Opportunism

While climbing to the top of Furkapass (2436m), one is inclined to stop three quarters of the way up to take a gander at glacier there, and to lessen the pressure in one's kidney's accentuated no doubt by the thrilling climb up. Here are a couple of views of the road up:


Much is to be said about the enterprising souls who have bought up the land that offers the only reasonable access to this glacier. This picture sets the scene.



Note, how the little building to the right of the icy mass command access to the glacier. It is between the big building and the ice. Thus, one is forced to pay five Swiss francs to go and see what is essentially free. Oh, well, perhaps it is an indisposition on my part to be taken for a ride, but I ain't payin'.

However, here is the glacier. Quite a sight you will agree. I need to find out its name sometime.


The cunning metallic arrangement that keeps at bay people unwilling to shell out francs is at the beginning of the road to the right and bottom of the picture. Those poor chaps in the picture are probably thinking: "Shit, this snow's too cold. I didn't pay five francs for the same old cold snow, I can get that in my refrigerator. Bad business practice! Swiss tourism is going steadily downhill"

Another funny thing about this establishment was that I had to pay money to gain access to the toilette. Fair enough if at the end of the deal I was led into a well appointed, cozy little place. Instead what I got was a semi-room built into the rock face. The toilette had a door, thankfully, but the wall was absent, so that people buying souveniers outside could take a souvenier shot of me and add it to their 'apes in communion with nature' collection, if they were so inclined.

The show-stopper though was this piece of rock:


Note how cunningly the message that translated from german read "not a Pissoir" is woven into the rock's fabric. This rock was jutting in into the toilette, right next to the Pissoir. Perhaps, the clientele preferred to create their own mini waterfalls while passing water. Or, maybe people prefer to be in direct contact with nature.