THE ALPS



    WE STARTED IN ALAGNA A VILLAGE ABOUT AN HALF OF HOURS DRIVE FROM THE SCHOOL IN VARALLO. OF COURSE, THERE WERE SOME PEOPLE LATE SO WE ALL HAD TO WAIT. AFTER EVERYBODY WAS THERE WE ASKED TO THE CABLE CAR LIFT THAT WOLD LIFT US ONTO MONTA ROSA THE SECOND HIGHEST PEAK IN ITALY. WE HAD TO SWITCH CABLE CARS THREE TIME AND WENT TO THE ELEVATION OF ABOUT 10,370 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL.
    AFTER THE THIRD CABLE CAR WE WENT INTO A SKI LODGE WHERE WE COULD EAT. WE TOOK SOME BEAUTIFUL PICTURES THROUGH THE WINDOWS AND THEN DISCOVERED THAT WE COULD ACTUALLY WALK OUTSIDE TO TAKE PICTURES. IT WAS BEAUTIFUL!! WE WERE ACTUALLY UP IN THE CLOUDS AND THE PEAKS WERE JUST INCHES ABOVE THE CLOUDS. AFTER A WHILE WE DISCOVERED THERE WAS AN UPSTAIRS PLACE WERE WE COULD LOOK OUT OVER THE MOUNTAINS. IT WAS TOTALLY SNOW COVERED BUT WE MANAGED TO WALK AROUND AND HAVE A SNOWBALL FIGHT. AFTER ABOUT A HOUR IN THE ALPS IT WAS TIME TO LEAVE. BUT WE HAD LOTS OF PICTURES AND HAD LEARNED A LOT. WE DISCOVERED THAT WE WERE NOT VERY FAR FROM TWO COUNTRIES OF FRANCE AND SWITZERLAND. THERE WERE ALSO REFUGEE PLACES FOR SKIERS OR ANYONE WHO NEEDED TO GET OUT OF THE COLD WEATHER.

KARLA CULP