"Rest Day"

Wednesday! Finally, a rest day!! After the trek to the Jungfrau yesterday, we were, frankly, BEAT! So we had decided that today was a "kick back" kind of day. No alarms; wake up whenever and see what happens. So, of course, we woke up to beautiful sunshine and we knew this was not a day to be wasted. Still, like a big lumbering airplane, we began our movements in a slow, deliberate manner. Sherry and I trundled across the street to the Bakery, where, as we turned the corner from the end of the apartment complex, the aroma assaulted our noses like a lion after wounded prey. Lions: 1, Wounded Prey: 0. We returned with arms laden with indescribable (at least in English) goodies which we leisurely devoured in 10 minutes or so. It would have taken less time but we had to stop to sip the wonderful coffee Pam and Brian make here!!

We decided that Thun was the first destination. This was a day to be handled in shifts: Pam had to return by 4 to attend her German class and Brian had to stay in the morning to finish downloading the pictures for his stupid blog he's making me write for him. So Pam led Bree, Sherry and me off to the train for the 20 minute ride to Thun with Brian to follow in a half hour or so. We arrived as predicted (the trains are punctual here!) and walked along the streets looking for an appropriate lunch spot. We knew we were going to head to the Schloss Thun but we were close to lunch and we had to scout out the "perfect" luncheon spot for Brian (he's become quite fussy.)

Thun is a small city sitting at the end of Lake Thunersee where the Aare again becomes the fast-flowing river that streams through Bern thirty miles downstream. Delightful in its architecture, we spotted a wonderful cafe next to a group of beautiful swans elegantly cruising their stately forms on the charming river. There were even a few black swans that let you know this was the perfect place to enjoy the noon repast. Brian indeed joined us right after we sat down and had ordered our drinks and we proceeded to eat and talk and laugh in the ambiance of the perfect Swiss backdrop until Bree spoke: "Look at that swan!" We turned in unison to witness one of those once magnificent birds viciously, deliberately, and "with much malice aforethought", struggle to devour what looked like a poor, defenseless baby bird. Perhaps it was the proximity - it was as if the bird had pulled up a chair to our table to dine with us. Maybe the incongruous juxtaposition of grace and savagery. WHATEVER! We left for the castle. Orc Swan Horde: 1, Sweet Baby Bird, 0.

To get there, we passed through downtown Thun, having a two-storied unique shopping street with mostly upscale shops. At the Rathaus (City Hall), we turned to start climbing the (seemingly) unending staircase to the castle at the top of the city. This WAS supposed to be a day of rest, remember. We arrived at the castle, shirt tails out, sweat pouring from us, to pay the admission fee and start climbing the stairs to get to the INSIDE of the castle. Once inside the castle in the common meeting room, we had to climb. . .ready?. . .MORE STAIRS to get to the views in the turrets. When we arrived at the top, I must admit, all thoughts of fatigue disappeared. The views were absolutely breathtaking! I submit, the countryside around Lake Thunersee never presented itself better than when were looking at it at that precise moment.

The time had come for Pam to return to Bern for her class, so we all walked back to the train station where we parted company as she went to do the responsible thing and learn the language of her host country, while Brian blithely bounced ahead of us, leading us to the steam ship to cruise around Lake Thunersee and see what we could see. Once on the ship, we learned that the closing times for any castles we would want to see was 5PM and the last useful ship departure time back home was about the same. Bree had found a brochure for some HingleFinger Schloss-something that looked close. It was the stop right before Schloss Oberhofen, perhaps the most famous castle in Switzerland because of its unique "tower in-water" design. Of course, we got off at the "Hinglefinger" stop, with Brian's assurances that we could "easily walk to Oberhofen" in "5-10 minutes - max!"

We debarked at, seriously now, Hilterfinger's castle, Schloss Hunegg, built in 1861 and furnished over the years with a Jugendstil and Art Nouveau style, unchanged since 1900. It was a residence that we all agreed would suffice if a fire somehow fatefully managed to destroy where we lived now, for some reason. . .like suspicious arson. Finishing the tour around 4PM, I asked the cashier lady how long it would take to walk to Schloss Oberhofen, to which she replied, "Using the upper road, 15 to 20 minutes. Faster than the lower road next to the lake." Wanting to be sure we arrived at the boat stop in time to see some of the castle and get on back to Thun, we opted for the upper road which, leaving HingleFinger's place, required us to climb. . .here we go. . .MORE STEPS!

Knowing that we had no clue as to our destination, our arrival time, or if we'd ever see home again, we were bookin'! But I must admit that we were walking along very quaint lanes lined with picturesque homes and, apparently condos, overlooking the Thunersee that would not turn off its charm. We arrived at Oberhofen in time to take our pictures, stroll the manicured grounds, get back to the boat stop, order and drink our water and board the side-paddlewheeler "Blumlisalp" (Flower of the Alps) back to Thun.  See video of Blumlisalp.    On our way back, one Swiss gentleman tried to explain to Brian in German something that only sounded like, "Jesus Christ had a villa along here." Figuring we had nowhere to go but down, I offered that I might understand if he spoke French. Whereupon, he began describing in French a flood from the lake about 38 years ago that washed boats down the river in Thun and caused a great deal of havoc. Not sure why we got that history lesson, unless Brian paid him to start talking so he could get a video or something.  See video of Terry speaking "Franglais."

We arrived back in Bern after the hot, crowded train ride, shirt tails out, sweat pouring from us (again), just in time for Pam (just out of class) to show us where we wanted to eat, and we had raclette, fondue, weinerschnizel and had a wonderful dinner in the outdoors we've come to love. We must be turning into Swiss! See slide show of Thunersee area.