Friday, September 10, 2010

"Swiss Valley: A glimpse of heaven"


"Swiss Valley: A glimpse of heaven"
Originally uploaded by Don Sausa

Jen and I were on a small train to the Jungfrau-Aletsch Protected Area, the only World Heritage Site in the Alps. We had to go to this small town called Grindelwald which you see in the valley below. That town's at 4,000 feet above sea level and I'm guessing here, but I took this shot probably around 5,000 feet.

I can honestly say that this valley is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to. Simply, simply amazing. It makes you want to think what heaven would be like.

I didn't know this until later but Grindelwald's very popular in film:

- Many scenes of the documentary film The Alps were shot in the region of Grindelwald.
- The James Bond film, On Her Majesty's Secret Service includes a chase through a skating rink and Christmas festival in Grindelwald.
- Grindelwald's mountains were used as the basis for the view of Alderaan in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.
- Some of the action scenes in The Golden Compass were also shot in Grindelwald.
- JK Rowling is said to have used the name of 'Grindelwald' in the creation of her character; Gellert Grindelwald, in the Harry Potter novels.

Equipment: Canon 7D + Canon 17-40mm f/4L: 1/160 secs, f8, ISO 100
Composition notes: The valley starts from the bottom right of the frame and leads to the top of the mountain.

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