Oberägeri

On Friday 24 November 2006, our last full day in Sestri Levante (in Italy), the weather was a trifle dismal, raining on and off all day. We spent the day quietly, resting, recovering from the exertions of the previous day and only going out for casual strolls and lunch at our favourite trattoria, the Millelire, and dinner at the restaurant Il Brigantino.
After lunch on Saturday (yes, you've guessed it, at the Millelire) we caught the train to Zug. Since it was a direct route we did not have to change trains anywhere and nothing could go wrong. Thus we arrived at Zug station around 9 pm that evening. Pierre (Leta's brother) met us at the station to drive us to Oberägeri where the rest of the Durandt family were waiting.
It was lovely to see them again - Ronel, Jehane and Armand. Lizelle was still away on a school soccer trip to Italy and was to return on Sunday. Their home occupies the top two floors of this building.

This is the view from the balcony of their home over the Ägerisee. The Ägerisee is a lake covering an area of 7.3 square km. Created by glaciers, it has a maximum depth of 83 m. Since 1992 the lake has been used as a water reservoir.

The distant peak in the middle of the horizon on this view over the Ägerisee is the famous Rigi mountain.
Oberägeri, until 1798 simply known as Ägeri, is a municipality in the canton of Zug in Switzerland, located on the northern shores of the Ägerisee.
The municipality of Oberägeri came into existence in the 15th century. Around 1500 several chapels and the first government building were built in Oberägeri. In 1766 the governments of Oberägeri and Unterägeri became involved in an open fight during local parliamentary sessions, and the two municipalities split in 1798.
Sunday morning we went for a lovely walk at the nearby Raten Pass (elevation 1077 m, connecting Oberägeri and Biberbrugg). The pass area is a ski resort during winter and we could see the signs of preparations for the forthcoming ski season.

Jehane and Armand had some fun on the flying fox. We were very impressed by the snow shelter and neat firewood stacks along the mountain paths.

Here is Armand in front of a small chapel at the Raten Pass picnic area.

Willem, Leta and Ronel, with the children in the background, running ahead as children will do.

And on the way down the hill, with the Ägerisee and Oberägeri in the distance.

Here are a few more pictures of the Durandts and their home town in spring, to show you how beautiful Oberägeri is.

Lovely photos of Lizelle, Ronel, Armand and Jehane, taken by Pierre in June of 2006.