Ticino – Travel Diary 2019

Same procedure as every year – also this year we were off to the Italian part of Switzerland, the Locarno and Ascona area to be precise. 

We left in a Tuesday in the afternoon and arrived right on time for dinner in Locarno. We hit a bit of traffic jam, but were lucky with the parking, so we went to our favourite restaurant called Sensi. The waiters know us by now, so it’s always a lot of fun to return. After dinner we drove to our apartment, unpacked, I did my nails and then we went to bed early. 

On Wednesday we got up early, because we wanted to take the boat to Luino. The ship left at 10 and we arrived in Luino an hour later. It’s always so beautiful on Lago Maggiore, definitely worth a trip, if you are ever close by. In Luio we went tot he market first, where I found a great bag, of course we also looked at the normal shops and then had a late lunch by the lake. We then took the slow boat back, which allowed us to see more. In Locarno we strolled through the city a bit and then went grocery shopping. The rest of the day was spent at the apartment. We stayed on the balcony, cooked dinner and read a lot. 

Thursday started dull and grey. It was not that cold, so we decided to go running. Then we cooked lunch and the weather got a bit better, so it was time to get ready and go shopping in Locarno first and then in Ascona as well. We found some great things and I still can’t believe that I found a Furla bag (I wanted one for so long), it was for sale (50%). In Ascona we spent a lot of time in a shop called Ewa, the owner is dutch and so much fun. The boardwalk in Ascona is beautiful, the perfect place for people watching. They also have colourful animal statues spread around the city, great photo opportunities for sure. Weh ad dinner at Osteria Nostrana right on the boardwalk. In the evening we were able to hear the concert on the Piazza Grande from the balcony. 

On Friday we slept in and then weh ad lunch at the gold course. I then spent the afternoon in the „badi“ of Ascona, enjoyed the sunshine and swam in the lake. I also managed to get a funny sunburn on my back. Then I drove back tot he golf course and we had dinner. The rest of the evening was spent at our friends’ apartment in Minusio, with a great view of the lake. 

Saturday was similar to Friday, I spent the day at the badi and then we had dinner at the Acona golf club, the food was delicious. 

On Sunday we headed tot he Bavona valley, it goes off from the Maggia valley. It was so beautiful. The Bavona river with it’s blue and turquoise water, all the rocks and the little villages, all made out of stone houses. We also saw a very impressive waterfall in Foroglio, it really reminded me of Yosemite National Park. Weh ad lunch right there, I had a yummy polenta with typical meat from the area. We drove back to Ascona and had a little drink by the lake at the Seven lounge. Roger Federer was playing the Wimbledon final, so we ordered pimms and always glanced at the live ticker. Before dinner we headed back to the apartment, freshend up, got changed and then went to our beloved Sensi restaurant. Of course, we still had Federer on in the background, sadly he lost. After dinner, we headed tot he food street oft he Moon and Stars festival and then into the little alley, where we listened to the concert for a while, until it started raining. 

Monday started bad weather wise, so we drove to Como, only to find out that most shops are closed in the morning and only open at around 3 pm. We enjoyed an Italian cappucciono and then checked some shops, luckily, some opened earlier, so we spend some time in those, before having a great lunch at Gesumin, one of my fave restaurants in this city. We then drove out oft he city, to a grocery store, there are certain thngs I always like getting in Italian, so I did. We drove back early, because in the evening it was time for our Moon and Stars concert. We took the funicular down to Locarno and went tot he entrace. We always reserve in a restaurant on the Piazza Grande and enjoy the concert from there. We were a bit late, so we called the restaurant to let them know. Anyway, one oft he waitresses almost gave our table away, we just arrived in time. Aloe Blacc szarted playing first, which was great, he played some cover songs, some of his new ones and also the ones everybody knows, he really has a great voice and interacted well with the audience. Then came Christina Aguilera, she started late, but put on a fab show. She played all her famous songs and talked tot he audience as well, but not as much. The thing that annoyed me most, was her gettiong changed every two or three songs. In total she was wearing nine outfis within 1 ½ hours. That might be fine in an arena show, but not for a festival like that. I still really enjoyed it though and fell into bed happily. 

Tuesday was our last day already, we packed and cleaned and then had a late lunch at Sensi, before driving home. 

Ticino is always worth a visist and it’s great to explore new places down there as well. Late me know, if you’re ever going!!!

Goals for 2019

Last year I wrote a post about my 2018 goals, so for this year I thought, I’d reflect on those and set some new ones. I will also add some plans and ideas to this post. 

