Sean in Switzerland

Saturday the 1st of August was Swiss National day. We went into the mountains to a farmhouse and had traditional Swiss farmhouse fare and it was delightful. We accompanied the Bavarian on a 40 minute hike up the mountain to get to the farmhouse where there was a huge fry pan full of rosti, I am talking a pan that was half a metre by half a metre! We had farmhouse yogurt and Alp cheese and butterkopf and homemade jams and wonderful coffee. Then after a set back brought on by the confusion of too many cooks spoiling the broth we made off to walk up the mountain and made our way to a mountain lake, which after walking for what seemed like hours in 28 degree heat was like an oasis to a thirsty man. The water was freezing though and only allowed a short swim, although after the mad scientist stood by the waters edge for half an hour, she announced after getting in that she could stay in the water all afternoon.

Then we embarked on a lovely stroll over the mountains and through the fields, stopping by a farmhouse slash pub to use the toilet and talk to the swines. Walking past the most beautiful Alpine flowers and the most breathtaking views on a beautiful and warm day, it really was a day to celebrate. We sat on the side of a hill over looking mountain cows and ate a snack of sandwiches and tomatoes whilst the cows absent mindedly played their tune on the bells around their necks. There is nothing quite like eating when you have earned it, the way the food tastes and the satisfaction from knowing that you deserve to be eating is just divine. Doing this whilst looking down the green peaceful valley and up to snow covered peaks is even more pleasant. Life was good. Life was grand.

Then after about 4 hours or so of hiking through the day we made it back to the Audi, our chariot. Not even the blisters that announced themselves on my heels when the boots were thankfully removed could dampen the delightful feeling of a day spent in the Swiss mountains. Then after driving around and back and forth for a time, the Bavarian took us to a swimming spot in lake Thun, we were swimming at 8pm in the sunlight and it was the perfect way to end and refresh after a day of hiking.

Then we made our way back to Bern with a swiftly emptying petrol tank that the Bavarian refused to refill because he was convinced he could get the petrol cheaper and because he had the mad scientist in the back seat to push if the petrol ran out completely. We became hungry and then we became delusional. First the mad scientist thought out loud and pondered “imagine what it would be like to be that house over there!” The Bavarian said “I imagine what it would be like to be that castle there!” I just laughed at them. Then came the fateful ice cream sign, after which the Bavarian was obsessed with getting ice cream, he even wondered how much ice cream we would get for a Ferrari as we passed a Ferrari showroom. There was corn everywhere, but no ice cream and no diamonds! There was fireworks and fires though, but this was all useless to an ice cream obsessed Bavarian.

Finally we made it to Bern, went to an area that was a good vantage point for the official fireworks, but more importantly we found ice cream and it was very good ice cream. Then we climbed up on a wall and watched some fireworks, fearful all the time that the crazy Swiss behind us letting off fireworks would deafen us or maim us at any moment. Thankfully we dragged the mad scientist away relatively early on in the fireworks display, as fireworks really are quite boring, all the while she was waxing philosophically about the audio waves produced by the “big whoop boom” of the fireworks, which really tickles her fancy!

We made it home and bid the Bavarian a good evening and then slid into bed to the annoying symphony of every idiot in the neighbourhood letting off fireworks; it worked, as I slept like a log!