting me to go nearer by car of course I said yes. Not expecting what will happen next….

I was dumbfounded when they brought me to the Telesiege. It’s a chair lift going the same height as the teleferique which is almost 4000 meters. I wasn’t so keen in riding that chair, I can’t even bring myself to ride a teleferique again what more to ride just a chair on that height. Of course I have no choice and a bigger part of me want to try that telesiege so with a brave heart we paid for the ride which is 10 euros, around 15 francs. I remember this telesiege, i’ve seen it in one of the James Bond movies. When we were preparing to hop on our chair I got more scared because the chair doesn’t stop at all, you have to hop on it while it’s still moving. Thoughts like what if I’m not yet settled and I fell =( so with a heavy heart I prayed and stand on the waiting area for our chair.

It wasn’t very fun hopping on that chair lift that doesn’t stop but the ride was fantastic! It wasn’t even scary, the constant speed of the telesiege was comforting and it’s slow so you wouldn’t feel the height and change of altitude. The view while going up is so great. Everything is within your reach. It was really a great sight.

The view going up was really something but the view from the top is something that you need to try to remember every detail. There were a number of people hiking, it was a nice place for a romantic walk. You can smell the trees, you can enjoy the nice weather at 2 degrees and there’s just the nature and you. I missed somebody so much when I saw how magnificent the place is. I was excited to take pictures not for myself but for archie who I know will be so happy to see them. I can just imagine the excited face when we reach the top of the telesiege. And for you bhabie these are some of the pix i’ve taken.  

The trip going down is nicer. The beauty of nature is right in front of us. It was a very nice trip. Looking forward to exploring more of France.

Triple Filter

Keep this philosophy in mind the
next time you either hear, or are
about to repeat a rumor.

In ancient Greece (469 - 399 BC)
Socrates was widely lauded for his
wisdom.

One day the great philosopher came
upon an acquaintance who ran up to
him excitedly and said, "Socrates,
do you know what I just heard about
one of your students? His name
is……"

"Wait a moment," Socrates
interrupted. "Before you tell me I’d
like you to pass a little test. It’s
called the Triple Filter Test."

"Triple filter?"

"That’s right," Socrates continued.
"Before you talk to me about my
student let’s take a moment to
filter what you’re going to say.
The first filter is Truth. Have you
made absolutely sure that what you
are about to tell me is true?"

"No," the man said, "actually I just
heard about it and…"

"All right," said Socrates. "So you
don’t really know if it’s true or
not. Now let’s try the second
filter, the filter of Goodness. Is
what you are about to tell me about
my student something good?"

"No, on the contrary…"

"So," Socrates continued, "you want
to tell me something bad about him,
even though you’re not certain it’s
true?"
The man shrugged, a little
embarrassed.

Socrates continued. "You may still
pass the test though, because there
is a third filter - the filter of
Usefulness. Is what you want to tell
me about my student going to be
useful to me?"

"No, not really."

"Well," concluded Socrates, "if what
you want to tell me is neither True
nor Good nor even Useful, why tell
it to me at all?"

The man was defeated and ashamed.

This is the reason Socrates was a
great teacher and philosopher and
held in such high esteem.

Two weeks ago I spent the weekend at the Canton of Valais. Three hours drive from Geneva. Kuya Freddie picked me up at 4:45 am in front of my apartment in Rue de Lac to bring me to the meeting place in Rolle.  

New friends invited me to the camping of their church, no better plans for the weekend I accepted their invitation to spend the weekend at Sport Ferein Center. As I was browsing at the website of the skii resort, I was so excited already. I know there will be no snow during this time but the place was so nice that you will really look forward to going there.

After 1.5 hours of driving, we reached our first stop over. After a visit to the toilet I checked out the place. Our first stop over was Marche Valaison, the view from there was already breathtaking. It looks similar to the pictures that I’ve been receiving in the email that has biblical quotations.

We continued the journey and after another 1.5 hours later we reached our destination. Wow we were really in the mountain already. The road was steep and the view was majestic. As soon as we arrived they had their prayer service and we eat Filipino lunch. After the chaos at lunch we went straight to our room that I shared with Ate Sue, Ate Tess, Grace, Ate Rita, Kristeta, Janette and Queenie. The view from our room is the mountain, just by looking outside the window you are already experiencing nature.

After an hour of rest in our nice and cool room, we headed for the Teleferic station. I don’t know why they call it teleferic but it’s just another term for cable car but take note this teleferic is not similar to what Singapore nor Tagaytay Highlands have because this goes all the way up to 3000 meters above sea leavel. It’s my first time to ride one and they said there’s nothing to be scared of and the view at Eggishorn is something worth going to. So with 35 Francs we got into the 1st teleferic going to the 1st stop.

The ride going to the 1st stop was not so bad. The teleferic can hold up to almost 70 people. We were around 60 and 50 of that is all Filipino. Imagine the chaos inside but it was fun. The swiss just can’t help smiling while listening to our nonsense bickering. The teleferic sways everytime it passes by a post. The sway was not that much maybe because we are so many inside. So we were able to manage the journey going to the 1st stop.

We alight on the 1st stop to go to the next teleferic station that will bring us at Eggishorn. Out of the 60 there was just 15 who aboard the 2nd teleferic. As we are getting ready for the next journey, I was checking out our destination. Wow it was so high and so scary. The 2nd ride was not that fun anymore. The teleferic was swaying so hard when it pass a pole and it brings butterfly to my stomach and I was really scared this time but the view at the top was all worth the ride.

For the first time in my life I was able to see a real snow. Nope it was not at Eggishorn but at the opposite mountain. I have no idea why there’s snow on the other side and not on where I am standing. There is a glacier in between the two mountains. A glacier is a river like snow formation, it has been there for ages and it keeps on building up. I can stay at Eggishorn for a whole day to enjoy the nice scenery and the quietness of the place. What I enjoy most is the Apple Studel and hot choco at Eggishorn. It’s quite ironic to find a very small restaurant at the top of this place. While at the top I day dream of experiencing this place not with friends but with somebody special not that I don’t enjoy their company but it was such a very beautiful place and enjoying it with friends is not my ideal way of enjoying it. All in all it was a great experience I’m sure I would love to repeat.