Jiggling hips

Turn (gym) was cancelled due to the older kids' sports day, so he was ready for Malika's dance class this afternoon. No piccies, but I did arrive in time to collect him for a priceless rendition of all the children dancing in line, jiggling their hips to then spring over the crash mats.

Bulgarians at the badi

Bea's friend Viktor joined us for a swim at the badi this afternoon bringing along his grandmother who speaks only Bulgarian (mother still in hospital after having her second child). Interesting communication with 5-year-olds translating for us. The boys got on well though and I was surprised at how tough Bea was with the cool water—still only 20 degrees. It's always funny watching Viktor and Ili together too, Ili almost flirts with him and he finds her very funny. Cute.

Music and madness

Back to routine today. Tuesday morning is Ili's Swiss-German music morning. We also signed Bea up for private piano lessons for next school term (August to Feb) through the city's school and music group (Stadt Zürich), but it's very competitive, so we'll wait to see if he gets a place. Bea had his first real scuffle at school with the two boys he walks to school with and they ganged up on him on the way home (he actually fell to the ground and was kicked, so arrived home for lunch in tears). So, of course I had to contact the mother and discuss and she then brought the two boys out to apologise. The scuffled didn't seem to have any lasting effect, and Bea couldn't wait to play with them out in the Hof later in the day.

Ili taps her drum.

Speeding on the water

Being Whit Monday we were able to make a long weekend of our trip, and it was a scorcher of a day. After breakfast in a cafe in Cannobio, we thought it would be fun to take a boat out on the lake. Bea wanted a cute pedalo in the shape of a car, but I saw they were offering speed boats at a good out-of-season rate for the whole afternoon. So we packed up the tent, gathered up a picnic, and headed to pick up the boat from Cannero (we visited here before when Bea was just over one year old so was quite nostalgic), and eventually persuaded Bea and Ili to climb on board. And when they did, all we heard was "faster, faster . . . . !" It was such a scream and we laughed loads. We headed across the lake to a tiny village that was recommended to us, and papa managing to successfully steer us in to both get fuel and hook up on a jetty. What else? Ah yes, we grabbed another few coffees and more ice cream. Both Bea and Ili had a go stearing when heading back towards Cannero and we sailed past some tiny islands with a derelict castle and church with young gulls. The scenery was spectacular and seeing the villages from afar was magical. We explored the coast from Cannero up to Cannobio, and moored up again to set foot on land so we could head to our favourite gelateria to take some more ice cream back on boat. Bliss. After another pizza we put sleepy children in the car at bedtime and headed back home.

Camping at Cannobio

We moved to another campsite in the morning just a little further up towards Cannobio with more space surrounded by fragrant oleanders. The weather was warm and hazy and we hung out on the stony lakeside until we got the calling for more pizza and even more ice cream, and just made it in time to the safety of a pizza restaurant (the same as the night before, chosen by the children) before the skies opened — well, we were camping! Bea and Ili took a shower as the rain trickled down, and eventually through the restaurant canopy. But as always in the mountains, the changing colours are very atmospheric and we saw a beautiful rainbow hanging over the lake. We strolled in the evening past the night market on the lakeside, and squashed into the tent and had a surprisingly good kip (a bigger tent though is a must).

Arrived in Cannobio

It is often said that one of the best things about Switzerland is the ease in which you can leave! After driving out of Zürich late afternoon, we managed to find a pitch for the tent a stone's throw from Lago di Maggiore only two and a half hours later with plenty of time to explore the nearby lakeside town of Cannobio to search for the best ice cream shop (found it!) and score a pizza. Bea enjoyed putting up the tent and we lazed on the stony beach in the evening with a bottle of Prosecco (Ili crashed out under the stars).

Off camping!

A quick post as we are packing to go to Lake Maggiore, Italy for the holiday weekend, via the Lukmanier Pass, one of the highest paved roads in Europe. Back on Monday.

Bea and Ili testing the tent out. Will we all fit . . . ?

