Follow

We’ve had some pretty lousy weather over the last few days, so apart from shopping we’ve not been out much. At around lunchtime today however, the sun began to break through. All that rain certainly makes everything grow though. These sunflowers are more than 3 metres tall.

We have a busy afternoon. Our house has a lot of big windows, which is very nice, until the day comes when they have to be cleaned.

While Val is polishing all that glass I am busy in the kitchen preparing dinner for everyone.

Follow

Val, Michael and Aneta all had birthdays this month, so last night we thought we’d go to the Tanne bar and have a bit of a party. Rocks was quiet, so Angela closed up and came with us. A few pictures.

Ronald usually closes around 12.30. I think we finally left sometime after 2. Today it’s cold again, and we went for lunch at Cafe Waldschluecht. Formula 1 on the telly this afternoon.

Follow

Super dinner at the Caprice last night.

Today it’s colder still, with a stiff north wind. At least it’s dry though, so we had a walk in the valley. Crossing the river at Stechelberg.

The water in the Staubach is being blown away as soon as it tumbles over the cliff.

A nice walk on a chilly day.

Follow

Switzerland, along with half a dozen other countries, was added to the U.K. ‘green list’ yesterday. This makes it easier to have a holiday here. The Daily Telegraph ran the story, and included a nice Swiss picture.

That’s where we live! Our house is just out of shot on the left.

Today it’s been bright but cold, with a biting north wind. We had a walk this afternoon.

On the way home through the village we popped in at the Caprice and booked a table for pizza later.

Follow

Yesterday was Michael’s birthday. Naturally we celebrated over a few beers.

Today was a cleaning day. The house is spotless.

Follow

It was pretty chilly in the village this morning, so we made our sandwiches and headed down to the valley. If we get off the train at Wilderswil we can walk to Bönigen on the lake, where it will be warmer. On the way we pass the shooting club. Sport shooting is incredibly popular in Switzerland. There are more than 3000 clubs (one in almost every village), and more than 130,000 active participants.

Our route takes us past Interlaken airport. It hasn’t been used for aeroplanes for many years, though there is still a heliport here. Much of it is now used for commercial purposes.

After a good walk we arrive at the lake and have our lunch. The steamer pulls in, and it’s impossible to resist a photo.

Follow

It’s a nice bright morning, and I popped up to the village for a coffee and some shopping while Val did her German class. By the time I got home the postman had delivered an ominously thick envelope from the immigration office in Bern.

Sure enough, it contained a sheaf of forms to fill in. We have learned that it pays to deal with this stuff as quickly as possible, so our plans for the afternoon were abandoned. We spent an hour getting all the necessary information together, and set off for the council office in Lauterbrunnen, where we handed everything over. The process is entirely paper-based, so everything has to be laboriously photocopied and sent back to Bern. At no point was a computer employed. You might think, in a country where more than a quarter of the population are immigrants, that the authorities would make the process a bit slicker. I couldn’t possibly comment.