The Alps, Engadin

Arrived in Scuol, the first impression is that of a classic Swiss summer landscape that makes you expect Heidi —the original girl character from the 1880 novel by J. Spyri— to appear anytime around the corner.

Indeed, things change only very slowly in the Swiss mountains, if they change at all. The Canton Graubünden has in fact a long tradition of resistance to change, allowing only in 1925 the automobile on its roads and granting only in 1972 the voting right to female citizens. Yet, this is also where world leaders meet once a year and debate about the future (Davos), and where mountain biking has become a most popular summer sport.

But, this was not an excursion into the Swiss mentality, instead we wanted to spent about two weeks trekking through these mountains. And that's what we did, always chasing another stunning view, great light or both. And we never grew tired of it. The variety of gorges, mountain trails and paths is so great that you keep longing for more.

Most of the towns have also managed to keep their characteristic atmosphere both by renovating and conserving the old houses as well as by finding sustainable economic income for their habitants —ski tourism in winter, trekking tourism in summer.

A more comprehensive image compendium of this trip is available as a hardcover photo album here. You may want to also have a look at the other books I have made.

—Miguel Albrecht