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First visitors

As I sit on this perfect Saturday evening, sipping a glass of very pleasant Orvieto, courtesy of our recent visitors, I am tempted to skip forward to today and tell you about our visit on a perfect summer's day (except it's not summer) to see the rhododendrons at Seleger Moor ... but I'd be selling you short. And besides, all good things come to those who wait.



While spending their annual three months in Britain, Jane and Tim flew to Zurich and spent the Ascencion day long weekend with us. They (sensibly) decided to have our local taxi driver (Albis Taxis) pick them up from the airport for CHF60 - was that a gasp I heard? But actually it's a very good deal given that we live right on the other side of Zurich to the airport.



He waves his Albis Taxis card at you near the baggage stand so you know it's him and away you go at a cracking Swiss pace ... unless it's a long weekend in which case the traffic makes the trip very slow and you wonder why he is taking you all around the back streets. But never fear, Mr Yves knows what he is doing and even points the Tribunal building and other landmarks thereby doing double duty as tour guide.



The best thing is he knows exactly where to bring you without your having to speak German ... or indeed any other of the official Swiss languages. And he's very good at getting you to sign up for the trip back to the airport without you even noticing he's a good salesman! Good on him - he was very good to me when I had to rush to South Africa and Richard booked the taxi for the next night by mistake!

We woke up on the Mayday holiday to subdued but not unpleasant weather and decided on trying to take the possibly newly opened seilbahn up to Felsenegg (top of hill opposite our house) ... trying because the official opening is on 25-26 May and we weren't sure whether it was operating yet after extensive renovation. We were in luck.

We did our usual walk along the top of the ridge but this time everything was clad in the lacey fabric of spring in the most delicious of greens. (Finally when we look at the hills opposite, it's now green all the way to the top). Most people were still asleep, it being before 9am so we had the path pretty much to ourselves. More soon ...

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