Laurie Gets Berned on a Travel Tuesday

We opted to go to Bern, the Swiss capital, Tuesday to enjoy the sights of the UNESCO World Heritage Old Town.

This mail box is "The Bomb"

It is located along the walk into town that we take at least once a day, pretty cool.

Once we got to Bern, we entered the Heiliggeistkirche (Holy Ghost Church) next to the train station. This was my fourth visit to Bern but it was the first time that the doors to this stately old house of worship were open.

We really liked the following family crests that were attached to several of the church's premier seats.

Fancy version

Wood Work Version

Camellia

Fancy Fish

Plain Fish

Lots of Fischer Family Pews 

That reminds me,
congratulations to Ian Murphy

He got engaged over the weekend in Boise, Idaho.

Fear the Goat

Two Crests in One Pew???

A rare sight

Bern was bright and colorful

on this fine June day

The Bagpiper is atop the first

of Bern's 11 historic fountains

Pagan Fun?

A Street Market

I was shocked that Laurie turned into these stalls in search of that "magic" deal. She settled for a lace edged scarf.

It was a great day for chess

Laurie was turned down for a loan

Spewing near the Capital Building

Dribbling Swan

Helvetia and the Capital Building

Laurie taking five

Dancing Bears

Another Fountain Top

Swiss Navy Flag?

A Lion, an Eagle and a Rabbit?

Bern Loves Its Clocks

Original Swiss Measuring Bars

The Zytglogge

The Bern Bear atop a third fountain

Four attempts, four denials

This door leads to the apartment where Albert Einstien lived between 1903 and 1905. I will probably never get inside as it is always closed when I try to visit. Instead, we stopped for some delicious fika at the Einstien Café on the ground floor of Einstein's building.

Fika is a Swedish tradition from our season in Hässleholm coaching the Hurricanes. Fika is basically a coffee and a dessert break at mid-afternoon.

GOOD TRADITION!

Another Pair of Spewers

Interesting Flag

Flags can really spruce up a block

Moses on a fountain

A serene face as she lops

the head off of a demon

Unfortunately, scaffolding hid most of the fantastic Last Judgement figures on the Bern Cathedral's main portal.

Just found out that the

Tigers lost last Sunday

Cathedral Wood Work

Cathedral Stained Glass Window

The Cathedral has pew signs as well

Snakes in a Cathedral

Nice Cannon

Life sized Cathedral Pieta

Goofy Guy in the Cathedral

Cherubic Pew

Who was Karl Howard?

Another Pew, Another Cherub

Class is in session

These two students were making a presentation to their classmates in the square in front of the Cathedral about the various gargoyles, spires and reliefs that make up the interesting façade of this excellent edifice. 

Laurie liked this flag

She grew up working in her Dad's hardware store so the tool motif appealed to her inner child.

I have no idea why?

Some of the Cathedral's Gothic Spires

Gold tipped gates are always a good look

Hard to believe that we were

near drowning just two days ago

It was a nice day

to work in your garden

Lots of Chimneys

Very Dapper

Bern Rathaus Clock

Soldier atop another historic fountain

Gargoyle Baby?

Justice Fountain

Old Town Roof Lines

Chocolate is always good

Romance in the Bern Bear Park

"Hey, what are Mom and Dad doing?"

Bear Park, why the pig?

Balancing Bear

Two Nuns out on the town

Bridge over the Aare River

Laurie was envious

On the Waterfront

Rose Garden

Moss

Cool door handle

"Who, me?"

Bear Valet

It was getting late, time

to start heading back to Thun

Lush Fuschia

A Jester on your crest . . .

interesting choice

How did this get here?

The Embassy of ?

Animal Dentistry

Never arm a bear cub!

Put some pants on that kid!

1950s Baby Carriage

I wonder how Kevin or Jacob would look in it?

Reading is FUNdamental

Reacher was relatively calm

He only killed four people (all justified, of course) in this novel that details why Reacher left his post as a Major in the U.S. Army as an MP to become the travelling force of justice that I have enjoyed following for the last nine months.

Even though this is a new novel by Lee Child, I think that it should be read first if you are going to start working on the Jack Reacher series.