At last, summer has deigned to rear its lovely head! But to be honest, after these three days of over 30°C I welcome the sun’s toning down of its enthusiastic beaming. Although watching lobster like individuals lumbering up and down Basel’s city centre has added to the evening’s amusements.
Now, drum role please: I have decided, slowly but surely, to get in touch with the Swissness inside me (I’m not sure that I really possess much, but hey, growing up in a country must count for something!). This soul searching was brought about by a certain M who talked me into walking (!) up a hill in Appenzell (a canton in the deepest darkest midst of Switzerland). Now this idea is almost revolutionary for me, as
1. it involves walking without shops or cafés and
2. I've always believed that wandering aimlessly around a hill or mountain where it might pour with rain at any moment is kind of pointless.
But I learnt recently that the Swiss seriously believe any visitor is capable of managing a 5 hour hike through cow dung infested slopes and along murderously narrow paths in street shoes (now for all their practicality wouldn't it be fair to warn the unsuspecting guest to bring proper shoes?). So if this poor person can endure the lavish Swiss hospitality, shouldn't I discover the delights of rolling about in cow muck too? Well, I wonder.