Sechseläuten ("six o'clock bells")

Just to get us from the Easter holidays to the Spring holidays (end of this month), we have another holiday today (so Bea was off Kindergarten). It's Sechseläuten, where a snowman (the 'Böögg') is set on fire at six o'clock this evening with his head filled of explosives. The time it takes from the lighting of the bonfire to the head taking off is indicative of the type of summer we will have — apparently — and it symbolises the passing of winter. The bonfire was soggy-wet this morning—and we watched them build it fagot upon fagot which Bea enjoyed lots—so I'm guessing it will be a delayed explosion. The children don't want to go and see it tonight — can't think why! Perhaps they like their snowmen chilled. Ili enjoyed stepping in the muddy puddles and there is a procession this afternoon, which we'll visit with Antonia and Annette.

The building of the bonfire around the Böögg, at Bellevue, Zürich.
Bea watching them pile the bunches of branches up high.
On our way to see the Böögg with all our brollies up.