This entry is really aimed at my family, part of which I shocked, to some extent, last month.

I spent New Year's Eve in Bangkok — at very short notice, I must say. One of those spur-of-the-moment things, I've been known to do before.
During my stay in BKK, I (actually that should be 'we') made arrangements to get married (the part that surprised those that were unaware of our plans).

My first visit to Asia has left some overwhelming impressions, so many, in fact, that I am leaving you with my pictures, to tell most of the story about what I saw:

Temples and the King's palace covered in gold, while only yards away hundreds of people sleep in an open square, because they have nowhere else to go. Nightly market stalls offering fruit and vegetables unknown to many Europeans, along with food (e.g. crickets and grubs) that many would never consider trying. One of the most polluted rivers worldwide, which just happens to flow through the hottest metropole in the world. And the ruins of an imposing Capital, built in the 13th century.

In Bangkok I was able to see many official offices while registering divorces, applying for various papers, applying for name-changes and queueing to get married ...
The officials all wear military uniforms with wads of badges pinned to them, to show how much red-tape they have fought.

Many dozens of Kilometers were covered in various taxis, while traveling back and forth between these offices. Two things struck me on these jaunts:
First — Although the temperature outside was between 35° and 37° the taxis were always cooled to 17° — after two days I developed the worst cough I've ever had.
Second — If there are any traffic-laws in Thailand, no-one ever follows them!
Personally I would say there are none. Just do your own thing.
If the road has three lanes, open up a forth and fifth or even a sixth!
If the lights change to red, just sound your horn and keep on going.
If a pedestrian tries to cross the road, even on one of those silly pedestrian-crossing-thingies, he or she is fair game — just go after them!
If you can think of an unusual method of robbing someone of his right of way, just try it; even if it means turning at junctions on the wrong side of the road!

Outside the cities, it is not unusual to observe eight-feet-long snakes slithering across the roads. Luckily (for the snakes) 95% of Thailand's population is Buddhist. Unlike pedestrians, it is a sin to kill an animal.
Public transport: A pick-up with two benches perched in the cargo-area and covered with a cloth roof to protect against the sun.
The driver sounds his horn every time he passes a Statue of Buddha or a temple, so that his passengers may raise their folded hands to their forehead in a 'Wai' as a sign of respect.
The drivers of all the cars around you do exactly the same, abandoning their steering-wheels for seconds on end ...
... even if the holy statue just so happens to be in the middle of a traffic island!

Pictures say more than a thousand words — enjoy ...

The weather is changing ...



Wednesday to Friday we had smatterings of snow and I had to clear snow off the windscreen before I could go to work.
Well, at least it gives me time to look at the scene around me ...

Yesterday, it snowed all day long. I had quite a shock when I pulled off the road to let a car pass on the single-track-road: I always knew that wet meadows are not ideal for driving in and even the best 4x4s have problems driving in them ...
I drove off the road and onto a meadow covered in wet snow and, even though I'm using winter tyres, my car just slithered uncontrollably down the hill and refused to be braked until it left the meadow on the other side.
Luckily there wasn't much in my path, other than a wire fence (which didn't survive the encounter and which I hid afterwards).

To change the subject ...

This is what todays weather is doing:






Just in case you didn't really believe me — it is snowing!

The leaves are changing colour again and up here in the mountains, this always goes hand-in-hand with some of the most amazing morning views.



Here is one I photographed on Wednesday morning. Click to see the larger version.

It's that time of the year again ...

If you are passing close to Lake Constance, now would be a good time to stop off in Rorschach.
The anual Sand Sculpture Competition finishes today and the results, which will be on display until the 13th of September, promise to be as good as every year.
'Eat and be eaten' is this years motto. I haven't checked the titles of the sculptures yet, though ...



More to follow ...

A friend recently came over for dinner.
During dinner she repeatedly stopped chewing and cocked her head to one side,
After a while, she informed me:
"I could never live here!"

I suppose it's a good thing I hadn't invited her to come and live here!

Yesterday, the rain would have made things easier for her.
The cows were huddled tightly together under the trees and somehow managed not to move at all.
The sound of cow bells was gone!

I'm sometimes amazed at the things that disturb people.
Friends who spent the night here once, got up in the middle of the night to put planks of wood under the flow of the spring outside because the sound of the water was preventing them from sleeping.
Strangely the water will very occasionally stop flowing for a few minutes —
that's when I wake up!

The ultimate torture for some, obviously, would be the nights when a couple of cows come and lie down next to the spring to chew the cud. And then, at five in the morning, the cockerel down the road begins to crow.
I think it's idyllic.
Some, for some reason, don't ...

I don't know what your weather is doing but we just had a week of rain, storms, floods and [minor] landslides.The local train was replaced by a bus service for a few hours because the tracks were flooded and the local fire- brigade was up all night on Thursday, draining cellars.
With no change of weather in sight, I started contemplating the wonderful weather we had during winter ...



This is the cathedral square in St.Gallen.
If you click on the image, you'll finde there are two versions of it.

Have you ever had someone tell you that you live in a world of your own?
Well, with my new lens, I can prove that I do.



Click to see the larger version.

Towers & Bay-Windows ...

St.Gallen is an interesting city.
A city of small towers and bay windows.
At the moment, it would seem, it is one big building-site too.
It is still, however, very photogenic.



The best time to take photographs is a Sunday morning between 09:00 and 10:00.
At this time of day the streets are freshly freed of the nights debris (groups of youngsters sit around at night drinking and smashing their empties – the cleaning troops arrive at around 05:00). The citizens of St.Gallen are listening to the sermon inside the cathedral.
You have the streets to yourself.

So here's the second picture, taken with the new lens ...
... not quite in focus, I'm afraid – still working on that!



To see the larger version, you will need to have QuickTime installed.
You will also need a little patience, it is quite large.

Why is it the second picture?
Because the first was taken in St.Gallen – here it is:


Focal length: 12 mm; Apperture: 8; Exposure: 250

There is no larger version of this one online yet, but I'm sure a new gallery will be published soon ...

... not with the sound of music but, after a long and enjoyable winter, they are very slowly growing colourful.





Down in the valley, spring is about a fortnight further advanced than up here, but the wait is still worth it ...