Schwingen in Langenthal (8/21/1983)

Sunday, August 21, 1983

Marsha C called at 9:30 and picked me up at 10:30 where we left the fog in Biel to drive to Langenthal. When we reached the town before Langenthal, we were directed to parking lots in cornfields. After parking we hiked through the woods to the Eidgenössisches/Confederation’s Schwingfest. Schwingen is Swiss wrestling, one of its national sports. The event is held every three years in a different location.

A huge temporary 6-sided stadium of bleachers was set up with seven pits of sawdust. We bought standee tickets for 15 CHF/$7 each and entered.

Schwingfest ticket

In each of the “pits” was a pair of guys wearing what looked like burlap bag shorts held up by a leather belt, over their regular clothes. They were holding each other by these shorts, and seemed to be wrestling around. We gathered that you had to swing the man off the ground (hands and feet off the ground), then lay him on his back for a short count to win. The bout was also timed, so that if no one completed a Schwing within a certain amount of time, it was considered a draw.

Schwingen pits

Ach, didn't get him down!

Soon after we arrived, they broke for lunch. We bought a couple drinks for only 2 CHF/$1 each and sat to enjoy Marsha’s picnic lunch of bread with meats and cheese, and potato chips along with Ruth D’s plum tart. A little kid came to sit with us and wanted potato chips! We walked around past all the booths selling food, drinks, t-shirts, baked goods, cow bells, etc. The WCs were in three ancient blue buses with segregated toilet stalls. While we waited in line, Marsha asked if these were Pissmobiles!

We peeked in one Festhalle to see a band, and in another as a yodeling group finished. We returned to the stadium at 13:00. Apparently the Number One fellow was competing in pit #4 right in front of us. Photographers and TV crews crowded around. His opponent wrestled him to a draw and some of the opponent's friends were ecstatic. There was a break at 14:30 for the stone throwing event. That took place at the other side of the arena, but you could tell the stone these guys were heaving was actually a boulder! They would press it straight up in the air, run a few steps, and heave it forward. One of the participants was Frank Bieler from California. He looked like a football player and had his knees taped/ace-wrapped. Typisch/typical!

They had a parade of what seemed to be the prizes: a bull, a cow with a bonnet of flowers, and a horse.

The prizes

A few people were in traditional dress. There were five times as many men as women in attendance, and it was hot. Later the price of drinks went up to 2.50 CHF/$1.25. Sudden inflation!

We left at 16:00, catching a group of Alpine horn blowers.

Alpine horns

Wednesday, August 24, 1983

After aerobics, Marsha C came up to the Personalhaus/staff residence to shower, since the bathtub in her apartment is being repaired. At 19:45 we went down to meet Fr Dr Jo D and the Canadian x-ray technician Diane. We drove off in three cars (I was with Marsha), and met in front of Chez Manuel in the old town by 20:00. We had reservations since they only had 6-7 tables in the tiny restaurant specializing in Italian food. Fr Dr Jo made several recommendations. I had the spaghetti carbonara, and the others ahs spaghetti pesto Genovese. Fr Dr Jo and Marsha had salads, and I ate the cucumbers from Fr Dr Jo’s salad, and Diane had the white beans from Marsha’s! The other three had boccalinos/little ceramic jugs of wine and I had mineral water. The conversation was about Fr Dr Jo’s voice concert, one of the patients, one of the doctors, but mostly about the Swiss. Diane is married to an atypical Swiss man who hates it here. She had a lot of complaints and was funny to hear. It was hard to believe that there is a law against hanging out your laundry on a Sunday! Diane also told us about her Yugoslavia vacation and her kidney stone.

A table of four guys sitting behind us made comments about speaking English, but we ignored them for the most part. The bill came and Manuel sang to us (he usually stands on his head to sing arias, but tonight we just got goodnight songs). The guys also made goodbye comments. We got in our cars to leave (this time I was with Fr Dr Jo D), when a guy came running out to make the proposition that the four of us go dancing with the four guys. Fr Dr Jo D had to see a possible appendicitis case at the hospital, so we drove off.

Manuel’s closes at 21"30 sharp! A popular little stube!

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!

