Samstag, 12. Februar 2011

New Apartment

After having to be interviewed by the owners mother, we finally get the keys to our new apartment in Daro. Its up a short sharp hill above the railway station with great views over the town. The view could be described as being better at night.....when you cant see the town. That said, we get more sun as the "cram them in" town planning policy has not reached Daro yet and we have a garden, a garage, a basement and an attic room... and the views of the mountains are brilliant. People even smile up here too......



We are the flat with the middle balcony. West facing, so we only get the sun towards evening  but will still be plenty hot enough come the summer.

Front of the property. Our flat is the middle one. 



Cycling back up to the house after work requires an element of commitment


Until you have a label on your post box, you don't exist in Switzerland.
Meike had this badge made in Bellinzona. Neat eh.



We negotiaited some furniture from the previous tennants.
Tables, book cases, bed, wardrobes....and light fittings, as you are normally expected to bring your own and an eletrician when you move in and as we have neither it's one less thing to worry about.


Hallway with living room and diner to the left and bathroom to the right



Bedroom with bed frame. We have since occupied the space inside the bedframe with  the supports and the worlds hardest mattress..... but still better than sleeping on the floor.


Matching wardrobes....Matching bed.... I am so happy :-)


This is where the sofa will go but in the mean time its Thermarests.



Bathroom....Yes really...


Spare room. 



Kitchen....wall to wall Bosch and everything works :-)



Other end of kitchen where I am typing this from



Lounge, now we have moved in a bit.


Looking a bit more like home.
We have to set up the wireless router yet, hence the cables for the internet


View from the lounge with  Castle no 1 to the left


Castle No 1 at night



Bellinzona by night


View from the Bedroom with Pizzo Erra (2416m) in the background



View from bed


View over Bellinzona (or some Eastern block country)  from the lower level of the garden



Lower terrace of garden with a happy Meike.
We have been granted permission by the land lord (who's OK really)  to dig over some of the garden and grow some veg, we are very grateful to him as I am sure he would have had to consult all the neighbours, possibly the bishop and made a sacrifice to the Swiss god of complex legislation.
Its good to work on the basis, that everything is illegal in Switzerland, unless there is a sign saying its legal.



The strange stone builing was once used for chicken breeding.
We have use of the terrace above



We also have a palm tree



...and here it is in a better light.



Meike on the terrace



Sunset on a long weekend of moving house.
Considering we have no furniture it was very hard work.
Thankfully our old land lady gave us the use of her car for the weekend, which was very kind of her.
No...she's not Swiss...
.

Sonntag, 30. Januar 2011

Skiing in Bosco Gurin

What do you mean we have to ski to the hut.....

This was as busy as it got


Dinner, bed and breakfast, £36 per person.
Basic but fun.



Lunch stop, pasta and beer.

Our group. Work mates and kids.

Pick and mix family.
Kids don't match the adults but its no stress as they all ski better than us anyway.



Federico, some bloke, Lauro


Nora, Meike


Next morning on the summit.
2500m, lovely and warm with great views across the Alps and not many people either.

Meike, Nora and Lauro at the summit, after talking Meike into going up there.


Looking back up to the summit station

I hate crowds....Just as well there wasn't one then :-)



Restaurant, cable car station. Great self service buffet in quite a cool building.
I can only imagine how they got the glu lam beams up to this height.



Meike, Matteo, Patrizia and Nora.
Homeward bound, ready to ski back to the carpark 800 meters below

Goodbye from Lauro

Mittwoch, 26. Januar 2011

Zurich Zoo

Whilst considering an excuse to go to the North side, we came up with a trip to the Zurich zoo.
A fantastic day out despite us being there on the same day as "National, how many childeren and pushcairs can you get in a zoo day". I can assure you the answer is lots and lots.
So, onwards to the animals, which I'm not very good at describing.


Clerk of works penguin



Nice habitat.....


...for crocodiles



Log with lizard on top



Python, all 12 foot of it




Leaves and sticks



Poison arrow frog:- Humbug coloured




Poinson arrow frog:- Don't eat me coloured



Poinson arrow frog:- Blue, quite literally


Poison arrow frog:- Black with yellow bits or yellow with black bits?

 

Zoo with a View


Injured bat feeding was the best bit of the day.


The indoor bit, 25 degrees and 100% humidity and a
fantastic natural habitit for all sorts of things running about wild, including pushchairs.










Tortoise


Lemurs running loose.
They have figured the quickest way to get about is via the structure










Flughund...Flying dog...Fruit bat











Camel, dromedary or bactrian


Elephants.
They get a massive new home in 2014 which will be great as they looked a little sad in their small pen



Snow leopard. No its not white.


Wolf.
Not that exciting considering they are running about in the hills round here.







Lion


Monkey of unknown model


Silverback gorilla



Rhino Saurus