Chamonix

Our unnamed advisor insisted we visit Chamonix. Two reasons: The weather is perfect, hence it is comfortable and the views unobstructed. Also, it is off-season and there are no lines or crowds or traffic jams.

So Chamonix became the goal. Our first stop was the Office de Tourisme. Which was closed. Just like everything else in the Alps from noon to 1430 or 1500. Talk about a siesta! The stop was not a loss, however, as we discovered a beautiful French Alpine chapel, featuring a dude playing the organ and playing it very, very well:

Chamonix, unlike Morzine, is a real city with a tasteful city center. It reminds one of Aspen except for the fact that, well, it's a real city and The Alps are more dramatic than the Rockies. Mont Blanc, the highest peak in the Alps, pictured in the background:

There was also an amazing t-shirt store with some of the coolest embroidered t-shirts I've ever seen. They were so cool my wife and I got a matching set (26 euro each). No, we didn't buy the posing bear in sunglasses. We were tempted, though. My Frau later decided to go back and get another t-shirt for Calvin. I even thought about Al's demand for. T-shirt. But I didn't buy him one.