Coming straight from an entertaining week with Mama’s visit and traveling solo to Switzerland left me feeling a little bereft, for I did not have a fun person to share everything with. But at 10 pm Halloween night, I made my way to the train station and rode my first night train out of Italy. My compartment was couchettes (narrow stacked beds) for women only. The couchettes were stacked three on top of the other on each side, and I was on top. Suffice it to say, my nose was to the ceiling and breathing was difficult! Stifling my growing sense of claustrophobia, I managed to put my sheets on the couch and get to sleep (by breathing deeply!). I awoke the next morning with our conductor bringing me breakfast. Warm coffee and stale croissants J I descended from the train in Geneva (and looked for a bathroom, only to find that (like in Scotland) the train station demanded you pay for the privilege!) I caught a bus (the wrong direction) and took an unexpected tour of Geneva, catching a glimpse of the world renowned United Nations building. I was surprised to find that everyone spoke French in Geneva – my Italian didn’t help me much! My hostel was the jewel of the trip. Snug in the cranny of the old conference center that housed the first Geneva conference and Cathédrale St-Pierre, I had a bed in a very nice dorm room – a fabulous initiation into hostel life! The cathedrale loomed over the square and the bells played a charming rendition of A Might Fortress Is Our God, testifying Geneva’s status as a home of the Protestant reformation.
I spent my days wandering Geneva, traversing markets and shops, and tasting French-Swiss specialties. I can’t begin to describe the splendors of Swiss chocolate. Stepping into one of the many chocolate shops, I tasted a candied slice of orange covered in chocolate. And if that wasn’t amazing enough – even the department store candy bars were to die for! I picked out this chocolate orange candy bar with cinnamon sticks on the box. To bite into it was a taste of Heaven. This was no chocolate like you’ve ever tasted before. It was crunchy – like sugar crystals; And spicy with the hint of cinnamon; and full of orange flavor – much like a cider or like the smell of Christmas.
In addition to eating chocolate, pumpkin soup with mascarpone cream, and four cheese fondue, I managed to go to the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum. It was interesting! Switzerland was the founding nation of the Red Cross, and the museum provided stories of the actions of the Red Cross in a plethora of catastrophes and wars. The memorabilia from the different countries was quite diverting. I also walked out to the geyser that is the symbol of Geneva. Who knew Geneva was famous for so many things? Watches, Conferences, Geysers, the Red Cross, and the Protestant Reformation! One night I even met an Irish teacher who was staying in the bunk adjacent to my own! What a chance to ask more about Ireland! Another night, tired of being alone and hoping to find a travel-mate, I went back to the hostel and met a girl that I enjoyed exploring with!
Saturday morning, I caught the train from Geneva to Bern, arriving in Bern too late to check in. Bern was full of interesting craft fairs and markets. I pulled my rolling bag throughout the market, taking in the sights and smells of fresh produce. The myriad of cheeses reminded me of plating desserts at Highlands – and were they ever strong! I dug deep into my pockets and bought a fabulous (and over-priced) jar of homemade strawberry vanilla bean jelly, and have enjoyed it ever since! I couldn’t have been more admiring of the florist stand at the market. The florists traversed their buckets and put the most gorgeous arrangements together in their hands! They had cut branches from the different trees that not only added lines to the arrangement, but also multi-tinted golds, oranges, yellows, and reds! They mixed these limbs with many different types of flowers and placed them in watering cans! It was so unusual!
After toting that bag around for a few hours, I settled myself down on a bench overlooking a castle and the river and finished my novel. Precisely at three (check in time), I entered the doors of the hostel, pleasantly surprised to find a wonderful common room complete with kitchen, tables, free teas, English movie night, and a book swap! I made my bed, put down my bag, and explored old town Bern. As the daylight drew to an end, I told myself that I’d had a relaxing day, and even though I’d wasted time reading, I could see all the shops I missed tomorrow!
Who knew that Bern totally shuts down on Sundays? I spent my Saturday night out with the girls in my room (one was Japanese, one French Canadian, and another Australian!), catching dinner, drinking tea, and dancing. Sunday morning, I woke up too late to catch church, and walked everywhere, thinking “oh! Everything will open up soon! I finally found a restaurant – it was full of locals! Having experienced the high costs for small portions that are typical of Switzerland, I ordered a 8-10 stick fried apple dish (keep in mind the menu was in German). The waiter came out with a plate of 10 donut sized fried fritters! It was huge! I couldn’t possibly eat it all! However, they were amazing (especially with my Swiss hot chocolate) and made for a perfect Brunch. What I didn’t finish (the other half), the waiter was kind enough to find a bag for me to sneak them out in.
