Team Hall vs. Team Heller

Our last day in Zermatt, and kids did their own thing.  The Ambassador Hotel has provided amenities others have lacked, such as a pool, suite-size rooms, and a kitchen.  Some swam or floated away aching muscles.  Some--Barry K., for one--made homemade pizza in his room and invited friends. And he even cleaned up afterward, because the hotel charges 100 Swiss francs if you don't. (Contrary to an even better poem in the comments section, BK did not do his laundry but got lost on another mountain with Alec G. They posted a US flag, I think.) Two kids went hang-gliding  in a scenic wonderland--good choice, bad price.  As you all know, Switzerland is very expensive.  I saw kids eating ice cream and McDonald's fries for lunch.

LV tagged along with nine others on a morning walk/hike to the Gornerslucht.  This is a rickety walk on old wooden bridges with rotted out railings through a narrow gorge with rushing waters. Tremendous.  Since Michelle C. and Jillian M. skipped The Gornergrot--both feeling a little under the weather--they lead the way this time. David,  Alec, Paul, Caitlin, Melissa, Mona, and  Stephanie H. were also up for another hike the day after--I was impressed.  Jillian and Melissa really do not like bugs and the mossy air provided slap-silly antics on their part.  We took some good pictures, but they don't capture the essence.  If you hike with David odds are you'll be asked to take a "jumping picture" with him.  Problem is, we have to do it over and over again to get it just right.  Mostly, his legs have elevated his torso far above the frame. I have a few shots posted for your benefit.  Now everyone is doing it. Incidentally, if you have not seen your kid's name mentioned much, tell them to hang a little more with LV.  He gets out.

In the afternoon, while LV blogged, the game of the century ensued at a soccer field outside of town.  Team Hall consisted of Cummings, Crose, Kato, Kinney, Springer, Rees, Scott, and Kramer.  Team Heller had Skop, Indjian, Aston, Overstreet, Brown, Goldberg, Krum, and Kurt. From varied reports, Team Heller jumped out to a 6-2 lead with goals from Skop, Aston (2), Kurt (2) and Heller.  But Team Hall charged back when Cummings decided to stop passing and go one on one.  He scored three goals in a row to tie the game up and send it into extra time. Earlier, Michelle Crose--the only girl, and obviously feeling better--scored, even though Goldberg was shadowing her the whole game, as did Hall and Kramer.  Team Heller won the kick off, and the whole game was played without injury.  Well, actually, Drew body-checked his cousin Cameron and no foul was called. We'll have to check Cameron's knee and trick shoulder this morning.  I heard M. Kato was a beast as a defender, but Hall said MVP goes to Aston.

We're off the Italy today.

Zermatt Day 3 pictures at http://gallery.mac.com/mjhoeger/100059

Truly but wryly,

LV