To Switzerland! Or so we thought, as we very nearly boarded a train to Beaune, France instead of Bern, Switzerland due to a slip of pronunciation and an incorrect ticket! However, that was soon rectified and we were speeding our way to the next destination, upon which I caught glimpses of snow and the first I'd seen for a long time. I don't recall any rain during our first day in Bern but it was indeed rather cold, thankfully our hostel wasn't too far away from the Old Town meaning it wasn't too far from the train station either. Our unimaginatively named 'Bern Youth Hostel' was fairly simple but had the advantage of five bed and mixed sex bedooms so we were able to remain together, also being situated beside the river Aar made for a pleasant view. I do remember thinking that Bern was rather small for a capital city but it was certainly scenic and as the temperature rose during our stay, walking around was made more enjoyable. We visited and scaled the Münster of Bern, a cathedral which dates from 1421, and our climb up 254 steps was rewarded with spectacular views of the city. Bundesplatz is quite a fun little attraction too, simply a plaza in the Old City but incorporates a very entertaining jet fountain which we ran through most nights! Perhaps one of the more questionable sights in Bern is the bear pit, which as the name suggests is a pit like enclosure that houses a couple bears, the bear being a symbol of the city. Though historic, the pits don't really meet the levels of modern zoos and you'd think with no lack of green areas bordering the river, a new enclosure would be created and hopefully it will. An immense discovery I made in Bern, though I have a feeling we possibly tried it in France, was squeezable hazelnut chocolate spread, whatever brand it was - it was so tasty! Maybe not quite so delectable was the mango or lychee vodka we brought back to our hostel, tasted slightly more like I imagined perfume does but at least it did the trick..
Though Bern was a charming destination on it's own, it also acted as a base for our travels around Switzerland. On two very different day trips, we explored both the country's largest city of Zurich and the town of Interlaken which is nestled between Lake Brienz and Lake Thun. During our trip to Interlaken, it started to get considerably warmer in Switzerland which may have slightly warped my expectations of the country but really let this town shine as the picturesque haven that it was. With it's chalky light blue waters and swiss alp backdrop, Interlaken is definitely one of the most beautiful places I've been to. Shortly after arrival we headed for a not so typically Swiss chinese lunch, the chopsticks from which are still in my kitchen cupboard today! Following that, we decided on an attempt to walk off our meal with a stroll over the bridge and out of Interlaken, the views of both the town and surrounding lakes at a slightly higher elevation were spectacular! We made our way up a winding path to the ruins of Goldswil which consisted of a tower and surrounding graveyard where we relaxed in the sun for some time! Our walk came to an end waiting for the train at Ringgenberg station.
The weather in Zurich was just as cheerful and after gazing upon the huge unmissable blue fairy suspsended over us within the train station, we spent the majority of the day just walking around the city and noticing how expensive the stores appeared to be, though anything was expensive on our budget! The main attraction that we enjoyed that day was a boat trip out on the glistening waters of lake Zurich, though before that we did see quite a curious man painted gold and surrounded by Swiss souvenirs and clocks! As we walked over the bridge and back up past the river Limmat, we noticed many of the boats were adorned with large and brightly coloured cows placed on display! Upon further reading, this is part of an international public art exhibit which began in Zurich in 1998 and thanks to art director Walter Knapp and has featured in cities all over the world since. As a last stop before we caught our train home, we made use of an internet cafe and bizarrely an episode of Lazy Town was playing despite no evidence of children!
Photos by K.L.V.
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