Im Juni letzten Jahres wurde das neu renovierte Vogelhaus im Zolli Basel wiedereröffnet. Seit dem wollten wir wieder einmal in den Zolli und es uns anschauen.

Jetzt hatte es endlich geklappt, und wir hatten viel Spass bei unserem Besuch.

Aktuell ist im Zoo Zürich eine Sonderausstellung zum Thema Eiszeit: Kaltgestellt

Dabei werden lebensgrosse Eiszeittiere ausgestellt und dazu noch einige Informationen.

Im November sind wir endlich am Rhein entlang den Skultpurenweg Trun entlang spaziert. 

Wunderschöne Landschaft, interessante Skulpturen und ein süsses Rotkehlchen haben es zu einem tollen Ausflug gemacht.

Wir waren wieder zu Gast beim Park Seleger Moor. Dieses Mal erstrahlt der Park in wunderschönen Herbstfarben - und zusätzlich noch eine Kunstausstellung.

Wie immer bei Kunst: Ein Teil fanden wir toll, und mit dem anderen Teil konnten wir wenig anfangen...

Am letzten schönen Herbstwochenende sind wir noch einmal in den Zoo Zürich.

Wir wurden mit Bären auf Nahrungssuche, störrischen Elefanten, einem neugierigen Hyänen-Jungen und süssem Stachelschwein-Nachwuchs belohnt.

We wanted to see the snow leopards before the Zurich Zoo starts its renovation. The weather has been a bit unpredictable lately, so despite the forecast, we gave it a shot... The forecast was accurate and it rained to whole time...

Newborn among the seals: On the 28th of June, a little seal was born, and two weeks later, we admired it.

He is a total cutie, an excellent diver, and also a bit clumsy while swimming!

In a newsletter about "places to see in your region," we came across Kaiserstuhl AG: a small, charming village with a beautiful old town and a castle on the other side.

On a beautiful day, we went to the zoo. The Gelada baboon young were playfully romping around, and the red ruffed lemurs were busy eating in the Masoala hall. It was an exciting trip, with a slight sunburn as a souvenir.

A bit of sunshine and lots of animals: T

he spectacled bear foraging for food, the coatis waiting until he was gone, the little panda observing us just as we observed him...

Simply a beautiful morning at the zoo!

First visit in 2023! The weather is very changeable these days: first it was okay, then nice and sunny, and in the end it was wet and windy...

The animals were also rather sluggish, understandable. I would also prefer to retreat to a tree and snuggle into my fluffy fur!

To get familiar with my new camera, we often took walks along the Reppisch to the Marmoriweiher.

I didn't like uploading individual pictures, but not showing the pictures at all is also not great. That's why there is now a review of the whole year!

Again, we were incredibly lucky, and we got to see the adorable snow leopard cubs being fed.

Beautiful weather lured us to the zoo. We had lunch at the Lewa Savanna and were able to observe it.

Our last trip during our vacation was to the Vogelpark Ambigua (bird park).

We had a lot of fun trying to identify which birds were curiously observing us, and we were followed by the cockatoos, which I naturally took advantage of to take flight pictures of them.

During our vacation, we also visited the Walter Zoo. It's a cute zoo, especially for families with young children.

We were lucky with the little panda, as on our fourth pass by the enclosure, he was finally visible - and very close too!

For my birthday, I received tickets to the Vogelpark Steinen. One of the reasons for the tickets were the two bird shows. Now we can say that the bird shows are really great! It was especially nice that several birds were allowed to fly at the same time.

One can hardly believe it, but Facebook pointed out to us that there are pumpkin exhibitions to be seen at the Jucker Farm. I took a closer look and that's how we decided to visit the artworks - and buy pumpkins.

We accidentally found out about the ArtWalk in Bremgarten - apparently this is already the sixth!

Anyway, we thought it was a cool idea, so we took my parents and walked from artwork to artwork through Bremgarten.

