Aosta, Italy 2009

It is my 25th AA anniversary!!
I will do something that gives me a bit of fear, to celebrate that I am alive. What will it be?
The highest gondola ride in Europe, it takes three rides to get to the top. I am at the top of the world! Helbronner. I thought the platform was moving, the attendant told me it was my lack of oxygen that made it seem that way. No wonder, I can see the top of the Alps, I am looking at Mt. Blanc in the eye. Now, my batteries go dead for the camera. They have them here. Now a little bit of snow flakes and mist moves abound the mountain tops. On the second lift, there is an alpine garden to peruse while one gets the strength to go on. What a feat of engineering to take me all the way up these mountains.
Next day bus to Chamonix. I walked around and did not like the feeling of the place or the restaurants, so got some picnic and came to my room. There at the end of the hallway was big window that opened and two easy chairs. Picnic perfect. The view if of a glacier, tonguing its way down the valley. Surrounded by pine forest, now the sun is on the ice, wispy clouds in and out over the tops of the mountains, exposing the blue sky.
I thought I had heard thunder before, but in the valley, Zeus was at his very best. I was sure it was an avalanche, it was so loud and reverberating, what else could it be? A memorable clap for my sobriety.