Sometimes the internet is really great. One day I read a recommendation about a special place where guests sleep in former wine barrels, and I had the presence of mind to write down the name. Usually I might forget that I wrote it down and forget about the whole thing. Or I would remember that there was this place I wanted to go, but where was it again? Not this time. On the same day I visited the market in Lucerne, I proceeded to explore this place. It's  located above a village where Colin often plays hockey matches. But of course we never come here in spring. Lokk at this stunning ..read more

As you may know, we spent a couple of days in Amsterdam, the Netherlands this spring.  Unfortunately, out of the three full days we had, only one was really nice weather-wise, so we wanted to spend this one day exploring the city from the boat. Canal cruises are part of the otherwise bus-operated Hop On Hop Off concept.  Meaning we didn't get to go to Keukenhof Gardens, which is one hour southwest by train and is the ultimate attraction for tulip loving tourists. I had a plan B though. I had heard of the flower market, and that's where I wanted to go. The "Drijvende bl ..read more

What does spring smell like? To me it's sweet, I'm thinking of pretty pink blooms I love so much.  In general, springtime scents are often associated with freshness, floral notes, and hints of greenery, like the  Fresh Cut Grass: The smell of freshly cut grass is synonymous with the arrival of spring, evoking a sense of renewal and nature awakening. Floral Bouquets: Spring is the season of blooming flowers, so scents such as rose, jasmine, lilac, lavender, and peony are commonly associated with this time of year. Citrus: Citrusy scents like lemon, lime, orange, and grapefruit can a ..read more

Brainstorming for the letter R made me look forward to doing "research" on the topic of rooftop terraces. This turned out to be more difficult than expected, because these specific restaurants have the same opening hours as the department stores in which they are located, i.e. they close at 7 or 8pm and are overall closed on Sundays. Welcome to Switzerland. I wanted to avoid the crowds but ended up joining them on a nice weather Saturday. But let's introduce the contestants. They're all located at Zurich's Bahnhofstrasse, our fancy shopping mile.  Modissa is a well-known fashion a ..read more

From Sunday, 24 March to Monday, 1 April 2024, the fountains in Zurich's Old Town were once again filled with colorful roses. Originally an initiative of the Reformed Church during the pandemic, with the idea of spreading joy and hope, this beautiful custom is fortunately being continued.  I left home early because I was dreading the crowds. The weather forecast said there was a 50% chance of rain. Is it bad if I was hoping this was gonna keep people at home, and I was probably the only one who counted on the other 50%? The 50% of no rain? Well, I lost this gamble. Still pl ..read more

In today's post I'm just going to share some quirky things I came across this - or previous - spring(s). Here goes: A covered lakeside outdoor terrace guarded by colourful rubber ducks. For folks who live in large cities this may not be as spectacular as it was for us... One fine day they put a piano in the train station, and passersby were invited to play, and they did! This guy did a good job, too. Speaking of train stations... This is in Zug where Colin trains. People who drop off commuters may stop their car for a short while, as long as it takes to kiss & ride. For people ..read more

Last month I spent an insanely gorgeous day in the Eastern part of Switzerland. There had been something on my spring bucket list... To see blossoming apricot and peach trees. In Switzerland, there's one area is especially famous for apricots, and that's in Valais. It's a long drive, and if you want to make it in one day, you have to get up very early to beat southbound traffic, and return late. This wasn't in the books for me.  Coincidence had it that I came across apricot trees last spring when I was on a mission to see apple trees. As it turned out back then, I was way too early, and ..read more

When I brainstormed for my spring-themed A - Z blog posts, I put "visit the botanical garden" on my to-do list. I had a brief chat about it with my friend, and she asked "well, are you talking about the old or the new one?" I was confused. When I was a kid, my Mom took us to one, and I figured since this was so long ago, it must have been the old one ;-) Turns out it wasn't. There's an even older one. New is usually better, right? So that's where I was headed one fine day. I was looking for a particular tree that was supposed to grow there, the dogwood tree.  I didn't find it. Instead I c ..read more

"Sächsilüüte" is a traditional spring festival celebrated in Zurich, Switzerland. It usually takes place on the Sechseläutenplatz in the city center on the third Monday in April, which was yesterday.  The term "Sächsilüüte" actually means the ringing of six o'clock, indicating the time when the bells of St. Peter's Church in Zurich chime to mark the end of the workday and the start of the festivities. The origins of the Sächsilüüte date back to the 16th century when Zurich was a predominantly agricultural society. The holiday originally marked the end of the winter season and the beginnin ..read more

M is for market, and since you guys seemed to like Lucerne, why don't I take you to Lucerne's weekend market. It takes place year round, rain or shine, every Tuesday and Saturday morning, and these are brand new pictures from yesterday. It was a gorgeous day, and I left early because I was afraid that the parking spaces would be gone quickly.  The variety of the weekly market is remarkable: fruit, vegetables, spices, tea herbs, oils, fresh pasta products, eggs, baked goods, fish, meat, cheese, dairy products, Mediterranean delicacies as well as flowers and plants are on offer ..read more