Choppy waters on Lake Maggiore and an icy February wind welcomed us to Ascona. One might expect this in winter.
Yet, the brightness and warmth of the sun tricked us into believing that spring had arrived. The golden light that embraced Ascona in the early afternoon should have made the chill more bearable. But the wind, sharp and relentless, stripped away all comfort.
Our woolly hats, meant to keep us warm, barely fulfilled their purpose. Still, I can’t imagine how we would have coped without them.
Music and Art
This small town is home to the renowned Jazz Ascona Festival, which takes place every year from late June to early July. With over 15 concerts per day, the festival draws visitors from around the world. Uniquely, it is the only festival outside the U.S. officially linked to New Orleans jazz.
Walking through Ascona, you can feel its artistic soul. The streets and colourful houses bear the imprint of the many artists who have performed here over the years.
Ascona is Switzerland’s lowest town, sitting just 196 meters above sea level. Thanks to this unique location, it enjoys a mild climate year-round.
Each visit feels like a new experience—a place of sunshine and tranquility in winter, and of heat and lively crowds in summer. The traffic-free waterfront makes it an ideal destination for families, offering a safe space for little ones to roam freely.
With ice cream on every corner and countless spots to relax, Ascona has something for everyone. Whether you’re indulging in local delicacies or simply soaking up the sun, this lakeside gem offers the perfect escape—any time of the year.
Swimming Lessons, Back to Work, Winter Flu, Exploring Brissago, Family Pool Fun
Brissago
Driving straight into the winter sun, which is sitting low on the horizon. Lake on the left and mountain on the right. The road hosts two way traffic but with the width of two old minis, very narrow. It is full of twists and turns. Just around one corner a garage door amongst the rocks of the mountain. Park the car and take the lift to get to your residence.
There are many such garage doors along the road south from Ascona just like that. Each one has a concrete lift shaft above. I can only imagine how people live / commute from places like this. I wonder what happens when the lift breaks down.
We kicked off the trip at the southern part of the town. Parking near the lido of Brissago, we planned to check out the slide leading to Lake Maggiore. However it is closed in the winter and it is not accessible with a buggy / trailer due to the stairs.
Chiesa di S. Maria di Ponte
A few meters further to the south on foot, we found a church. Large wide stairs leading down to what it looks like to the lake. To the right the cemetery to the left the most well maintained church yard, I have ever seen. The church is open for visitors from April until November. However the surrounding garden is open all year around. The lawn is manicured with precision, the trees are pruned for the next season. It is a great spot to fill up on vitamin D on a nice sunny day.
Looking around we can see the nearby lido and long slide just behind the church. On the lake the island of Brissago is visible. It’s botanical garden offers a couple of hours excursion for the visitors. On the other side of the lake, the mountains go from green bottom to brown middle to white caps.
From here we carried on towards north of the town. Along the way, many of the Mediterranean features can be spotted. The houses have warm colours, the palm trees keep their unique shades all year around. Stone dominates many of the walls, bridges and due to the steep hill Brissago is built on, there are many not-so-hidden stairs along the town.
Lungolago of Brissago
Lungolago is filled with benches to rest on. Unique statues and fountains break up the path. Lemon and orange trees show off their fruit even this time of the year. The winter sun makes long shadows creating a dramatic effect on the photos we took along the journey.
Below the promenade the large stones form theater seats like structure. Great spot to admire the the ‘vista’ in front.
The houses are colourful with large balconies maximising on space to admire the view of the lake and mountains. Tranquility dominates the lake side in January. I imagine that it is the perfect calm before the high season storm begins.
However the winter sun has now disappeared behind the mountains. We pulled up the zips of our winter jackets, to keep the cold out and headed back towards the main road. Behind the fire station, a lively sport field breaks the serene site.
Along the main road, the town is busy with locals chatting in the bars, rushing from one place to another. Busy traffic rushing in front of the hill covered with terraced houses facing the lake.
