DAY 103 Where is Heidi's Haus?

June 30 - The Swiss Alps and Rahel & Family

The Hubert's are an LDS family (Latter Day Saints or better known as 'Mormon's) My daughter, Carlene, served her mission in Germany and had Rahel as one of her companions. I became friends with her when her mother passed away while Rahel was on her mission. She called me her 2^nd mother. When she told me she lived near Heidi Haus in Switzerland, I told her I would come see her someday. Well, that was 8 years ago and here I am!

Main Square in Bad Ragaz

Bad Ragaz, Switzerland is the home of a famous natural spring and is a popular spa and health resort destination. The population is close to 6,000 people, most of whom speak German as well as their native Swiss language. Patric was very fluent in English and Rahel didn't think she spoke very good English, but I thought she did alarmingly better than she led on the past few years in her letters and emails to me....and Amelie at 3 years old could communicate to me very well. Of course I LOVE children!

Amelie in her beautiful church dress.

The entire Swiss population is generally well educated and most are of native Swiss background. There are very few immigrants. In Bad Ragaz, about 70% of the people have completed either non-mandatory secondary education or additional higher education, so it is quite an affluent area.

Their beautiful living room was sunny in the morning

Rich enjoys teasing Amelie

And Amelie LOVES Rich as he plays "horsie".

We began this beautiful sunday morning with a real Swiss breakfast.

Cheeses, meats, a special braided bread, yogurt, and spreads were a quick and yummy Breakfast this Sunday morning

We went to an LDS church service at their branch and enjoyed two hours of church service. The pianist was gone for Primary, so I was asked to play. I thoroughly enjoyed it as this is what I do at home, too, in my own church. They have about 50 that regularly attend – very friendly people! Over 50% of the people in Bad Ragaz are Catholic and 25% belong to the Swiss Reformed Church.

We came back to a wonderful meal. They have a lovely back yard with patio, so we ate outside on this sunny Sunday.

Sausages and potatoes with a yummy salad

Their home has a very nice sweet cherry tree outside, so we had the pleasure to help pick cherries with Patrick and Amelie.

Isn't this the cutest contraption and she is a great little helper?

Posing for the picture

Rahel is 8 months pregnant, so she didn't join in. I wonder why?

Only the 2nd day and I feel like I've known her forever.

The sweetest girl ever - Hi Carlene...WE MISS YOU!

Hey...am I seeing double? that's right...Rahel has a twin sister who is also pregnant.

Amelie takes a break from the picking

"YEAH...we're going to Heidi Haus - better get my shoes on."

Then we went to see Heidi Haus in the next village of Maienfeld. Ever since I was a little girl, I've loved the novel "Heidi." I've read it several times and have seen a couple of versions of the movie with Shirley Temple's being my favorite.

The most famous Swiss author, Johanna Spyri, and the most successful and well-known fictional character, Heidi, became hugely popular and the story has been translated from the original German to 50 different languages and just as many million copies have been printed; it has been read, watched on television or seen in cinemas, all over the world.

Publication Date: 1880

It is a novel about the events in the life of a young girl in her grandfather's care, in the Swiss Alps. It was written as a book "for children and those who love children" (as quoted from its subtitle) in 1880.

There are so many different covers illustrations

The Heidi Village in Maienfeld, restored under the theme "Heidi yesterday - today - tomorrow", delights children and adult Heidi fans too.

Down the path to Heidi Haus

We meet a donkey along the way.

...and some goats.

Amelie takes out her "binky" for a cute smile.

Amelie knows the way - she's already been here many times.

We're almost there.

Several remarked as we walked around ...”There is Heidi – look, see Heidi”. Amelie looks like her, so I started calling her 'Heidi'.


"Hey...isn't that Heidi - sure looks like her."

I can't believe I'm actually HERE

Amelie is MY little Heidi

With the Swiss Alps in the background, the whole area was just GORGEOUS

Amelie and I actually went into Heidi's House. The view and the paths were so cute – I could have

stayed all day. Enjoy a little tour with us through "Heidi Haus."

Grandfather is at work.

I couldn't believe the treasure chest of so many books of "Heidi."

An old-fashioned sled

Amelie wanted to climb down this when we were upstairs, but it was so steep, I didn't let her. When we got downstairs, however, that was the first thing she did was to climb up the ladder. Evidently she had done it before because she wasn't the least bit apprehensive about doing it.