Switzerland

Two weeks, many mountains, lakes, walks, mushrooming.
A friendship of 46 years, starting with English lessons in Sydney in 1973.

We stay first in Oberhafen, looking over Thunersee, with swimming in the lake in the last hot days of August. A charming village, with an ancient castle by the lake, wooden chalets climbing the hills, geranium fringed balconies.

One day we take a cog train and cablecar to the ridge summit of Niederhorn, where we walk among mountain grazing cows, checking for ibex ('capricornia' here), ridge top pools reflecting the clouds, deep valleys both sides.

The Jungfrau beckons, so a short drive, 2 trains...one to the summit. There we walk inside a glacier, gaze over the roof of Europe.

In the following days we explore Thun, seek mushrooms under expert guidance on the slopes of the Eriz valley, travel to Emmenthal, observe cheese making in an old farmhouse, join in singing German drinking songs...and revel in 46 years of friendship.

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