It was our first time visiting Brissago, however, we would love to visit in the high season, to be able compare the atmosphere between the seasons.
Brissago in summary
It was a great 2-3 hours trip (including playground pit stop, which is unavoidable with little kids). The playground is secured with a fence and has a few different features. There are many parking spots available around the town with various facilities. The trip can be stretched out to a whole day experience by visiting the Botanical Garden on the island of Brissago.
Visiting with a buggy / trailer was easy. The only challenge was to drag the trailer back up the wide stairs from the church to the main road. The stairs are really small and deep, so the passengers did not complain.
Swimming lessons
While waiting for the lesson to kick off, M had a few rounds on the water slide. She is gaining confidence in the pool. During the lesson we walk in big circles with the little ones (1 & 2 year old) across the whole lane. Each round we do a different activity. This is the quietest time in the pool. I can hear the lifeguards’ chatter faintly while focusing on blowing bubbles underwater for M’s entertainment. She is mesmerised with all the toys and busy keeping them in her hands while being pulled around in the water.
I hope next week O can join as well. He is home with flu, he needs a rest.
Back To Work
Holidays are over and M is back to his work routine. It was so nice to be together for a couple of weeks. But as anything, this is now over, which means I need to get my sh!t together again.
Winter Flu
Baby is moaning, temperature soaring above 40 degrees Celsius. Last night I called the hospital for advice. I was reassured that I can safely increase the amount of meds given to keep the fever in check. Next day, we were due for O’s one-year-old routine check up. Our paediatrician prepared me to keep fighting the fever potentially for a whole week. ‘It is flu season!’ Important to keep up the dosage every 4 hours. However, during the night I let him sleep through one 4 hour window. At 3 am I woke up for an inconsolable crying for help. His temperature was nearing 41 degrees Celsius. From that point onward I skipped zero 4 hour windows. The following night was even worst and I had to give him another med, which is like a horse kick. It takes ages to make a difference, but once it works it lasts for 24 hours. Eventually we got out of this madness by the second part of the week.
Family Pool Fun
Sunday FunDay. The pool was the busiest yet plenty of space to splash about. Four grown ups for 3 kids is a great balance in a busy pool. Huge inflatable across two lanes keep the bigger kids busy and the parents anxious. Blue elephant slide keeps M focus sharp. She is growing into a little adrenaline monkey. Sliding down, immersing under water, climbing out of the pool and starting all over again for another twenty rounds. Before she disappears behind the stairs again, but instead of appearing on the top of the slide, she is off to the baby pool. Luckily Granmy with little O are already there splashing on the tiny water fountains.
This week we set out to visit two beautiful waterfalls in Ticino. Do you think we made it? … Read on to find out.
Back to Ticino, and Back to Kindergarten, Catching up with Friends, Visiting Maggia, and Valle Verzasca, and a Birthday Celebration.
Back to Ticino
Week two of 2025 started off with a road trip back from Poland to Ticino. As we got to the Alps, we drove through the most beautiful snowfall. Crossing the border from Austria to Switzerland there was no sign of snow. We could see the mountains far away glowing with their white snowcaps. An hour later when we started the ascent to St Bernardino along the crooked road, the snow started to settle on the asphalt. Traffic was light so we had minimal distraction until we got to the other side of the tunnel.
On the southern side of the tunnel snow covered everything. At this point there was no snowplough in sight. Throughout the serpentine, the descent took a long time. Winter tyres did an excellent job for us. However a few cars in front of us an Italian car had to stop to wait for rescue services (summer tyres – I guess).
We don’t have too much experience driving in the snow, especially in the mountains. Luckily everyone was going sensibly throughout our journey. At home we were greeted with hot dinner made by my parents. Little treat to the soul, when you don’t have to think about feeding the fam after two long days of travelling.
The following days were filled with various tasks around the house to get it into shape before our friends arrived. I think one day I did six loads of laundry just to give you an idea of the mess we had post holiday.
