Diary of the Pilgrim James

Lake Zurich stretches before me. In Rapperswil, where the famous Swiss National Circus Knie has its winter quarters, I might meet the circus chaplain Ernst Heller. "I'm the only Catholic priest who has a wife: Frieda has been with me for years," he often says, a mischievous glint in his eyes. Then he introduces her, his Frieda – a clarinet! While the cheerful sounds of the circus chaplain and his faithful companion are still ringing in my ears, I sit on the Rapperswil Riviera and enjoy the sunset bathing the small old town in golden light. "Tomorrow," I resolve, "my journey will begin with a song."

Food for thought

"A tour through the fortified old town of Rapperswil and a melancholic admiration of the sunset on a riverside bench can round off this special day."

"I look back at Lake Zurich, and in the twilight I recognize the small town of Rapperswil and the island of Ufenau. Both are witnesses to a time long past."

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