Blogging and Bern

I woke up this morning and read more of that Steinbeck novel in bed. It was addicting and time kind of flew by. I showered (the towel they lent me was phenomenal) and then ate cereal for breakfast. I haven't had cereal for what feels like ages. I started working hardcore on my blog. I updated posts and added pictures to the entries stretching from Money, Money, Money until today. That's like 10 posts or something. It was a lot and took a lot of time but felt really good. I felt like I was getting things accomplished and enjoyed that feeling. The sun was out and, just like back at Metrogate, I started feeling dumb for being inside while it was so nice out so I stopped working and walked into Bern. The walk was only about 20 minutes. Bern is situated on a curve in the Aare River so it is surrounded by the river on three sides. The town is so cool. So many old buildings with the typical Swiss architecture (picture 1). I walked down the main drag for a while. I stopped and had some pasta salad from the Coop Grocery. I bought a can of Dr. Pepper as well. The Dr. Pepper was so great. The pasta wasn't so bad either. I ate it while sitting on a step on the arcade that runs on either side of all the streets. There were tons of Swiss flags out as well. I walked past the famous clock as well (picture 2).

I continued my walk along the main drag until I got to the Parliament Building. There were some fountains in front of it that kids were playing in (picture 3). I walked over to the Bern Münster next. That's the main church in Bern and has the tallest spire in all of Switzerland. I, of course, climbed the tower. You could barely make out the Alps on the horizon. On the portal of the church, there is a thing showing the Torments of Hell (picture 4). Pretty scary. The church is Calvinist so there is not a lot of adornments but I did like the stained glass (again, fire and brimstone motif). I walked from there down to the river behind the Parliament building. Loads of cool houses and some free swimming pools right next to the river. Old people in swimsuits, eek. I climbed back up to the town proper and walked back through it. I stopped at a bench and finished The Moon is Down. It was a short novel about town in Norway resisting Nazi rule. So I walked back through the town and on the way out I saw the Bear Pits (picture 5). These are two concrete holes in the ground where some bears live. Bears have lived in Bern for hundred of years. I thought it was kind of sad but what do I know. I still took a picture of them and stopped by so the bears did their jobs.

I walked back to Jim's and passed by one of those plotted gardens. It made me think of that book I read for Adolescent Lit last year. I can't remember the name though. Back at the apartment, I blogged some more and then watched tv. Jim came back and we chatted. He made steak and tater tots (more elegant than that) for dinner. Super delicious yet again. I wish I could express my thanks to them better. We went for a walk around some of the country after dinner and then came back. I did some more stuff online and am about to go to bed. Tomorrow morning we are headed to their house in France via Mount Blanc (the highest point in Europe). That should be fun. No internet there. Sunday, I will be dropped off in Geneva to catch my plane to Amsterdam. My life is always exciting. Eight days left...

Till next time!