Bonkers in Honkers +: July 2008

The big weekend culminated in Bern today, but before we get to that it all really started on Wednesday afternoon when Sunny picked me up from work around 530pm and we decided to explore the city of Zug. To our pleasant surprise there was a lot of alfresco activities going on. We joined in at a little Wine bar facing a small square opposite Hotel Ochsen. There was a few tables and chairs outside and a small dining room inside where a wedding party, featuring an 7 month pregnant bride) was wrapping up their afternoon of frivolity. We sat outside in the warm afternoon sun and the babies behaved themselves while we enjoyed a glass of champagne. During the glass of fizz we watched the wedding party leave and helped ourselves to their canapes left over at our table. We decided that Friday would be a day off for us to visit Lucerne and hit the shops. Then we would go to Bern to pickup Mingyu from summer camp on Saturday and check out the lovely old town.

Friday afternoon the weather was sensational and we wandered through the old city of Lucerne and stopped to buy some summer clothes for the bubs. We saw a busker or two and then made our way towards the river. The boys had a meltdown in a department store and fortunately there was two directors seats and a table near the fitting rooms. This was perfect for a feed and change of diapers for each. Further along there was a very inviting cafe to sit refresh and watch the world go by from so we settled there, ordered a stiff drink and relaxed for a bit. After a quick shop for groceries we went back to Cham for an early night.

Saturday we went a was a bit further a field to Berne, before that we drove to Rubigen to pickup Mingyu from Summer camp. As we approached he was riding up the driveway and recognized the car.

The camp looked impressive with Indian teepees and forts, aqua slides on the grass, open fire, mess tent and porta loos. Mingyu proudly showed us his somersault on the trampoline and gave me a quick tour of the place. The organiser Martin came to say hello and gave us a summary of how Mingyu went with the camp and making friends, no problem from all accounts.

We had to laugh because the camp was run by religious group and they had taught Mingyu Hymns and gave him a cross to wear around his neck. Mingyu thought the songs were 'indian' (from the tepees) and had no idea what the cross meant. We suspect there was a a few bible stories around the camp fire etc, but these were all in german and somehow completely lost on Mingyu.

The bets were running on whether mum or dad would be the first unprompted word from the boys, how wrong could we have been. Today Samuel's first word was Mingyu or 'Gyu'. It was while he was in his mothers arms in the living room too that we heard Mingyu talking from his bedroom and Samuel simply said 'Gyu' in a kind of 'I know who that is' tone.

Samuel loves Mingyu and despite the way Mingyu holds him askew and plays a little roughly often resulting in a grizzle or tears. There are times when Samuel will belly laugh at the slightest thing Mingyu does. Including pulling faces, playing fames or speaking in gibberish to him.

In the afternoon we drove Mingyu to summer camp for one week, living in Indian tents with 40 other kids at a place called Rubigen near Berne. After leaving Mingyu at the camp Andrew then chimed in with a 'Gyu" acknowledging that Mingyu was no longer in the car with us.