Weekend at Bernese

Sunday rolls around and we're due for our customary Swiss road trip (OK, train trip)! Yesterday feeling cocky and ignorant (a common combination, interestingly), the family assailed the Swiss capital of Bern.

Per our voluminous Swiss train schedules, last weekend's journey to Schaffhausen and this Sunday's trip to Bern appeared roughly similar timewise at just over an hour--never mind that the Schaffhausen excursion was via a commuter train to just outside our canton (like a county) of Zürich whereas Bern lies a full 80 miles west across central Switzerland via a nonstop InterCity train. Hey, we're experienced, right? Piece of cake.

Late morning we caught the local Kloten bus (a large friendly dog on a public bus always provides entertainment) to the nearby airport/train hub. The two humans about swallowed their tongues (the dog's always just wags) when the automated ticket register declared a per passenger cost TRIPLE that of Schaffhausen (including Hobbes's ticket, of course)! A bit expensive for a daytrip! But then we recalled that for November, we owe only a half mortgage payment, no rent payment, no car payment, no insurance, no gas, electricity, phone, cell phones, cable, Internet, gasoline, nothing. And we're already standing in the Zürich International Airport with a dog and a train leaving in 10 minutes and no other ideas, so we pulled the trigger...and are glad we did!

Bern is Switzerland's capital and definitely possesses a more staid, almost scholarly atmosphere typical of many capitals (exept Madison, WI) vs. its economic capital counterpart Zürich. The city is small but beautifully laid out, with the city center situated atop a tall hill wrapped around three sides by the Aar river; Bern feels considerably more Old World and purposeful than bustling Zürich. The defining architectural feature is arched, enclosed outdoor arcades on virtually every street featuring a huge assortment of shops (both modern and artisan), cafes and restaurants. On a rainy day you could probably traverse a few miles of unique shop fronts without getting wet.

Here's my unavoidable "tour guide" tip--Bern's name is shortened from the German Bären, which means bears; the city's founder killed one near the site. So Bern's mascot is the bear and they're all over the city on cantonal flags and everyplace else. For over 150 years Bern has kept live mascot guests in an outdoor "Bear Pit" near the city's entrance. Pictures:

http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=2hd8fyj.1ub70k4f&x=0&y=-4qgqtu

At only hour away, Bern is a quick trip from Zürich and Steph and I plan to return to explore in depth, maybe for a long weekend. Although he's of course a lovely and enthusiastic travel companion, Hobbes does cramp our style a bit as we don't dare enter any restaurants or cafes during our jaunts due to the potential double danger of his powerful tail-wag and his obsession with OPF (Other People's Food). So we remain outside for several hours at a time--the cafes are always quite happy (although confused) to serve us outside--which only causes problems due to unseasonably FRIGID weather lately; the HIGH in Bern on Sunday was 1C or 34F.