Enjoying the Swiss air and cafe society, I was struck by some of the advertising for amongst other things, Toblerone (invented in Bern a hundred years ago) and for Mont Blanc pens.  With my newly polished French, I was reading an ad that countered the digital age of PC’s, mobile telephone texting and PDA’s with the idea that the tradition of actually holding a pen in your hand had far greater potential for pleasure when writing than the now commonplace typing.

Looking around at the Swiss Alps, while taking in Lake Geneva there is no excuse for not wishing to wax lyrical.  At times like this I wish I was a creative rather than a commercial writer but then I wouldn’t be able to afford one of those Mont Blanc stylos unless of course I was commercially successful as a creative - unlikely in my opinion.  Certainly Mont Blanc looks to me to be rather mundane as mountains go - it certainly does not inspire awe and majesty but it is a focus for artists and creativity aside from being the highest mountain in Europe.

One of my Swiss acquaintances worked with a Danish artist, Marco Evaristti who last year draped a huge, red flag across the mountain with “Pink State” embroidered on it.  The apparent aim was to highlight environmental concerns but the Swiss police decided their concern was what to charge him with when they arrested him for the stunt.  More recently, a group of obviously very friendly yodellers constructed a hottub at the summit and had a communal dip - the view must have been fantastic for a variety of reasons.

I’m here on a work assignment so there is something serious to my presence, but that does not mean you cannot soak in what any place has to offer.  Picking up ideas for profitable writing commissions does not mean hours of Google based research when you are prepared to take some time to listen to what the locals have to say over a coffee or a beer.  Socialising is one of my greatest pleasures but it is also a very profitable mine if you can incorporate your pleasure into your work.

Unfortunately, I am unable to afford one of those Mont Blanc pens, at least not the one I would like, so I’ll do without.  I’m also put off from making a purchasing decision because my assignment for today in this beautiful, scenic country is nothing to do with the breathtaking landscape, heady culture and life that is bubbling around but with the rather genital sounding, pearly penile papules and what’s the lowdown.  It seems almost sacriligous to have to do this here but that is a price you pay for working for American clients. 

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