Bonjour!

Without a doubt, Chamonix has been the most scenic town of the trip to date. Located closely to the borders of France, Switzerland and Italy, Chamonix is nestled in a valley of the French Alps overlooked by the towering Mont Blanc, a snow-capped 4,810 meter mountain, its face partly covered by a glacier. Arguille du Midi, a 3,842 meter jagged pinnacle of rock, looms close by, accessible by the world's tallest (and most terrifying) cable car.

Initially, Steph and I were going to spend our two nights and one full day admiring the beauty of the area by foot, but after a discussion accommodated by digital photographs, our roommates (one from Richmond, the other from Toronto) easily convinced us to take the cable car to the top. When we arrived at the ticket booth we were told the cable car would only go up the first leg of the 2-part summit to the top due to excessive winds at the higher altitude. A bit disappointed, we bought the partial ticket and ascended for eight minutes up the 2,317 meters to Plan de l'Aiguille where our disappointment quickly transitioned into pure awe. The view of the town of Chamonix in the valley below was phenomenal, but even better was seeing the curves and edges of the snowy dirfts of Mont Blanc and the pointy, rocky peaks of the surrounding mountains above us. I became addicted to taking pictures and even though I knew I had taken more than enough, a new angle presented another photo opportunity as we hiked along the rocky path. We watched our Virginian roommate take a tandem paragliding ride, departing from a ledge belows us. After a couple of hours we noticed a cable car going up to the very top, the very cable car that we were told was shut down that day. After some testing, the cable car was eventually reopened as the winds diminished and we happily bought a second ticket for the opportunity to reach the top.

Up and up we went. Almost near the top, with my ears cracking, the ascent was nearly vertical as we stood looking out the windows, face to face with sheer rock just a couple of feet from our suspended cable car. Our speed diminished to a mere crawl and I thought for sure we had stopped moving and would be stuck there forever. Now I understood why this was perhaps the world's most terrifying cable car. While the clouds blocked our view of the world beneath us, perhaps they were divinely placed so I couldn't see the distant ground below. We finally arrived at the blistering cold summit. In addition to being severely light headed due to the altitude and quick ascent, the freezing temperature and the cloud cover blocking the view resulted in our brief stay at the top. It was an amazing ride and we were glad for the experience.

Plenty of wooden chalets with flowerboxes lining the streets provide a Swiss feel in the town of Chamonix, rightfully so as Switzerland is only a few miles away. Many upscale retail shops can provide countless hours of shopping, with the majority of stores catering to the adventurist. I can only imagine how many skiers and snowboarders flock to Chamonix in the winter.

In the evening we decide to satisfy our sushi craving. Just after ordering, the staff of three ran out to the sidewalk, pointing up at the mountains and waving for us to join them. I jumped out of my seat and ran after them, camera in tow, and looked up at the rocky peaks. The color of gray stone during the day, the peaks were now a brilliant, fiery red, illuminated by the sun's setting rays. How lucky we were to be in that restaurant with locals who appreciate the beauty of their town just as much as someone who is seeing it for the first time. The show only lasted less than a minute, but even an hour-long grand finale display of fireworks could not have come close to competing with God's show that evening.

P.S. For all the Phillies fans back home -- London's CNN just showed the clip of Chase Utley's gloved toss to first base, choosing it as their World Sport's Play of the Day. Go Phils!