Parents' Visit: Schilthorn and Jungfrau (8/16/1983)

Tuesday, August 16, 1983

I walked with a suitcase down to Mühlebrücke, and a #1 trolleybus came by, so I took it to the train station. I went to the Club Hotel to get the room key from Mom and Dad who were breakfasting. I had to explain myself to the man at the desk as I passed him with a suitcase! Mom and Dad came up at 7:15, and we left to go to the train station. I bought myself a half-price round trip ticket to Interlaken for 13 CHF/$6. We took the 7:34 train to Bern, changing to the 8:21 train to Interlaken, arriving about 9:15.

Interlaken boat landing (GJT)

I bought tickets, the half-price Schilthorn Tour ticket for 31.10 CHF/$15 for myself, and the Mürren Schilthornbahn tickets for Mom and Dad at 29 CHF/$14 each.

Schilthorn Tour ticket

Their Swiss Rail Holiday Card was good for most of the Schilthorn tour. We were part of a “tour group” with a blonde lady who spoke English better than she spoke Swiss-German (she was German? or is this another dialect?). We each were given a pin and a brochure about the waterfalls. The train to Lauterbrunnen ended up leaving a few minutes late at 9:30, and we wound up through the valley to Zweilütschinen where the two Lütschin rivers met, the “black” one from Grindelwald (actually a pale gray!) and the “white” one from Lauterbrunnen (pale green).

Where the two Zweilütschinen rivers meet (GJT)

The place where the two rivers merge was pointed out, and you could see the contrast in colors. Just before we reached the town of Lauterbrunnen, we saw the remains of a landslide that had blocked the roads and railroad only a couple months earlier (about the time Marsha C and I went to Schynige Platte).

Avalanche debris

Staubbach Falls in Lauterbrunnen valley (GJT)

At Lauterbrunnen, we followed the guide's flag of the Schilthorn symbol and walked across the street to the Grütschalpbahn/funicular. There was a tremendous crowd waiting, and we had to wait with the rest. It must have been an hour wait, as we took the fourth car up. They were also loading and unloading baggage and freight.

Our car took up the soft drinks! At the top we were able to board the narrow gauge train right away, and made our way to Mürren with the 3/4 panorama view of the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau.

Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau

Vew of Lauterbrunnen (GJT)

Eiger and Mönch (GJT)

In Mürren we walked quickly through town, hearing lots of British English. We passed the Allmendhübelbahn/funicular and arrived at the Schilthornbahn, an aerial cable car. Here we were able to board right away, but we were crushed in the middle of the car and were not able to see anything. But after changing cable cars at Birg, we were at the front and able to see the sheer cliffs in front of us, patches of snow, and hikers making their way upward. Arrived at 12:30 at the top of Schilthorn with its revolving panoramic restaurant. We wandered around to view the Alpine panorama, including the Jungfrau in front of us.

Schilthornbahn cable car (GJT)

Mönch and Jungfrau

View east?

View west

Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau

Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau postcard (GJT)

Eiger and Mönch, cable car station  (GJT)

Looking down (GJT)

Looking up

There was a bit of cloud cover, but it was higher than the mountain tops. We then left the group to make our way down to Mürren, where we went to take the aerial cable car to Stechelberg.

Mürren (GJT)

Luftseilbahn Stechelberg Mürren Schilthorn (GJT)

Luftseilbahn/aerial cable car (GJT)

It wasn’t to depart until 13:00, so we had time to use restrooms and buy a Suchard dark chocolate bar. On this cable car we had view of cows and white goats below.

Cows

We changed cars to make a hairpin turn, then the last stretch dropped us into the valley (whoop!) past the sheer cliffs.

Dropping into Stechelberg

We saw the Stechelberg (or Mürrenbach Falls), Falls which are supposed to be among the highest in Europe (N.B. Not even close! They are the 2nd highest in Switzerland.), and also saw a rainbow.

Stechelberg Falls

Stechelberg Falls (GJT)

At the foot of Stechelberg Falls

At Stechelberg we hiked over to the foot of the falls, and then back to catch the 13:37 bus to Lauterbrunnen.

Post Telefon Telegraph/PTT bus (GJT)

Lauterbrunnen valley and falls

There I bought tickets to Grindelwald, 16.50 CHF/$8 for me and 22 CHF/$11 each for Mom and Dad, then the Jungfraujochbahn tickets of 32 CHF/$16 for me, and 48 CHF/$24 each for Mom and Dad. Daddy bought a couple books.

