St Petersinsel (9/26/1982)

Sunday, September 26, 1982

When I left, it was clear and sunny, but when I reached the docks at Bielersee/Lake Biel, the sun had disappeared behind dark clouds and there was a stiff breeze. I bought a half-price boat ticket for St Petersinsel for 2 CHF/$1.

Biel to St Petersinsel boat ticket

It began to rain when the boat left 20 minutes late at 11:10. The boat was crowded and I stood in the roofed over outdoor section. It got darker and rained harder. You could just see the grapes were still on the vines in the vineyards. Some of the concrete walls below the highway were covered with camouflage. It looked like they were weather testing different types.

It was raining in earnest as we docked at St Petersinsel. I put up my umbrella and followed the crowd through the woods, past a hillock and through farmland with fields on one side and pastures of horses on the other.

Fondation Pour le Cheval/Foundation for Horses

Past a few farm buildings and an orchard until we reached the Chloster Hotel.

Orchard

Chloster Hotel

Everyone entered one doorway that took you through a hall to a courtyard. The courtyard was literally overshadowed by tall trees. There was a café under the eaves around two sides. On the other side was a stairway leading up to Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s room. An outer room has his books and quotations and the inner room was simply furnished with a bed, desk and chairs, and a sofa. Back outside I passed a memorial with a small bust of Rousseau, who visited here for six weeks in 1765.

Despite the pouring rain, I began to hike back past the boat dock to Erlach. At first the gravel road led through the woods, then it opened up onto fields of corn. No cars are allowed on St Petersinsel, which is actually a peninsula into the Bielersee/Lake Biel. The peninsula is fairly wide, and with bushes on either side of the road and land beyond, you don’t even see water. Off in the distance you can see the surrounding hills of the outer edges of Bielersee/Lake Biel. I mostly had to hold the umbrella in front of my face and trudge on. I put my back pack on backwards (on my front) to try to keep it dry. The hike was supposed to be one hour and 10 minutes and although I was trudging and not going fast, I made it in 50 minutes. When I was about 10 minutes away from Erlach, I could hear music, and when I arrived, I saw they were having a carnival in town. I walked up to the old town with a really neat cobblestoned street working its way uphill. The shuttered houses had lots of flowers and flags of various cantons.

Erlach old town street

Houses with cantonal flags

The castle is on top of the hill and is now apparently a school. It also was undergoing renovation.

View from castle of St Petersinsel

I went down to the dock and caught the 13:45 boat to La Neuveville, getting a half-price ticket for 80 Rappel/centimes/40 cents.

Erlach to La Neuveville boat ticket

In La Neuveville I got a half-price train ticket for Biel for 1.60 CHF/80 cents.

La Neuveville to Biel train ticket

On the train was a spry old man in his running suit who mentioned he was hiking all the way around the Bielersee/Lake Biel, but gave up because of the rain. That distance is 43 km/27 miles! He was 82 years old!

Low clouds over Biel

Thursday, September 30, 1982

After work I met Hetty and Elisabeth in the hospital lobby and Hetty drove us downtown in her new car. We dropped Elisabeth off to get pudding, while Hetty and I drove around before stopping in Mühlebrücke to wait for her, and for Jan. At 18:40 we all drove off together, or at least tried in Biel’s traffic jam. We went to Twann and headed up the mountain to Prêles. It was cloudy and dark when we arrived at a building in the middle of town. Through the windows we could see Fr Dr Bangerter and several kids. They welcomed us to the Kindergarten Lager/camp. We went upstairs to see the kids snuggled in their beds, then returned downstairs for dinner. We were “celebrating” Hetty’s last day at Wildermeth. Veronica, the camp cook, had prepared spaghetti with a thick sauce and a cucumber salad. We drank a cold tea. Also present were Silvia, Pia, and Kirby, and a friend of Hetty’s who was Romansh, but lived in England for several years. She spoke to her kids in English, Romansh and Bärndutsch. Hetty was presented with a certificate good for a year’s subscription to a horse magazine (she was our hippotherapist). We gave her a photo album with pictures of the kids she worked with, with funny captions. After washing the dishes, we had dessert of Hetty’s apple-raisin pie, which was slightly burnt and misshapen, but tasted good, especially with the pudding drizzled over it. We P.T.s were in charge of dessert, and not knowing that Hetty was bringing something, Elisabeth had got some wonderful cream-filled rolls and rumballs. We had those with coffee or tea. Conversation lasted long into the night and the smoke was horrendous. Jan and I washed, dried, and put away the dessert dishes, and still no one was ready to leave. The P.T.s finally made the move to go, but were prevented from doing so because a few cigarettes were still burning. Once those were finished, we were allowed to leave. Jan went to mail some cards and Elisabeth and I walked down the driveway as Hetty got the car. Hetty picked us up, then zoomed past Jan. Hetty backed up to pick up Jan and we careened down the mountain. I was dropped off at the Personalhaus/staff residence with Jan who was walking home. I had a terrific headache and my sinuses were congested.

