Winterthurs' Wildpark Bruderhaus is a great day out - even in the rain!

For a 'last day of the holiday treat' we visited Winterthur's Wildpark Bruderhaus which houses a variety of spacious enclosures comprising deer, lynx cats, bison, wild horses and wolves. It was a little rainy but that did not deter us as the walk through the forest is stunning at this time of year, with its autumnal colours and exciting clumps of mushrooms to find.

We love Peter Imfeld's White Stag sculpture which has steps up its hind leg for children to climb! The children's playground is on the way to the spacious wolf enclosure - the wolves stayed hidden but it was thrilling to glimpse three of them sheltering from the rain under the distant trees.

We entered the Restaurant Bruderhaus which was heaving with people - despite the weather - but a lovely couple shuffled around to make room for us. I enjoyed a very comforting Baileys Heisse Schoggi, the girls had mini hot chocolates and an ice cream dessert, which they were delighted to find came with a lolly, and we thawed out in the warmth and enjoyed the buzzing atmosphere. I was amazed to see a well stocked bar and a couple enjoying a bottle of wine at lunchtime. I love that about the Swiss, they just know how to enjoy themselves :)

Wildpark Bruderhaus also features a children's adventure trail with a rock garden, children's village and a Labyrinth. The Restaurant Bruderhaus is equipped with a barbecue area, benches and a 20-minute walk through the forest takes you to the restaurant Eschenberg, near the Eschenberg Observatory which opens its doors every Wednesday evening. Eschenberg Tower, which stands 30m high, is also located in the nearby Esch mountain forest.

Not a good day for Swiss politics

As protestors in recent clashes in Bern this weekend feared, Switzerland's vote yesterday saw the extremely right-wing SVP claiming 65 seats in the new National Council, giving it a right-wing majority for the first time ever.

Turnout was around 47%, fairly normal for a Swiss general election, but the SVP managed to achieve a historic high of 29.4% by spending more money than any other party – it seems money buys votes in Switzerland as it does everywhere else.

So what does this mean? In Swiss politics a majority in parliament isn't as dramatic as in Britain but it is still a big result and will dictate the path Switzerland takes over the next four years. Although Switzerland is a direct democracy, meaning that voters have a say through referenda, around 75% of all decisions are taken by parliament without asking the people.

Most immediately it will affect the election of the Swiss government, the Federal Council, which takes place on 9 December. The seven Federal Councillors are elected by both houses of parliament together, with a simple majority needed to elect each member. Although these particular elections often produce surprises, a second seat for the SVP is now almost a foregone conclusion, meaning that the right will then have four seats and a majority in government as well.

The SVP made the refugee crisis in Europe the main topic of debate, even though Switzerland has barely been affected by the recent migration so far. So this result is very disturbing. The right-wing majority is also likely to replace the Swiss political tradition of consensus with confrontation –for example, over immigration, over pensions, nuclear energy – as well as confrontation with anyone who disagrees with them.

Get set for Oktoberfest!

One of the (many) things I love about the Swiss is the way they adopt the things they love from other countries and cultures and make them their own. They do it with the language - big time, and there there is green cake (an amazing concoction of sponge, cream and green marzipan which originally comes from Sweden) and of course they do it with festivals (and the Swiss LOVE their festivals)

So at this time of year, the stores are suddenly packed to the rafters with dirndls – the amazing traditional dress with built in cleavage (well, you will also need to wear your best push-up bra of course ;) Because it's Oktoberfest time and there will be events taking place all across Switzerland, with much beer, much cleavage, lots of swaying and a bundle of great traditional Swiss/German music.

The ambiance is jovial and total strangers sing well-known songs together as if they have known each other for years. The Oktoberfest – the original of which is held every year in Munich and opens with the famous words, “O'zapft is!” (it’s tapped!) – is becoming increasingly popular here. Every year, Oktoberfest hosts invent new specialties to treat their guests to an unforgettable Oktoberfest experience.

Tomorrow, (Friday, 2^nd Oct) there will be a Children's Oktoberfest for the kiddies to enjoy at Zurich HB between 1pm and 4pm, with clowns, magicians, a cotton candy and a carousel ride for free!

And in Winterthur's big event, which has now being taking place for 17 years, will happen on 22^nd October in the grand Oktoberfest Barn, with further events across the city right up until 7^th November – more details here.

For details of Oktoberfest activities throughout the canton of Zurich, visit here.

