Sun, 8 November 2009
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Let's leave the bankers in Zürich and take a look at a few of the many garden gnomes that inhabit my home village of Villigen. First up, there's Forester Gnome, an affable fellow who keeps a sympathetic eye on the wellbeing of the creatures under his care.
Then there's shy Goatherd Gnome, hiding in the shadows while his goat enjoys the limelight.
Ah, and where would we be without Mower Gnome?
Not to fret, it's not all work for the gnomes, they also know how to have a good time. Here's Accordion-playing Gnome and his seemingly sloshed friend.
Some gnomes live in trees, such as these two here.
On sunny winter afternoons they can be seen enjoying the warming rays of the low sun.
In the summer, they're practically hidden by the foliage.
Who knows what goes on unobserved? For some bad gnomes, there can be no second chance.
Text and photo credits: Z in Villigen / Expatica 2009
I have never seen a human in Villingen so I am forced to the conclusion that these gnomes are in fact not on vacation from Zurich but are fulltime residents. And tey are not improving the image we foreigners have of Switzerland either.
Hi conchscooter,
Thanks for your comment. Our blogger Z has posted a few dispatches from Villingen already, and one even shows photographic evidence of people there! You can check out the link here: http://www.expatica.com/ch/life-in-switzerland/blogs_photos/Based-in-Villigen_14129.html
Happy reading.
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