Below you will find a selection of the most recent entries from bloggers in our Leisure section.
To view the entries from individual bloggers, click on the links below:
- Steve Long
Steve Long is CEO of InterSoccer, which offers football courses and holiday camps for two to 13-year-olds in Geneva, Vaud, Basel, Zug and Zurich. Steve first came to Switzerland in 2001 as an event and grassroots manager for UEFA, before co-founding InterSoccer in 2007. He loves all sports, especially football, snowboarding, tennis, golf and mountain biking. Originally from Nottingham, UK, he still supports The Mighty Reds - Nottingham Forest.
-
Oguzhan (Osan) Altun
Oguzhan (Osan) Altun is a freelance photographer based in Geneva, and one of the founder members of the Geneva Photo Club. He specializes in landscapes, portraits and event photography. His teaching style combines 10 years of training experience in corporate life with contagious passion for photography and the best training materials available online on the net. He is crisp, to the point, and focused on getting the participant practice what she/he learned.
- Yvette Evers
As the founder of "fraiche air", a local club providing opportunities for outdoor recreation and tourism in English, Yvette has hundreds of ideas for exploring the region including activities such as hiking, showshoeing, powerwalks, ski-touring and family days.
By Dean Marriott
Trying to keep children entertained is a challenge at the best of times, so with the summer holidays fast approaching, many of my friends and colleagues are starting to go into panic mode. So much free time, but no idea what to do with it!
Not every parent can take their holidays to correspond with their children’s school holidays, so finding daytime care is a constant worry. Local day camps may be limited in your area, as most of the bigger providers focus on the more lucrative residential programmes which draw on a global pool of students.
Whilst many children just want to have fun during their holidays, adding an educational element could maximise the benefit derived from attending a summer day programme. Finding the right combination of education, fun and price is a challenge, but one which could be worth seeking out.
By Nicola Ogilvie, Just Sew
When I lived in England I enjoyed many weekend days mooching around craft markets, an activity I have found somewhat limited since moving to Geneva. I always go to the Unicrea markets and enjoy the Coppet garden show but would like to spend more weekends mooching, admiring, and buying gifts and unique hand made products.
But there is good news for fellow moochers, a new series of craft markets is coming to the area! On the 30th and 31st May the first UpMarket Market is being held at the Hotel Beau Rivage in the center of Nyon. It is the same weekend as the Marché de Puce on the streets of Nyon making it a great day of mooching.
By Nicola Ogilvie, Just Sew
April - The sun has come out and the flowers are blooming. Thoughts turn to outside living, hurray, our outdoor furniture comes into focus and the sofa we bought 2 years ago, that we were so proud of, is looking somewhat shabby. The cushions are sun bleached and all different shades. So my mind turns how to refresh it.
Firstly I wanted to make some bright cushions that would smarten up the furniture. Thus the first problem! Where can I get fabric suitable to use outdoors at a reasonable price in Switzerland? I went to the Internet and I found lots of options in the USA and some in the UK but as usual I wanted to do it today, not after waiting for delivery. Then I found the solution, use a shower curtain! Problem solved and I am off to Ikea, and sewing that evening. Many of the designs were of water or ducks but I found a nice turquoise print, though I was also tempted by a couple of striped choices, cost under 15chf. While I was at Ikea I also bought some pillow pads, less than 5chf. On this occasion I bought synthetic, I usually prefer feather or down but for outside synthetic is a must as they dry easily and quickly if rained on.
Guillaume Hersperger – Artistic Director of the festival
By Dean Marriott
The clocks have sprung forward, the daylight hours are rapidly increasing and the good weather will hopefully join us soon. As the trees reawaken and the blossom begins to appear, so too does the Swiss music festival circuit. Throughout Switzerland, numerous festivals are in the throes of preparation and shortly websites will go live for this season's ticket sales.
If you are looking for a gentle and inexpensive way to re-emerge from your winter cocoon, then I would suggest looking no further than the Pully Week-End Musical. This classical music event offers free entry and a programme to appeal to all ages.
This week, I spoke with one of the organisers, Benjamin Décosterd, President of Association Applause, to find out a little more about this locally-funded event.
By Lisa Gibson, http://misswissbliss.wordpress.com/
Located in the quaint village of Rossinière, in the canton of Vaud, is the impressive but relatively unknown Swiss heritage site that is Le Grand Chalet (The Grand Chalet).
It is the biggest chalet in Switzerland and one of the largest wooden dwellings in Europe. It is also one of the oldest chalets in Switzerland and as such, is a protected monument.
Built between 1752 and 1756 by Jean David Henchoz, this fine example of traditional Swiss architecture was originally designed as a warehouse and storage cellar for cheese. It later became a hotel, when in 1852, it was converted into a guesthouse, and boasted visitors such as Victor Hugo and Alfred Dreyfuss.