The tred pandas are now three: Ting Tang has been busy exploring her new surroundings. During her rounds, she was watched by her colleagues up in the trees.

At my birthday we visited the zoo for a short time periode. The animals must have heared about it, then they were particularly active!

We love the zoo night: at dusk in the zoo implies a lot more activity of the animals!

On the way back from Lausanne, we stopped in Kerzers to visit the Papiliorama. I love the butterfly dome and the toucan in the tropical dome. If it weren't so hot - and if my feet had held up - I would have stayed for hours.

As mentioned, we were in Lausanne for three days. On the second day, we not only visited Aquatis but also explored Lausanne itself.

My stamina is not yet back to normal, and Lausanne is situated on a hill... I only had enough energy to visit two of the parks, but they were really beautiful.

We were in Lausanne for three days. In the morning of our second day in Lausanne, we did go directly from the hotel into Aquatis - only a few meters.

The aquarium was designed with great attention to details and displays animals that I have never seen before.

We were in Lausanne for three days. Our first stop during our trip was the Tropiquarium and Zoo in Servion.

The Tropiquarium is currently famous for the birth of an albino turtle. 

We saw it and it is so cute!

Above of Disentis you can find some quite cute waterwheels at the stream Clavaniev besides the small town Clavaniev. They are built from one of the villagers and were not promoted. Now, you can find them on Google if you search for "Wasserräder Clavaniev". If you are nearby, check them out - we think, it’s worth it!

The Swiss monastery Schönthal has a col­lection of art. Some is displayed inside the old church, others are arranged outside on the fields and in the woods. If you are not used to Switzerland’s up and downs, I re­constructed our path on geo.admin: 94 meters height difference. My six months of couch potato didn’t like it that much.

Regensberg is a small village near-ish our own home. We drove a few times through it, but never stopped to look at it.

Now, we finally did it! We drove to Regensberg to play tourist and stare at the castle and the historic view.

The Holzkorporation Dietikon celebrates their 175th anniversary. For this occasion, the forest on the Honeret and Guggenbühl was made available for an woody art exhibition. We walked most of the forest tour on the Honeret and admired the different masterpieces.

We visited Park Seleger Moor again and this time, everything was blooming in different colors, especially the rhododendrons caught our attention with their big bushes - very different from our last visit when we came much later in the year.

Today, the wolves were in the enclosure of the tiger - and we were lucky to be in to zoo too!

We don't get snow very often in the "lowlands", so we quickly packed our camera and headed to the zoo to admire our favorite animals in the snow.

This summer, I had the opportunity to borrow a Sony α 7R IV camera from a friend and try it out, along with a macro lens that I used to take photos of my crochet clique.

While I was impressed with the camera's performance, 61 megapixels is a bit too much for my needs...

We were also in the mountains quite often this year - but I definitely forgot the camera at home too many times... Nevertheless, thanks to the pretty good iPhone camera and a few visits with the camera, there are also some pictures to admire this year.

The treetop walk has been on our list of places we would like to visit for a while. However, it's not easy to find a day in autumn when we have time and the sun is shining - the weather is a bit unpredictable.

We have one or two common buzzards here that fly close over our roof and whistle.

Usually, it ends with me trying to grab my camera in time. Finally, it worked because he took a break!

On Saturday we spontaneously decided to visit the Skulpturenweg (sculpture path) in Reinach again. Besides the beautiful sculptures, we also saw many great birds, including a kite sitting on a flagpole in the allotment gardens.

In late September, we took a short trip to the Skulpturenpark Steinmaur (a sculpture park). Here, various artists showcase their works.

This summer, one had to actively search for the sun... When it finally appeared in all its glory in the sky on September 18th, we decided to take a short trip to Bremgarten to stroll through the beautiful old town and along the Reuss.

We spent a few short hours during twilight at the Zurich Zoo.