Woods and more water

Last Friday in the month, so Bea was up in the woods (apparently 'underdressed' as we didn't send him out with his waterproof over-trousers, but it was over 20 deg! Crazy). Ili had Emily over for a playdate and pizza lunch on the roof. In the afternoon we went to cool off at the Badi. The water is warming up, but still not swimmable. Evening we had the Hof Grill.

Sports, party and music

Bea had a very full day today. An earlier start than usual at Kindergarten for his Sportsday, where the kids were joint by two other kindergarten groups. No parents allowed, so no pics. Then he was straight off to Faye's party at our old flat (a big gathering with about 20 children), and from there he was taken to Malika's music and dance group as many of the other party goers attend too. Phew! He'll be exhausted tomorrow.

Crafty new shoes

We don't normally spend time in fancy department stores, but Sarah had told us about an irresistible bargain which was fun for the children too. Globus were selling summery children's espadrilles for a snip (7 chf—dirt cheap by Swiss standards), with a fun twist in that the children can decorate and personalise the shoes themselves. So we met up with Sarah, Fiona and Olivia again in the swanky store, and without any prompting Bea decided to model his shoes on his lizard friend 'Nicolas Parsons'. Armed with green glitter, felt and wobbly eyes he conjured up a fine pair of new summer shoes. Unfortunately they didn't have any in Ili's size, so mama now has a new pair too—thanks for your help Ili! Olivia and Ili seem to be getting on well although they've not spent a lot of time together to date, so hopefully that could mean another friendship developing. 

Garden hideaway

Ili and I went to the Bürkliplatz market this morning (for veggie seedlings and a birthday present flower for a birthday party this week), then on to our Swiss-german singing group. Bea came home from Kindergarten a little upset as the usual friends he walks to school with said they didn't want to walk with him anymore, but hopefully it will all be forgotten by tomorrow morning. The afternoon was fun as we got together with Sarah (my Irish friend who's married to a Swiss) and her two girls and chilled out in their cosy city garden. Simon has made a cute tree house, and their 'free-ranging' fluffy bottomed guinea pigs were quiet an attraction for Ili. Fiona and Bea spent time collecting flowers and sellotaping them to sticks and wanted to sell them to passers-by for 100 CHF! Sarah and I sat drinking coffee, chatting and scoffing a French custard tart that Bea and I had made.

Ili with her wooden blocks for the 'Lastwagen' song.

Bea and Fiona in the treehouse.

Curly tops Ili and Olivia.

Bea and Fiona's very pretty flower sticks.

Yum! Time for something fruity!!

Thunderstorm

Bea was at Antonia's this afternoon. Ili and I got rained in. Here's Ili watching the storm coming.

The 'Badi' season has started!

Zurich's outdoor swimming pools opened last week which are a real bonus in the city at this time of year and we (or rather the children) took their first rather icy cold dip (the water was 16 degrees — owch) today at our local pool, Bad Allenmoos. The chill factor didn't seem to bother Ili and we had to drag her away to thaw her out, but Bea was a little less keen despite papa's best efforts to get him down the slide (a 72 m water slide). Maybe he remember's his first time (Gawack!), but I think he's just mighty sensible.

Testing the water at Bad Allenmoos.

Ili loving the water.

Bea playing bat and ball, and getting quite good.

Saturday at the garden

It took us all a while to get going today and we didn't leave the house until after lunch, and although we were were expecting a stonking hot day it was a shade of Zürich grey (but warm). We cycled to the garden — it's soooo cool now we can all go on bikes, and at a normal pace— and I got stuck into some digging (the garden is starting to take shape). Bea and I rescued, or that's how Bea saw it, an amazing little bug from the water butt. Ili feel asleep in the bike seat totally exhausted on the way back. A lot of activity in the Hof this evening and Bea (along with Zinnia, James, and others) took their dinners outside to the tree house to all picnic together—super cute. Marianna (whose daughter goes to Ili's Spielgruppe) came over with partner and Nico and Miya this evening (but Ili missed Miya as she slept on). We're all getting together next week.

