Griezi mitenand! We had planned to walk to Läufelfingen today, but stopped at Somerau. For all those who may consider walking the ViaGottardo: Do NOT, absolutely NOT walk the stretch between Liestal and Läufelfingen unless you are a trainspotter, train-lover or just simply a masochist who enjoys walking hours on tarmac tracks (Das ist eine Widmung an Dich Bernd!) next to railways and motorways in the baking heat (more than 32°). This is not Switzerland, this is Africa! Liestal was nice though, please notice the coat of arms of canton Basel Land, red, not black and showing in the opposite direction of Basel city.

Today was not a good walking day, but a day to practice GPS tracking! There is hope for me. It may not all end in a crevasse after all. Yes, my display is black, but it works. Really.

Thank god I was in good company today, otherwise I would have cried. And who knows what else. I can not recommend the ViaGottardo. At least not yet. Despite the alpacas and the madeleines. That may change. Who knows. But I had fun and I owe that and so much more to Roberta and Karl who are such warm, loving, interesting, intelligent and active persons. I am so grateful for everything they have done for me and for even just being able to be their friend. Even though they forced me to play the Schwyzerörgeli. And they have a bad influence. I am half way through to speaking Schwiizerdütsch. Lueg-emol-aa (in German more or less: Kuckst Du, in English: Gosh, look at that!):

We walked 13km, up 258m, down 115m, our highest point was 483m and our walk (with breaks and all) took 4 h 51 min.