Tango to British Cheese...

Zurich has it all. It's a cosmopolitan centre, where, as an 'outsider', you can happily walk around without being stared at. I have to say, though, one of my favourite things so far is 'Im Viadukt'. This is a trendy part of town, where the old viaduct arches have been converted into shops and now house fashionable boutiques. Tim and I were lucky to discover that the Spanish culture shop, El Social, offers free taster Argentine tango sessions and so went to sample this exotic dance yesterday afternoon. In a nutshell, we discovered we are as bad at dance coordination and hip movement as each other, but we had fun in the meantime.

Our instructor was very Argentine, and led us through the steps with an impossible swing of the hips. He made the dance steps look like movement; we, by contrast, looked like we were clomping around the dance floor, very much a la John Sergeant. We managed not to fall over though, and by the end could go forwards, backwards and sideways, and even fit in some cheeky turns. Afterwards we had a look around the shops. There is, wait for it... A British cheese shop there! They even stock Wensleydale and Isle of Mull cheddar! Tim was delighted to sample some, and we ended up coming away with a chunk of Stilton. How very delicious. And so refreshing, after the Austrian attitude of 'ugh, all British food is disgusting'.

Another interesting shop, though not my cup of tea, is called Freitag. It stocks bags made from old truck tarpaulins, and each one is completely unique. Very eco-minded, but super expensive and they stink! The shop is funky, though, and in old truck containers. You can climb to the top of them all and look out at the view, but they rather unnervingly sway in the wind and as other people climb the stairs... Next week, I will be sampling a free yoga session at Im Viadukt. Switzerland may be expensive, but they certainly offer benefits..

A swim before breakfast...

Last weekend Tim and I had an idyllic start to our weekend. We woke up early to sunshine, got ourselves mobilised quickly and set off for the Katzensee, our local lake. We called at the little family-run bakery on the way to buy some pains au chocolat for breakfast and then sat by the lake to eat them, followed by a very refreshing early morning swim. It was a great sense of satisfaction to have swam and got out before all the crowds arrived for the day, and a brilliant morning for the Geist!

The Clifton Suspension Bridge after a storm...

A painting I did recently...

Finally, I'm a real writer...

I have just finished my first week at work and it has been absolutely wonderful. First thing is, I can't believe how lucky I am to be able to walk to work. Despite a few rainy days I've felt that, even though I'm sitting at a desk all day, I'm getting plenty of exercise and fresh air. Everybody I work with is lovely and I feel I can learn a lot from them. I have already been given various responsibilities. I've written a book review of a guide to the Valais, in Switzerland. I have also done a couple of news articles and a bit of copy for the website. I'm excited about the relaunch of the magazine, especially because I will get my own fashion column. I started doing research for it yesterday, and the idea is that I will interview up and coming designers in Switzerland. I can see that I will absolutely love working professionally as a journalist.

In other news: Tim and I went to the cinema last weekend, and it cost about £20 each.. Oh Switzerland! I'm sure upon return to Britain I'll feel like the prices resemble Indian ones!

Fields of gold, Farmyard apples and Friendly locals...

Whilst I find the cost of living in Zurich somewhat unreasonable, there is a lot about the culture here that has made a superb impression on me. I went for a walk around the block today. The weather was beautifully sunny with a cool breeze and I love that within five minutes of leaving our apartment you are in the countryside. One of the first things you see is a golden field of sunflowers stretching towards the horizon. Then you walk past fields filled with grazing horses, apple trees dotted along the road, long fields of maize and can see the local lake, the Katzensee.

I stumbled across a farm selling bags of apples cheaply and then a little bakery where I bought a delicious typically Swiss cake. It looks a bit like a pie and is filled with a nutty honey mixture. These items were very cheap, and I realise it's the supermarkets that overcharge. Another thing is that locals here are very friendly. People in passing say hello, shop owners take a moment to chat to you. And that is so very different to my experience in the Tyrol. It's a really lovely area...

Just where else in the world could you do this?

A few days in, I already understand why Zurich always rates as having such high living standards. When Tim got in from work yesterday, we moseyed down to our local lake and had a swim in the evening sunshine. It was busy, but the water was clear, the views beautiful and I can't imagine a better way of chilling out after work. Today the weather is glorious again, and I am going to spend the day writing my book.. oh heaven...

And just one of our new (temporary) flat...

This is the one and only time you'll see me smiling whilst standing next to such a big spider...

My walk to work...

Just landed in the country of mountains and chocolate...

They say first impressions count. For me that's good then. Switzerland is just as beautiful as everyone says. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't been apprehensive about moving here. It seems to be a country that nobody really knows much about; it has a language that has the same name as one I studied, but that I absolutely cannot understand; the locals have a terrible reputation as being cold and unfriendly; and that is to say nothing about the cost of living, and me on a terrible salary. However, after Tim collected me from the airport yesterday and took me to our new flat, my worries were completely gone.

Our new flat - temporary for the summer - is spacious, airy and painted in bright colours making it cheerful. It has a positive aura. Only a short train journey from the city and yet in the countryside, it is just a perfect location. We are surrounded by rolling hills, fields and trees - and just down the road is a lake, where we can go swimming after work. Since I landed the weather has been beautiful, apart from a dramatic thunderstorm last night. I can't understand the locals and I would be lying if I said the food was anything less than unutterably and ridiculously expensive, but something tells me it will all be worth it. I feel incredibly blessed that I can live here with Tim, and climb onto the first step of the ladder leading to a career in journalism. Could I have it any better?...