Burgdorf (9/25/1982)

Saturday, September 25, 1982

When walking to the train station, people were lining up along Bahnhofstrasse/Train Station Street as if to watch a parade. Closer to the station, many stalls were set up. Posters stated the Seelander farmers were coming to Biel to sell their wares. One stand was cooking up a huge cauldron of vegetable soup. Right in front of the train station was a large display of fruits and vegetables. Red tomatoes filled in a big rectangle and in them garlic bulbs formed a white cross of the Swiss flag! Off to one side, groups of people with banners were crowded - the parade?

Train day pass

I caught the 9:34 train to Bern, arriving about 10:00. First I went window shopping for boots and toys. At the COOP store there was a contest where you put certain tickets into a facsimile of a train ticket vending machine, and depending on what was on the ticket, you could be eligible for big prizes (train trips throughout Europe) or immediately win smaller prizes (gift certificates for train tickets, maps, etc.) I never figured out where to get the tickets; you probably had to make a purchase!

Had lunch at McDonald’s and the shake seemed really small.

I decided to buy a pair of boots I saw at Wälders. When I entered the store, the clerk asked what size I wore. I said 37, and she sent me upstairs. Here were the sizes 37 and up. It was self-serve, so I tried on a size 37, and they were too small. Size 38 were comfortable. When I bought them, I was asked if I wanted waterproofing, but I declined because I knew I had just enough money for the 88 CHF/$44 boots!

New boots

I caught the 12:50 train to Burgdorf, arriving at 13:10. All sorts of railroads seem to meet here. I followed a typical town street with banks and a Migros store to a cobblestoned street that headed uphill into the mundane old town. I found an alley leading to the stark castle, which was being renovated. I walked over several boardwalks. The main part of the castle was completed and on one outer wall was a painting of the Bern canton bear with a crown over it.

Bern bear on Burgdorf castle

Burgdorf castle gate

I looked over the walls down onto the small Emme River with cliffs on the opposite side. Below was a spreading modern town, and off in the hazy sunlight was the Emmental, famous for the typical Swiss cheese. The Museum Franz Gertsch was closed. Headed back through the old town to the Stadtkirche/City Church (late Gothic 1471/1490) on the other side. I entered to see the star vaulting in the chancel and the rood screen of the organ loft, the latter being intricately carved stone. Otherwise there was no other decoration in the stone church, except for carved choir stalls.

Caught the 14:09 local red train with all its initials (Emmental Burgdorf Thun/EBT, Solothurn Münster/SMB, Vereinigte Huttwil/VHB train) to Solothurn. We stopped at tiny towns, passing through flat farmland, arriving in Solothurn about 14:50. Here also there are several railroads, and I took a photo of a Solothurn Zollikofen Bern/SZB train.

EBT, SMB, VHB train

Solothurn Zollikofen Bern SZB train

Took the 15:08 train to Biel, arriving about 15:35. A crowd of people were grabbing the vegetables off the display, so I missed getting a picture of it.

The washing machine in the Personalhaus/staff residence was broken, so I washed my clothes by hand. Went to see the movie “Evita Peron” with Jan & Kirby at the Palace Theater in Biel. Time to turn the clocks back tonight.

Movie ticket