Back to Kindergarten
Kindergarten started midweek with half a day session. Easing back into the classroom routine was smoother this time than after autumn break. B can communicate much better now in Italian thanks to the lessons and the friendships he made in the last four months. Our nervous boy turned into a confident cheeky italianish-speaking boy.
Birthday Celebration
O turned one this week. Celebration was planned for the weekend. However, winter flu caught up on our little boy by the end of the week. With a temperature over 40 degrees celsius, he wasn’t enjoying much of his first birthday celebration.
Catching up with Friends
Hosting has become the highlights of my year. Since I am a full time stay at home Mom, I appreciate all the connections I get even more than before. Days fly by so quick with three little ones in tow.
I love the anticipation (cleaning / tidying). I love the meal planning and preparation process. Choosing things to do and places to explore. While adjusting the rhythm to suit 4-6 grownups and 4 kids (1-2-3-6) and the coolest dog and cat. Life is never dull.
Maggia
This time we visited a little village of Maggia. With the goal to visit the Cascata del Salto first then to head down to the river for a stroll. Little we knew that the waterfall is not accessible with buggy. Indeed it is a hiking trail gem. With the help of the locals, our crew quickly changed direction and headed to the river, Maggia. Dads took the cars, and Moms took the kids and the dog. Down in the village behind Migros, the suspension bridge, called Pontine di Maggia, leads across the Maggia river. The shore on the other side is easily accessible even with tiny feet (not with buggy though).
Overall, Maggia is a small village with about 2.5 k residents. It seems to be a good base for the many trials. There are many parking spots, convenience stores and restaurants. Looking at the mountains from the car park, I could see some chapels and waterfalls that I would have loved to explore but they were not accessible with a buggy. I am sure we will be back though.
Our tiny humans, and the doggy had plenty of space to roam. Hence, on the way home, they have all fallen asleep in the car. It’s impossible to plan a second stop when your passengers are snoozing. We called it a day and headed home.
Valle Verzasca
Set off as early as possible to catch the couple of hours of sunshine that reaches Valle Verzasca in January. First stop was Sonogno. The village is at the northern part of the valley. Parking was free of charge this time around. Although, the reminders for paying for parking in the high season were displayed everywhere. There is an option to buy a whole day parking ticket that covers the whole valley.
We were not prepared for the snow but it was very welcomed. We are yet to learn to plan properly, considering the elevation level. There was a crisp line showing the start of the snow on the trees and rocks. The divide was visible from far away.
While walking around in Sonogno we met a local gentleman, who was ever so chatty and helpful. He told us that this time of the year we can grab something to eat by the sport center. We quizzed him a little about the surroundings. He told us that when he was little snow was covering the area for most of the winter, however in the recent decade snow is less and less. We set out to look at the Cascata La Froda, however he told us that it is unlikely that we find any water running, but may be some ice. He also pointed out that the path is free from services during the winter but encouraged to see it for ourselves. So we did.
Turning right at the sport center, the road was clear until the next turn. Then it was clearly marked that no winter clearing services are in operation. First we tried to pull the buggy / trailer through the snow. Then we decided to ditch it and carry the kiddies. Following the map we got to the point where we should have crossed the river. However, there was no clear access to the other side. We decided to return to the car park, feed the empty bellies, and move onto the destination.
Ever so famous dam appeared in the opening part of the James Bond movie ‘GoldenEye’. Mostly known as Verzasca dam is called Contra Dam or Locarno Dam. It is a popular spot amongst the adrenaline seekers. The dam is 220 m tall and has a well-known bungee jumping station. This year the dam has hosted the Red Bull dual ascent climbing event. Where ten teams of twenty climbers tackled 180 m route.
It is really hard to put into words how small one can feel standing on the dam, with huge opening in front of him / her when looking out to the Lake Maggiore. On the other side, Lake Vogolno holds a terrifying power of distraction should the anything happen to the structure of the surroundings. Running out of daylight, we have returned to home and warmed up with some homemade soup.
