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| Colorful bay windows in Augustinergasse, Zurich |
Traveling broadens your horizon. It enriches your mind and your spirit. But traveling uses up a lot of your time and treasure. It would be a waste if you missed something on your trip you should’ve seen or experienced. It happened to me several times and I regretted that so much. If you’re planning a trip, I’d like to help you avoid missing out. So, let my blog show you what to look out for. Prepare for your trip by traveling with me through this post. Or you might still be in the praying and dreaming stage. Manifesting your dream into reality starts here!
A Happy Solo in Bern and Zurich
Ancient history. Vestiges of times past. A time when
ladies wore flowing gowns and knights were armor-clad. These visions of days
gone by have always fascinated me.
So, is it any wonder that what I enjoyed the most in
our tours around Swiss cities was their Altstadt
(Old Town)? Meander with me, through my photos, down a maze of narrow
cobblestone alleys, medieval buildings and picturesque squares.
Bern
Bern or Berne, the capital city of Switzerland, sprouted
around the 12th century along
a bend of the Aare. The Aare is the longest river whose whole length begins and
ends entirely within Switzerland. Its waters flow through the Bernese Alps and
loop around the Swiss capital.
Aare River
Our first stop was to say hello to the city’s
mascot, heraldic animal and emblem, the brown bear. I was surprised to see one on
the wires high above the trees.
The live ones in the Bärengraben (Bear Pit) looked cute and cuddly. But, of course,
only from afar (I’d limit snuggling to stuffed teddy bears).
Bern’s Altstadt is a UNESCO World Heritage Site due
to its well-preserved medieval core that has blended well with the modern
world.
Notable buildings we viewed on our tour of the Old Town are the Berner Münster, a Swiss Reformed cathedral, the largest, tallest and most important late medieval church in the country
and the Zytglogge (Clock Tower), a landmark tower
built in the early 13th century.
Just before the clock strikes the hour, a crowing
rooster heralds a whimsical puppet show with dancing bears and a jester. Then the
time god Cronos turns the hourglass. Finally, the bell is struck by a gilded
knight in time with Cronos’ swinging scepter. Absolutely captivating and worth
the cricks in the neck we had to endure while waiting for the hour!
Zurich
Zurich, while being the country’s largest city, a
financial and economic hub,
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| Bahnhofstrasse – main downtown street of Zurich and one of the world’s most expensive and exclusive shopping avenues |
also has a charming Altstadt with rustic shops,
an abundance of fountains with flowers,
quaint buildings,
serene public squares,
and imposing churches.
Peterskirche (St. Peter’s Church)
has Europe’s largest clock face on a church tower
I will forever hold dreamy memories of Switzerland
because of its Old Towns.
As always, I close this article about Swiss Altstädte with a watercolor tribute – “Gerbera von Zürich” (Gerberas of Zurich)
inspired by blossoms
displayed on the city sidewalk.
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