Day 49 - September? Already!?

Saturday 1st September 2018

It is still raining when we wake up. Occasionally, through breaks in the cloud, we can see that it has been (and probably still is) snowing up high. So much for our plan to go for a long walk.

We do little in the morning but laze around and then wander up to the town to poke around. This doesn't take long. For a start we arrive as all the shops are closing for lunch. Secondly, when I say "all," read "three." A tiny supermarket, a grocery come newsagents, come souvenir shop and a very nice climbing shop (which we can't afford to look in) which also houses the guides bureau (mountain not girl).

What to do? Window shopping takes 5 minutes since 2 of the shops have no windows. So, we go for a coffee where we find free internet and an hour of weather, forecasts and emails ensues. Occasionally we even talk to each other:

Mr P: "Can I..."

Mrs P: "No!"

Mr P: "But, you don't know what I was going to say"

Mrs P: "Yes I do, and the answer is 'No.' We can't afford it"

Mr P: "But..."

Mrs P: "No!"

Mr P: Sigh!

These are the kinds of conversations you have after 12 years together. It begs the question: Does the number of a actual words required between two people to hold a recognisable conversation reduce exponentially the longer their relationship continues? Imagine the same conversation in another 12 years...

Mr P: "Ca..."

Mrs P: "No!"

Mr P: "But..."

Mrs P: "We can't afford it"

Mr P: "Bu..."

Mrs P: "No!"

Mr P: Sigh!

...and another 12 years...

Mr P: "..."

Mrs P: "No!"

Mr P: Sigh!

Anybody guess what I was after? A second cup of coffee. And, for your information, Mrs P is right (she always is). We can't afford it. Any other country, maybe but this is Switzerland where 12 years ago £1 would buy you CHF 2.38. Now it's only CHF 1.25. Add to that the fact that Swiss consumer prices are 86% higher than in the UK!This last discussion may make Mrs P sound miserly but that is not the case. We have an expensive evening ahead of us. A one off.If we are to correctly re-enact our visit to this valley of 12 years ago we must go out for fondue and white wine to celebrate our 12 year anniversary of the proposal.We know that 12 years ago we celebrated with fondue and white wine. We think we might have had said fondue in the pretty little town of Evolène. So, having booked into the Camping Evolène we wander round the town pointing randomly at restaurants saying, "Was it that one?" and, "Could that have been it?" Truth is, we have no idea. So, we choose a traditional looking one and book a table for that evening but not before a visit to the bank (I really wish I were joking).Anyway, later that evening, the restaurant, the atmosphere, the service and of course the fondue and white wine were excellent. We can thoroughly recommend the Restaurant Au Vieux Mazot - Chez Raymonde. Trips off the tongue eh?tomorrow we will definitely go for a walk because it will stop raining. It has to stop raining eventually right?