The long flight before and after could not have been further from my mind!
Then a wonderful reunion with Marco at the airport and back home to Trudi's. I realise just how fantastic it is to be able to be at home in two such fabulous countries like New Zealand and Switzerland, but not only that, to have such close friends in both and a place to call home, and of course family in Nz and Britain.
There were some pretty chilly days prior to leaving Switzerland so the temperature in the twenties was very welcome, though soon too warm! It was great to brunch and bbq outside with such great views of the mountains and 'my lake'!
I realised how much at home I was in Zurich as I bumped into an old friend as I got out of the train and was warmly greeted by all at the school. It was lovely to walk along by the lake to the school, to meet friends both for lunch, drinks and dinner.
With a wonderful combination of work and pleasure, I soon settled back into life on the other side of the world. I had a gorgeous day with Marco in Rapperswil. I used to simply pass through the station and was one day introduced to this beautiful town , on the banks of the Zurichsee with a fantastic panorama, by Marco. I love the narrow alleyways, its colourful houses and the varied wildlife seen from the wooden bridge. It's a really restful place, perfect for catching up with a great friend after a half year away.
There is a lot to be done for the summer camps but I think I have allowed plenty of time for this.
Trudi and I had a brilliant day at one of the most beautiful gardens I know, Selegor Moor. I hadn't realised how far away it was and traffic on the motorway was horrendous, especially after the sometimes near empty roads of NZ. But, once in the tranquil surroundings of the park, the noise and pressure just melted away. The senses were totally awoken by the fantastic birdsong, the scent of the thousands of azaleas and camelias and the splendid sight of the absolutely marvelous colourful blooms.
What a paradise.
By the pools the sound of the frogs was incredible. It is hard to believe that such small creatures can be so loud. It was fantastic to watch them , hundreds of them trying to find partners willing enough to mate! Many females playing hard to get!
It was a truly memorable visit to this heavenly place.
Now I am on the road again, with Dennis. Actually, no , first we took the train to Salzburg. Five hours can go very quickly when you have someone to make you laugh!
A great source of amusement were the uniforms worn by the waitresses. They looked as if they were moulded to the bodies and the girls could hardly move. I certainly would not get a job there.
It is a bit like a dream really that I am travelling again considering that I landed in Switzerland only one week ago. It has been an action-packed, friend-filled week.
I am so happy to be able to travel again with Dennis, though amazingly it was only 5 weeks ago that we were enjoying the magnificent places in New Zealand. We are now both discovering places in Austria which we have not visited before. Neither of us has spent much time in Austria and it looks very much as though it is well worth visiting. What a gorgeous view from the hills down on the old town of Salzburg, nearly all pedestrian area.
It's a magnificent setting, with this little city nestled in between the hills and the river.
The first thing we did was take the elevator up to a rather swish restaurant to savour both the view
And the delicious Apfelstrudel with Vanilla sauce. Yum!
And of course being together with a great friend , the king of selfies! He is pretty good at them!
Salzburg is a city of fountains, sculptures- some quite interesting !
And others requiring less imagination.
And incredible buildings built into the cliff faces, withstanding the tests of time
Not to mention the huge open squares offering perfect places for markets, concerts and even vintage car rallies
There is plenty to see both in the old and the so-called new town. We had a wonderful stroll through the gardens in the new town. Very formally laid out gardens
but with yet more rather remarkable figures. I need to research their background.
They certainly seemed rather fierce and not something one would want to meet on a dark night!
Dennis and I went our separate ways for a couple of hours . It was a warm day so I soon headed to a fabulously cool and quiet coutyard with the most magnificent tree and much-needed shade to start writing this blog.
It was a haven. In fact, I found the new town just as captivating as the old one, particularly the lovely cemetery where Mozart's widow and father were buried.
It was a brilliant start to our long weekend trip. Thanks Dennis
And also to the incredible weather we had. We have been unbelievably lucky wherever we have been.
I loved this forecast, seen in the new town.
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