Today I was invited to do a hike together with the President of Switzerland, Alain Berset, and two hundred other people in the State (Canton) of the President which Is Freiburg. We hiked from the Schwarzsee (Black Lake) up into the mountains there. The weather was just gorgeous. The hike was organized because tomorrow (August 1.) is the Swiss National Holiday. The picture shows the start and end point of the hike the Schwarzsee (Black Lake)

Tonight we went hiking on the hill in the north of St. Gallen (Rosenberg). From here I took the attached picture which shows a part of St. Gallen, the hill in the south of the town (Freudenberg) and Mount Säntis in the background. After being away for some time I start to like my hometown even more.

Tonight we went on the Freudenberg to experience the total lunar eclipse. While waiting for the moon to get up I took this picture of a part of the town of St. Gallen with a part of Lake Constance and the German shore in the background.

Today we hiked together with Karl from Heiden to Eggersriet (9 km). The picture shows the view from underneath the Fünfländerblick (Five country view hill) towards Austria. The mountain in the background is the Pfänder. The town at the foot of the mountain is Bregenz in Austria. The lake is Lake Constance. The long dam is the entry of the Rhine River into the lake. The border between Switzerland and Austria is about 1 km towards Switzerland. Across the lake on the left side is Germany. The white spots on the lake are boats.

Today we visited our son Patrick who lives in Basel. We took the train from St. Gallen to Basel (170 km). The picture shows a pedestrian ferry over the Rhine River between Basel and Kleinbasel. To cross the river costs CHF 1.60. The ferry has no motor. It crosses just with the current of the water.

Today we went shopping in the pedestrian area of St. Gallen. The picture was taken in the Multergasse. There are so many Swiss flags hanging because the Swiss National Holiday will be celebrated soon (August 1).

Today we bid farewell to Stefan and Edith one more time and traveled to St. Gallen by bus and train (108 km). In the evening we went for a stroll through the town. Here I took the picture of the art museum and the juggler fountain in front of it.

Today we went by public buses to the church of Furna (altitude: 1400 meters). From here we hiked on a round trip of 13 km to the Alp Rona (altitude: 1825 meters). Today the weather got suddenly bad. It rained for about half an hour quite strong. We got totally wet. But after this, the sun came back and we got dry until we were back at the church of Furna. The picture shows Furna in the foreground and the mountains with the Swiss Gate in the background. In between is the Prättigau Valley.

Today we did an easier hike. Together with Stefan, Thomas, and Katharina, we took a small public bus up to the Fideriser Heuberge which lays on an altitude of 2000 meters (9 km). From here we hiked up to the Arflinafurgga which is on an altitude of 2247 meters (2 km) and back. Then the bus brought us back to Fideris. The picture shows the lower Cluner Lake which we passed on the way up.

Today we traveled by buses to Fanas (15 km). Here we took the cable car up the mountain (altitude 1700 m). From here Stefan and I hiked up to Mount Sassauna (2307 m). The ascent and the descent were very steep and on bad and dangerous ways. This used our power a lot. We were quite tired when we were back. But the view up there was just gorgeous. The picture shows the view to the north. The highest peak is Mount Schesaplana (2955 m). Just behind this mountains lays Austria.

Today we traveled together with Karl and Ester to Fideris in the Grisons (108 km). Here we visited Stefan and Edith who are here for vacations. We had a lot to talk together and went for a short hike. The picture shows the village of Fideris and the valley of Prättigau.

Today we hiked together with Karl up the hill in the south of St. Gallen. Its name is Freudenberg. When we came back down into the town I made the picture of the Gallus Square. As the picture shows the weather was not very good today. It was gray all day until the time of this picture when the sun started to come out for a short time. Later it even rained.

Today we were invited to Monica's 50th birthday party. The guest row up for a picture. We were on a hill near Weinfelden (43 km). it is a very nice place.

Today we went together with Käthi's brother Thomas for dinner into the town of St. Gallen. In one of the alleys, I made the attached picture.

Today we were invited by our friends Karl and Ester to their home in Eggersriet. I love the view from there over the countryside towards the Säntis Mountain. I can't stop taking pictures of this landscape.

Today I had my office day. Katharina went to do some shopping. In the evening we went for a walk into the old city of St. Gallen. The picture shows the view from our kitchen window.