The day started off just the opposite of yesterday. At around 6:45 or so the sun was up and the room was
bright as opposed to the overcast rainy start of yesterday. I got up and stumbled over a few beer cans (where did they come from??) and snapped a shot from Daniel’s apartment windows. All I can say is WOW!
Since he is committed to moving from this apartment in November I have to find out a way I can lease it. What a place to live! OK…have to find a new weight room…. place to keep my fine tuned body (hah!) in shape. Also have to get my sponsors (Coors Light) to ship my beer direct to Bern.
I absolutely love this city (country) and the fantastic people who live here. Have to say that I haven’t spent a bad day here in my many visits. The people here are always upbeat, always friendly and helpful and so tolerant of bumbling foreigners like me.
Today there is no football for the Thun Tigers…some time off until the practice tomorrow evening for the Juniors (Under-19). After yesterday’s work there are probably a few guys with sore and aching muscles. Hell, ai’m sore and all I did was stand around and watch. It was a long and taxing day for the troops.
I guess I could take a quick train ride over to see some other point I haven’t seen yet…or just wander around “Old City” some more.
Only problem with the walking around part is my knee has been really acting up – and even with a steady ice treatment with frozen beer cans (one must adapt you know) it still has that “toothache” feel. Yeah, I know what you are thinking – I am turning into a snowflake. Can’t handle any stress or pain.
Here is the dilemma about traveling in Switzerland…where do you go? I think by train from Bern I can get to pretty much any Swiss city in two hours or less. So – I have seen many cities already. But not Lausanne, Geneva or Montreaux – all in the “French” cantons.
But, they are just on the edge of going out early doing some touristy stuff and getting back in time for the evening practice with the Tigers. I guess tonite over a Heineken (My beer of choice in Switzerland) or ten I will formulate some sort of loose plan.
Meanwhile about today. Daniel and his knockout girlfriend Tamara (It certainly 
isn’t Tamara and her knockout boyfriend Daniel…sorry Daniel) took me out to brunch. (Tamara will have to visit an eye doctor soon – if she really wants to see what Daniel looks like – but then she will be gone so fast his head will be spinning. He better hope she doesn’t get glasses – Ah just kidding!). What an awesome pair.
We ventured into “Old City” and a really neat place for our breakfast. It was really good – please note almost every meal in Switzerland is a gourmet experience. We had a leisurely dine and then went farther into the beautiful historic part of Bern.
We sat down at the overlook behind the Cathedral and had a beer and coffee (no coffee for me bye the way – I had the other stuff). Here I told Daniel and Tamara of my misspent youth growing up with my brothers and sister….running around Lehigh Township, the Newport Rats, Hilltop Snakes etc.
They didn’t get much time to talk as I droned on and on boring them about mischiefs I got into. After nearly putting them to sleep – I took my leave and headed back to Daniel’s bachelor pad.
I really decided to leave after remembering that Tamara’s brother was a police officer in Bern. Since my photo might not only be on the post office wall – but Interpol as well I thought it best I got out of there.
Over and over again I say what nice people are in Switzerland – well here is another pair who bring that standard even higher. What awesome people – no way to repay such open friendliness except to hope that they would visit us in the States to allow me to repay their hospitality!
OK about tomorrow and finding a place to visit…..here is the problem about Switzerland – there is t
oo much to see!
Oh….you doubt me…well check out this info I pulled off the internet!! Yeah – you figure it out!
Framed by the Aare river, the Swiss capital of Bern lies in the west-central part of the country. Its charming Old City is a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site, and is known for its medieval arcades and many 16th-century fountains that feature painted figures, including the curious “Child Eater Fountain” (Kindlifresserbrunnen). Bern boasts one of the world’s biggest collections of the artist Paul Klee, housed in the Zentrum Paul Klee—designed by renowned Italian architect Renzo Piano.
Guarda
Set 1,650 meters above sea level in the Lower Engadine mountains of the Graubünden canton, Guarda is a tiny remote village whose beautifully painted 17th-century houses have been carefully renovated, earning it the Wakker Prize for preservation of its architectural heritage. The setting of the famous children’s book Schellen-Ursli (1945) by Selina Chönz and Alois Carigiet, Guarda has also preserved traditional customs like the Chalandamarz event in March. The majority of the town’s population still speak Romansch—Switzerland’s fourth official language after German, French, and Italian.
