Either the Swiss haven't been sucked into Fathers' Day yet, or they're very low key about it. There was nothing in the shops beforehand. Did you know the Kiwis celebrate in September? We celebrated with a pancake breakfast, followed by a hike around the top of "Creux-du-Van". There are many sites devoted to this place. It's beautiful. Walter had already hiked up to it alone, while the boys and I were in Scotland last. We decided it would be better to drive up to the top and hike around the top with boys. The car park is just back form the farm house there. That group of cows were standing around the entry. Allie and Toby were a little perturbed.
There is a path that runs RIGHT beside the bazillion foot vertical drop, and on the other side of a wall are fields. We crossed over to the fields to walk.
This is my contribution to the many pics of Creux-du-Van. Somewhere in there is Lac Bienne.
We tried to make it up to the highest point, and were rewarded with a view of Mnt Blanc (take my word for it) and Lac Leman (Lake Geneva).
After wandering for an appropriate amount of time to build an appetite, we repaired to the farm house for a 'country lunch'. This consisted of tasty homemade bread, soft cheese and the BEST ever smoked sausage. I'm not the biggest preserved meats fan (all those lymph nodes and bum fat!) but this was delish. Makes my mouth water thinking about it. The boys behave like zoo animals around it.
Finally, I've gotten a pic of cow with bell attached. I wish I'd gotten more. They all wear very different bells (depending on much money the farmer has made?). This one was in a herd meandering around the road as we came down from the top.
Walter comes back from working in Spain today. He'll be getting his Father's Day cake, made by 2 boys who missed him :)
OK this is more of a food 'post'. We have been trying to work out the logistics of camping here. It turns out that there are camping 'resorts' with pools, full service bathrooms, games rooms and plots with electricity hook ups. That is certainly very nice, and we'll be trying those, but it would be nice to go to the wilderness for a night. We'd like to be the only ones, with a nice camp fire (you can have them anywhere here) and a wee hike. One important aspect of this experience would be marshmallows (according to the boys), and they are sadly lacking here. Well, there are novelty marshmallows... so last time we were in the states, we bought a few bags of 'jetpuft' deliciousness. The boys needed to practice, and their efforts were rewarded ;) The neighbours would walk past, looking curiously at us. Sorry, we ain't ready to share yet.
My grandad used to grow 'alpine strawberries'. They are actually wild, teeny tiny straws that are a whole different, sweet flavour when ripe. The animals can tell exactly when that is, and consequently they are rare. I found these on my walk and they hadn't been eaten... because they were very acidic indeed. The flavour was evocative, though.
As for camping, we need to bite the weenie and just go somewhere to a field... preferably without cows... and ticks.. and wild boars... hehehe
Last weekend was the annual "Foire de St Blaise". Lots of stalls, most with cheapola stuff, some with tasty preserved meats and fudge and ofcourse 'The Band'. They come out for all the events, and they ALWAYS play: 1) theme from Rocky 2) theme from Police Academy 3) theme from the A-Team. I love 'em!!!
We just returned from a very nice week in Scotland, with my family. This and the trip to the States remind me that I should do a post on flying...
This is the trip that was supposed to take place during the week of the "Premier Mars" holiday (Neuchatel's peasant uprising), whereupon I thought I hadn't left enough time to renew Allie's passport. During renewing of his passport, we experienced impossibly fast international mail delivery: Monday- Walter and I have to both appear at the embassy with son, to verify we are both parents who want son to travel abroad, then sign papers. Nice man at embassy says we should expect passport in 4 weeks minimum, and that's expedited because the passport has to be sent to DC for processing. We opt not to pay for first class postage from the embassy to Saint Blaise, since we've decided not to go to the UK yet. Thursday- passport appears in the mail!!!!!! That's just impossible. We were flabberasted- 3 days turnaround. I'd like to think they put it in a diplomatic pouch ;)
While in the mother country, we got to see my brother Jamie and his blossomingly preggo wife Susan. She's due in late September and according to Jamie the bump is called Archie. We visited my brother Robert and his fiancee Marie-Claire in their new, lovely apartment. WhoZat? ZatsJamie! Jamie all pooped after Uncly duties. Uncle Gummy and Uncle Susan. This photo was taken on the only really nice day we had. The day after, it chucked it down and the wind blew a complete hoolie. As I was standing at the kithchen sink (faces out the opposite side of the house), I saw the tent fly over, into the driveway. It actually flew over the house! On the stairs up to Rob's flat.
Robert's doing the "Gobi Challenge" in a couple of weeks. He's going to walk 140 miles in a week, across the Gobi desert for the 2 charities: MacMillan Cancer Support and the MS Society. My dad's going too to give free dental treatment for the people of South Gobi province. If anyone wants to sponsor Rob, his email address is: robertkmacdonald@yahoo.co.uk
Did I say I love the beach? Even in gale force winds. I think the British eat icecream at the beach for the same reason that they tend to eat really hot curry: "I can take it. I'm as hard as nails."
Millie-the-Magnificent
We grew up for the most part with dogs. Jack Russells actually. The last one, Daisy, started out cute as a button but gradually turned a little odd. I think if she was human, she would have been diagnosed with a mental illness. Maybe depression or a neurosis...Was it living with us? I think she was inbred. I loved her and she hated my boyfriends. She also thought that she was above my youngest brother Robert in the pecking order. She really had a perfect life: in the country, she could get out through the catflap any time, plenty of badger holes to go down and roast beef for breakfast. Anyway, when my mum told me they were getting Millie, I was rather taken aback and it felt like disloyalty. Millie is a Lhasa Apso who was used for breeding and ran in a pack. Her owner wanted to give her away because she was always trying to cuddle up to her, and she felt bad that she couldn't give her the attention. She was never really house trained or learned to play. My mum cut her hair and now she's gradually learning the ins and outs of taking walks (would be happy if she never had to) and playing 'catch the ball'. I've fallen in love with her too! She's everso cuddly and plays with the boys. While we were staying, she got hold of Toby's pacifier and proceeded to suck and chew on it. The only time I've heard her growl was when my mum tried to take it away from her. If only I'd gotten a photie of that! A view of the house while walking the dog.
Lastly, some footage of talented Uncle Rob. What will the people of Gobi make of this?