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

Beromünster (9/19/1982)

Sunday, September 19, 1982

Train day pass

I slept in, then did my ironing before leaving at 10:45 to catch the 11:23 train to Zürich. It was hazy, but the sky was clear so that the nuclear plant cooling tower really did look like a cloud maker. Changed in Aarau to the 12:30 train for Suhr/Lenzburg, after not finding Beromünster on the schedule. Ten minutes later in Suhr the schedule said a train left for Beromünster at 12:44, but there was no train. I noticed an orange narrow gauge train go by a block away. Aha! The Wynental-und-Suhrentalbahn (WSB). I found the Suhr-Ausweiche station and waited for the 13:14 train. There was an automatic ticket machine, and the train had to be stopped on demand like a bus. I checked the train map and saw I could have caught the WSB in Aarau after all. The WSB went up a valley to Schötland, through Aarau, up to Wynental to Menziken-Burg. The train traveled through the streets of each town in a pleasant wide valley of farms and orchards. I decided to ride to the end of the line, as I was seeing no sign of Beromünster! In Menziken, I saw a sign for the SBB Bahnhof and there trains went to Beinwil and Beromünster. I sat in a park to wait for the 14:18 train, and was treated to Arabic music and conversation from a parked car nearby.

Wynental-und-Suhrentalbahn (WSB) in Menziken

Wynental-und-Suhrentalbahn (WSB) new car

Baby stroller access

After a 5-minute train ride, I arrived in the typical small town of Beromünster. I headed towards an old Baroque steeple and found a stone church, hearing choir music within. Then I heard bells tolling and turned around to see a much bigger and better-kept Baroque clock tower.
Walked up the medieval main street to the Stiftskirche/Collegiate Church of St Michael and entered the courtyard. It was freshly painted and the porch wall was decorated with the coats-of-arms of former canons.

Stiftskirche/Collegiate Church of St Michael 

Stiftskirche/Collegiate Church of St Michael
clock tower

Not all the shields were repainted yet. Ard was common among the names. The treasury wasn’t to open until an hour later, so I went in the church proper along with many others. Priests or monks were sitting in the choir behind a wrought-iron screen and were chanting/singing while one of them played the organ. The interior of the church was white with some blue fresco work on the ceilings. The doors were carved wood. I went out to peek in the graveyard and walk through the cloister with the surrounding corridors full of flowers. The church was in a courtyard surrounded by old buildings dating from the 1600-1700s, and several of the doors were ornately carved.

1666 door

I walked back and beyond the train station for a general view of Wynental.

Wynental

Stopped at an auto dealership to look at Volkswagens, but only the used cars had price tags. At the train station, I noticed the regular SBB trains had bright broad fluorescent stripes in yellow and orange, maybe because the tracks follow alongside the town streets. Took the 15:34 SBB train, arriving at Beinwil am See at about 15:50. I went to look for the See/lake and followed Wanderweg/hiking trail signs along a steep winding path through some woods. The edge of the lake was crowded with people at a dock, tiny marina, and a paying “beach” area. Took the 16:53 train to Lenzburg, changing to the 17:22 train to Biel, arriving at 18:30.