The bug Bea 'rescued'.

Just a few chores

Bea, Ili and I went into town today to do a few chores (and stock up on a few vital supplies we can't get anywhere else — i.e. digestive biscuits!) and recovered from our mammoth bike ride yesterday.

Bea cycles 17 km

Bea was off Kindergarten (Ascension Day), and stunned us with the most incredible cycle ride — no less than 17 km. We planned to go to a climbing wall in Greifensee on our bikes (thinking that would be pushing it) and then take the train back, but it was such a beautiful day and a lovely route — very flat, either along the river, through open farmland or the edge of Lake Greifensee — and Bea rode like the wind there and back. We had the first paddle in our inflatable kayak on Lake Greifensee last year, and it's a pretty little lake and usually quite peaceful (well, when not a holiday day) and very picturesque. Bea watched for ages as a 'enthusiast' launched a remote controlled replica of the Titanic from Greifensee main harbour. It was hilarious! He had smoke coming out of the chimneys, and the Titanic theme tune rung out from the built-in speakers ("I-E-I will always love yoooou . . . .") Oh dear, but Bea loved it. We stopped loads to keep the energy up (took us nearly six hours in total), so Bea and Ili could throw sticks off bridges, coo at the ducklings, get lost in the flowers, and generally enjoy being out of the city. Was a lovely day indeed (see the route we took here).

Tigers and tadpoles

We spent the afternoon up in the woods today. It was cold, rained and hailed — but the sunny spells in between were delicious. There's a fairly secret viewing spot at the edge of the zoo, where you can peek through the fence to the back of the tiger enclosure (a zookeeper told me about when we were struggling to see last year's three tiger cubs). The view of the tigers are totally superior to those from inside the zoo, and it's a very different experience. Where else can you walk through the woods and come face to face with a tiger only a couple of meters away? We haven't seen the cubs since they were tiny, and today when the first tiger came over to see us I thought it was the papa—who never usually takes much notice of onlookers—as it was so big. Except it had that curious look about him that made me think he was about to jump at, or worse still, jump up the fence in the way a playful kitten pounces. After a minor panic and dragging the children away, I realised it was only one of the inquisitive grown-up cubs so we started to enjoy watching them while they were watching us. It's quite something seeing them so close. Bea climbed up the fence (there's another higher more secure fence inside) to peek over the top, and while he was standing on my shoulders Ili could peek through too. Had a lovely long stroll through the woods after (Ili slept in the sling) to collect some food and pond weed from the home of Bea's tadpoles. Another holiday here tomorrow (Ascension day), and Friday . . .  yippee!

Bea climbing up to take a view of the three tiger cubs.

Taking a break at a fountain.

A moment of sunshine, amidst rain and hail.

Music and modelling

Really enjoyed the second singing group session with Ili this morning. Shrinking violet she is not, and considering it is all in Swiss-German she seems to understand what's going on and gets very involved with the instruments. She's not taking part in the the singing yet (of course), so it's my job to mumble along with something incomprehensible in tune. Didn't manage to take piccies unfortunately—next week. Bea had his friend Viktor over this afternoon (while his expectant mother gathered baby gear), and we didn't even think about going out as the weather was blowing a gale. Bea and I laughed as Viktor ended up mostly playing games with Ili (she seems to like him, and he's very good with her). So Bea and I downloaded instructions for one of his more complicated Konnect models and made a digger.

Sunny day at 'snail' park

Ili had a good session at Spielgruppe, and she didn't grumble about going at all today which was comforting. Antonia was over for the afternoon and after the kids all messing around with Juan, we headed out with sunny skies to the local 'snail' park. Bea is great with Ili, and I watched him taking care of her —making sure she didn't get pushed out of line for the slide, and helping her to climb as she tried her hardest to follow in his footsteps. It was a joy to watch. Juan leaves for Scotland early tomorrow morning.