Pumpkin Parade

Well, not really a parade, but an exhibition, just like last year's one, which you can read about here. This year, the theme was "Switzerland" (it being the home country of the company who organises the exhibition), and so the pumpkin displays showed all sorts of things associated with it, such as the Matterhorn, cows, Wilhelm Tell, the Swiss flag, cheesemaking (I think), a man playing an alphorn (if you are not familiar with what an alphorn looks and sounds like, simply go to youtube and type "alphorn" in the search box; there is plenty there), and so on.

The Matterhorn

Knowing that the exhibition is going to close in two weeks' time, and with another wonderful Golden October day ahead, my Mum and I decided to go there yesterday.

Now, we're actually not that keen on the exhibition itself, but we are glad it attracts so many visitors from all over the world, bringing attention to our home town and money to match. We love our palace grounds very much in all seasons, and wanted to have a look at the beautiful colours of trees, bushes and flowers now that summer is over and the atmosphere at the park is quite different.

As long as the exhibition lasts (about 6 weeks altogether, I think), there is an extra area where one can have food and drink, everything has something pumpkin in it: pumpkin soup. pumpkin risotto, pumpkin quiche, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin sparkling wine, and so on.

We managed to find a seat in the sun, and I enjoyed the quiche very much; we had some pumpkin sparkling wine with it (the taste reminds us more of apricots than of pumpkin, to be honest; it is very fruity and sweet), and my dessert was a pumpkin cookie.

Walking in the park, taking a rest on a bench every now and then, was a most pleasant way of spending this beautiful sunny afternoon. It may well have been the last time this year that we walked there together, but the park will still be there next year, waiting for us in spring with the first buds coming out.