There are many places we wished we could further explore. However, due to our young crew, we need to limit our stops to two, maximum three. We aim to extend the time spent outdoors and the number places visited as the kids grow.
Two more family friends are visiting in the next few weeks. I am very much looking forward to these. Look out for more updates on our adventures with our tiny humans.
Three kids, two grown ups, and many stuff squeezed in an estate set off to Poland Monday morning.
We romanticised to leave around 8 am, although we felt it might be too ambitious. By the time we packed up it was almost 10 am.
We had to make some last minute shopping on the way and fuel the car. We left Ticino in 12 degrees Celsius, just to arrive in -4 degrees Celsius at 9 pm. We called it a day around Leipzig and booked a room on the way.
Day 1 Golino – Leipzig
The kids had better sleep in the clean and fluffy bedding then they have at home. It was hard to wake them up. Second day we set off at 9 am. We had breakfast in the car as we brought plenty of left overs with us.
Day 2 Leipzig – Elblag
We stopped along the way for lunch in a McDonald. The usual small kids play area was designed into a kids gym. It had two spinning bikes, a basketball loop with many balls and an maze with obstacle course incorporated in it. It felt like we were in an indoor playground.
1650 km in two days. But we made it to Elblag by 4 pm New Year’s Eve.
New Years Eve
After driving most of the day, we couldn’t wait to get our bodies moving. The old town is lit up with various light compositions at this time of the year. We knew as we visited it two years ago when it was just the three of us.
New Year’s Eve at Elblag
Keepsake Huge Bauble
After a brief walk the little ones were ready to be tucked in. Our eldest stayed up with us to welcome the new year. 2025 arrived with a spectacular firework display which we could watch from the dinning room. I could barely keep my eyes open but it was worth every second of it.
Baltic Sea
Snowy seaside
Seaside splash and dash
After two years we have finally returned to the seaside in the winter snow. It is such a surreal sight when sea meets ice, ice meets sand, and sand meets snow.
It was a brief visit as the first large wave knocked M off her feet and she got soaked in ice cold water. We picked her up and managed to dry her quickly at our friends nearby apartment. Seemingly it did not shook her up too much. It all happened so quickly, that I am not sure how much she noticed at all. On the way home we visited more family members. Unfortunately, all three kids fell asleep at the danger nap zone time. So when they woke up, the two elder were crying (like babies) while the baby enjoyed all the attention he could get. M and I tried to console the kiddies but waking up from the late nap is hard on their bodies. They were too disorientated to be bothered about any manners they usually have when we are visiting family and friends. By the time they calmed down we had to move on and get back to M’s parents for dinner. Of course all is good when they have food. 🙂
Friends & Family
Four full days were just right to meet all the friendly relatives and friends. There is a lot to catch up when you meet once a year. But honestly with three tiny kids it gets a bit ‘hit and miss’. We can only move with their rhythms and it’s often unpredictable how much catching up we can actually have 🙂
Overall, they make every reunion much sweeter. Their curiosity and niceness is welcomed by everyone.
To Switzerland
We decided to leave half a day early, after lunch on Sunday. The idea was to make the same journey as on the way to Poland. But nature had a different idea.
About 3 hours into our road trip we found ourselves in a snowstorm on the motorway. The traffic slowed from 140 km/h to 80 km/h. The motorway was covered in snow and the temperature was dropping sub zero.
Snowstorm in Poland
We quickly made new plans and booked a room near the German border.
Day 1 Elblag – Boczów
We had an early start Monday morning with the aim to get ourselves home by bedtime.
There was sun, snow, and rain along the way. The snowstorm after St. Bernardino was beautiful. I cannot remember traveling in such a snowfall before. It was exciting to descend from the mountain. Most of the cars were driving super slow with a few random daredevils flying past us. M drove the whole time and got us home safe.
Mom cooked us dinner and brought a Panettone. It was lovely not to think about feeding the family straight after arrival and to be able to relax after a two days journey.
