This local tree seem to make a lot of curves in its life. I used to have curves as well. I was not really a curvy person, but after entering the phase of mother hood with bumps that developed into kids, my figure decided to go curvy. At the beginning it was fine, I was never well known for having the perfect proportions, but I got them. I took a size larger in everything, but that was where the problem began. Curves are nice to have but somehow they tend to get overbalanced and gravity takes over. I still have curves, lots of them, but in the wrong places and some are even travelling South. My hour glass figure now resembles more one of those sitting sacks, you know the comfortable chairs which are just material with filling. They bulge at the bottom for comfort.

After living in Switzeland for many years, you realise that they have a lot of curves, mainly on the roads.  There are also quite a lot of mountains that get in the way. Of course with time the Swiss authorities have carved a few tunnels, but before the tunnels existed they constructed roads. One very famous curvy road was the Tremelo which you had to overcome to arrive in the Italian part of Switzerland where the sun is waiting to welcome you. It is our holiday area and very popular for summer holidays. When the kids were still kids family Angloswiss also decided to take on this ordeal in summer. It was a 6 hour drive at the time. On the photo you can see the Tremelo road. It was a steep ascent and with the curve system it was easier to overcome. Admittedly nerves were somewhat blank at the end of this part of the journey. It was built to overcome the Gotthard Pass. Of course when you got to the top, there was a restaurant waiting for you to recover, before beginning the descent, which meant you also had to cross Monte Ceneri if you were heading for Locarno or Lugano which most people were.

Today this has all been replaced by new motorways and the journey shortened to 4 hours, but if you take a glance over your shouder on the way you can still see the Tremelo, a sort of route 66 of Switzerland, now showing weeds and grass in the curves. No-one really uses it today, unless you happen to have one of those quaint old Tessin houses hidden somewhere on the side.

I remember when I took my driving test, at the age of 38. I was a late starter, but I passed after 95 lessons, an achievement. Even the driving teacher drew a sigh of relief and made a cross in the air. It was the end of a long friendship. I was now ready to go and it was a week before our annual holiday. This time we were again heading for the mountains. It was decided that it would be good for me to drive as much as possible. I had learnt on flat roads, our local mountains are all on one side, and you do not have to overcome them. Our holiday place, Crans – Montana (just see the name) was pure highlife when it came to going up and down, it had all the curves. I was quite happy taking walks and laying in the sun in the garden of our chalet, but Mr. Swiss decided we should go places with the car. He had a brilliant idea, Anzère was not far. Actually if you were a crow it was quite near, but there were a few many curves and slopes in between. Anzère is also well known as being a winter sport place. Luckily it was summer and the snow was only on the mountain peaks.

I must say it was a good road, quite wide, but full of curves and our car was a Simca and power steering (or whatever it is called in english) was still in the infant stages. Our car did not have it. I really had sore muscles in my arms when we arrived. That we arrived in one piece was more luck than judgement. I felt like a racing driver on the road. We did have a few discussions on the way about cutting corners, but I thought they were there to be cut.

Of couse today I have it all under control. I only actually drive two routes, into town and to the supermarket. For longer journeys we have a train. The only curves I take today are learning curves in my computer world and on my mobile telephone. I can do that at my desk. There are no curves outside, just nice comfortable straight lines. I have a curve phobia. I avoid them where I can. They often tend to cause accidents when walking, although it seems I am the one producing the curves, walking straight lines no longer seems to work.

Daily Prompt: Curve