Biel and Nidau (3/7/1982)

Sunday, March 7, 1982

Up at 8:30 to find another hazy day, that I had no more train day passes left, and only 20 CHF/$10. After chores and lunch, I went down into Biel for a wander. Walked around the old town wall, and along Seevorstadt where crowds of people were promenading to the lakefront.

Rosiusplatz fountain

Rosiusplatz clock tower

Passed the Magglingen/Maccolin funicular, under the railroad tracks, and followed the road/Neuenburgstrasse around the lake. I could see my goal, a “pavilion” on the hillside among the evergreen trees.

The Pavilion

View of the lake from the Pavilion

It looked like stairs went directly from the pavilion to the funicular, rather than to the left of the railroad tracks where I was. Retraced my steps back under the tracks and found a Wanderweg/trail sign pointing the way up from Alpenstrasse. I had to take off my jacket because the sun and exertion were making me hot. After zigzagging a short distance, I reached the small dome on pillars structure that would just about cover one picnic table. A Swiss flag flew from the top. Foliage blocked the view of Biel, but you could see the railroad tracks and lake. Descended and headed back towards the lake to go to Nidau on Ländtestrasse. Crossed a bridge and right there was Schloss Nidau/Nidau Castle (13C), now housing the police headquarters.

Schloss Nidau/Nidau Castle

On the way to the Biel train station, I stopped in a gift shop and found an apron for 32 CHF/$16 that would go with the Swiss cook book. Joined the window-shopping promenaders along Bahnhofstrasse to Nidaugasse into the old town. There is supposed to be a “tree of life” in Burgplatz, but I couldn’t find any tree, whether real, made of stone, in a painting; nothing. They have been slowly uncovering a building under renovation since I arrived in Switzerland. I stopped at the toy store and saw a three-dimensional wooden wall-hanging with a music box. When the music plays a train goes around in a circle while a cow watches, which I later purchased for 115 CHF/$58. Next I went to the Ring where I ran into Jan and Kirby. I looked for the Hôtel Couronne that was supposed to have a tower with a spiral staircase. Continued to Obergasse that had a tower, but the door was locked to the tower. I headed home since my feet were just so plain old tired that my ankles just turned this way and that to adjust to whatever angle they landed on the uneven cobblestones.

That evening Jan, Kirby and I went to see the movie “The Champ.”

Movie ticket

We bought our 7 CHF/$3.50 tickets and had to find our way in pitch darkness. First there was a dark curtain across the door to fight through, then since the screen was over our heads over the door, we had to climb up to find seats. I kept expecting stairs, but it was a ramp. I walked into a pillar when the aisle curved. And then the movie, a real tear-jerker. I had to hold my breath several times to keep from sobbing aloud! At the end the lights came on too fast before I could recover myself. But there were a lot of noses being blown, and the theater was not even very crowded.

I finally finished reading in German the thick book “Iberia” by James Michener. Very interesting as usual for Michener.