Ascona

It was so unbearably hot today, we decided that we won't be visiting Ticino in August again. I cannot remember it being so hot in the past when we visited, but that was several years ago and things seem hotter these days.

After breakfast we decided to go to the Losone dog park as recommended by Christophi. (He also said that it was too hot here in August) There are not many places where Xena can be walked off the lead in Ascona, and this dog park next to a river is one area where dogs are allowed off leads. On google maps it said it was 38 minutes from the hotel so we decided to walk there - big mistake as it was so hot without any shade and by the time we got there we were all overheating. Xena enjoyed paddling in the water but it was not deep enough to swim, but there were many other dogs there to play with. We then walked back to town, looked at a few shops which is when I took this photo. We cancelled our plans to visit Locarno and rather went back to the cool air conditioned hotel to relax. 

We had a salad for lunch at the hotel and then just relaxed in our room. Gavin was checking flights and trying to see if he could change diary appointments so it would be possible to go to our friend's 'celebration of life' event in Los Angeles - I was Whatsapping our friend's sister in South Africa to find out if there will be a memorial service in SA (as he is from SA) as we are not sure what to do as flights at such short notice are extremely expensive.

Later we took Xena for another walk but it was still so hot so we went to the lake foreshore in town and let her swim instead. Xena is not a keen swimmer (she fell into a fishpond when she was 4 weeks old at the breeder's house and since then has not been confident to swim) - however as it was so hot she was happily swimming today, swimming after the ducks but not seriously so, and then as she approached them she would turn around and come back - the ducks did not bat an eyelid and continued swimming around her! An extra of Xena in the water. 

There is another extra of the beautiful wall murals dotted around the town.

Tomorrow we go back to Klosters, pack up and then drive back to the UK on Thursday. Tommy tells me it is slightly cooler at home so we will be ready for that after this heat.