Lauterbrunnen to Grindelwald train ticket

We caught the 14:10 train to Kleine Scheidegg to climb up out of the Lauterbrunnen valley.

Lauterbrunnen valley (GJT)

Berner Oberland Bahn train

Berner Oberland Bahn train (GJT)

Unfortunately it seemed to be clouding over. At Kleine Scheidegg we heard an Alpine horn! The tip of Jungfrau was in a cloud.

Mönch and Jungfrau with Jungfraujoch in between

Eiger and Mönch

Jungfraujochbahn train

Jungfraujochbahn ticket

We boarded the Jungfraujoch train, in a car that had Japanese lettering and flag on the side. Inside the car, Mom and I read (in Japanese and German) that Interlaken and its sister city in Japan together dedicated this car and named it for the sister city of Ōtsu.

Ōtsu car (GJT)

Ōtsu car (GJT)

We then headed towards the Eiger, having to wait a long time at the mouth of the tunnel for trains coming down. Most of these trains were the old wooden ones! Finally it was our turn to enter the tunnel. There was taped music playing and a recorded message in four languages (German, French, English, and Japanese!) telling us about the stops we would make, first at the Eigerwand/Eiger Wall where we looked out through large windows down into the “valley” to see Kleine Scheidegg and Grindelwald.

View towards Kleine Scheidegg

View towards Grindelwald

A Spanish family had taken our seats when we got back in the train, so we took theirs. They looked guiltily back at us.

Glacier (GJT)

Next we stopped at Eismeer/Sea of Ice to view the glacier.

Eismeer station (GJT)

Eismeer/Ice Sea

When we returned to the train, we assumed the Spanish family preferred our original seats, so again took theirs. But this time they took yet another set of seats! At the top station at Jungfraujoch, the highest railroad station in Europe at 3,454 m/11,332’, we disembarked and took a peek to see that the Jungfrau was in a cloud. So we climbed many stairs and followed a long corridor to reach the Eis Palast/Ice Palace, carved into solid ice.

Eis Palast/Ice Palace (GJT)

We walked on wooden boards along with hand railings until we entered a large room. No more boards, so we had to step carefully. We were directed into a narrow passage then up some stairs to pass a carved VW bug. There was a room full of rocks, and one with two Swiss flags, a new one and one covered with ice. We went out on the viewing terrace to view the cloud. We walked back down to the station to sign the register and buy postcards. Then we passed an exhibit to the elevator to the Sphinx Observatory. We were the only passengers on the elevator, and were taken up into the cloud where the observatory is located!

Yuriko and Tamiko at Sphinx Observatory (GJT)

We went back down too catch the 16:58 train to Kleine Scheidegg. Kleine Scheidegg was closing up and it was getting very cloudy. We hopped right away onto a train to Grindelwald, but had to sit in the “foyer.” A German hiker talked to us in rather good English. Mom and Dad thought he looked like their neighbor, Mr. Huntington. Obviously I have never seen this good-looking neighbor before! He told us it took four hours to hike from Grindelwald to Kleine Scheidegg. He had also taken two days to hike from the Gletscheralp (Eigergletscher?) to Jungfraujoch! He also told us that several days earlier they rescued a couple Germans off the face of the Eiger who were stuck in one place for nine days, and were literally half-frozen. At a later stop we looked for the windows in the Eiger wall, but I guess the clouds were already too low. It started raining hard, and there was lightning! The train went down into the valley and switched back to climb up the other side to Grindelwald. There a train was waiting, so I ran to get my half-price ticket for Interlaken for 3 CHF/$1.50, and hopped on the train, which was crowded.

Grindelwald to Interlaken train ticket

The conductor told us just to sit in First Class where Mom and Dad could anyway. From Interlaken we caught a train to Bern, arriving about 19:30 (an hour ahead of our planned schedule) and going to Wendy’s for dinner. We took the local 20:08 train to Biel, arriving at 20:40.

Wednesday, August 17, 1983

I realized I had forgotten to give my parents more cash, and tried to call early, but they had already left. They went to Pilatus today, and did have enough money for that, then they changed money in Luzern. After aerobics I went to the Club Hotel to leave a note with cash.