Bern, Thun & Interlaken - The Swiss Alps!
Trip Start
Jan 03, 2008
1
8
38
Trip End
Apr ????
Bern,
Switzerland
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Bern Cathedral
. On the following re-routed transfer I hopped on what was to be my train, although what myself AND all the other travelers had not noticed is that the train was really two trains connected going the same direction and would later split to alternative cities. Being on the wrong train I was thankful that this was caught and on a stop I ran to the front of the train, others were not as fortunate. Finally making it to Geneva many hours past my originally planned arrival date, I now needed to book the next train to my destination city - After some time in the train station I run into the same pair of backpackers I ran into back in Montpellier who had their own apparent agenda, seems as though they were caught on the wrong set of trains that I was on and ran to the front, they went through a bit more then I had. Seeing that the cities we were going to were so close to each and we would ultimately take the same train, we decided to stick together. The train we were suppose to originally board was cancelled and we had to wait at the train station another hour until the apparent problem with the train lines were fixed. We all board the next train together, many hours behind schedule, we shared stories of how chaotic our days were with the transit and that our luck could not possibly get any worse.
In transit, our train falls subject to the same problem that cancelled our first train out of Geneva, we sat in a non moving train in the country for another hour and a half not knowing what is going to happen next or what the problem was. Eventually they evacuated everybody on the train to the nearest metro city and metro systems to get to the next train station to board yet another train on an alternative rail to get to our destinations
Riot police
. I know this seems like a lot but, this day was hell - the entire day was dealing with chaos of the train systems. The two I traveled with reached their stop and my stop was just following. I get to Bern approximately 2 am, originally planned to be there by 8pm. It appears I got the very last train to Bern because the train systems in Switzerland actually stop at midnight and begin running again at 5am, apparently as well as the town. Bern was deserted besides all the drunk twenty something's walking the streets, they were of no help finding a hostel. I was going to call mom or dad just to say hi because it was just the evening back home but I knew if I told them what I was doing at the moment, I would only worry them. Turning to my trusty book, I walk all of the city finding NOWHERE open... things have officially gotten worse. Yet at this point it sort of figured, just one of those days where I just laughed at the whole situation and what I was about to do next. I trek back to the train station in the freezing cold, put more layers of clothes on, found a bench outside the station and slept until the trains started running again. Looking like some freezing homeless guy I am sure - haven't shaved in days I was no different in comparison to a homeless guy on another bench just down the other side of the station. Now that my dignity was well behind me, I took the next train to Geneva and back to Bern, then to Geneva again and back to Bern - just for a warm place to catch up on my sleep before the city opens again
Bern Parliment
. Finally I make it to the hostel which is now open and booked my stay.Later that day I met up with friend I met on an online community for backpackers called couch surfing, prior to traveling I contacted this friend, Mischu, and we arranged for this weekend he would show me around Switzerland and go boarding to the Alps, him being kind enough to furnish the board! Later that afternoon I met up with him and his two friends where we toured Bern and took the day easy, which was much appreciated after the prior night. Bern however was not like any ordinary day through they city they noted, there was police everywhere in the city, and police from the whole country. The city was expecting demonstrations and riots that day in Bern because it was the one day of the year where in the one city in Europe where powerful political and capital figures get together to discuss progress on economic agenda's. Sure enough we saw demonstrations, riots, and a very chaotic city, much of the city stores shut down to remove themselves from harms way, as we did the same - well, I wanted to get a bit closer to the action then they did, made great photo's! That same night, I took the train to Mischu and his friend's home town ( 30 min. train) and caught up for some drinks before heading back to Bern where my hostel was at. Many of the stores in Switzerland are underground, to access these bars, clubs and shops, right off the streets are the storm doors that you pull upon, that leads to stairs that go under the city, pretty astonishing
Preparing in front of Parliment
. The next day we hit the Alps just above Interlaken, these alps are called the Bernese - Oberland. The alps was just amazing how great the experience was, such a rush being at such high altitudes going down very long slopes. Honestly, I really can't put this experience into words it really was a euphoric experience, just check out the photos and I will tell you more about this as I return to the states - or when I phone in a year from Switzerland ;) Just aside the stunt park on the slopes was a bar / lounge where people could drink and watch people do tricks and grinds off jumps and boxes, and they were playing very hip music, I would be just fine hanging out there for a day. From the bottom of Switzerland where there is the cities, there is no snow and spectacular lakes to sail on, travel to the alps which surround these cities, you have the best slopes in the world - sailing, and slopes, it's all I need to survive. The contrast that this offers is just an amazing view from anywhere in Switzerland. Mischu took me try various Swiss chocolates (I think I am addicted, a very expensive addiction at that!) and Swiss cheeses - I'm not much of a cheese wiz, so I didn't indulge into this as much. So as I began, I will also concluded, to have all the comforts of home, hiking, sailing, slopes, snow, fire and a European twist to it all - this place reminded the most of home which gave me so many comforts in world so big, this was the detox to my EuroTrip.
