Our morning began with yet another perfectly stress free journey to Zurich. Soon enough we arrived at the Hauptbahnhoff where Gundula was waiting for us. It was 36 degrees and the weekend promised to be a scorcher. We dropped off our bags and met the newest additions to the family. Two beautiful Siberian cats called Gustav and Tiffany. After a bit of playtime and lots of cuddles, we said goodbye to the felines and spent the afternoon with Gundula. We had a nose around a local Charity shop as Gundula was on the hunt for wineglasses and also managed to find limited edition Nespresso pods, which we swiftly purchased. Then it was off to Frau Gerald's garden for a refreshing and cold drink. It is an outside urban bar area nestled in between railroad tracks and a busy road. It appears unassumingly on the roadside and is set in a garden like environment surrounded by a collection of trendy boutique shops and cool street art. There are numerous places to sit and many shaded nooks and crannies to enjoy the summer warmth from. By day, there seems to be a relaxed "at the beach" mood and by night it must have a real party vibe to it with music blaring and cocktail stands serving delicious sweet concoctions. It was just the kind of place we like, unpretentious with just the right amount of grit.

As the Freitag shop was right around the corner, we popped in to peruse through their vast array of bags made from re-cycled truck mud flaps. The shop itself is housed in a tower of shipping containers which lead up to a viewing platform. The blistering heat outside meant the interior felt like an oven but luckily the fans offered a cooling reprieve. Tempted by the wares, we each made a purchase and then headed back out into the baking sun to pick Patrizia up from work. It had been a great day and we spent the rest of the evening outside on the patio with wine in hand, catching up on all events since our last visit. The mouth-watering aromas from the BBQ whet our appetites and we hungrily devoured the delicious meal that Gundula prepared. Their two beautiful cats offered much entertainment and we happily sat back and enjoyed the tranquil atmosphere.

The next morning, we got up early and all went for a swim in Lake Zurich. The swimming area is a very short walk from their home and as it was still early, we could enjoy a peaceful, invigorating swim in the clean and calm water. Completely refreshed and awake we were ready for a hearty alfresco breakfast before heading out for yet another glorious day. We drove to Rappersville where a festival was already in full swing. There were loads of food stalls along the lake and live music coming from the beer tents. We spent some time walking around taking in the gorgeous scenery around us. People were swimming in the Lake and you could hear laughter and chatter all around. Feeling rather hot, we found a quiet little locale on a cobblestoned street and shared an ice cold bottle of Pinot Grigio. Then we were off to the affluent area of the Gold Coast for a bit of Maserati spotting. Spying on the rich makes for thirsty work so we immersed ourselves into the moment at one of the many cafes and ordered another bottle of Pinot Grigio followed by an amazing Carpaccio. The other half certainly know how to live well. In the afternoon we drove back to Rushlikon for another swim in Lake Zurich. The swimming area was packed and there was barely any place to sit. People were taking full advantage of the beautiful, hot summer day. We swam until our limbs ached and after drying off in the warmth of the sun we made our way back to the house to enjoy yet more wine and a few more cuddles with the two "bears". Gundula prepared another delicious bbq which sent us all into a food coma. We definitely over indulged but it was too good to say no to.

The next morning, Tanya and I got up really early for our final swim in Lake Zurich, at least for this year. The sun was rising and there was hardly anyone around. The water was glistening with the reflection of the sun and it cast a beautiful light across the new day. This lifestyle is truly enviable and we soaked up as much of it as we could.

As a Birthday treat, Patrizia and Gundula took us to Hotel Belvoiur for an absolutely divine brunch. The hotel is situated on a hill top with lovely views of the Lake. It really is a great location and once again the food was fantastic. Although Tanya and I have not had any sugar since April we just couldn't say no to the mini panna cotta's on offer. Our resolve broke but it was totally worth it, they were to die for.

With full bellies and yet more great moments to fill the memory bank with we boarded our plane back to London to join the real world.