Shoppyland and Gruyères Redux (3/5-6/1983)

Saturday, March 5, 1983

Marsha Cr and I went down to the train station, seeing photos of the Fastnacht parade on display along Bahnhofstrasse. We bought half-price tickets to Bern for 6.60 CHF/$3.30 and caught the 11:34 train, arriving at about 12:00. We went to the Solothurn Zollikofen Bern Bahn (SZB) station and bought half-price tickets for 1.40 CHF/70 cents to Schönbühl. Took the 12:31 train and arrived 15 minutes later. We actually got off at the Shoppyland stop.

Bern to Shoppyland ticket

Shoppyland is a mall supposedly modeled after U.S. malls. It was bright orange on the outside, and inside it was chaos. Most shops had no defined fronts and spilled out into the corridor. Many shops had no walls, and it was if it was a giant department store with easy access from one department to another. It was not laid out in an organized fashion. People pushed shopping carts all around the mall, in and out of shops, up the rolling ramps, out to the parking lot. Restaurants and cafés were scattered about. There were plastic plants, pools and fountains, and was generally self-serve.

Shoppyland to Bern ticket

After wandering around, we went to the station to catch the 14:37 train to Bern, where we shopped for bikinis. Ran to catch the 15:53 train to Biel that was standing room only. Arrived at 16:30 with people coming home with rolled up banners, drums, and painted faces from what was probably a women’s demonstration.

Sunday, March 6, 1983

Train day pass

Marsha C and I caught the 9:34 train to Bern, changing to the 10:16 train to Fribourg. There we waited for the 10:50 local train towards Lausanne, getting off in Romont at about 11:10. We climbed the hill to the walled town, as cars sped down the winding cobblestoned road. We walked around the northern ramparts and at the western end we turned into the main square. We stopped in a confiserie to buy a cake for 5.60 CHF/$2.80. Headed up to the Eglise Collégiale Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption/collegiate Church of Our Lady of the Assumption, where the chancel looked ancient and most of the rest was rebuilt. We were here to see the series of modern stained glass windows by the painter Alexandre Cingria, depicting the twelve apostles, but it was often difficult to discern a human figure. Other stained glass windows were on the opposite side, but the most impressive were in the chancel, depicting the Annunciation and Assumption. The chancel was enclosed by an iron grille with fancy spikes atop it. The choir had carved wooden stalls. We then walked over to the castle and into its quiet courtyard. We looked south over the ramparts at the Alps, then headed west. At the western end of the town was a playground and we took advantage of the swings before eating our picnic lunch of bread, ham and cheese. We watched a girl and her dog “Icky” at play.

We continued around the ramparts and down stairs to the road to the train station, where we boarded the 12:50 one-car train to Bulle. The conductor checked our tickets, then went to drive the train! This train stopped at bus shelter-type stations where if you want the train to stop you have to pull a switch. We arrived in Bulle about 13:20, and went to board the narrow-gauge train to Montbovin. Ten minutes later we were closer to the snow-covered mountains and got off at Gruyères. First we went to the model cheese factory to see the photos explaining the cheese-making process and to see the generalized cheese info slide show. Down below us, fellows in white aprons and boots seemed to be making a mess as they cleaned. They took apart a couple gadgets, scrubbed and hung them up, and hosed water everywhere. The bearded guy we could see below also showed up in many of the slides! We passed brine baths and an earlier cheese cellar, and went outside. We started hiking up to the fortified town of , with patches of snow here and there, but it was starting to look like springtime! We walked through Belluard, the picturesque defense-work which once guarded the main entrance of the town. At the present entrance we looked out at Moléson mountain and down into town. The main street was lined with old houses with overhanging eaves, shuttered windows, and wrought-iron signs. There were lots of people at outdoor tables. We found the tiny La Calvaire/Wayside Cross church (16C) at one end, and headed to the other end to see the grain measures hollowed out of stone blocks. We saw the Chalamala House of the jester with the delicately carved stone window frames. We arrived at the castle (1270-1282) and paid the 2 CHF/$1 entrance fee.

Château de Gruyères ticket

We looked out from the terrace on the peaceful valley below. We toured the castle, entering through an old kitchen, then through several period rooms of old furniture, painted walls, etc. One room contained three gold-embroidered mourning copes from the Order of the Golden Fleece, which were part of the booty in a battle. There were a few tapestries, and a couple rooms of paintings mostly done by the Bovys, an artistic family who kept up the castle. The heraldic crane was seen everywhere, especially in one room on a fireback, the hearth, on the ceiling, carved into furniture, in the stained glass windows, etc. The St John’s chapel was on the terrace, and I finally saw the lake formed by the Rossens Dam. We left the castle and walked down to the bigger church of St Théodule, and to peek out the “back door” of the town. We returned to the train station, and at the small bar at the cheese factory, we had drinks. I had tea, and Marsha had a Rivella (soft drink made from milk whey).

Cheese factory drinks receipt

We caught the 15:31 train to Bulle. We hurried to the Musée Gruérien and paid the 3 CHF/$1.50 entrance fee. We scanned the small well-laid out museum of local crafts and artifacts, then hurried back to catch the 16:05 train to Romont, changing to the 16:35 to Bern, arriving at 17:10. We stopped at a flower shop to buy a rose. A Guggenmusik/brass and drum band from Basel marched through the train station, gave a concert under the Treffpunkt/Meeting Point, and marched off to catch their train. We boarded the 17:53 train to Biel. When we got back to the Personalhaus/staff residence, we knocked on Jong-Soon’s door to sing “Happy Birthday” and present her with the rose and the cake.

Tuesday, March 8, 1983

Had a dentist appointment at 11:00. He showed me the x-rays with a couple cavities, and after probing my teeth, he decided one was not a cavity. Then without novocaine: drill, drill, drill. Very nerve wracking! Finally a finer drill, then dab, dab, dab with the silver filling. I have another appointment in 6 weeks to get the silver polished.

After work Ruth D drove Marsha C and me to her Gymnastik/exercise class. Very little music and a lot of NDT movement (rotation). Not what Marsha and I were looking for, since we have experienced aerobics classes in the U.S. with lots of music and more dance moves. Barbara S and her friend Ilise also came to observe, and they were interested. Marsha and I walked home after the hour class.