HI All
Welcome to the update.
So - here is the 1st gig we are undertaking. For the next 6 weeks we are house sitting for a couple in Wald, Switzerland about 30 km from Zurich, while they are holidaying in Oz. All our sits are through a website called Mind My House if anyone is interested in checking it out. This one requires us to look after 4 mouse chasers, water a few plants and that's about it. The rest of the time is ours. We are settling in well and both the mouse chasers and the plants are still alive at the end of the 1st week, so that's a bonus.
We spent our 1st post lag day familiarising ourselves with the village when Phil spots a sign saying Jodel Konzert tonight.
"We gotta go to that" she says.
He says "Bugga - I have to stay in tonight to do my hair".
"You don't have any hair" she lets me know in a voice louder than necessary.
"Oh thank you for bringing that to mine and the entire streets notice dear."
"C'mon, yodelling is very cultural here"
"I feel a head ache coming on - especially if there is a couple of hours of yodelling to listen too".
"OK - I'm going by myself then".
"Have fun!"
Getting close to the time the Jodel Konzert is about to start, I foolishly mentioned "Are you still going yodelling?"
"Yes - but if I'm not back by 11.00 will you come and look for me."
"Of course - in the morning when I get up"
"Nice one - you do know it freezes over out there"
"You'll be right - just walk fast and take a coat in case".
After a wine with a rather frosty atmospheric dinner, the steam ran out. "I've decided not to go. Not that I don't want to mind you, but I think I'm still a bit jet lagged OK"
"Yes Dear!" Phew - got away with that relatively unscathed. I mean - A YODELLING CONCERT. Give me a break.
Next day we headed out for our 1st walk into the hinterland. Philomena was consoling herself with not going to the yodelling concert by singing Swiss hiking songs which involved yodelling with a Scottish accent as we headed up the hills to a divine little hill top Inn. This overlooked a stunning sceneof snow capped mountains, valleys with the odd cow bell and church bell echoing across them and the Von Trapp family escaping from the Nazi's in Austria over the mountains probably. It was all so very Swiss and all so very wonderful. Well - for we tourists anyhow.
The Inn was full of locals who had booked, so seating was a premium. There was a table with a couple of vacant chairs we were led to, making me feel a bit pushy about taking over, but Phil advised that these places have a table especially for these occasions where non booking regulars share, called a stamm-tisch. So, invited to join the regulars, we enjoyed a divine asparagus souppe, salat, schweinfleisch schnitzel und ein bloody great fattening ice cream mit added cream and berries to finish. All this was washed down with a local brew. The other occupants were a happy chatty bunch of like minded walkers. One bloke does this every Sunday. Walks up, has lunch, knocks off a bottle of red by himself and wobbles back down. This is what I call trekking.
This mob have it all worked out. The walk trail signs have the destinations in walking (wobbling) time on them and the destinations with cafe's and restaurants have a special symbol advising that you can get a drink. Very civilised indeed.
So this was our introduction to walking in the Swiss hinterland. After 5 hours of walking, feasting (and yodelling) we arrived back in the village feeling very smug. Thankfully it was all down hill after the feast. Walking up hill would have necessitated in finding a tree to have a wee kip under. To top it all off the weather was clear, warm and the views made the effort worth it all. One thing about wandering about up here is that there is not a lot of flat ground.
Emboldened by our 1st walk, we embarked on a bigger project next day. This one was to head up to the 1100 metre mark on the snow line to a peak called the Bachtel. The previous day's walk was just a warm up compared to this as it was a very steep climb of over 600 m elevation within about 2 kms. The day was perfectly clear, about 18 degrees and the views as we elevated just got bigger, better and finally breathtaking. When we got to the snow we went juvenile and started throwing snowballs about, lying in it making body impressions and doing other silly things that one does when snow is such a novelty.
From the top, the view stretched out over Zurichsee (Lake Zurich) and Oberland then across to the awesome snow covered Alps with hundreds of peaks. WOW factor 10/10 +. This was just breathtaking stuff that make's you feel exhilarated and so glad to be alive!! AND - there was a restaurant with an outside sun terrace to sit and enjoy a coffee while taking all this in. Decided against a bevvie as it was a long steep walk back down.
It was shopping and tourist sightseeing next. We took the wrong bus to Rapperswill down on Lake Zurich, but finally ended up there via a circuitous scenic route. This small(ish) lake side town is surrounded by high peaks, some still with snow which sets off the medieval castle in the alte stadt (old town) to picture postcard stuff. Very nice. The castle dates back to the 1300's, was been restored by a Polish Count back in the 1870's and is now the centre piece for a Polish museum which seems a bit odd in the middle of Switzerland.
While wandering about town Phil picks up a pamphlet advising that a Volksmusik Festival (Folk Music Festival) was going to be happening pretty soon. "We just have to go to this" she says in such a way as not to be misinterpreted in any other way than "we are going to this". "Only if there are blokes wearing leiderhosen, doing fish slapping dances to oomp pah band music" I demanded. The resulting glacier melting glare said enough. Geez - lucky I didn't throw yodelling into the mix. That may have resulted in blood. So - guess where we are going in a couple of weeks.
Our 1st week in Switzerland ended with a divine walk up to the 1300 metre mark complete with snow, mountain scenery to die for and a new standard set for hiking bragging rights.
Those in the know, have to tick the boxes. You know - Larapinta - tick, Milford Track - Tick, Appalachian Trail - tick, Heysen Trail - Tick. Mere piffle. We have a new one, that - once the word is out will have everyone flocking to add this to their walking CV. "THE POO ALPINE TREK"! Yes the Poo Alpine Trek. You got it! Book your tickets now. This is a serious walk - if you like walking in Poo territory!
This led to much juvenile Poo mirth as one must. I.e. "How long to get to (a) poo! Never had to put in so much effort to get to a poo. This is the longest / highest poo I have ever walked to", etc, etc. Yes, yes - very juvenile for ageing walkers I know, but - a time and place thing. Add the odd stuffing of snow into clothing, a snowball fight, sliding down snowy slopes on bums etc - and all in all we carried on like big kids having a great day out, climbing up to 1300m, meeting some other (less immature) walkers doing "The Poo"!
Then to finish it off we ended up waiting for the bus to take us back to the village below at a Sanatorium / Klinick which was a 5 star hospital for the rich and famous - not those on National Health / Medicare. This was 4 stories of private hospital overlooking the awesome snow capped mountains complete with private balcony for each room to assist in the recuperation from what ever ailments the rich and famous have. You should have seen it. WOW!
We benefited from the establishment because it had a bar. We purchased a very expensive beer each, sat on the sun terrace sipping it after our serious Poo Trek and revelled in the mountain scenery that was on offer at a hospital without having to involve our travel insurance.
OK - that's about it. Hope all is good for you where ever you are.
Till next time.
Tschuss
Philomena & Volker
