Another regular morning climb took us past some older day walkers, dozens of bike riders with similar variegated paths and landscape. We came down from the forests and the cows to see a lake in a narrow valley, the sun doubling the view with nature's reflection in the water. There were a few small boats, a couple of kayaks and the odd fishing boat. We walked for a couple of kilometres between a small passenger [...]
Off and up into the now sunny hills, but with just enough chIll to keep us happy on track. Long hills today but after nearly losing our breath yesterday, most hills are fine now, or almost. We passed farmers cutting grass (about the only work being done in the fields for we have seen no crops) - bar one woman digging truffles, and a few boys were out working with their dads, one dad was [...]
Doris, the breakfast nun, thrust out her hand and before I could recall Dorita's handshake of the night before, she crushed it again (all 40 kilos of her). Apart from the damage she was doing to unsuspecting guests she was delightful, funny, and had the energy to run the distances we were walking, and we got all of this without her having to speak one word of English. She was one of those few people [...]
As we trialled our new bed in a real house it rained heavily and all night. Switzerland's weather has followed this pattern ever since we've been here, never raining after 9-10am. Previously we had been looking for dinner places with no luck. A passer-by apologetically informed us there was no food here so with forlorn faces we went home. But we were lucky, our mythological b&b manager turned up and gave us a version of [...]
It's the cows' shed. They sauntered out underneath our dorm of 16 beds - and only us. As they moved out from being milked they paused below our window, not to welcome us, but to have their head cleaned or scratched with one of those car wash type rotators. Then the milker began washing them before they entered their day long dining room to refuel yet again. On our floor just down the tool shed [...]
We know now from our hosts that there is no official Swiss language though roughly, it is German to the east, French to the west, Italian to the south, and drawing a line from north to south through Bern it is a certain dialect different from the others. Not much use to us though as we need to speak English or Spanish - the latter not high on the Swiss priority list. Like most Swiss [...]
A stream of cloudy light woke me as I climbed up from the floor where our 5 mattresses covered the entire floor. Our new young German friend Brigitte slept on mattress no. 5 under the window while those possibly with more need of the bathroom - Corrie and I, slept near the door. Our wonderful sleeping companion who was great to talk to, also helped us with accommodation tips, walking in Switzerland hints, and translations [...]
Very steep but smaller hills at present, leaning forward seems pretty important because balance for pd people wavers over time so important that we practice it. I also need to become confident with smaller hills so I'm ready for the taller ones. I certainly don't have an issue with other walkers getting in the way, because there aren't any - not one. It may be that it's a little cold (okay for us because it's [...]
I picked up a forgotten umbrella and slipped out to look for a croissant shop - bakerie. 'More than usual' bells rang a bell for me that many shops might be closed. An hour before opening time I peered through a window at a croissant person and tried to balance my 'need for a croissant' look so I didn't look too threateningly desperate at one end and not too 'smarmingly trying to be charming' look, [...]
