Sunday, May 08, 2005

It's Saturday, my love

I've decided to blog as often as I can, because I have thus far given up on penning down my travel journal. Typing is so much easier for my already vitamin-and-mineral-deficient fingers, and I don't need another bunion growing on my third right finger. So haha, this shall be my travelogue :) All up for laziness (and depriving poor Kenneth of his laptop! Haha but I made butter sugar toast for him, and shared my chocolates, so he shouldn't complain too much about this infringement huh?)

Today Weiming and I stayed in St Gallen, our second Saturday alone here.. Last week the rest went to Bern, and we happily overslept after the Pink Party. Heh but last week I dragged the poor guy shopping all over town with me, and at the end he looked like I had put him through a paper shredder. So today was definitely better for him.

Woke up to wintry weather. The weatherman said zero was the lowest point today. But smartasses we are, we didn't listen. And he wore his Puma windbreaker, while I was contented with my Adidas sweater. Over plain thin T-shirts. Big mistake. Big BIG mistake. While hiking, you should never attempt stunts like underdressing. The consequences bite, literally. :(

So we hiked up the hills of St Gallen, also known as the Three Pools. Started with ok bearable weather at the foot of the hill, but once we finished the staircase-bit, the cold started to bite into our jackets. The Three Pools give a complete view of the entire town, from one end to the other end that meets Lake Constance. It was pretty slippery on the way up, because it rained the night before, and there was also a big lorry that went uphill before us, muddying up the entire track. Not the smoothest of climbs.

The fields on the way up are just about the purest green I have ever seen. Think of the Ricola ads always playing on TV, where they show endless meadows of green and running spring water, and you've got the picture. And marigolds and wildflowers dot the entire blanket of grass. Lavender sprigs, baby's breath, clumps of tiny flowers in dainty shades of pink deepening into darker central hues of purple. I almost wanted to do a Maria, a'la The Sound of Music's opening scenes. Wanted to run across the hillside and spread my arms and burst out in song..
The hills are alive!
With the sound of music!

But I figured the innocent people living on the hill would want to keep their windowpanes intact, so I didn't.

Saw so many dogs running, and kids playing. And everyone was braver than this cold lout here, who was constantly whining about how cold she was. :( And I've realized that the dogs in Switzerland are so obedient you can bring them just about anywhere, and they're as good as gold. Easier to handle than small children, apparently haha.. And there was a cross erected on the top of one of the higher points, and a small altar honouring Mother Mary somewhere near it. Very serene, very peaceful.

Oh give me back my ODAC days. I'd gladly endure the cold and blisters for sights like these. Anytime.


Laid bare at 4:56 am
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