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Last night we went up to Anne-Marie and Paul’s place for a raclette. Much like its cousin the fondue, raclette is peasant food involving melted cheese. Needless to say, our modern version is a bit more sophisticated.

As well as slices of cheese, the essential components of a modern raclette are small boiled potatoes and dried or cured meat. Anne-Marie also prepared some roast vegetables and a nice salad.

The slices of cheese are placed in a small metal tray, which sits on top of a burner. While the cheese melts in the tray, spices or herbs can be added. The melted cheese is then scraped off onto your plate to be eaten along with everything else.

The burners that melt the cheese are powered by nothing more than a couple of tea-light candles, so the cheese takes a while to melt. This is the very essence of a raclette evening – the meal can go on for hours – it’s a very social event. Later on, Anne-Marie found something to go in Val’s hair.

Today we have blue skies and very low temperatures. Icicles on the Wisteria beneath our terrace.

Emily is cooking tonight.

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It snowed overnight, and it’s been gloomy most of the day, although we did see a little sun at lunchtime. This afternoon we popped up to the village for some shopping and we were due another COVID test, so we queued up and had our nostrils swabbed. Emily was picked for a random PCR test, and she got a chocolate bar for being brave. We were all negative again, which is a relief as we’re off round to Paul and Anne-Marie’s for dinner tonight.

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We had a treat last night – a fish and chips takeaway from Santos. Delicious. It’s windy and mild today, and stormy up high with a few lifts closed. Most people who went skiing were back by lunchtime.

The Figeller bar is open for takeaway drinks and snacks, but there are very few people around. A mannequin stands outside in the hope of attracting some customers.

Val has gone to the hairdresser, and apparently we’re due more snow tonight.

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Val had her German class this morning, and while she was doing that I popped up to the village for bread. After lunch we wandered down to Wengwald.

It’s not a bad day. We caught the train down to Interlaken and did a huge shop, before hauling it all back to Wengen.

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It’s another nice day – bright and mild. Our walk takes us to the hamlet of Wengwald, which is below Wengen.

The goats were enjoying the sunshine. They never stop eating.

Walking to Wengwald is easy, but the path back up to Wengen is a long slog uphill.

Opposite Ali’s house is a high grass bank. Aliena and Larina are climbing to the top, while Mick the dog awaits a treat.

And down they come – no toboggan required.

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It’s a nice day, so we’re off out for a walk.

We ambled towards Innerwengen along the snow-covered path. Meanwhile, back in the village, the sunshine is melting some of the snow from the rooftops. Of course as soon as the meltwater reaches the shade it freezes again. The awning at the Crystal bar has frozen solid. A heat gun is needed to free it.

Across the road a section of the footpath is cordoned off. You really don’t want one of those icicles falling on your head.

A nice walk, on a rare sunny January day.

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We had our stew last night and sampled a few bottles from the schnapps cabinet. This morning the snow has gone, but the avalanche danger is off the scale. Walking on the top path is prohibited, as Ali found earlier.

It’s been 5 days since we had our COVID test, so we went and got another one – we are all negative again. Amazing sky on the way home from the village this evening.

Thai curry for dinner tonight.