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Hurrah! I'm back in Interlaken once more! I'm particularly proud of this photograph, so tranquil after the stresses of an 8+ hour car journey, a child with car sickness who was then sick on arrival and moving from a luxury gîte to a tent!

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TipTopSwiss has been on holiday in France this week - here are some photographs. They're not Switzerland, but pretty and 'tiptop' nonetheless.

 Abbaye de Fontfroide

 Roses beach (Spain)

 Les Neufs Ecluses, Beziers

¡España! was the cry from our gîte

 Tourouzelle

Amusingly named town on our way over a mountain pass!

 Sunflowers - les tournesols

 Carcassone

Canal du Midi in Homps

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En route to the South of France. This is the motorway service station - beats Welcome Break any day!

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A lovely evening and thanks to a toe injury for John (typical English footballer!), no kick about tonight so back to the old favourite, table tennis. Public table tennis tables all over the place in Switzerland. And we love it!

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When I moved to Switzerland, I was very excited that we'd get such fast Internet with our Cablecom package.
Very efficient.
I'm not so happy now as it's so fast that downloads get scrambled. So that means that any updates for software/apps on my MBP over 500MB won't download properly. Nor will films rented from iTunes. Making me v v v cross. I'll be moving into the Apple store at Glatt soon...

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I was answering emails today when I looked up and saw we had visitors. Not sure why M et Mme Canard were doing in these parts, but they were very welcome.

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The view from the terrace of the restaurant where we ate dinner tonight. Delicious meal, and home in time to see Spain go through to the quarter finals of Euro2012!

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When venturing out today to buy bread for lunch Isaac and I witnessed what happens when the electric buses have a problem. The driver jumps out of his cab with a telescopic pole and reaffixes the 'things on the roof' to the poster lines. Quick and easy solution - the bus had gone when we returned 5 minutes later!

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Badi time! Badi is short for Freibad (outdoor pool) or Hallenbad (swimming pool) and is where people spend their free time when it's as hot as it is today! Oberi (Oberwinterthur) Badi has just been refurbished and is just lovely. Jude had a great time frolicking in the water - and so did the rest of us!

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Challenged to a game of football by two lads, John Jude and Isaac are... losing. But they are having fun!

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We went to Gossau ZH today to see a stage of the Tour de Suisse. Great that it was the time trial as it meant that the action went on for several hours. Lots of freebies from the publicity caravan too.
This is the Swiss Air Force acrobatic flight team PC-7 who did a flyover/display at the beginning of the stage and then came to sign autographs.

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Made a cup of tea and left it on the step whilst went to fetch my book, and this is what greeted me ONE MINUTE later. 22 flies floating in formation death.
I made another cup.

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Tomorrow sees the end of summer term at ISW. Can't believe it's only the 2nd week in June and the boys are on holiday already. That's only a week after half term in England! And they get 8 weeks holiday as well. Going back in the middle of August will be odd but here's to a sunny summer full of fun!

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Every time we go back to England John insists on us/me bringing back sugar. He's very particular about his sugar you see and doesn't like it refined.
Hurrah for Aldi as today i found this bag of sugar which is exactly what he wants.
That's 2kg more for me next time I go 'home' to fill with books...

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Isaac had an Advisory Day today and went to the Rheinfalle Adventure Park. By all accounts Grade 7 had a great day, only getting slightly damp right at the end. Looks fun  - but might be a bit tricky for me with vertigo!

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John took this photograph today as he cycled through in Elgg. It's just one example of the many and varied sculptures, statues and constructions that you find in gardens around here.
I love wood and like the way that the two figures seem to be approaching one another in greeting.

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I discovered a new part of Winti today. Jude had a party opposite Rosenberg shopping centre and John and I had planned to spend the 2 hours mooching there. Then we discovered a lake with lily pads and ducks on which people were playing with remote controlled cars and next to which was a campsite.
And there was a blue frog in the middle advertising Sunday brunch.

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Wondering what this is doing at our bus stop?! I wonder if it has something to do with the pennants that have appeared on the overhead bus lines in Winterthur Stadt. They seem to have suffered from some 'flipping' in the storms.

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Handover lunch for the ISW PA. And I was so stunned by the beautiful house that I didn't take any photos until I left when I snapped this pig.
Apparently it was covered in mosaic - bet it was lovely but I like it like that!

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I couldn't believe how brave this heron was being this morning, stood in the stream with the ducks, bold as anything whilst kids walked past to school.
And it stayed still whilst I took its photograph! Miracle.

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One of the amazing trees in Lindengut Park. So knotty!

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Look what we found on the way back from school. A teeny weeny creature. We thought it might be a mouse or a vole. A baby one, and a very young one at that. Hope it hasn't been trodden on or ridden over.

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I love camper vans and I saw this one in Franz Karl Weber (also know as Karl Heinz Rummenigge as I can never recall the name!)

Might go back and buy it for someone soon...

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I think this bus got a bit lost... It was outside my window when I opened the shutters today.
Actually, it was the wedding 'car' for a bridal party at Lindengut Museum. Nice reminder of home however!

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Such excitement! My new trainers have arrived - and I only got charged 27.05CHF Zoll (tax)!
Result - I can now get back to running 'properly' rather than gaffing around with little runs, and my shins and Achilles will hopefully stop their whinging about my beloved worn trainers. Hopefully I'll find somewhere around here that sells Saucony before these ones give up on life!