Monday, September 20, 1982

Found a 4-leaf clover.

Four-leaf clover

Tuesday, September 21, 1982

Well, well. I went to ABM to pick up the print film I dropped off, and found they really did only develop the negatives, and did not make prints. Live and learn! So I mailed the negatives off to another company to get one print copy of each. What a way to get your photos!

Arosa (9/18/1982)

Saturday, September 18, 1982

Train day pass

It had rained with lightning and thunder last night, but was drying up today with a high cloud cover. Left at 7:45 to walk to the train station, passing the market at Burgplatz. Took the 8:23 train to Zürich. A woman sat next to me in Olten and made occasional comments in dialect. One remark was that there were so many people on the train today because it was such a nice day! Well, relatively nice since it wasn’t raining!

Arrived in Zürich at 10:00 and changed to the 10:07 train to Chur. Before Ziegelbrücke I saw the large pyramid-shaped stones sunk in 3-4 rows in the ground; anti-tank barriers?

Also saw a pen with several deer in it. The sun was beginning to cut through the haze.

Arrived in Chur at 11:40 and hurried out to the Bahnhofplatz/Station Square to catch the narrow gauge railroad Rhätische Bahn/Rhaetian Railway, with shiny brand new red cars, to Arosa. It was scheduled to leave at 11:40 but was held up for five minutes.

Across the aisle was a black woman from California who was with three Swiss ladies. One of the ladies appeared to have had polio and walked with a cane. Another had a daughter with spastic diplegia cerebral palsy.

I was on the right side of the train as it left the city and started up a really deep valley. I spent most of my time looking straight down through the trees at the mountain stream. At one point there was a waterfall on the opposite cliff. As we crossed a deep ravine, there was a waterfall on the left side. Soon the valley had open meadows on both sides. The farmers were out cutting the long grasses to store in the numerous log huts. Many of the huts had metal or tile roofs, but many still were made of stone with grass growing in the cracks. We passed through a couple communities with the flower-bedecked chalets.

At Langweis we crossed the valley on an aqueduct-like bridge on super tall abutments. You could still look straight down into the tumbling stream. From then on, my side of the train looked at the broad side of the mountain, but on the other side you could look into the valley. Sometimes the mountainside was covered with gravel, and there was logging in other areas. We passed through many tunnels and switchbacks. At about 12:40 we arrived in Arosa, which was full of hotels and holiday apartment buildings. A typical Swiss resort.

In front of the station was a lake with a fountain in it. I found a map and located Eichhörnliweg/Squirrel Path, which would take me to Maran. I walked beyond the station (the end of the line) and followed the road switchbacks through a residential neighborhood called Seehalden. I saw a beautiful old chalet with flowers.

Seehalden chalet

I went on a gravel road off the main road into a reserve area: Do not bother the animals, wild or domesticated!

I walked into the woods and found a Vita Parcours.

Parcours station

The path was rutted as I passed a couple exercise stations. The parcours turned back, but I continued on a gravel path up a hill out of the woods to the Maran depression.

Maran view of Grisons mountains

There were meadows, hotels, a tennis court, and even a golf course. Up on the surrounding mountainsides I saw cattle grazing. They haven’t gone back down into the valleys for the winter yet.
I followed a gravel road switchbacking up the mountain, and once took a shortcut straight up to a bench to sit and let my heart rate slow down! It was hot and bright hazy. I continued along until I came to a herd of cows, just them and me in the meadow; no fences!

Swiss milk chocolate cows

Maran area

Maran area

Mountain brook

View of Arosa

I figured I had hiked uphill enough, and started downhill. Saw sub-alpine growth that was hardy with big straw-like white flowers and purple bells, and dandelions! Returned to Eichhörnliweg/Squirrel Path and was back at the parcours. Passed a group of four hikers one at a time, greeting them in Swiss-German, only to hear them speaking English! All along the path were carved wooden log benches with names of sponsors inscribed on them, and each was accompanied by a new trash can.

