April and the beginning of spring perhaps. Or so we hoped.
We had a visit from my (Chris) niece Rose, and we, or rather I, spent a few days or so taking her around to see some of the sights of Switzerland. Rose was returning to Cape Town from London Fashion Week where she had had a stand displaying her wedding dresses. It seems to have been quite successful and she now has her dresses in several boutiques. It was lovely having her stay with us, it has been many years since we last saw Rose and it was good to catch up with what has been happening over the intervening years.
The visit wasn’t an unalloyed success as it started snowing the day before she arrived. Snow in April, we thought this was spring! The daffodils were out and the tulips were just coming into bud. In spite of this sudden assault the plants mostly survived, but my basil, which I had just planted, did not. It also left the sheep looking somewhat discombobulated in their spring grazing.
Daffodils struggling inthe snow
Sheep somewhat surprised and confused
In spite of this we managed to get up into the mountains but there was no point in going to the top in the clouds. We did go up as far as Muren which at least gave a feeling of the scale of the Alps. We returned via lake Thun, but definitely not a day for swimming.
Lauterbrunnen. I had never sen this waterfall before. Must be the melting sow
Thhe view from Murren, snow and cloud.
Lake Thun looked inviting but Rose resisted swimming.
Since Rose left the cold weather has continued, without too much snow, but we have been insulated against it in our flat by the highly efficient heating. Until 2 days ago when the system ceased. Our landlord, who is on the same system with us had just ordered a newer version to be installed later this summer. The old one promptly expired. I maintain that it was feeling slighted by the news that it was to be replaced, threw a wobbly and brought down its retribution upon us. The dividing line between animate and inanimate objects is not hard and fast in my experience.
In spite of the weather we have managed to get out now and then for a few walks in the country and last weekend we did a morning’s walk along a section of the Aare river. Spring, such as it is, had brought out the rowers and we had a lovely walk. It is the sort of place where would like to live when we return from Ethiopia in a couple of year’s time, near the river and in the French part of Switzerland.
Rowing on the Aare. Imagine living somewhere nearby. Oh well, we can dream
At the end of the week we are off to Bosnia and Croatia for a week. Neither of us have been to that area before and we are really looking forward to it. We saw a film last night that portrayed the difficulties in coming to terms with what had happened in the war in the 90’s and what the participants had done and experienced. Very moving and gives us an indication of what it must be like to have been caught up in something like that. Fortunately, Ursula has a work colleague in Bosnia and she has been giving us advice on where to go and what to see, so although it will only be a short visit we should be able to pack quite a bit in.
Best wishes to all and love from both of us
Chris and Ursula.
The tulips survived the cold snap, well they are probably used to it, unlike our basil.