Yesterday Rob and Rita picked us up in their motor home and we had an excursion to a restaurant with a view

and an abbey, Einsiedeln. The Abbey is very elaborate and beautiful inside, but we were not permitted to take photos. We enjoyed walking around trying to take in the details. The Abbey is part of a large complex of buildings, surprising conservative in design after the interior.

We also went to see an old house which has been set up for viewing with a commentary. New wood has been used to replace most of building, but there are many of the original beams.

This was a small chapel nearby. It appears to be in use.

This area is famous as being the site of a victory of a small number of peasants over Austrian invaders. They used rocks rolled down the hill to defeat the army on horseback, with armour and weapons. The steep hillsides and narrow pass made it possible.

A tower nearby.

This goat stood so still that we thought it might be carved, until eventually we heard it’s bell and saw it was moving.

We had views of the mountains and lakes along the way. We also had afternoon tea at a good bakery, coffee with cream and apple strudel for us and a more traditional pastry for Rita and Rob. I bought some bread for our breakfast and it served two families as this morning our neighbour came to ask if we had any to spare because the local bakery was closed. We gave her half and used our half for breakfast and lunch today.

In the evening we went back to their campsite on the lake and caught a bus into town. It was the last night of a music festival and there was live music and food stalls. It had begun raining late in the day, but it wasn’t cold, and after drying off some seats with tissues we were able to sit and eat our food.

A view to Mt Pilatus over the river.