Our entire furry family – from left Prickles, Bearli, Nut guy, Bunny, Pici, Biancha, June bug, and Bianchino - poses for Kenan from our terrace in Paradiso.
“I live in Paradiso” he said with an accent that swept this girl off her feet. Here I am 12 years later on 13 April, the longest I have lived anyplace other than the state in which I was born. As I prepare to take on a new professional challenge which will have me traveling heavily, I reflect on my time living in Switzerland.
When Claudio says he is Swiss with that same sexy accent when we are in the USA, he is often greeted with, “oh, you speak Swedish then?”. Once the map in the persons mind is reconciled, they feel comfortable, “Ah, so you speak German.” By the time he gets around to the fact that we speak Italian in Paradiso where we live, all myths about Switzerland are replaced with sunny lake scenes on the Italian border. Indeed, we do live in a slice of heaven, paradise in its charming way.
This post is dedicated to the beauty of the place in which we live, a photographic tribute to our personal Paradiso on the 12 year anniversary of the day we met and our lives changed forever.
Views of and from San Salvatore the mountain that dominates our little corner of paradise. Bottom left my mom and bottom right Claudio and I pose from the highest point.
High summer hiking in the mountains left Claudio with ever smiling Pici in his backpack and right me headed to the lake in early summer.
Top high summer haze in Lugano from our terrace; bottom left azaleas in full bloom by the lakeside in Paradiso; middle lakeside path in full summer bloom; bottom right a local swan wings unfurled with glory.
Fall my favorite season the world over is especially spectacular in Lugano; top right fall red with the first snow on the mountains as its backdrop; top left me with my favorite yellow tree; middle orange blazes brilliant with the mountains behind; bottom left a carpet of yellow leaves; next right a lounging nude on her own carpet; next two more sparkling yellow trees.
Winter light is a brilliant site over the lake with San Salvatore in silhouette center; left Kenan and I on a winter walk lakeside in Gandria; bottom left our beautiful Paradiso water goddess; bottom three various views of snow capped mountains framing the lake of Lugano.
For a spot of tea, a spectacular meal, or a giant gin tonic lakeside any time of year, Agua is our absolute favorite spot in Lugano.
Sunday afternoon concert at the LAC.
Bunny & Bearli gazing out to the sunshine of our terrace one sunny Sunday morning, another day in Paradise.