St Gallen and Appenzell

St Gallen, a city I have often visited, but never stayed with a friend, Brigitte. It was a fantastic weekend stay. 
Food and friends was the major purpose of the trip, and it started as soon as I arrived, meeting another friend Ruth in a beautiful, shady garden in the heart of the pedestrian precinct. Temperatures in the city were high, but we had a perfect spot for a delicious lunch.
Although I've been here quite often, I am still enthralled by the magnificent timbered homes dating back hundreds of years. 
The Red Square was new for me - a huge area with banks and restaurants linked by a bright red roadway - it felt like a playground floor, a little softer than normal roads. 
A hot but beautiful sunny day for a trip to Appenzell. We went by the little train which heads alongside and even on the mainroad. A very restful trip through this area a lush green rolling hills.
Appenzell, a real tourist trap, is one of the most colourful towns I know, with so many beautifully decorated buildings.
Inside, the decor is just as fantastic and very special. 
Every colour imaginable!
We were lucky enough to be there on a special festival, so the main square, surrounded by spectacular buildings, was bustling, filled with music and laughter 
Elaborate signs. 
We had a lovely, but very very hot walk along the river to Weissbad , an elegant restaurant in a magnificent garden. It's used chiefly for people rehabilitating after an operation. I felt quite young there!
We should have knocked back a few of these! To finish a great two days, we visited a local exhibition about perfume. We struggled a bit with identifying smells, but the info was fascinating and the display in the roof of bridge building techniques was really interesting. This photo shows a miniature of the wooden bridge which crosses the Rhein by Schaffhausen.
A brilliant catch up with friends in a beautiful area.
Now I'm on the train back to Zuoz for the last week of camp.
Looking forward to seeing David, Marco and other friends again. 


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