Saturday, March 15, 2008

I awoke on Saturday morning to the sounds of passersby and hustle and bustle outside of our window in the alley four floors below us. After morning preparations we decided to have breakfast at the hotel. As mentioned, the Magic Hotel doesn't have its own lobby or restaurant but rather uses the facilities of its sister hotel, the Krone, down the street.

As we walked out of the Magic into the platz I noted the large number of people moving here and there. As it was still quite early, around 8:30 AM or so, I was surprised to see many people enjoying beers at the outdoor seating areas of several of the adjacent cafes. (Given the U.S. and North America hangups when it comes to alcohol, I couldn't help but wonder if that was even legal in the United States?!)

The Hotel Krone provided a breakfast in much the same manner as the Bellevue in Wengen. Cheeses, breads, cereals, juice, hardboiled eggs, and jams. I ordered a Cafe au Lait and must say it was delicious. The seating area was busy but people came and went at a moderate pace. Again, very different from the slow-paced meals in France!

After breakfast we went back to the Magic to pickup our supplies for the day and then headed out. Crossing over to the river we were amazed to find ourselves in a busy, quick-paced, and vibrant open air market that had sprung up over night. As we walked toward the bahnhoff we delighted in viewing the magnificent array of products each of the families were selling. From fresh produce to fish, spices to hundreds of cheeses, just-cut flowers to honey, wines, and meats, the variety was grand. The aromas and sounds accompanied the throngs of customers in the marketplace to create a rainbow of sensations as one meandered along the bank of the river past the stalls. I was tempted to find a place to sit at one of the cafes or restaurants and just watch the happenings. But, I had a date with the Swiss capital of Bern today.

Arriving at the station Travis checked at the ticket window for the easiest and most timely train to Switzerland's capital, Bern. We boarded the 9:00 departure train and settled in for the 52 minute, 111km (69 miles) ride east to Bern. Thankfully, there was no Banana Gate repeat and I was able to peruse our Switzerland guidebooks for info on and about our destination.

Bern is a truly medieval city with its origins dating back to the early 12th century and thus establishing it as one of the oldest cities in Europe. Well known as the seat of the country's government and its vibrant and frequent markets (including a two-day Onion Market each year) we were eager to explore as much as we could during our day trip. We opted to combine walking tours from our Frommer and Fodor's guides and were soon on our way.

Upon arriving at the station in Bern we were quickly taken aback by how busy the city was. Throughout our stay the crowds increased steadily and by the time we left, near five in the afternoon, I felt as if I were trying to make my way from the Magic Kingdom after the last showing of Wishes. During the morning hours we did encounter a massive market set up in the town square. By the time we had left the shoppers had shifted from the market that had been dismantled to the seven mile, arcade lined, main shopping street.

Between the two walking tours we were able to see all of the major attractions Bern has to offer and many, smaller and out of the way spots that one would normally walk right past. We stopped at Einstein's home in Bern and completed the self-guided tour and watched a short video on his life; saw the legendary Bern Bear Pits; witnessed a lively marching band march through the city streets; and viewed the seat of government.

Before heading back to Luzern we caught a quick bite at one of the cafes located in the train station. We each selected a vegetarian sandwhich and halved them so we could both try each. Grilled and roasted veggies with melted cheese (Swiss, I'm presuming) make quite a nice meal. With our hunger satiated we boarded the train to enjoy the trip back to Luzern.

After arriving back at Luzern we dropped off much of our items at the Magic and decided to finish up our souvenir shopping as it was our last night in town. We spent the next several hours leisurely wandering the city streets, revisiting some of the sights we had seen the day before, and selecting and collecting the magnets we wanted to take back home. We also went on a hunt for some chocolate.

Soon night had fallen and we opted for dinner at a second-story bistro with plates of pasta and Chianti. I had wanted to try the local fish but after checking out the menus at restaurant after restaurant and coming up with nothing of interest we decided on the bistro. (However, if you are ever in Luzern and need to know of restaurants specializing in horse or pigeon, I have names for you. Fish, on the other hand, well, you may be hard pressed.)

After dinner we contemplated heading back to the casino but neither of us wanted to deal with more lost money and, even worse, the thick smoke that blankets the air in such establishments. Instead we opted to walk around Luzern with tripod and camera in hand and nab some additional night shots of the beautiful city we would soon be leaving.