The Albani Festival has touched down!

I love the Swiss. I especially love how much they love a good party or festival. And what great hosts they make. So we always get very excited about the Albani Festival, not least because it is right on our doorstep.

St. Alban, chosen as the patron saint of the city of Winterthur and dedicated to the city's church, was executed in 286 during the persecution of Christians. On the Memorial Day of Albanus on 22^nd June, 1264, Rudolf von Habsburg granted the town a charter of freedom and from then on, this event was celebrated on each Albanustag. The Albanifest as we know it today was established in 1971 and is considered Europe's largest, annually recurring city festival.

The main focus of the festival is eating, drinking and an amazing funfair which weaves its way through the old town and into the city park. There are also plenty of gigs to enjoy, throughout the day and night over the weekend, and the atmosphere is buzzing.

The weekend event kicks off today at 6pm with live music continuing until 2am!

In addition, there is a set price for all fast food and beverages – see below for an edited list of the most popular of festive fayre:

• Halfe litre of wine 16 chf
• Beer – 3dl - 4chf
• Beer – 4dl - 5chf
• Beer - 5 dl - 6chf
• Beer - 1 litre – 12 chf
• PET mineral, soft drinks 5dl – 5 chf
• Coffee, tea – 3.50 chf
• Wintiwurst – 6 chf
• Cervelat grilled bread - 5 chf

Happy Albani Fest weekend!

www.albanifest.ch

Free tick removal card from chemists

After seeing a post about this on a Swiss mum's group on Facebook I went into my local chemists to ask about the tick (or Zecken) removal card - I hadn't the faintest clue what this was called so did a swishing movement on the back of my hand - and received one free of charge! I've put a (rather blurry) image of the procedure to remove the tick using the card underneath. If you don't use this method, there is a chance of leaving part of the tick behind which may then still infect the skin.

But above all, don't panic (like I always do - we've had two 'incidents' now) - apparently it takes around 24 hours for a tick to infect its victim and then it may not even be infected itself. The main thing here is to keep vigilant - these things really are tiny and like to hide in the creases of the skin ie the tops of the legs, under the arms, behind the ears etc, so get into the habit of quickly checking your little ones on a daily basis as they get ready for bed.

If you know your children will be going near/in woods - or indeed any kind of foliage up to their knees - you can also use a spray (pictured below) which deters ticks, readily available from any chemist.

If you need further information about ticks, please refer to my earlier posts here and here.

Music weekend in Winterthur

It was such fun walking around Winti on Saturday for my two little budding musicians as there were pianos scattered randomly around town for them to play on as part of the town's Music Day - and they embraced it, playing their little tunes at every one they saw. I first saw this idea executed in Liverpool and absolutely love it. It brings people together so easily through a love of and talent for music - which I truly believe is inherent in us all.

We also got to enjoy a concert at Winterthur's beautiful Music School on Sunday, topping off a beautifully musical weekend.

ZVV's holiday pass for children

ZVV are running a holiday passport scheme for children over the summer holidays.

The special pass is available for the five weeks from July 4 to August 9 or 11 July to 16 August to all those born between 1999-2009 ie all children between 5 and 15.

For the cost of 24 chf, admission is free on all ZVV transport including all trains, buses, trams, cable cars and boats. Entrance is also free to 120 Badis and 45 museums across the canton.

This includes:

• Free entry to Zurich Zoo
• Free ice cream dessert at Panorama Restaurant Felsenegg
• Free entrance to Schloss Kyberg (nr Winterthur)
• 50% discount on all pizzas at Vapiano Restaurant
• CHF 5 voucher at The Body Shop
• 25% discount on all children's books at Bookstore Lüthy
• Free ZVV anniversary frisbee from Zurich HB
• Two free tickets for the Fantastic Four movie (although number of places are limited)

In addition ZVV are running a photography competition with the pass and the best three pictures will receive a free pizza meal and movie night out for the winners and four friends. 

The pass is available to buy now from any ZVV sales outlet and in larger Migros stores.

The ZVV holiday passport is not transferable and is only valid with a passport photo and personal details completed.

www.zvv.ch/ferienpass

The birthday procession

I'm not sure if this is a national thing or it's just a local tradition but our kindergarten school have a wonderful tradition on someone's birthday. All the children go to collect the birthday boy or girl on their special day and take them to kindergarten, bedecked in royal robe and crown, in a royal wagon. It's such a lovely tradition. Like so many others here. Love it.

The robin tops UK poll for its national bird

I've just made a very quick watercolour sketch in celebration of the robin being hailed as the UK's national bird. Great choice. Not least because it was also my choice. Who fails to smile whenever they catch a glimpse of the endearing, cheeky robin? Such a British icon.

More than 224,000 people voted in the recent campaign launched by Springwatch presenter Ornithologist David Lindo who now plans to ask the government to officially recognise the robin as the national bird. In the poll the robin received 34% of votes, followed by the barn owl, which received 12%, and the blackbird, 11%.

We have a new pet - meet caterpillar Jessy!

Poppy came home from school very excited yesterday lunch time after rescuing a caterpillar from the jaws of a crow and tenderly carried him home all battered and bloody! Amazingly he seems to have recovered very well but I'm not sure how long he will last as he is not interested in the leaves we have provided for him so we have yet to find his diet of choice. Cue a return to the spot of the crime after school today where we will pick a variety of leaves and try and solve the puzzle (apparently caterpillars don't travel far from their food source) Oh and even though I keep referring to our new pet as a him, Poppy has for some reason decided it's a girl and named it Jessy.