Let’s start with blogging. The number of followers is something big and important to most bloggers, I was the same, but that changed. I don’t even look at these numbers anymore (except for Instagram). I still haven’t reached 1000 followers on insta, it’s been my goal for two years. I even have less followers now, I just don’t get it. At one point I had 960 and now I’m around 910. My goal for 2018: 1000 ;). I have a bit less followers on Twitter as well, but there I really don’t care. I don’t that much on twitter anymore, except for my blog posts. 5555 is a great number, but I don’t think it will go up. I have reached my goal of 350’000 pageviews, I’m almost at 390’000, even though I have barely posted anything the last three months. For 2019 getting to over 400000 would be fab.

Other than that I just want to enjoy blogging again (see my “It’s been a while” post). I also want to get out of my reading slump and not put myself under pressure when it comes to reviewing. 

I was far away from reaching my goodreads goal, so I will set it at 50 books for 2019.

I have recorded some song on the piano, but haven’t uploaded any. Moving out also meant leaving the piano behind. I might buy an electric piano though, organise all my music and then get started, so we’ll see. 

In the beginning of the year I did a lot of working out, planks every day, but that kind of stopped in April. I really want to get into it again. 

Yes,last year I wanted to move out and said it’s difficult to find the right place. Well, I have found the right place! I moved in October into an apartment with 3 ½ rooms. That means a bedroom, another additional room, a bathroom, a guest bathroom and an open kitchen and big living room. I love living here and loving alone. Now, there are just little things I still need, especially pictures on the walls.

2018 was a big traveling year for me withcalifornia, Malta, Ticino, Belgium and Barcelona. There is not much planned for 2019 yet. I’m def going to London in February. I really want to go back to Canada in summer, but I have nothing booked yet. Lots of ideas are floating around though ;). 

I have learned to stand up for myself more, but it proves to be hard, cause I’m very emotional and start crying easily. There are certain situations where I had to do it in 2018 and I have definitely grown stronger, I still have to work on it though. 

Think about my teaching job, I just want to continue the same way, enjoy my work and get inspired by the kids every day. 

I want to continue my work for the choir's committee and just do a good job. It’s great to work with these people and even though I’m much younger than them, they accept my opinion and want to hear my thoughts. 

The lettering is going great, but I don’t have a lot of time for it and I need different pens, they are just really expensive. 

What are your goals for this new year?

It’s been a while...

Happy 2019!

It’s been a while, since I have published a „real“ blog post, I know. All I have posted were book reviews and yesterday my Books of the Year 2018. 

Ever since I moved into my own apartment, I didn’t have time and other things were more important. I had ideas for blog posts, but no motivation to write them down.  I have also become a very slow reader. Yes, I have read, but only published a hand full book reviews, no book oft he month posts or a Fashion Corner. 

I guess you could call it a blogging and reading slump. I still love my blog very much and see 2019 as anew beginning and new chance. 

I will post whenever I want to and have a review ready. I will do blog tours, but not too many. I also have set myself a low (for me) reading goal), I just want to enjoy reading again. 

There is still a Barcelona Travel Diary post hiding in my drafts, just didn’t hit publish. I also want to really take my time with posts, read through them again etc. There will be Fashion posts again, I still have lots of outfits, who want to be seen.

I hope you all understand and you are still happy that I am back. 

Now, let’s talk about 2018. A lot has happened. 

The year has been full of traveling: California, Malta, Belgium, Barcelona and more. I visited my bestie in Belgium, spend fab days in the Italian part of Switzerland, visited Malta with two friends and had the best three days traveling around in California. 

Of course a big part has been moving. I gave myself a lot of time for this step, because I wanted to find the right place. It’s not easy to find something in the area I wanted for a reasonable price. I loved getting all the furniture and decorating the whole place. Watch this space for more infos soon ;). 

I finished another year of teaching and it has been hard for the last couple of months with my class. I was happy to have the support of the whole team and the principal. This years class consists of 12 boys and only 3 girls. They are hard work, but it’s still fun getting to know them and teaching them. 

2018 has been full of music and singing. I sang in over 10 concerts and it was so much fun. Also a lot of work in my choir committee, but it was fab. We also had our first choir night in the area, which was born from an idea of a friend and me. More in my highlights. 

I have become a very slow reader as I already mention. I wanted to read 90 books this year and didn’t even manage 70. It’s ok, because I have learnt not to put myself under pressure when it comes to reviewing. 

So let’s see what 2018 has in store for me! Definitely lots of books and blogging, but also work, singing and traveling.Nothing really planned yet, except for a few days in London in February, I can’t wait!

The next two posts will be my highlights of 2018 and goals for 2019, so watch this space.