Someone kindly bought us a weekend break at the Mariott Hotel, Zurich and we are just back from that trip. The highlights:

1. The breakfast buffet in the hotel. Every possible thing you could want for breakfast was there, so we stocked up our stomachs for the day. The BFFM edict on eating frequent small meals had to be put on hold.

2. The Zurich transport infrastructure. The network of trains, trams, buses, boats and cable cars is incredibly efficient, timely, clean and convenient and covers the city and the surrounding region. For 34 CHF you can buy a ZurichCard which gives you unlimited use of this network for 72 hours. It goes to show the level of public investment that is required to tempt people out of their cars. I really can't ever see this happening in the UK.

3. Movenpick ice cream. As I say, BFFM was on hold for a few days!

4. The trip to Uetliberg, Zurich's local small mountain. The S10 train takes you to the top, from which you have splendid views of the city and the lake. From there it's a one and three quarter hour walk along the top of the ridge to Felsenegg, where we stopped for a beer. In the garden a little Swiss folk band had set up to entertain a small party of people enjoying a birthday celebration. From Felsenegg the cable car takes you down to Adlisvil and the S4 back to the city.

5. On the final day we took a trip down to Lucerne and its local mountain, Pilatus. The cable car takes you all the way to the top, but unfortunately it was shrouded in cloud. Undaunted we took the 30 minute hike to the 7000 foot peak, Tomlishorn. On the way back down we stopped at Fräkmüntegg which at 4600 ft was below the cloud level and offered superb views of Lake Lucerne. One day we plan to return on a sunny day to enjoy the full panoramic vista at the top and also the alternative route to the top provided by the world's steepest cogwheel railway running up from Alpnachstad.