Parents' Visit: Aare River and Bern (8/19/1983)

Friday, August 19, 1983

Again I left at 6:45 to lug a larger suitcase, but this time I took the bus from the hospital. At the Regionalspital, the bus driver not only changed the destination sign (which was expected), he also changed the bus number (which was unexpected!). We headed to Zentralplatz and looked to be going farther on Zentralstrasse, so I got off and walked down Bahnhofstrasse. But then the bus cut across and ended up coming down Bahnhofstrasse, too! Oh, well. I went to the Club Hotel, got the key from the breakfasting parents and went to wait in their room. We left at 7:30 to walk down to the boat docks.

Petersinsel boat (GJT)

We were early and watched the employees wash down the boat. We boarded at 8:05 to take the boat along the Aare River to Solothurn. It was very hazy, but the sun began cutting through.

Morning on the Aare River (GJT)

We sat in the very front of the boat, having first to dry off the seats. The trip seemed to go fast, although it was over two hours long. We passed flower bedecked houses, the lock at Port, and saw a couple herons.

In the lock (GJT)

Leaving the lock (GJT)

Büren an der Aare’s wooden bridge  (GJT)

We passed under Büren an der Aare’s wooden bridge, saw fishermen, and planes pulling gliders with other gliders so high they were just glints of the sun.

Going under the Büren an der Aare bridge

Büren an der Aare approach to bridge (GJT)

We passed Marsha’s and Ruth’s apartment.

Farmhouse apartments

Barn raising

Small town boat landing (GJT)

Another boat (GJT)

Plane pulling a glider

We saw fish jumping, and a stork nest on barn roof.

Stork nest on a barn

Stork in a nest

There were three flying storks and an orange biplane do a loop-de-loop. In Altreu we saw three storks in nests on a barn near a river dock. We passed the Crooked Tower as we approached Solothurn.

Crooked Tower

There were only eight passengers on the boat, but a crowd waiting in Solothurn. We arrived at 10:20 and walked around the fortifications, and climbed up for a better view of the tower.

Fortifications (GJT)

Fortification tower

Next we walked across the water (on a bridge!) to get a better view of the Crooked Tower.

Crooked Tower

(N.B. The Crooked Tower only looks crooked because of the oddly-shaped roof.)
We went back through the old town to see the clock and the city hall where we searched for twin towers.

Marktplatz with St Ursenbrunnen/St Ursus Fountain (GJT)

Zeitglockenturm/Clock tower (GJT)

Zeitglockenturm/Clock tower (GJT)

Solothurn Rathaus/City Hall

We finally found a central tower flanked by two lower green spires.

Mauritius Brunnen/Fountain (GJT)

We walked out through Baseltor/Basel Gate to see more fortification walls. then followed the tracks of the Niederbippbahn to the train station.

Fortification at Riedholz Turm/Tower (GJT)

Baseltor/Basel Gate (GJT)

We caught the 11:30 train to Bern. I had used my day pass for the boat trip, and had a class change card, but today we mostly rode self-service or honor system trains.

Class Change ticket

Arrived in Bern in time for the 12:15 train to Worb. Dad was noting the Light Rail Transit/LRT characteristics. At Worb we changed to the older more tram-like train that passes through Gümligen back to Bern. We got off at Egghölzli, and we discovered the Coop and Migros stores were closed for lunch. So we had a make-shift lunch of rolls from breakfast with cheese, nectarines and pretzels. Dad went to follow the #3 tram to its end in an apartment complex.  There was also a tiny Peugeot bus that came to this intersection. We caught the G-train back through Bern to Kirchenfeld. We walked across the bridge into the commercial district and checked to see if the Bern clock tower was finally unscaffolded!

