'Romance' at the Castelgrande, Bellinzona

Oh gosh, I've been feeling so embarrassed about my behaviour in Bellinzona on Friday, I've even been reluctant to write about it, however much Gail says "not to worry Bertie, you're hardly the only one ever to have engaged in an inappropriate holiday romance ..."

In my defence, the Swiss Italian town of Bellinzona, with its three castles and its quaint old buildings, is surely a setting to inspire romantic thoughts, even in the most rational of Bouncing Boffins.

And I was, on the day, modelling my best Shetland wool sweater and so, at least in my own mind, was looking utterly irresistible. 

And I am sure you can understand, when you see Tootsie in her unimaginably cute wee butterfly harness, how, at least for a couple of hours, I confused my dear Doggy Godmother with the girl of my (lustful) dreams...

However, I must confess (and this is really embarrassing), that given the disparity in our sizes, I could not quite figure out the best approach when trying to, er, 'mount' her..

Rest assured, normal relations were restored when we returned to Tootsie's apartment (and Gail shocked me back to my senses by rattling a plastic bottle full of pebbles right in my face).

It was our last full day in Switzerland. But fear not, the adventure is not yet over...