It was an early call and we had our breakfast at Gare-de Lyon-Part-Dieu, while waiting for the 8:30am train to Switzerland.
This is our first time in this country. I never came here as a backpacker because I was told everything is so expensive. And it is. So, I waited for over two decades to come here... and spent lots of money. :)
We took a 2 hour train to Geneva, which is the first city at the French border. Since we bought the Swiss Travel Pass, we switched to another train to Bern. The pass is a great deal if you are travelling a lot by train, especially with your family. It costs about CAN$350 per adult for four days, but it includes all the train, buses, boats, some excursions and some museus - it gives discounts to a bunch of other museums too. Children get them all for free while travelling with an adult with the pass.
We got off the train in Bern, the capital, and what a great surprise!
The old medieval town is absolutely beautiful and charming. We loved it!
FROM WIKIPEDIA:
With a population of 142,493 (January 2019), Bern is the fifth-most populous city[ in Switzerland. The Bern agglomeration, which includes 36 municipalities, had a population of 406,900 in 2014. The metropolitan area had a population of 660,000 in 2000. Bern is also the capital of the canton of Bern, the second-most populous of Switzerland's cantons.
The official language in Bern is (the Swiss variety of Standard) German, but the most-spoken language is an Alemannic Swiss German dialect, Bernese German.
In 1983, the historic old town (in German: Altstadt) in the centre of Bern became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The girls have been obsessed with Swiss watches, so we promised to get them one each. Mike also could not resist and got one for himself. They bought a Swatch, which can be found all over the world, but buying it here is certainly special for the girls.
Family selfie.
There are many fountains in the old town, 15 to be precise.
Each one of these 16th century fountains has a name.
FROM WIKIPEDIA:
The Zytglogge is a landmark medieval tower in Bern, Switzerland. Built in the early 13th century, it has served the city as guard tower, prison, clock tower, centre of urban life and civic memorial.
Despite the many redecorations and renovations it has undergone in its 800 years of existence, the Zytglogge is one of Bern's most recognisable symbols and, with its 15th-century astronomical clock, a major tourist attraction. It is a heritage site of national significance, and part of the Old City of Bern, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site.
When it was built around 1218–20, the Zytglogge served as the gate tower of Bern's western fortifications. These were erected after the city's first westward expansion following its de facto independence from the Empire. At that time, the Zytglogge was a squat building of only 16 metres (52 ft) in height. When the rapid growth of the city and the further expansion of the fortifications (up to the Käfigturm) relegated the tower to second-line status at around 1270–75, it was heightened by 7 metres (23 ft) to overlook the surrounding houses.
In front of Albert Einstein's house, which is now a small museum.
He lived here - Kramgasse 49, 2nd story - from 1903 till May 1905. Here he developed his revolutionary light quantum hypothesis.
FROM WIKIPEDIA:
The Einsteinhaus (Einstein House) is a museum and a former residence of Albert Einstein. It is located on Kramgasse No. 49 in Bern, Switzerland. A flat on the second floor of the house was occupied by Einstein, his wife Mileva Marić, and their son Hans Einstein from 1903 to 1905. The Annus Mirabilis papers, which presented Einstein's theory of relativity and contributed substantially to the foundation of modern physics, were written here and published in the Annalen der Physik. During this time Einstein worked at the Federal Institute of Intellectual Property.
The living conditions of Einstein and his family are shown accurately in the apartment on the second floor with furniture from that time. Einstein's biography and his life's work are presented on the third floor.
The girls were happy to walk around in the very same room Einstein stepped too.
We continued our loop through the old town, but before we headed back to the station, we decided to climb up to the Rosengarten, this beautiful area on top of the hill with a restaurant, park and a great playground.
The way up is very steep, but anyone can make it with a bit of persistence and patience.
Our reward for making it up there.
Please notice that this is the perfect combination: a nice playground right beside a patio for drinks.
The view of Bern is spectacular from up here.
The town and the Cathedral tower.
Close up of the Cathedral tower.
I think students who are able to spell the name of their library should get their diploma right away, no exams required!
Switzerland's Parliament building.
Bern was spectacular, but we got back on the train for our final destination: Interlaken.
It was just a one hour train, but the view was amazing too. The kids were busy playing on a small playground INSIDE the train! I am sure we'll have them appreciating more the nature surrounding us tomorrow.
We are supper happy with our AirB&B.
Like everything else here, it was not cheap but super clean and accommodating.
Out for dinner, we got the last gift of the day: full moon just above the icy mountains.
Gute Nacht!
