Emmm, oh , well...

I have been off for a couple weeks again, the idea being that I would be on holidays , do lots of walking , stitching if possible and come home quite refreshed .

Well, it did not quite work out that way. I did go on holidays , but the on second day I  fell and crashed into my left upper arm bone, which was , basically , fragmented. An operation wasn't possible (medically, that is, you can trust Swiss orthopedists, believe me !), so there was nothing for it but immobilizing me for what is going to be-hopefully- 6 weeks and only then take up repairing jobs-which can be done in Amsterdam.

Me and car were (separately) repatriated and I am home again ; unfortunately , although I can at least use my left hand, the rest is not really fit for use , so no mini-ing for some time to come. Although I am looking into clamp-stands or frames for stitching....:)

here is the view that I had from my hospital bed. Not bad, let's be honest..If you have ever lain in a Dutch hospital or even visited and looked out of the window, this is BETTER !
As you can see, I took this pic just before it got dark.the view is into the Inn valley, village : Samedan; Pontresina to the left , St Moritz to the right (both not visible here)

The story of the Berninapass and the little red train

I do not want to keep this lovely little story from you .
I found it on a tablet, first of a series , that was set up two years ago, when the Rhätische Bahn ( the local railwayline, that operates with red trains) celebrated its100 th anniversary. The series explains about the building of the many bridges and tunnels , needed to get over and through the Alps, plus the maintenance of the lines, which is not a piece of cake, either.

Here is the translation of this first tablet:

A long time ago, when God created the high mountains from His hands, He said: "Now I am a bit tired, but before I am going to rest a bit on my cloud-home,I want to finish the creation of this world in a good way.So in the middle of these mountains I will create a lovely place.It will be sweeter than honey, a place with the name "Bernina",where all people will be reminded of My work.I will always be between these snow covered mountains. I want the sun to shine on these tops before all other mountains, and that the sunshine will only disappear after it has got dark in Poschiavo.I want the color of sky to be like that of mine eyes, that the air is as clean and clear like after a september storm, and that the smell of resin from the trees will mingle with that from the high valleys of Arosa. I want  the sound of the bells of the cows in the pastures mingling with the prayers of the people, who walk the paths and search for peace here, in the mountains. I want this place, which will one day be named Bernina, to be magical and full of consolation for those, who are tired from work and thinking. And when they are sitting next to a brook and hear the murmurs of the crystal clear water, they hear My words and it will be, as if were they sitting on My knees".

He had just spoken the word, and it happened! Immediately the mountains of Bernina stood up.And the Lord said : "that is good, but I am not yet really happy. When the time has come,a little good-natured little red dragon will take the people through this place and show them My beautiful creation"
Then he yawned and withdrew .

And in 1910 happened what He wanted: "Il trennino rosso del Bernina"was born.

( Ezio Maifrè, Tirano)

Home from holidays again...

And finally uploaded my pictures. Photobucket kept breaking down or so, but finally I got the pics into my album, Here are some of them :

This was the view at sunset when sitting on my terrace outside the apartment where I have been staying during the last years. Wonderful, isn't it ?

The famous "Montebellocurve "at the Bernina pass, where one has a  glorious view of the Morteratsch glacier.
( and yup, a  storm is breeding here)

Lei da Silvaplana Sils , near St Moritz. The river that connects them ( there are four lakes in a  row ) is the young Inn, which will flow into the Danube.

The beaurtiful green valley around Bergün , along the Albula pass.It was a  great hike.

And, finally ( for here) the Dischmatal , near Davos, where I hiked, too, I still feel my knees buckle....:-)

The whole lot is hanging out here ( in my photobucket album)

Back from Switzerland again !

I have been away , holiday-ing in Switzerland (my favourite destination, as I always really recover and de-stress out there.
Here you can see part of the view from the terrace in front of my apartment, it is part of the garden, actually and adjacent to the woods(on the back of where I was standing while taking this pic). It is really quiet, the only sound one usually hears is that of the two loud "brooks"-actually rivers in their teens and as noisy as any teenager- and the light being clear, at might you can see the Milky Way. It is lovely.

This is Pontresina, where I usually stay with a glacier valley  behind it.

One of my favourite digs,Gasthaus Spinas,seated in a small valley.It is only open in summer, nobody lives in the valley, there is only the brook (the Beverin) and the woods, quiet and lovely, good for a  nice and easy walk if one is so inclined.

Filisur, North of the Albulapass, is a very pretty village. This is how it  looks from the railwaystation. I usually make sure to have a coffee out there each year( can't always make it, of course)-another favourite dig!!!

If you want to see more pics , just go here (I am afraid they will look much like 2010, but never mind, one can never have enough of a good thing,can one?

I am back home now, washing has been done and I will soon be in normal mode again, I suppose. I am awaiting something by post which I hope to share with you in some weeks(sorry.., giggle)

In the meantime I took loads of foodstuffs (well, actually chocolate and other nice thingies) with me-bless the car- and the kitchen is LOADED!!!!