Exercising in the Engadin

It's hard to fathom how gorgeous all of Switzerland is, until you actually visit. Literally everywhere you go, there are landscapes of impeccable beauty, with none more stunning than the Alpine state of Engadin.

There you'll find St. Moritz, Pontresina, Morteratsch, Diavolezza Mountain (with its wildly gorgeous glacier), Staz, Corvatsch, Silvaplana, Muottas Muragi and many more mountains and lakes where the locals seem to be constantly moving, even when the snow is the deepest.

Here is Diavolezza,a glacier at the top of the world, for example. People actually ski down this glacier in the winter; this photo was taken on a summer day:

Visiting in summer, I had to imagine what Lake St. Moritz looks like when it is completely frozen and the crazy Swiss skiers strap themselves to horses (they are on skis, and act as their own sled) and race across the lake, hanging on to the reins for dear life. That's easy to do if you walk out to the observation jetty near the center of town and take a peek into the two periscopes situated at either side.

Unexpectedly, you will not see a close up of the majestic panorama before you. Instead, each periscope has a different photo, one of those nutty horse races on skis, the other of the annual polo match played on the frozen lake. That's right, polo on a snow pack, atop the ice. You've gotta love it!

This is Lake St. Moritz when it is not frozen:

 

This being summer, we opted for a different kind of exercise: riding electric bikes from Flying Cycles in Pontresina (a town nearby St. Moritz) through the dense forest to Morteratsch. All the way we marveled at the well-maintained hiking/biking path, apparently one of countless paths that criss-cross the Alps in this region, make the Engadin a hikers' and mountain bikers' paradise all summer long. 

Electric bicycles are very cool; you have to pedal them and change gears just like a regular bike, but when you come to a hill, you can give yourself a boost by upping the power. The bike gives you a bit of a push, making it a lot easier to climb big mountains, despite the fact that the electric bike is substantially heavier than a normal one. Be careful when you stop not to drop the bike on your leg!

And try to avoid having helmet hair that looks like mine if at all possible, too.

(With Maja Gartmann)

 

 

We passed plenty of hikers of all ages, other bikers and even a cow or two on the ride; this being a Saturday, the Swiss were out in force, all happy to be breathing the fresh mountain air and taking in the vast expanses of breathtaking scenery.

Then it was on to the famous Schwingfest (cue the "Wayne's World" jokes here!), a special Swiss wrestling tournament happening on the banks of Lake Silvaplana, which happens to be the best kite boarding and windsurfing lake in all of Switzerland. The constant winds draw brave souls even when the water is still icy with glacial runoff; most were in thick wetsuits on the June day we were there.

What a setting for a day of serious exercise! The wind was blowing so hard it made my reconstructed shoulder recoil in fear; this is one sport that takes massive upper body strength, needed to control the kite. I don't think my shoulder would like it, but boy, it is very cool to watch others do it.

Nearby, the Schwingfest was taking place in a pop-up arena, where five wrestling rings are set up in the center. A traditional sport practiced by Swiss farmers, the men face off wearing pants, short-sleeved dress shirts, sneakers and baggy shorts. The object seems to be to first give the other guy a wedgie by pulling on his shorts, which makes it easier to flip him and pin him, as in traditional wrestling. Stands filled with people were watching on this Saturday afternoon, all the while eating big bratwurst sausages (that looked and tasted suspiciously like fat hot dogs to me), drinking large plastic steins of beer and even letting out a yodel now and then. It was a slightly surreal scene, to be sure, but my Swiss hosts insist this is a typical tradition all over Switzerland. In fact, these were the regional championships. See the kite surfers in the background below?

This kind of sport makes me glad I am female. I have no problem accepting that this one is for men only!

Finally, back on Lake St. Moritz, we hopped into a sleek little sail boat and off we went, whooshing across the lake at a great rate as the favorable afternoon winds (which apparently come up every day there at about the same time) sped us across the crystal blue waters.

 And that is how you spend a day exercising in the Engadin.