I have just got back from a fabulous week in northern Italy and south east Switzerland. Those who follow me on Instagram will have seen some of the sights - a daily spam of blue skies, picture perfect villages and craggy mountains. The washing machine is on and I have milk in the fridge, so all is well here in Oxford.
I mentioned Switzerland on a previous blog post - it was my first holiday abroad and it set a very high bench mark for following holidays. To be frank, it is in my 'perfect holiday' time capsule, so going back, some thirty years later, was going to be an exciting and nostalgic trip. Crossing the border from northern Italy into Switzerland made my heart flutter. I watched as the houses gradually turned into the dark wood Swiss chalets I remembered as a child. The hills were dense with fir trees and the mountains were topped with snow. The silence was bliss, only interrupted by the sound of cow bells in the distance. Everything was fresh, clearer, cleaner and unspoilt.
I caught the Bernina Express train from Poschiavo up the Swiss Alpes to St Moritz. The journey was spectacular with breathtaking views down valleys and up mountains. It is hard for me to put into words how stunning it was. St Moritz was a perfect Swiss town, full of designer shops and lovely restaurants. It was fun being in a ski resort during summer, the ski lifts looked quite odd hung over the green valleys. Traveling down the Maloja Pass, a windy road in the Swiss Alps, was pretty terrifying. I really can't imagine anyone driving down it during winter.
I also went on a boat trip across Lake Lugano from Morcote - a historic fishing village, to Lugano - an extremely chic and glamorous city. So many wonderful places and sights, I could go on and on.
While I was in Switzerland I was determined to buy a cuckoo clock. It was hot in Lugano and more like Bond Street than a cuckoo clock shop district. So, when I finally found a clock shop I was beside myself with excitement. Inside was a wall of cuckoo clocks in different styles, shapes and sizes. They were all showing different times, with pendulums going at different speeds. It was a magical sight.
Here is my new cuckoo clock (on the left) - I had my tool box out before I had even unpacked my suitcase! I think they go very well together and who knows, maybe I will go back one day for a third.
More of my trip to follow...