This summer, the weather was unpredictable and often rainy... Today, we were lucky to take advantage of the few hours of "sun" and visit the zoo.

The situation has improved, but traveling abroad is still not particularly enticing. Luckily, during our last fall break, we discovered a small oasis of well-being that we used as a starting point for our short vacation. This led to three varied days at lake Thun.

The Zoo Basel is located in the middle of the city and is easily accessible. It was opened in 1874 and has been fascinating visitors ever since.

My personal favorite part of the zoo is the Vivarium right near the main entrance.

On May 16th, we explored the Freiämter Sagenwegen near Waltenschwil for a few hours during "sunshine". It is a well-designed path with twelve different art installations, each representing a different legend. The text of the legend is displayed next to the artwork.

Interestingly, we always manage to observe some animals during feeding time. This time, we were able to see the otters, although not while they were eating, but playing instead.

This year, I went to the mountains more often than usual to keep my great-aunt company - although the circumstances are sad, the visits were always a happy occasion.

Beautiful fall weather with colorful foliage and blue skies drew us to the banks of the Limmat.

While the walk was on the shorter side and the start along the highway a bit noisy, it was worth it and provided a lovely respite.

We had a wonderful autumn day at Zoo Zurich. Luckily, we were able to watch the snow leopards being fed and there was plenty of animal activity going on.

This year everything is different, even the vacations. Fortunately, Switzerland is such a beautiful country and there are so many beautiful places we haven't visited yet.

While having the car checked, we explored the area and then head towards Lake Thun!

Europe is slowly getting a grip on the Corona situation, but it is still better to stay in one's own country.

However, everyone still needs vacation time, and Switzerland is a beautiful country! That's why this year, vacations will be spent close to home.

The Vivarium Tablat is small and very beautiful. It focuses on the diversity of native amphibians and reptiles.

The Bruderhaus Wildlife Park is located in Winterthur and has an interesting selection of animals.

We had a lot of fun and recommend it, but definitely only for early risers, otherwise all parking spots are gone!

First visit to the newly opened Lewa Savanna and we were very lucky:

The rhinos, giraffes, and zebras were very close!

Very, very short visit to visit our favorite animals, the red pandas.

The Zoo Zürich is the zoological garden of Zurich. It was opened in 1929 and is located above the city on the Zurichberg.

2020 was our first year with annual passes - and many short visits and great little moments.

One year, four visits to Disentis and the surrounding area.

I love the Swiss Alps, and especially this area.

When is the ideal time to go on vacation in Japan? Apparently, two days after the most devastating typhoon in 60 years hit the main island of Japan...

At least we knew afterwards that I needed a new rain jacket - always look at the bright side of life!

We have decided to take a long weekend as a "trial vacation" in Scotland to find out if we really like the country, and behold, we do! Even though Edinburgh can be a bit touristy...

After many years of break, it was finally time again for a photoshoot with Nyctea!

This time, the desired theme is "Vikings".

I've been to Japan in the winter and during cherry blossom season in the spring. Four years later, it was time for summer: from Osaka to Hiroshima, then to Kyūshū, and finally Nagasaki and Huis Ten Bosch.

And yes, the weather was pleasantly warm!

The Papiliorama in Kerzers is known for its butterfly dome: Inside the dome, over 1,000 exotic butterflies fly freely around visitors in a lush tropical garden.

I become like a little child in a candy store every time I visit!

Student life has its beautiful sides: another long weekend to travel!
This time the trip went to Leipzig.

Zoo Leipzig is one of the best zoos in Europe and the best zoo in Germany. And with a size of 26 hectares, you can walk your feet flat.

How did my mother convince me to take a second vacation to Iceland?

With puffins!!!

And yes, she really had to convince me, the sulfur smell in Iceland is not my thing...

Thanks to the SBB offer, another short trip over the weekend, this time to Venice.

With an InterRail pass, we embarked on a 10-day city trip from Nuremberg to Prague to Vienna.