When the path entered fairly thick woods, I was just wondering why this was called squirrel path, when a black squirrel with perky ears came right up to me. He followed me and was joined by two others. Later I saw a nun standing perfectly still on the path with her arm outstretched. Chickadees would fly to her hand to get birdseed. Saw several more squirrels, but they did not attack me.

I heard a hum and some chirps, and looked up to see the cable of the Weisshorn aerial cableway. Passed under a ski lift and found myself at Parcours #1, which had a plastic box with cards showing the course.

Walked down into Inner Arosa and I could see the church and clock tower, but after circling around, there was no good vantage point. I tried following a road below the church, with no better view.

Inner Arosa late Gothic church (1493)

Saw a wedding party leave a house in a dune buggy-like vehicle.

Continued down the road towards the lower lake and decided to wait at the railroad tracks for a train to emerge from the tunnel/overpass. I knew one had to be coming because the signal light turned from red to green!

Railroad underpass

Rhätische Bahn/Rhaetian Railway

After taking a photo, I circled around the lake to Ausser Arosa towards the train station. I continued to the Weisshornbahn and arrived with two VW bus loads of tourists from local hotels. I followed the crowd to the ticket entrance that had an automatic door that closed in my face. I must have been too slow.

Bought a half-price ticket for 10 CHF/$5 for a round trip.

The cable car could hold 61 people as we crowded in and left at 15:20. Less than 10 minutes later we were above the tree line, and had to change with the operator to the next aerial cable car. I looked straight down at the mountainside and saw several holes. Marmots! Sure enough, I saw a fat furry thing crawling across a rock.

At the top of Weisshorn were craggy rocks, and above the restaurant was a refuge hut, where I climbed to the very top for a hazy view in all directions.

View South from Weisshorn

View of Arosa from Weisshorn

Below you could see hiking trails, cow meadows, and scattered little log barns. Saw alpine lichen on the rocks and rusty red lichen.

Weisshorn craggy rocks

Lichen on rocks

It started clouding over. Having wandered around the mountaintop, I went to the station, having to push a button to open the door. When you go out it opens by itself which was a surprise because it opens like a regular door.

I had the same operator going down on the Weisshornbahn. As we started down, an older woman teased, asking what would happen if we didn’t have tickets. The operator pointed at a trapdoor on the floor! I got off at the Mittelstation/Mid-station to walk around amongst the cows who were grazing under the ski lift.

Viw from Mittlestation

Swiss cow

Caught the next cable car down with some guy playing a twangy banjo. Lots of people were hiking. At the train station I waited for the 17:15 train to Chur. It began to rain. I sat on the right side of the train to be able to look in the valley at the pale green lake with swans and logs floating on it. This is where the mountain stream seemed to begin. We crossed the high bridge across the valley and looking back you could see a rainbow. In a couple ravines, erosion had left a couple hoodoos or needles, with a little patch of grass on top. They were pale gray and not much of a sight after being in Bryce Canyon in Utah!

It was clear when we arrived in Chur at 18:15. I caught the 18:24 train to Zürich. The lights in our car didn’t work, so we went through all the tunnels in darkness. In Zürich I got the 20:04 train to Biel, arriving about 21:30.

Return to Switzerland (9/2-17/1982)

Thursday, September 2, 1981

Said goodbye to Daddy as he left for work. I discovered my alarm clock wasn’t working, so went to Brand Names to get a watch with an alarm. The first one didn’t work right and I had to exchange it for another.

At about 15:00, Frank, Paul & Mommy drove me to the airport. Checked in at 15:30 for the 16:25 USAir flight to Kennedy in NYC.

Buffalo to NYC Kennedy ticket receipt

It was delayed until 17:05, and took off at 17:25. Landed an hour later at a super-crowded airport. People were sardined in the buildings and traffic was terrible. I walked out of the TWA terminal to the Delta/Northwest terminal. The Capitol Air counter was empty and everyone was too busy to ask what happened. I caught the airlines connection bus to the British Airways terminal. Apparently Capitol Air has moved to the other side of the airport. The bus took a long time because of the traffic. The driver honked at everyone and he used his loudspeaker to berate people in his way. Arrived at the Capitol Air counter at 19:15, but they were letting the Los Angeles passengers have priority. I got to the desk 19:25 and they told me to check in at Gate 7 at 19:30!