The days are flying by super fast. We welcomed 2025 in Poland with the in laws. It’s been 3 days and many precious time spent with people who we rarely see throughout the year.
The year behind us
I never close the year that has just passed. But I would like to change that. I am thinking to start a new tradition this year with the kids, but more on that later.
For now, what made my 2024 are the following:
New Year’s Day trip to the Christmas Garden at Mainau Island near Konstanz
Meeting our son, Oliver
Grateful for all emergency services that helped to keep our family safe
Easter fun with the Puha family
Visiting the Lindt Chocolate factory near Zurich
Trip to Swiss Miniature in Lugano
Trip to Säntis with Mother’s Day breakfast at the peak
Random sightseeings around Bodensee
Testing out the first Rugelreise in Thurgau
Trips with the Andrusiewicz family
Moving to Ticino, leaving Thurgau
New kindergarten for B
Electric scooter purchase
Nature walks
Halloween party with Kindergarten friends
Visiting Brissago Island
Visiting family in Italy
Andrusiewicz fam visiting in Ticino
Advent Walks and kindergarten party
Cousin and family visited for Christmas
Trip to Poland
New Years Eve
We made it to Poland around 4 pm on New Year’s Day. Just enough time left for a brief stroll around the old town before tucking the little ones to bed. Then popped a large Prosecco and kept our eyelids open until the midnight fireworks had begun. It was worth the wait and the bonus that we got to watch it from the dinning table.
The year ahead of us
I have good feelings about 2025. I read that it is a very mathematical year and that the last time such year occurred was is 1936. (45 x 45 = 2025) The next perfect square year will arrive in 2116. I don’t think I am going to live 129 years to experience that.
So this year I would like to focus on three things mainly when it comes for parenting.
Being outdoors
Being present
Being grateful
Firstly, being outdoors as much / as often / as possible. Last year, I joined the 1000 hours outside challenge. But soon I have lost count. Although my vision did not change for the year, the circumstances did not allow me to focus on this objective throughout the year. This year, I would like to give it another go and involve my eldest son in the recording process. The attractive aspect of the challenge is the visual recording of the time spent outdoors. I am a sucker for hitting goals so I think this is a win-win situation. A nice recording sheet on the wall will be coloured hour by hour after spending time outdoors. There are a lot of trackers available online. Click on the link to see some of them!
Secondly, I would like to make a school day goal to spend time with each of my kids (at least on school days) individually. Weekends are for collective fun because there are no extra curricular activities yet in our lives. One ‘game’ per day per child. It is just too easy to overlook even though it is so so simple. Often it doesn’t take longer than 10-15 minutes due to their short attention span. However, it means a lot for them and even more for me. I need to stay connected to them all on a personal level. It is way too easy for me to find one more thing that needs to be done around the house with the endless chores and tasks to complete. These need to take a second place and stop running my days.
Thirdly, I may have mentioned it before that Alzheimer runs in the ladies side of my mom’s family. We talk about it with my mom from time to time. We are both terrified to end up one day not remembering all the nice moments of our lives. I am even considering to film our adventures for my future less attentive self. I think it will be nice to watch back the videos to help remembering better. I am not video maker but I feel passionate about learning this new skill. Keeping it private takes the perfection-pressure off my shoulders. Another activity I used to do (and I loved) was bullet journal. It kept me sharp on things that were happening around me and allowed me to be more present. This time my issue is that every time I sit down with some paper and pen, my effort to record things is being overwritten. My daughter does not yet understand the concept of having a notebook or paper for each of us. She will eventually get in my notebook and takes over the pages like she has to finish the whole book in one day 🙂 I tried digital trackers, but the complexity of the tracker makes the experience utterly non-enjoyable and after a few weeks of logging the program breaks down.
In summary there are two things to focus on. Creating memorable videos of our adventures (that are in the nature) for personal use and to get back to daily bullet journaling, which also ties in nicely with being more present rather than move with the tide.
Expat Mom Journal 