Schönbrunn Zoo in Vienna is the oldest existing zoo in the world. We visited it during our city trip and found it really great!

This small, hidden butterfly house is basically the mini version of Papiliorama and is definitely worth a visit!

My parents took us to Essaouira to celebrate my successful Bachelor's degree. We didn't get to sleep in, but it was still an interesting and relaxing vacation.

What you discover when you have visitors and want to entertain them... That includes the Skulpturenweg Reinach sculpture path in the neighborhood!

A short weekend trip to Bellinzona. On the first day, we climbed up to the two castles, and on the second day, we made a detour to the falconry in Locarno.

A small reenactment group called "Die Bannerlosen" (the bannerless) asked me to take some photos of their group - of course I said yes!

A day trip to castle in Laupen was the plan, but it turned into more of a visit to the village with a stop at the castle.

The weather was also on the stormy side, but fortunately, we didn't get wet.

Crazy day trip with my parents to France to visit the construction site "Guédelon".

Definitely interesting and highly recommended!

Few months after my first trip, I immediately set out for Japan again:

Cherry Blossoms

My first trip to Japan. A beautiful country where I felt really comfortable - of course, I also had a very special tour guide!

The weather was surprisingly good, except when the cold wind added to the cold temperature, it became a little uncomfortable.

What happens when students pay attention in class?

An Ophelia photoshoot at the river!

The aquarium of Genoa is the largest in Europe. We visited it during our long weekend in Genoa, Italy.

A rather spontaneous, long weekend in Genoa, Italy - thanks to a summer promotion by the Swiss Federal Railways. Both Genoa itself and the aquarium were worth visiting.

A short day trip to the Rhine Falls. The Rhine Falls are already very impressive, but we were there at a time when there were additional masses of water - so strong that certain viewing platforms were "undermined."

After the group shooting with the LARP group "Amaroqianer," I stayed in touch with one of the members, and we arranged another photoshoot. This time, the theme was "post-apocalyptic."

I was asked if I was interested in a cosplay photoshoot. Of course, I was!

It was definitely something different, and I am happy with the end result.

Together with my mother and a travel group, we went on a hunt for the Northern Lights. We were lucky: the first day had moderate activity, so we could learn everything important without missing anything. The following nights were when it really started happening. And during the day, we hunted for other things...

Last minute change of plans, not by our own doing, but due to an issue with the SBB:

Instead of riding the Glacier Express on our way to the destination, we ended up zigzagging through Switzerland and missing every single connection - all because of a small issue with the tracks near Dietikon.

A full-day photoshoot with the LARP group "Amaroqianer".

Shooting in the snow in December. We were lucky, it was foggy but "in the background", which actually added to the atmosphere of the pictures - plus there was no freezing wind, so we humans were also happy.

Before the first snow arrived, there was one last autumn photoshoot with a cute Tinker horse and its owner.

Photo shooting with a beautiful Friesian horse and its wonderful owner! The weather was beautiful, so the shoot took up the whole day.

My last short trip before a long period of studying for my exams begins. Together with my mother, we drove along the Rhine and explored various castles - we even stayed in one - until we reached the Burger Zoo at the top in the Netherlands.

In theory, we wanted to see the famouse lavender fields. Unfortunately, we had the kind of luck where we heard "they have already faded" and "they are yet to come" at the same time.

Nonetheless, it was a beautiful weekend in Provence!

Our trip was supposed to be for a single week. A few days for a conference, some days afterwards to enjoy the USA and then back home. 

Well, iceland had other plans: We had to add additional days in Bosten. They were cold, wet and unpleasant...

My first trip to Iceland! Our first journey followed the Ring Road, so we saw "a little bit of everything" - with ulterior motives to learn what we like best, for the next time.

However, sulfur fields are definitely not one of them...

A small, very spontaneous photoshoot with a friend and the peony in our garden.