Switzerland!

So, I'm very lucky to have a close friend, Bronwen, who's family live in Zurich, and they were very kind to invite us out for a weekend long of skiing!

Leaving from Gatwick early on a chilly Friday morning (handily just a stones throw from Brighton) we took a short, and extremely *glamorous* easy jet flight to Zurich. I fell asleep even before the safety announcement, as having not been to bed the night before and a 6am pint knocked me out. I don't recommend, at one point I didn't think they were going to let me on the plane!

Arriving in Zurich Bronwen's mum (or mumma Chatwin) collected us in the car. We got in trouble from a very serious looking Parking attendant who told us "it is not allowed in Switzerland to drive with snow on the roof"(to be honest it was about a foot high) so we had to leave an enormous pile of snow in the airport pick up zone.

Still only 9am we zoomed to the house and immediately *force* fed croissants and cups of tea. The house was AMAZING. A medieval town house, it was all uneven, and higgeldy piggeldy with little steps everywhere, low ceilings and thick stone walls. In the medieval times owners would gamble rooms in their houses to their neighbours, so none of the houses just go straight up and down, but act more like tetras pieces that haven't quite fit together properly. Up 4 floors we were greeted with ready made beds and clean towels, so a quick freshen up in the rain shower and off for a city explore.

Cici, best friend

In all honesty the exploring wasn't thorough, we were very tired, so consisted mostly of lunch and a walk along Lake Zurich. Lunch was pizza at Vapianos (a chain, but waaaay better than pizza express etc, there's 2 in London), where they make everything with fresh ingredients literally in front of your eyes, pricy but delicious. The lake was grey and beautiful in the permanent flurries of snow, and a meander through the old town was enchanting.

Lake Zurich

Vapiano

Late afternoon was approaching so we headed back to the house, stopping to buy industrial amounts of swiss chocolate on the way, which we devoured pretty much as soon as we got back with big mugs of tea. However when we returned Mumma Chatwin had sneaked off to the supermarket so we went to the next door cafe, 'Chez Andy'. A bizarre but amazing place. We sat on a mezzanine, dangling from a thin metal rod, that had a small storage area at the back full of old records and furniture. I immediately embarrassed myself by exclaiming to Andy that we were visiting from next door. After hot chocolates we had a little explore of the basement, from which Andy sells local produce and displays local art. I can't really describe how amazingly quirky this place was. Apparently in the summer they host a BBQ for the neighbours and roast a giant hog. In the winter the garden hosts elaborate snowmen.

Me, embarrassing myself with Andy.

Once back in the house we all snuggled in our ready made beds watching the snow flutter past the little window.
Then all of a sudden It was the evening and the smell of Lasagne called me out of the mammoth nap I had never intended to have!

The Chatwin's middle name must be hospitality. Not only had a taxi service, breakfast and beds all been provided dinner was waiting to fill our hungry tummies. I had been more than willing to fend for myself the entire trip but we were welcomed like family and spent the evening chatting with Browen's parents and sister before playing 'Maponimoes', a weird map version of dominoes, a bit of scrabble and bedding down, ready for an early start to drive up to the mountains to ski the next morning!

Get out of there cat, you are not scrabble. You can't even spell.

Ski Post to follow! Calamity on the slopes!