Zytglogge/Clock Tower (GJT)

We stopped in several bookstores until Dad found what he wanted: a book on Swiss railroads, city maps of Fribourg, Montreaux-Vevey, Zürich (but not of Neuchâtel!), then nine topographic maps to complete his set (he had only two!). The bill came to 125 CHF/$64. We stopped at a Burger King for drinks and watched the end of a Charlie Chaplin film and the beginning of an Elvis Presley movie. We returned to the train station to catch the Z train of the Solothurn-Zollikofen-Bern/SZB railroad. We got off at the first stop for Dad to get a picture. We noticed the station clocks had red dots to mark when the train came every 15 minutes.

Red marks are when the trains arrive (GJT)

We took the Z train on to Worblaufen and let Dad hike around for pictures. Then we caught a train to Worb. Dad wanted pictures at Ittigen of the mall walkway to the station. I purchased a regional timetable for 1.50 CHF/75 cents. We continued to Stettlen for more pictures, then returned to Bern.

Z train at Stettlen (GJT)

We caught the 17:49 train to Belp, getting off at Wabern and followed the #9 tram back a couple stops to Schönegg.

Bern tram ticket

Then took that tram into the city, getting off at Bärenplatz. We went to Mövenpick to eat supper. Dad had cream of tomato soup and a three mushroom toast in cream sauce. Mom had Wurstsalat and I had a fried chicken basket with French fries. I also had a finger bowl of water with my meal! The bill came to about 50 CHF/$25.

Biel train station mural Der Stundentanz/
Dance of the Hours (1923) by Philippe Robert (GJT)

Biel train station mural Die Lebensstufen/
Stages of Life (1923) by Philippe Robert (GJT)

We took the 19:53 train back to Biel, arriving at the hotel at 20:30. I paid the hotel bill with my Visa card, 475 CHF/$237 for five nights.

Saturday, August 20, 1983

Up early to go to the train station to purchase a half-price First class ticket to Basel for 22 CHF/$11.

Went to the Club Hotel and passed the empty reception desk to go up to my parents’ room by 6:10 as scheduled. We left the hotel, and this time the manager was there to offer us coffee, but we declined. We caught the 6:27 train to Basel, where we had to carry heavy luggage the length of the train and down the stairs, but then got a cart. We went over to the French station and I bought a round trip ticket to Luxembourg for 83.20 CHF/$41.

Basel to Luxembourg train ticket

We went through customs where the guy wanted to know what kinds of gifts we had. No watches!

We went to the platform to find a train of only four cars. We assumed the cars coming from Italy, headed to Amsterdam, would already be full, so looked for a seat on one of the four cars. Many were reserved but we found enough available seats. Later cars were added to both ends of our short train, and became tremendously long. Daddy joked that the locomotive must be sitting in France while the rest of the train was in the Basel station. We left at 8:34, 13 minutes late. We passed through flat countryside and then through lots of industry.

Tamiko in contemplation (GJT)

We arrived in Luxembourg (no customs) about 12:10. We looked for the bus to the airport, finding it to the far right in front of the train station. The 12:35 bus arrived at 12:35, and luggage was loaded in the back while passengers boarded at the front, paying 80 Luxembourg Francs/LUF/$1.75.

Airport bus ticket

Fifteen minutes later at about 13:00, we were at the Luxembourg airport, one tiny terminal. We joined the long line to check in for Icelandair. Once Mom and Dad were checked in, and the heavy suitcases were gone, Dad went to buy a map and postcards, and we went outside to watch the planes.

Tamiko and Yuriko (GJT)

Icelandair plane (GJT)

Then Mom and Dad had to go through passport control, another long line, and I left them at 14:10. I paid another 80 LUF/$1.75 to take the 14:20 bus back to the train station.

View of Luxembourg (GJT)

I caught the 14:54 train to Basel. At one stretch the train just crawled. Arrived in Basel, breezed through customs, and caught the 19:15 train to Biel, arriving at 20:30. I walked through the old town for the second evening in a row, with the booths of food and crafts, the dance stage in Burgplatz.

Pooped!