Giddy-Up! Taking a Carriage Ride to Lake Staz in Switzerland

Extolling the virtues of Switzerland is pretty easy, since it is a place that's so clean and beautiful that you can actually drink the water out of most of their lakes. That environmental awareness is only a part of the overall high quality of life that the Swiss seem to live so effortlessly. They control their own government, have excellent health care, retirement pension plans for everyone, that sparkling clean air and water – so many things that are lacking in my own country of the United States of America. 

But one thing they have that I do NOT like are big wanking mosquitoes, which I discovered on a lovely summer evening carriage ride up into the woods outside of St. Moritz Bad, in the Engadin. Huge bastards, I swear they are the size of horseflies! And naturally, as is my cross to bear in life, they found me, strafed me and took a chomp out of my arm. This on a carriage carrying ten people, with massive horses pulling the huge carriage up and up into the Alps. And most of those people at the end of the otherwise beautiful ride said to me, "Mosquitoes? What mosquitoes?"

Of course, the ride itself to Lake Staz was stunningly gorgeous. I swear, there is no place in Switzerland that isn't picture perfect.

That shot was on the way, here's where we ended up:

Just crazy beautiful scenery, reminds me of Montana and Wyoming in the USA.

There's a terrific restaurant in a chalet there, perched on the side of the lake, that serves traditional Swiss fare. It's called Restorant al Lej da Staz, and has a big terrace outside and cozy banquettes inside. It is a hotel as well, and you don't have to take a horse and buggy to get there; however, cars are restricted in this valley, so you have to park in one of the nearby cities (Waldhaus or St. Moritz) and take a shuttle bus up to the lake. Of course, you can hike or mountain bike in, too.

They served us one of the best dishes I had during all of my stay in Europe: a veal ragout atop a mountain cheese polenta, presented in a mason jar. It was swooningly delicious, creamy, dense and filled with rustic flavor.

Dessert was yummy as well, a Tarte Tatin that just melted in my mouth.

Warning! If they offer you Braulio Amaro Alpino, be afraid. That Italian liqueur made of dried herbs, spring water and alcohol is so strong it may make your hair stand on end. I know it did mine!