Switzerland - We Have Arrived

We made it! After an initial struggle checking our bags at JFK – my bag was over the 75lb weight limit and had to be unpacked/repacked into smaller bags right in front of the ticket counter – our trip went surprisingly smoothly otherwise. We had no problems getting ourselves (or Chelsea) through customs. Note: the viscous gashes that Chelsea inflicted on my right hand the day before may have played a small part, as the stunned customs agent seemed to keep a healthy distance and ushered us through as quickly as possible.

We were picked up at the train station in Bern by the man who looks after our building, Rene Hell, and he kindly drove us to our new home. The apartment was as nice as advertised online; fully furnished with a spacious living room that will double nicely as a guest bedroom. It even has a screen for privacy! After a brief nap, Pam and I took a walk around the neighborhood. We strolled along the Aare River into Old Town, where we had dinner at the Kornhaus restaurant. The food was ok, but the real attraction was the ambiance. The Fodor’s guide that Kim and Jeff got us says the Kornhaus actually served as the City’s granary back in the 1700s. It was renovated in 1893. Today is houses a restaurant “where waiters scurry past images of Bernese woman in traditional costumes, Renaissance musicians, and a who’s who of folkloric characters.”

After dinner, we walked back home for some much needed rest – relieved that the journey was behind us and excited about what the future holds…..