Interlaken
As its name suggests, Interlaken is positioned between two lakes—Lake Thun and Lake Brienz—and surrounded by some of Switzerland’s tallest peaks, thus making it a place for stunning views in every direction. It is also the perfect base from which to enjoy the natural splendors of the country, either lakeside or in the many hiking paths that begin at Harder Kulm, a panoramic viewpoint at 1,322 meters that is accessible by funicular. Since Interlaken lies in the heart of the Bernese Oberland, the big peaks of the region—Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau—are also accessible for a closer look via the trains of the Alpine railways.
Lucerne
Located in central Switzerland, Lucerne is a picturesque ancient city on Lake Lucerne best enjoyed on foot, where you can stroll along prettily painted historic houses such as those in the central Weinmarkt Square. There are also a number of notable medieval landmarks like the Chapel Bridge (Kapellbrücke), one of Europe’s oldest covered bridges, or Musegg Wall, an intact part of the city’s rampart walls built in 1386. Yet, the city does also have a modern side, exemplified by the architecturally impressive KKL (Culture and Convention Center) designed by French architect Jean Nouvel, and breathtaking Alpine terrain remains easily accessible by cableways up to the Pilatus, Rigi, or Stanserhorn mountains.
Montreux
Montreux is a lovely resort situated on a long expanse of Lake Geneva in the French-speaking south-west part of the country. The quays of Montreux offer miles of lakeside strolling, surrounded by exotic flowers and trees and framed by beautiful views of the Alps in the background. The town also boasts a 13th-century castle—Château de Chillon—that looks out onto the lake. The castle, which was originally built by the House of Savoy, has inspired literary works by Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Lord Byron. The cultural events are equally impressive, as the town hosts the Montreux Jazz Festival in early July—the second largest annual jazz festival in the world.
Morcote
A ferry trip away from Lugano, Morcote is the prettiest village along Lake Lugano’s shoreline. The tiny former fishing village is set into a hillside that offers charming alleys to explore as well as lovely vistas of the lake, with the bell tower of its historic Santa Maria del Sasso Church towering over the houses below. The ambience reflects its location in the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino, and its Parco Scherrer offers an exotic assortment of Mediterranean and Asian flora and architectural touches like Greek sculptures, an Egyptian temple, and even a Siamese tea house, not to mention panoramic views.
Soglio
Located in the southern canton of Graubünden, where German, Romansh, and Italian are all spoken, Soglio is a beautiful little village tucked up in the mountains. It features charming cobblestone streets and the landmark Church of St. Lorenzo looming over the village, while its historic hotel, Palazzo Salis, exudes a true Mediterranean feel with its magnificent rose garden and towering sequoia trees. The village’s highlight is the Via Panoramica, a path that travels through a romantic landscape of vibrant wildflowers for which the area is known.
Stein am Rhein
Just what one imagines when conjuring an idea of the perfectly quaint Swiss village, Stein am Rhein’s pedestrian center is a dense collection of well-preserved medieval structures, many of them with exquisitely painted colorful facades. Nicknamed the “Jewel on the Untersee,” situated at the point where Lake Constance becomes the Rhine river in the eastern canton of Schaffhausen, Stein am Rhein boasts a medieval hilltop castle (Hohenklingen Castle) with a bird’s-eye view of the walled town below and a former Benedictine abbey (St. George) founded in the 11th century.
Wengen
A postcard-perfect mountain village accessible only by train, Wengen is situated on a protected sunny terrace near some of the tallest peaks in the country. The village itself is home to a number of timber houses, chalets, and belle-époque hotels, making for an idyllic base from which to explore the surrounding mountains. Visitors can venture out along one of the many walking trails or take one of the cableways leading to panoramic viewpoints. For the more adventurous, thrilling sports like paragliding and river rafting can also be sought out.
Zermatt
The car-free resort town of Zermatt is the highest in Europe, guaranteeing a long ski season, including year-round skiing on Zermatt’s glacier. The town lies at the base of the famous Matterhorn, where lifts ascend 3,883 meters to reveal expansive Alpine views. In addition to a charming town center, Zermatt is also quite the hot culinary destination, with two restaurants being awarded Michelin stars in 2015—Ristorante Capri in the Mont Cervin Palace, run by chef Salvatore Elefante, and chef Ivo Adam’s After Seven at the Backstage Hotel. In 2015, the Matterhorn celebrated the 150-year anniversary of the first ascent to the summit in 1865, with the town hosting a number of special events.
Claudio invite / texts from others / Elaine visit
Junior U19, Senior U20 (Pay to play)
How the SAFV is aligned