Europe Part 1 | FindPenguins

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Trip start
June 4, 2024
Europe Part 1 Traveler
1
Bern
June 5, 2024 in Switzerland
Arrived Zurich about 8.20 am, caught the train to the baggage claim (yes, my bag arrived), and adjourned to a coffee shop to sort the travel SIM card. Success there and onto the train station and caught train to Bern. Anne-Marie was there to meet me and we walked the short distance to the National Hotel. Not surprisingly, given it was only midday, the room I was to have was not available but they offered another which I took, so I could ditch my bags. AM and then went across the road and got some lunch - or rather, I got some lunch and AM had a coffee. We went our separate ways after that - she has a sore knee so not on for a walk but I needed one to help stay awake! Wandered around the old town and then came up back for a welcome shower and a rest. Managed another shorter foray out including an early light dinner and had a lovely time watching the passing parade in the street.
Fine and warmer than expected.
Bundesplatz where the irregular fountain was giving a child great joy, the 13th C clock tower with 15th C astronomical clock, streets where the bike reigns supreme (vehicular traffic apart from the ubiquitous trams is less common), a hotchpot of different styles in this collection of buildings, the 120 year old lift at my hotel (which only goes to level 4 and I’m on 5) , an historical gate to a school for girls although the date line says o my 1896 to 1898, lots of spring growth and flowers with buzzing bees, and a light meal watching the passing parade.Read more
Similar to Prague. Beautiful [Gerry]
6/6/24Reply
Great photos. Classic European architecture and streets. Thanks for sharing. [Gerry]
6/6/24Reply
Glad you made it safely and your luggage arrived. I think that is the one thing we can thank Terrorism for is that our luggage usually travels with us now. My one memory of Bern was the bear pit. It was so horrible but I believe the bears now have a park to roam in. Enjoy the warmth. [Jill]
6/6/24Reply
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Europe Part 1 Traveler
Bern,
June 6, 2024 in Switzerland ⋅ 🌩️ 25 °C
Short walk to find AM’s place and through a very peaceful park with several foraging blackbirds and others tweeting and the sounds of the city a bit distant. Great children’s play area including an area where it looked like water could run down through pipes to a mud area
Areas of grass left to go to seed but also some manicured areas.
Piles of pizza boxes stacked for recycling, not just in the bin.
Back to hotel for breakfast - usual continental options. Shared a table with a man who I realised later must have been a politician but I didn’t ask who he was!
Then took myself off for another walk down through some side streets of the old town down to Nydegge (old church) which was built in about 1191 but is closed for renovations
Across the road and up the hill for some lovely views across the city skyline and to a lovely garden and uncut meadows. Back down the hill to the bear park - thank goodness this is better than it was! They have room to move and even a swimming pool. I saw 2. The old concrete enclosure remains, presumably as an historical reference.
Back to the hotel via a little cafe and had a coffee and croissant. AM and T don’t seem to have lunch so I also picked up a sandwich at a place next door which I gobbled most of at the last minute. Met them at their apartment, had a chat and then we headed off in the car, up into the mountains.
Mountain roads - T enjoys driving them and there was a real racing car coming towards us at one point. T pulled over and it sped past very quickly with the driver and passenger waving their thanks through the sunroof. Possibly a Lotus. Certainly very low to the ground.
Ended up at a disused restaurant which now has just a food truck outside and we got a coffee (water for me) and a piece of cake and sat on some chairs in the terrace and admired the view of the mountains across the valley - and the darkening sky. Man approached and chatted - he paraglides or hang glides but weather no good for that today.
We continued driving - lovely countryside with the green meadows, still some snow in patches and the cows with their bells - and just as it started to rain, we arrived at what seemed to me a very out of the way restaurant whose sign said they were open until 10pm! The hostess was very chatty and apparently originally from the Czech Republic and Anne Marie commented that she used the familiar form of ‘you’ immediately, rather than the more formal
one. I couldn’t understand any of the chat - and had to rely on subsequent interpretations. Schweizer Deutsche is quite different from the usual ‘high’ German; AM isn’t a fan but it is what the locals use so she has to participate! We had some cake and I had a cider. One other guest there and then a group of 4 arrived - it looked like they would be there for dinner.
We then drove in to Guggisberg - a small village with a very nice restaurant called Sternen. Appetiser of a beetroot jelly with wasabi mayo and a couple of wasabi peas. I had a green mixed salad for entree - far too large but very mixed - and some lamb backstraps with both green and white asparagus (and potatoes gratin). No room for dessert. T and I shared some wine.
Back home again about 10pm.Read more
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Europe Part 1 Traveler
Bern and the mountains
June 6, 2024 in Scotland ⋅ 🌬 10 °C
I
Awake early (surprise) and went for a short walk to be sure I knew where Anne-Marie lives. Through a very peaceful park with several foraging blackbirds and others tweeting and the sounds of the city a bit distant. Great children’s play area including an area where it looked like water could run down through pipes to a mud area
Areas of grass left to go to seed and the spring flowers are in profusion but also some manicured areas.
Piles of pizza boxes stacked for recycling, not just in the bin.
Back to hotel for breakfast - usual continental options. Shared a table with a man who I realised later must have been a politician but I didn’t ask who he was!
Then took myself off for another walk down through some side streets of the old town down to Nydegge which was built in about 1191 but is closed for renovations
Across the road and up the hill for some lovely views across the city skyline and to a lovely garden and uncut meadows. Back down the hill to the bear park - thank goodness this is better than it was! They have room to move and even a swimming pool. I saw 2.
Back to the hotel via a little cafe and had a coffee and croissant. AM and T don’t seem to have lunch so I also picked up a sandwich at a place next door which I gobbled most of at the last minute. Met them at their apartment, had a chat and then we headed off in the car, up into the mountains.
It was at times a very windy road and is used for rally car driving. We did in fact encounter one racing car which Thomas thought was a Lotus, weaving its way up - T pulled over and it sped past very quickly with the driver and passenger waving their thanks.
