Day 10
Last travel day to our final stop on the tour
TRAVEL TIP:
"The sound of mooing and clanging bells filled us with excitement"
Mid-morning we began our way to Switzerland’s capital, Bern, but stopped along the way at Gruyeres for some midday eats. This town was a brilliant display of unique shops, restaurants, and other odds and ends all colorfully congregated together in a colorful row of hustle and bustle. We stopped at a little cafe that was well known for their berries with double cream. We were hooked. We obviously had to have some hot chocolate to follow this sensational experience. With some time afterwards, we were able to do some quick exploring around. The quiet and unassuming nature of the streets were hard to resist and the views out across the hills were gorgeous. No wonder it remains a must see for tourists! The giant intact castle at the other end of town probably contributed to that as well as the curious HR Giger museum filled with terrifying images of alien creatures in menacing poses.
In the early evening hours we arrived at our final stop in Bern, the capital of Switzerland. These two weeks had been so magical and we were so wrapped up in the energetic waves of each day’s adventures that this being our last destination was a bag of mixed emotions dumped on us like a bucket of cold water. Our first stop was a magnificent rose garden that overlooked a large portion of the city. It was certainly the work of an artist with palettes of pastels and vivid colors striking through, each eager to be seen. There we had to say goodbye to our lovely bus driver, Marian, to whom we gave a little wooden Heidi to remember us by. As we made our way through the streets to our hotel, we noticed a remarkable number of bicycles everywhere relative to a rather tame number of cars and trucks. A refreshing sight for us albeit probably the norm for European cities.
Our hotel was just off to the side of a main marketplace where dozens of people walked to and fro about their business and dined at the many Italian “ristorantes” scattered across the thoroughfare. We also went Italian that night. We sat outside and had delicious gourmet noodles and had another bout with the “the cake is a lie, because it’s actually a pie” scenario. Our cake-pie was AMAZING nonetheless. We resumed some city strolling around the area before wrapping up the day with unintelligible Swiss TV. Sounded like a good time to call it quits and jump into bed for the sake of our poor feet.
Today we said farewell to the clifftown Murren and its fantastical aura. Down the slopes we went in the groggy morning amidst clouds and mist until the valley below emerged before our feet. The muted colors made our passing somewhat easier although still unforgettable. We then took a bus up to a local farm and cheese maker’s home. As we neared the pastures, the sound of mooing and clanging bells filled us with excitement and childhood wonder.
We were walked through the entire process of making cheese from the milk of the cows just outside and then were provided a cheese platter with delicious varieties and complementing meat slices. We were surprised when our host took up his accordion and his wife demonstrated a good ol’ fashioned yodel. We made our way into the barn and met some beloved bovine buddies who were excited to see fresh hands that might give them some food or provide other interesting smells. Down and around we went to the other side of the house towards our bus where the husband of our host demonstrated the glorious sounds of the famed alphorn which we were then given a chance to try. We walked part of the way down where we were met by a gregarious herd of cows meandering up the way in the opposite direction. It was a brief footstep out of time. What a wonderfully relaxed village this was.
"We stopped at a little cafe that was well known for their berries with double cream."
Time management and planning your free time is key!
