Happy Halloween!

Since it is 31st October I felt I had to do a post on Halloween, especially since I am having a Halloween party this evening.

I have put up some decorations already and later on this afternoon a friend is coming over with more stuff (I hope). Of course the colour theme is already decided orange and black, with a touch of green!

Drinks outside chilling, the guests are bringing some too! Also there will be pumpkin soup and if I decide to make it pumpkin pie!

The pumpkin on the table outside was done by my co-worker Lucie, she is really talented at making things!

Have a spooky Halloween!

Photo of the Week - Pumpkin Sizes

Our visit to Bächlihof last Thursday was as usual lots of fun! We took a look at the three huge pumpkins that were the winners, the first prize weighted 750kg!

I wonder what they do with these pumpkins afterwards!

Weekend!

This weekend started off with a football match for Alessio on home ground in Wollishofen, which is very near considering I had to bring him for 7.45am! He was really excited to be playing a match, this was only his second match as he has had a break for 2 years of football playing. He played in the goalie for the first half. I will not tell the score as the they lost rather badly!!

After lunch we went into Zurich and tried to buy some Halloween stuff. I am having a party on Saturday so need a far bit of decorations and other bits and bobs. Sadly to say that Switzerland really sucks when it comes to Halloween stuff!

Sunday I had great plans to go to the Kinderzoo in Rapperswil, but Alessio for some reason did not want to go. So he busied himself with playing with his friend Alessia they went bike riding, football playing and playing with their Nerf guns!

While he was busy I enjoyed reading, watching some TV, sitting outside enjoying a coffee and cake!

Finally on Saturday I bought myself a plant, I am really not good when it comes to watering plants! I hope this one survives!

Kew Gardens

One of the highlights of our trip to London was visiting Kew Gardens, it is the world`s largest collection of living plants plus it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

There was lots to see and do, we mainly walked through the gardens looking at the colourful flowers, interesting plants and lovely autumn trees.

The treetop walkaway was opened in 2008, this was one of the parts that I thought Alessio would enjoy. It is 18m high and 200m long, along the route is information about the trees which Alessio liked to read out loud.

We saw loads of squirrels and they were relatively tame considering how close I got to take photos of these cute animals.

We had our lunch here and Alessio got to play at the playground which was a good one. There are also many different buildings and statues to visit and look at, but the one we wanted to visit was closed for renovation Kew Palace.

We really enjoyed our short visit to Kew Gardens!

Ufenau Island

This was my 5th visit to this island and I have been lucky in that it has always been great weather. It is around 20 mins more or less from Au on the boat (of course). The island is not very big and an afternoon is really enough to enjoy the delights this island has to offer.

The walk around the island is quite short but there is lots to see, this is a nature reserve so no picking any flowers!! There is the church St Peter and Paul, plus a chapel St Martins which we both visited with the kids.

There is self-service restaurant, I have never eaten there, only had a coffee and cake! The food does look good though. It also have vineyards and I have not tasted the wine either! We also had a great time looking the rabbits and feeding them, which I already did a post about that. They were so cute!

If you have not visited the island it is certainly worth it, but only if the weather is nice!

Tokyo Postcards

Famous Nijubashi Bridge

Imperial Palace

Holy Resurrection Cathedral

The Golden Turd!

Looking down the Sumida river

Prada Aoyoma

Roppongi

Tokyo Tower

The National Art Center

National Art Center

Naka-Meguro area

Hibiya Park

Hibiya Park

The trip to Japan took place in April about 6 months ago it was a great trip and we had lots of fun and met lots of lovely people.

We visited Tokyo and Kyoto, but most of our time was spent in the giant metropolis which is Tokyo and its population is over 13 million. In all honestly it was always busy no matter where you go or what time it would be.

There are many distinct areas in Tokyo and we tried to visit as many as possible and see as much as possible. We saw a bit of the Imperial Palace, its gardens and we were still able to see the famous cherry blossoms that Japan is famous for this time of year.

We visited the Sky Tower which had great views and before we began us longish walk to find it we can across these buildings with a strangely shaped golden thing. Apparently its been named The Golden Turd. It is on the Asahi Beer building and was designed by French architect Philippe Stark
and it is supposed to look like foam rising from a beer mug.

We took a cruise down the Sumida river taking in all the sites along the river which then takes you towards Tokyo Bay. We stopped off nearish to our hotel and walked back a new way, trying not to get lost!

We walked around Roppongi checking out the shops, buildings, museums and any other odd looking stuff we could see. If you like to see some interesting architectural buildings then get yourself over to Omotesando which has loads of buildings from the likes of Boss, Stella McCartney, Prada, Christian Dior to name but a few.

We visited some parks and on our last day Hibiya park which was near to the Imperial Palace. It was quite pleasant with a huge pond, fountain and lots of benches to sit quietly and contemplate life. We also wondered around a fab area called Naka-Meguro which has loads of really lovely shops, bars and cafes which are alongside a canal. But there was hardly any water in this canal but it was still a super walk along them.

Anyway enough writing, this might have been the longest post I have ever written, who knows!

Have a great weekend!