Ended up at a disused restaurant which had just a food truck outside. We got a coffee (water for me this time since I’d had my daily quota!) and a piece of cake and sat on some chairs in the terrace and admired the view of the mountains across the valley - and the darkening sky. A man approached and chatted - he paraglides or hang glides but weather no good for that today.
We continued driving - lovely countryside with the green meadows and the cows with their bells - and just as it started to rain, arrived at what seemed to me a very out of the way place whose sign said they were open until 10pm! Very chatty lady although I couldn’t understand any of the chat - and we had some cake and I had a cider. One other guest there and then a group of 4 arrived - it looked like they would be there for dinner.
We then drove in to Guggisberg - a small village with a very nice restaurant t called Sternen. On the way, we needed to wait for a local farmer to move a cow - I think she was a laggard as there were others ahead. Dinner was lovely - an appetiser of a beetroot jelly with wasabi mayo and a couple of wasabi peas. I had a green mixed salad for entree - far too large but very mixed - and some lamb backstraps with both green and white asparagus (and potatoes gratin). No room for dessert. T and I shared some wine.
Back home again about 10pm.Read more
TravelerLooks great. Hope your back is holding up. Tell Gerry that your posts are working. So she might be not doing something
6/12/24Reply
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Europe Part 1 Traveler
Bern locally
June 7, 2024 in Switzerland ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C
Didn’t sleep well again and awake early.
Had breakfast and then wandered down through the old city, on the right, along the fast flowing Aare river. Bought some sushi on the way back to the hotel and put my feet up and had a read of the book, Educated by Tara Westover and which I have offered to AM so I need to finish it before I leave.
Walked down to their place again, another relaxed chat and then we drove out to the Paul Klee art museum which had been designed by Reno Piano so an impressive building. The museum had some of his work on display but also some bold big stuff by Sarah Morris, an American.
Then to a restaurant /cafe which sits on/into the river for a drink. That water was moving so quickly and the river was very full.
Then back to their place. I had a little migraine / visual disturbance happening so I had a short lie down and then we sat and talked while Thomas mainly prepared dinner.
I walked home something after 9pm.
AM & T have a two storey apartment - essentially an apartment each as they work and sleep separately. Very few people in Switzerland own their own flats/homes. Their apartment has two balconies, one of which has quite a few plants including a tree whose roots must be causing some damage somewhere and all of which have apparently just blown in! They rent this place - and have been there for nearly 30 years.Read more
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Europe Part 1 Traveler
Bern to Edinburgh
June 8, 2024 in Scotland ⋅ 🌬 11 °C
After a bit of breakfast, I did a short walk to buy a pen so I could write a card for AM and T. I finished the book and delivered to AM and T and checked out of hotel about 11.30. Walked up to train station - so conveniently only 10 mins walk - and bought a ticket for 12.02 train to Zurich Airport. It was quite a full train although most people got off at Zurich Hauptbahnhof. I snoozed on the way.
I had a few hours to kill before my flight but the time passed. Edelweiss Air flight to Edinburgh - I was in a middle seat on the flight but it was all ok; the lady next to me had flown from the USA to see Taylor Swift - along with her father.
The flight arrived early and I navigated the tram into Edinburgh City and then a bus down to the restaurant in Morningside where Shona was having a family birthday. I just had some peppermint tea while they finished their dessert.
We all then drove to the flat where I was to stay, a 10 minute drive away. Shona’s brother and sister in law had bought it recently for their sons while at university as they had calculated the rent at 80000 GBP for the 2 boys for 4 years.
Lovely flat. 3 bedrooms. Perfectly functional as is but Ewan is renovating it. They all left a bit before 11pm. It felt a bit strange being there!Read more
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Europe Part 1 Traveler
Edinburgh
June 9, 2024 in Scotland ⋅ 🌬 11 °C
Had a much better night’s sleep although I still woke very early. Sun streaming into kitchen. Ewan and Nicola had left home made granola (apparently based on a recipe of Bill Grainger’s) and yoghurt and fig and walnut bread for breakfast.
Shona arrived about 10 and we caught a bus into town. We covered a little bit of Edinburgh, including going into the National Museum, seeing Dolly the Sheep (who had been stuffed, including with dags in her tail), up onto a viewing platform to see the skyline of Edinburgh, the Lewis Chessmen and having a coffee there at the museum. Definitely worth more time. Across the road to Greyfriars Kirk with its gorgeous organ and an amazing tapestry - and of course the monument to Greyfriars Bobby. We headed towards the Castle as Shona said there was a good view but they were building the seating for the Tattoo and we couldn’t get to that point. Down the road and around to a cafe for lunch and then on to St Giles Cathedral which was pretty amazing. Interesting person sitting outside ….
Walked down the Royal Mile and High Street down to the Holyrood Palace. The relatively new Scottish Parliament building had some interesting structure / designs and quotes. Back up a bit to find a bookshop as I’d given Anne-Marie the book I was reading.
We had an early dinner at a little Japanese place and walked back to Ewan’s flat. Shona headed off from there and I relaxed.Read more
TravelerOh. I hadn’t realised the chessmen were in Edinburgh too. I missed them in Lewis and now find I missed them there!
6/18/24Reply
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Europe Part 1 Traveler
Harrogate, Vindolanda, Edinburgh
July 3, 2024 in Scotland ⋅ 🌬 16 °C
Breakfast and a chat with Shona. I headed away about 8.15 before she had to join an online meeting.
I arrived at Vindolanda about 10.40 and joined the 11am guided tour which was excellent. The guide painted a life for the fort soldiers and hangers-on from a social perspective and outlined some of the things we take for granted today which the Romans had. There were Spoons and knives but no forks. Also no buttons until 7th century- they used clasps and clips.
Dinner parties - 20 courses, guests did not bring anything and were expected to show their appreciation by passing wind or burping.
The whole bodily function stuff was fascinating - how much they used urine. Not just for tanning purposes but even a mouthwash - the nitrogen killed off germs. And the shared ‘brush’ they in the toilet - hence the phrase ‘getting the wrong end of the stick’ - apparently!
The Romans also apparently did a lot of surgery, including cataracts, open heart and it appears even a basic defibrillator using an electric fish. They knew that wounds needed to be kept clean, but not why.