My first watercolour painting

I've taken on the task of teaching myself watercolours. Very tricky for me, being an artist far more comfortable with pastels and oil paints! So after a series of sketches, some better than others, I've produced my first painting which I am pretty proud of. Brütten Church, in Brütten where I live (10mins from Winti, up a very big hill) is very pretty and a prominent feature of the village, peeking out across the vista from miles around. I am planning a collection of pictures focusing on views of the church from many different viewpoints - some rather unusual! So please enjoy Brütten Kirche No.1 :)

Landfill Harmonic - an orchestra created from rubbish

While working as an ecological technician at the Cateura Landfill, the largest garbage dump of Paraguay’s capital Asunción, Favio Chávez got to know and befriended some of the 2,500 impoverished families who lived at the garbage dump working as recyclers. Witnessing the rampant illiteracy, extreme poverty, pollution and surrounding culture of drugs and gangs, Chávez became acutely aware that the children needed something positive in their lives – something to keep them out of the landfill and striving for something more.

Having previously been a music teacher, Favio decided to share his love of music with the children, and began teaching music lessons using the handful of personal instruments he owned. He soon realised there wasn’t enough instruments for all the eager students, so he started experimenting with making instruments using scraps of dirty oilcans, jars, wood, forks and other junk in the Cateura landfill, the instruments began to take shape and become finely tuned musical instruments - violins, flutes, cellos, drums…all made from trash. From this ingenuity, the “Recycled Orchestra” was formed with the local children as its members learning and performing Bach, Mozart and Beethoven.

So far, Chavez has taught music skills to over 120 children, inspiring hope, confidence and an awakening of passions within the children and their families who are now beginning to believe in a future beyond the slums of the landfill. The youth orchestra, now 30 members strong, has performed throughout the world and is the subject of the upcoming documentary Landfill Harmonic - to be shown at Zurich Film Festival on Sunday (27th Sep) 

Kiefer Sutherland and Mike Leigh in town for Zurich Film Festival

Zurich Film Festival kicks off on Thursday (24^th September) with a visit from no less than Kiefer Sutherland and Mike Leigh who will be in town to collect special awards.

The film festival’s prestigious Golden Eye Award will be awarded to Kiefer on Friday (25^th Sep) at the Corso Cinema, near Zurich Opera House (nearest train station is Stadelhoffen) at 9.25pm.

And this year’s Zurich Film Festival A Tribute to... award goes to British film director Mike Leigh (I'm a big fan) one of the most significant exponents of New British Cinema. Mike Leigh will collect the Golden Eye in person during the Award Night ceremony at the Zurich Opera House on 3^rd October. A large number of Mike's films will be shown throughout the festival – my personal favourite being Secrets and Lies – pure genius.

Serving as the Festival’s most prestigious symbol of recognition, awarded in appreciation of the lifetime achievements of an actor or actress, the Golden Icon Award will be bestowed to Arnold Schwarzenegger on the evening of Wednesday, 30^th September at 9pm at the Corso Cinema.

And there are several movies being screened for children, with the particularly heart warming Kids Film - Landfill Harmonic – screened on 27^th September featuring a very special music teacher and a bunch of children from Paraguay using their rubbish to make instruments to form their own orchestra. Take a look at the dates, times, and trailer for the film here: https://zff.com/en/programme/movies/11743/landfill-harmonic/

ZFF for Kids legal age is 6 years old with a recommendation of 8 years and over. Links to the ZFF for Kids can be found here.

Tickets are on sale now for ZurichFilm Festival which runs between 24^th Sep and 4^th October: https://zff.com/en/festival-info/tickets/

It's Chibli time

It’s Knabenschiessen weekend! Knabenschiessen is one of Zurich’s oldest festivals  - officially held for the first time in 1889 – and is a traditional target shooting competition in Zürich held on the second weekend of September each year.

The competition is open to 13–17 year olds who either reside or are enrolled in a school in the canton of Zürich. Originally reserved for boys (Knaben), the competition has been open to female participants since 1991. The competition is held in the shooting range at Albisgütli to the south-west of the city centre on the slope of Üetliberg. It is surrounded by the Chilbli - a large fair.  (you can ride all of the rides for free from 11am to 11:30am on Knabenschiessen Monday)

Chilbli opening times

Saturday, September 12, at 10am - 1.30am

Sunday, September 13, 11am - 12.30am

Monday, September 14, 11am – 11pm

And this year, there is a giant slide to boot! The giant 200m long slide will travel through the city but there are a limited number of tickets available. The check-in tent opens at 11am and the slide opens from between 12pm until 8pm.

You need a ticket to access the slide. With your ticket you can slide as much as you want during a 2 hour slot. You have a choice between Action Tickets and Family Tickets (action time will be a bit more manic)

Children (6 – 16 years) CHF 18

Adults (from 16 years) CHF 20

Action ticket - from 16 years CHF 23

Children under the age of 6 are free if accompanied by an adult.

*Those under the age of 18 need to bring an exclusion of liability signed by their parent or guardian

•Bring your ID or passport

•Be at the check-in tent one hour before your time slot

•Do not wear jeans or any accessories that could be a security risk or damage the slide

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