6:10 AM
My feet are so tired now; we've walked the entire day around Bern, looking down at the city from all the different high points. Of course in order to get such a good view, we needed to first climb up to those locations, which is the main contributor to my tiredness right now. But I had a very enjoyable time today - special thanks to our guide Mohit - plus the weather was so nice. Sunny, but without the humidity that makes the warmth so hard to bear in Singapore. The wind would occasionally blow, and the temperature was just above 10 degrees. If only the weather would stay like that the whole year round.
But yeah, we have seen almost the whole of Bern already. There really isn't nothing much to really see, as much as the tourist spots are concerned. The exploration of the city, of where to dine and shop and find entertainment; that's for us to slowly discover while we are living here. These take time, and there's no way to hasten this process.
I'm starting to like the city more and more actually, perhaps it feels a little like home after spending some time here. I can see myself living here (ok, maybe not in Bumpliz Nord, which is the area I am living in now, but near the city itself), and seeing the River Aare everyday. While it holds the title of capital to the country of Switzerland, Bern city itself actually proceeds at a rather sedate pace. It does not have the harried pace of Singapore, nor the bent heads and generally sullen-looking people. I don't need to live in a tourist attraction, and see beautiful castles everyday. Bern has an understated charm which is slowly but surely working its way into my heart.
How do I start to describe the city? It is never noisy - indeed, I don't hear a cacophony of voices, cars and horns here - there is just a serene feel to the place. Shops close as the sun sets, which is rather early right now, and Sunday is a day of rest here, as well as most of Europe I think. Almost no one works on Sunday, which seems like heaven to me compared to Singapore's 24/7 workforce. I used to regret it a little when I first arrived, because the place did not seem as beautiful as Switzerland was described. Now I see that beauty takes many forms, and Bern's beauty one that slowly grows on you.
I believe I would miss the place when I leave. :)
Update: Food pictures are up!
Kay Key