What a beautiful location those silly Romans had 2000 years ago & the idea to terrace the hillsides for ultimate southern exposure to grow their grapes that they would eventually turn into wine- (I wonder if they knew what a beautiful area this was way back then as well.......) I tell ya..... And we are still doing it- albeit some of the wine isn't to our liking even though living here is pretty much the only place on earth to get wine from Suisse...... they only export a very small amount because they don't grow that much & they like to take care of the Swiss market before they offer it out elsewhere. This idea rings true for MANY aspects of the Swiss culture- not just wine.......
ANYWAY- last week I was getting the itch to get back to the Lavaux Vinyard Terraces region as I went last year with Joyce, & did a really beautiful hike along the roads & pathways that twist & turn like the vines themselves through the different vineyards. Checked the weather forecasts & saw that I had a 1 day window of good weather to get out there to get some photos & not get wet in doing so- & that was TODAY (Thursday) planned on going a little later than I would have, as I wanted to get the late afternoon sunlight. Packed up a small bag, all my camera gear & hopped in the car & headed out- the GPS said 45 min to the town of Lutry- so Id be there by 3:15 @ the latest. While on the highway & @ least 30 min out & had a revelation that I had left my camera's battery in the charger that was plugged in @ home....... PHUCK!!!!!! Yeah- so here I was- 15 min from Lutry & having to turn around to go BACK to Geneve to get a battery........ Contemplated just going & taking Iphone photos but then I could never crank on Lisa for her OH so lovely Blackberry photos again...... Plus the weather was going to go to crap & this was my time. So I got off the highway, schlepped BACK to Geneve, got a parking spot right out front of the building & fetched the damn battery- which was fully charged......... Got back on the road & headed out- ETA now 4:00...... GRRRRR- what was I gonna do right??? No biggie- there wasn't any traffic & it was a beautiful day to be out on the road. Found the Lutry exit & started up & down on those little vineyard roads- literally wide enough for our car, no guardrails either- so if I went over id be over as the car would just roll & roll & roll....... I was a little freaked out thinking about that. Anyway- the sun was going down & I needed to get snapping. The colors were beautiful- the golden yellows, the burnt reds, the mottled browns with flecks of yellow...... Stunning!!! The way the sun was tickling the snowy mountaintops across the lake in France & the ones above Montreaux. Even better, the sun was getting pretty low and that golden light that just sets these colors on fire. I knew I had picked the BEST time to be there- although I would have loved a bit more time as I pretty much only had about an hour before sunset. Ended up parking in a little hamlet & walking down one of the paths & came across an elderly man who was sitting up on one of the walls watching the sun go down- as I walked by, I greeted him with a "salut" & he said "salut"- I then said in my broken French "il est magnifique" & he came back with a friendly, smiling "Superb"- I couldn't agree more...... What a great word- Superb- to describe a beautiful sight like that, & how fantastic that this guy- who had to be in his 80's was out trekking along these ancient trails & took a moment to sit down & take it all in...... Superb!!!! I kept down the trail a few 100 meters farther to take more photos, turned around & my little friend was gone. He was done- sun was down & he was off. I wonder if this is his daily spot on beautiful days- I wonder if these are his grape vines I was walking through, I wonder how long he has been working his vines, I wonder if his wine is any good??? I should have asked to take his photo- it would have been a great shot...... Ah well......
1 comment:
ABFAB
The photographs you've taken should be enlarged and framed!
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