We try hiking again

After our first hike, we chose this hike very carefully.  It was the Toggenburg sound trail.  It is an easy walk with built in stops which were different musical instrument and sound installations along the way. Also, there was a cable car halfway through if we wanted to stop.

L needs more cowbell!

The lido

The view

We had been to the lido before now, but it wasn't in my notes.  The lido is the kids' favorite place in town.  It isn't really a beach.  It's a beautiful park on the Lake Zurich with a swimming area.  It takes about twenty five minutes for us to walk there.

When you walk in there is a long perfect lawn stretching to the lake.  On the left running toward the water is a restaurant/snack bar and a long partially covered patio with tables and chairs. On the center lawn there is a beach volleyball court and a place for people to play paddleball. Closer to the lake and on the right people lay out their blankets.  There are big sycamore trees in rows so you can choose sun or shade.  There is a small partially covered kiddie pool with a slide and a big sandbox.  Finally, there are two lake swimming areas.  One is cordoned off for little kids and has a small slide.  The other is stairs leading down to the open lake  There are two large sunbathing rafts, a diving platform with a medium high dive, an anchored surfboard to climb onto and jump from, and an anchored log.  Somehow the log rolls a bit and you can pretend to be a lumberjack on it.

Our favorite spot, R from the high dive

Oldy timey with the oldy people

We went to Stein am Rhein because I thought it would be fast and easy.  It wasn't fast. And the old town section that we wanted to see was a lot smaller than I thought it would be.  What was there was pretty and interesting, but I wouldn't recommend the place to people with kids.  There just wasn't enough.  Old people on the other hand seem to love it there.  It's easy to see everything, everything is cute, it is cool and pretty by the river, no big hills to climb.

That is something I have noticed here.  Each town seems to have its own tourist demographic.  Grindelwald had so many Japanese tourists that they had their own special tourist office.  Stein am Rhein is an elderly hot spot.  I've seem women wearing abayas and veils in Luzern but not in Zurich or Bern. Bern has some group I can't identify that seems eastern or southern European.  Maybe this is all just my imagination?

The little zoo

Monday was spend doing laundry and unpacking.

Tuesday was a little bit of a waste, too.  I waited for someone to come and install cable and internet.  He never came.  There was a little mix up that resulted in us not having anything connected until the night of the 21st.  That's why the blog is being written a week late.

We did get out Wednesday.  We went to the Knies Kinderzoo in Rapperswil.  It really is a kinder zoo.  It's very small and easy to walk and doesn't have very many animals.  The highlights for S and T were their ride on an elephant and the sea lion show. L loved the pygmy goat petting area.  It was swarming with tiny goats and an occasional pot bellied pig.  There was also a fairly large playground there with what looked like a dangerously long and steep kiddie slide.  L loved it and went down dozens of times. She has no fear at all and will go down any slide she can.

Moving day

Back to Männedorf to take possession the the apartment.  I guess there isn't much to say about the apartment other than that it is beautiful and has absolutely everything we need.  There is a computer, toys for the kids, an electric bike for long rides to the cheap grocery store, a yard with fruit and flowers, a huge soaking tub, maps and guidebooks, a washing machine, and even a storage room which is also the buildings bomb shelter.  The location is excellent.  It is only a few minutes from S's school and from the train. The couple renting to us has been incredibly helpful, thoughtful, and generous.  Our landlord showed us everything so thoroughly that by the time he left we had no questions and felt completely at home.