Schwiizertüütsch

Greetings from Switzerland! In a couple of hours, I'll be catching a train out to the airport and heading home to Melbourne. It's been a fascinating few days for me here in and around Zürich and I've experienced the full range of emotions from feelings of dislocation all the way through to homesickness for this place! It's been great staying with Marion and Adrian (they visited me on Phillip Island while I was living there) and also catching up with a handful of old friends and my relatives too. Adrian very spontaneously took most of Tuesday off and took me gliding out near Walensee, about 60km or so east of Zürich. Needless to say, it was totally amazing! Unfortunately my digital camera has finally given up the ghost so I was only able to take pictures with my mobile phone - quality isn't as good. On Wednesday I met up with my friend Eveline (some of you will remember her from my 40th Birthday last year) and we did a fantastic walk together, starting in Walenstadt (far eastern end of Walensee) and continuing eastward along the side of the valley for about 5 hours or so. It was a 32° day in nearby Chur and the views all around of the lake, the mountains (particularly my favourites the Churfirsten) and the fertile valley where just lovely. We passed through vineyards and farmland and traversed up and down through shaded woods and over rocky streams. A highlight was climbing up to the St. Georgen chapel, which is on the site of an old Roman fortification and even older Bronze Age remains. Steps from Roman times could still be seen, well and truly worn into the rocks. On returning to Zürich, we went for a swim at the Letten, a bathing area along the Limmat River, which flows out of the Lake of Zürich. Just what was needed after sweating all day! And in the evening, I met up with a handful of old workmates from my days at the Zürcher Kantonalbank, in the grounds of the Landesmuseum in the middle of town - during summer they set up a bar and restaurant there and have DJs working some appropriate grooves while the Zürich crowd does what it does best - enjoys itself whilst looking rather chic!

Speaking for the most part wall-to-wall Schwiizertüütsch (Swiss-German) again after 2 years of hardly a word of it has been just great, with only one notable mistake to mention! After flying on Tuesday, Adrian and I sat down in the restaurant at the airfield and whilst he was on the phone, I ordered a drink for myself. I saw Radler on the drinks list, which is the German word for a shandy (it's acceptable for men to drink them in this part of the world!) but I knew the Swiss word was from the French. I heard someone behind me ordering a Schale which isn't French but for a moment it sounded about right so that's what I ordered! A couple of minutes later, the waitress brought out a coffee with milk in it and I realised my mistake! 'S Panache would've got me want I really wanted so that's what I ordered 5 minutes later after gulping down the coffee!

It's been just brilliant being back here and I've been reminded just how much I love this city, this region, this country and her people. A part of me stayed here 2 years ago when I left and in a couple of hours, reluctantly, I'll have to say goodbye to it again. But at the same time, I'm just sooooo looking forward to being back in Melbourne, seeing my lovely Nadia again and also my dear family. Right now I'm feeling so blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life, whether they're in Australia, Switzerland, Denmark, England or Ireland! Thanks to all the people I've visited for helping to make this whole trip just so great!