Posted on by bereavedandbeingasingleparent · 4 Comments

Swiss Sunday

Almost 11 years to the day we had headed to Switzerland for a weeks holiday. This time it was different, a celebration for her mum’s 70th birthday. Many of her family were also arriving that week as well. As part of that week we all made our way Murren. A stunning ski resort set high up in the Alps. A special place as it is cut off from the motoring world. You can’t drive there. The only way is via spectacular cable cars and connected trains.

Wow does that make a difference to the feel of the village. The quiet.

Like the rest of the week, deep blue skies and glorious weather. A wonderful walk around the quiet streets. Then a perfect meal on a hotel balcony overlooking the snow covered mountains.

Next week let’s complete the special family day out.

Posted on by bereavedandbeingasingleparent · 26 Comments

Swiss Sunday

It’s just turned Sunday here in the UK and my thoughts are shifting to a country 1000 miles from here. A land of mighty mountains, stunning lakes and peaceful valleys. So many family holidays . So many memories. I might be in the UK but I wish I was in Switzerland.

Posted on by bereavedandbeingasingleparent · 26 Comments

Swiss Sunday

About 10 years ago I remember talking to a super polite Japanese Guy in who was sat next to us in Geneva Airport. Someone who had seen years and years of life. He told the story about how he had attended an international conference here in Geneva during the sixties. At that stage he hated travel, hated being away from Japan. That all changed on that trip to Switzerland. He fell in love with another country. Since then he had travelled for a holiday here, every single year without fail. He said he would keep coming until his body failed.

I knew why he said that. I understood immediately his sentiments. I still do. I wish I was there right now.

Posted on by bereavedandbeingasingleparent · 26 Comments

Swiss Sunday

It’s just turned Sunday here in the UK. I’m sat nursing a bruised foot, shin and fingers. That’s what happens when you walk into a metal road sign, drop a heavy box on your foot and then try to fix a large hole in the fence with a Thor like hammer. Try is the optimal word. As the light failed the fence was still is still with hole. Lots of bruises with so little end products.

OH PANTS.

So I need calming. Time to look at family holiday photos. Only one place will do tonight. Switzerland. Yes definitely time to walk in the Alps and forget about the bruises.

Switzerland work your magic.

Posted on by bereavedandbeingasingleparent · 27 Comments

Swiss Sunday

It’s Sunday so it must be time for a trip down memory lane. To very different times . To family holidays to Switzerland. As I look at the photos the memories flood back. But also a feeling of hope. The photos are a reminder of the world that can be so easily found out there.

It still can be a wonderful world.

Posted on by bereavedandbeingasingleparent · 29 Comments

Swiss Sunday

Another walk down memory lane. Special places like Switzerland help create everlasting memories. So on this Easter weekend let’s go back ten years. Back to an Easter weekend in 2012. A wonderful family weekend in Switzerland. Time to remember and smile.

A hotel gift
Traditional singing on the lake boat
Another hotel gift
Hotel room view
Just had to play on this
Posted on by bereavedandbeingasingleparent · 43 Comments

Swiss Sunday

Just one day. Just one day almost 10 years to the day. A family holiday back in 2012. Was it really 10 years. So much has happened over that decade. The family is so much smaller now. But one thing hasn’t changed. Switzerland. A picture perfect dream land. A relatively small land offering boundless adventures.

So yes, one day in Switzerland, all the photos just from one day.

Posted on by bereavedandbeingasingleparent · 53 Comments

Swiss Sunday

It’s early Sunday morning here in Yorkshire. I am currently enduring the annual torture of a very very very long night as Hawklad is sat watching Wrestlemania. Don’t you just love a good international time difference. It is due to finish here at 5am…… I can’t remember seeing that wrestling related task in the parenting contract. My tired mind has wandered from what is on TV to real adventures. Time for a bit of wonderful Switzerland.

I don’t know why but I remembered an old, long forgotten Swiss holiday memory. The night before I had over indulged in fondue and Swiss chocolate. Really over indulged. It would have been very impolite not to have. So I got up early the next morning and went for a lakeside run to burn off some calories. The further I went on the run the more people I ran past. Very very very polite people. Every single one of them said hello and asked how I was.

Gruezi. Wie geht es dir an diesem schonen Morgen

Every single one of them hearing my very wooden Swiss German reply immediately switched to almost perfect English. A run that would normally take 30 minutes, lasted well over an hour. Finally back outside the hotel, I was sat on the lake edge when another runner stopped to say hello.

Gruzei

Then we talked some more. I mentioned just how polite the Swiss were compared to the English and the runner told me that running was often hard because you did have to stop so many times to exchange pleasantries. The runner said that one day he tried something different. He went for what was intended to be an uninterrupted long swim in the lake. I said that was a really cool idea and with a smile the runner said ‘it didn’t work’. Apparently several early morning fishermen had rowed over to him while he was swimming to say hello to him and and ask how is swim was going.

I do love Switzerland . Can’t wait to get back for a visit. I would move there in a heartbeat.

All the photos today are from that lakeside running route. Wish I could run that right now.

Posted on by bereavedandbeingasingleparent · 37 Comments

Swiss Sunday

Sunday brings thoughts of family holidays to beautiful Switzerland. Trips to an alpine wonderland from a much different time. Yes the last holiday was only 6 years ago but it does feel like a lifetime ago. Much has happened to the world, much has happened to our family over those 6 years. It’s actually quite hard to remember how that former life felt like.

That former life isn’t coming back but Switzerland is still there. Maybe our much smaller family can return sooner rather than later, start to create some new memories. Life has to go on.

Time to see what memories some old holiday snaps can bring back.

Posted on by bereavedandbeingasingleparent · 50 Comments

Swiss Sunday

It’s Sunday here in Yorkshire so surely it must be time for a trip down memory lane. Back to 2013. To a family holiday to Alpine Heaven, to Switzerland.

So often on our trips to this wonderful country the sun would shine but occasionally, even here, the weather can turn.

But guess what, Switzerland is still special.

A bit of bad weather doesn’t stop the locals eating out.

But the sun always returns, hopefully we can return in the near future.