I spent a few more hours walking around, only to find that everything was closed. I made it down to a lovely lake with a walking trail, but was so cold that I cuddled up on the bench like a homeless person, tucking my hands in between my legs to keep warm. Deciding that this was not getting me exercise or keeping me warm, I decided to go back to the hostel. It was great! I met an interesting German graduate student (incredibly smart), continued to talk with my Japanese friend, and watched the majority of Dead Man Walking before catching the night train back to Italy.
Bern was definitely my favorite destination in Switzerland. Although I didn't see the mountains, I enjoyed strolls through the boutiques, walking by the river, entering the churches, and admiring the old murals on the city buildings. Bern was strikingly lovely (especially for a capitol!), while Geneva was beautiful, but really an industrial town.
I spent my days wandering Geneva, traversing markets and shops, and tasting French-Swiss specialties. I can’t begin to describe the splendors of Swiss chocolate. Stepping into one of the many chocolate shops, I tasted a candied slice of orange covered in chocolate. And if that wasn’t amazing enough – even the department store candy bars were to die for! I picked out this chocolate orange candy bar with cinnamon sticks on the box. To bite into it was a taste of Heaven. This was no chocolate like you’ve ever tasted before. It was crunchy – like sugar crystals; And spicy with the hint of cinnamon; and full of orange flavor – much like a cider or like the smell of Christmas.
In addition to eating chocolate, pumpkin soup with mascarpone cream, and four cheese fondue, I managed to go to the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum. It was interesting! Switzerland was the founding nation of the Red Cross, and the museum provided stories of the actions of the Red Cross in a plethora of catastrophes and wars. The memorabilia from the different countries was quite diverting. I also walked out to the geyser that is the symbol of Geneva. Who knew Geneva was famous for so many things? Watches, Conferences, Geysers, the Red Cross, and the Protestant Reformation! One night I even met an Irish teacher who was staying in the bunk adjacent to my own! What a chance to ask more about Ireland! Another night, tired of being alone and hoping to find a travel-mate, I went back to the hostel and met a girl that I enjoyed exploring with!
Saturday morning, I caught the train from Geneva to Bern, arriving in Bern too late to check in. Bern was full of interesting craft fairs and markets. I pulled my rolling bag throughout the market, taking in the sights and smells of fresh produce. The myriad of cheeses reminded me of plating desserts at Highlands – and were they ever strong! I dug deep into my pockets and bought a fabulous (and over-priced) jar of homemade strawberry vanilla bean jelly, and have enjoyed it ever since! I couldn’t have been more admiring of the florist stand at the market. The florists traversed their buckets and put the most gorgeous arrangements together in their hands! They had cut branches from the different trees that not only added lines to the arrangement, but also multi-tinted golds, oranges, yellows, and reds! They mixed these limbs with many different types of flowers and placed them in watering cans! It was so unusual!
After toting that bag around for a few hours, I settled myself down on a bench overlooking a castle and the river and finished my novel. Precisely at three (check in time), I entered the doors of the hostel, pleasantly surprised to find a wonderful common room complete with kitchen, tables, free teas, English movie night, and a book swap! I made my bed, put down my bag, and explored old town Bern. As the daylight drew to an end, I told myself that I’d had a relaxing day, and even though I’d wasted time reading, I could see all the shops I missed tomorrow!
Who knew that Bern totally shuts down on Sundays? I spent my Saturday night out with the girls in my room (one was Japanese, one French Canadian, and another Australian!), catching dinner, drinking tea, and dancing. Sunday morning, I woke up too late to catch church, and walked everywhere, thinking “oh! Everything will open up soon! I finally found a restaurant – it was full of locals! Having experienced the high costs for small portions that are typical of Switzerland, I ordered a 8-10 stick fried apple dish (keep in mind the menu was in German). The waiter came out with a plate of 10 donut sized fried fritters! It was huge! I couldn’t possibly eat it all! However, they were amazing (especially with my Swiss hot chocolate) and made for a perfect Brunch. What I didn’t finish (the other half), the waiter was kind enough to find a bag for me to sneak them out in.
I spent a few more hours walking around, only to find that everything was closed. I made it down to a lovely lake with a walking trail, but was so cold that I cuddled up on the bench like a homeless person, tucking my hands in between my legs to keep warm. Deciding that this was not getting me exercise or keeping me warm, I decided to go back to the hostel. It was great! I met an interesting German graduate student (incredibly smart), continued to talk with my Japanese friend, and watched the majority of Dead Man Walking before catching the night train back to Italy.
Bern was definitely my favorite destination in Switzerland. Although I didn't see the mountains, I enjoyed strolls through the boutiques, walking by the river, entering the churches, and admiring the old murals on the city buildings. Bern was strikingly lovely (especially for a capitol!), while Geneva was beautiful, but really an industrial town.
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