NYC Kennedy to Zürich ticket receipt

After I hurried to do that, we then just sat and waited. When we boarded, we got plastic bags with eyeshades, footies, and a kit with deodorant, toothbrush and toothpaste, comb, nail file, lotion, razor and shaving cream, cologne, and a sewing kit. We were scheduled to leave at 20:00, but didn’t leave the gate until 21:15. We were then told we were joining a 3-mile long line for takeoff! Took off at 22:00. My seats were in Row 2 on both flights!

Given cold wet towels just before eating. I refused the champagne but wasn’t given a substitute drink. Dinner was a thick piece of veal with noodles and zucchini in a tomato sauce, a peas and carrots salad with liverwurst, and a crab leg. Also a roll with Bel Paese cheese, and a dessert cake that I didn’t eat. Fell asleep. Awoke from a doze to find almonds and a mint; I ate the later that was slightly melted.

Friday, September 3, 1982

I awoke to find breakfast in front of me; orange juice and raisin bread, and I had a bite of the dark roll.

We landed in Zürich at 11:45 Swiss time. I was first off the plane and into the bus taking us to the terminal. My passport was carefully scrutinized at customs and I was checked into the computer. I went to the airport train station and was able to extend my half-price pass for another year for 315 CHF/$157. Bought a half-price ticket to Biel for 14 CHF/$7.

Zürich to Biel train ticket

Caught the 12:19 train to the Zürich Bahnhof/train station, and changed to the 13:04 train to Biel, arriving at 14:30. Took the bus up to Kinderspital/Children's Hospital Wildermeth, where I ran into Frau J for a chat. They were expecting me at the reception desk and Frau F gave me my room key and a plastic bag from Kirby. I climbed the stairs to the Personalhaus/staff residence, to my new room #51 on the third floor, next door to my old room!

In the bag from Kirby were lots of magazines, the sweatshirt I had forgotten in Florence, and a top and nightshirt they rescued from the trash can there!

Saturday, September 4, 1982

Finally got out of bed at noon! Sent off a letter to my parents, and picked up my bag from the CP Station, and later did grocery shopping. I almost didn’t make it up those shortcut stairs! Boy, I am out of shape! I had to lie on my bed until my heart calmed down!

Tuesday, September 7, 1982

Invited to Jan & Kirby’s for dinner, arriving at 19:00. I was very little help in preparing and eating the delicious meal; starting with a choice of two patés (one spicy with peppercorns) on bread, tortellini in Kirby’s special cream and cheese sauce, and ratatouille. After digesting a bit, we had salad. Then tea or coffee and meringue.

I was going to tell Jan & Kirby that I really liked that they didn’t bicker about money. Since I am not very forceful in giving people money, or to keep them from giving me money, I really appreciate when people do forget it when I tell them to forget about paying me for a book here, or postage there. But alas, Jan & Kirby spoiled it all by giving me a check before I left! Plus they fed me…

Thursday, September 16, 1982

I went to the Biel library to find it has been computerized! When I gave them my name to check out a book, I was given a plastic card with a barcode. The girl put it in the machine, and my name and address showed up with the number of books I have been checking out, and my language as German. She then aimed a laser gun at the barcode of the book, and the title and call number showed up on the computer screen. A receipt printed out showing when I took it out and when it is due. I can now take out as many books as I want for a period of six weeks. What a system for the tiny Biel library!

I am going to try reading James Michener’s The Covenant in German.

Friday, September 17, 1982

I took film to be developed at the ABM department store, since I had a coupon for free developing. I hope I was right in asking only for development, and won’t get back only negatives!

Met Jong-Soon in Migros and took the bus back to Wildermeth with her. Since I didn’t have my multi-ride ticket, I bought a single ticket for 90 Rappen/centimes/50 cents. I put two 50-centime coins in the machine and received no change. Oh, well. Jong-Soon didn’t buy a ticket and I gather she never does. God will provide!