Army - arranged in and lived as groups of 8 (our corporal system still has 7 in his command) and 80 men in a big group under one centurion.
It is believed that Romans brought in nettles - soldiers might have used them to keep themselves awake on sentry duty.

Vindolanda existed before Hadrian’s Wall was built. And the straight roads in the vicinity were of Roman origin.

I hadn’t realised that the garrisons were so multi national; and very few Romans.
I had some lunch at the cafe and did a circuit of the very good museum (so many well preserved shoes). There was some ugly weather on the freeways - trucks going at speed, albeit largely limited, and some people doing way more than the 70mph speed limit. But also when the sun did shine, especially on the lesser user roads, how glorious the colours and views were etc.

I had problems navigating to the Gyle shopping centre - had to do a loop with fingers crossed!! Did make it eventually and went to Marks and Spencer for some takeaway food so I could just veg when I got to the hotel. And a small bottle of wine …

Also filled up the car - considerably cheaper than on the freeway service centres - like 141.7 compared to 169!

Found the hotel ok and checked in and then took the car back (after Google Maps gave me a bum steer) and dealt with the formalities of the accident, I think and hope.)

Walked back to the hotel and watched Wimbledon while having dinner - and watched as the weather changed before my eyes. Also watched a lot of birds wheeling around just on sunset.Read more
TravelerFascinating
7/4/24Reply
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Trip end
July 4, 2024