The weather was spectacular again today. We enjoyed every minute of our day, and so did our feet. Today we gave them a rest from miles of hiking, but we still covered much ground today, using other means of transportation.
When we woke up this morning and looked out our window there were local merchants setting up a fresh market in Rathausplatz, the square our hotel is located on.
After breakfast we visited the market and purchased fresh apples, pears, cheese, olives, dates, and home made bread. We bought our bread from the lady who had made it, using the wheat they had grown on their farm.
Our first sightseeing stop of the day was at the town church, which was built about 1330. We climbed up into the bell tower just about the time the bells sounded, which was an ear-shattering experience.
From the church we walked up to the Schloss Thun (Thun Castle), which towers over the entire town. When we got to the gate to pay the admission, we were told that with the Swiss Pass our entrance was free. Great!
We walked around the inside of the castle, which has walls 12 feet thick. We went into the dungeon and while in there we tried on the leg irons and stocks. They were heavy and terribly uncomfortable, but I suppose the people they were used on were not there because of their good behavior.
We climbed up into the turrets and looked out the openings to the courtyard, 84 feet below. Most of the town of Thun was still several feet below the courtyard level. We were able to spot the Rathausplatz where we had visited the market earlier that morning.
We took photos of the town below us and of one of the other turrets.
As we left the castle we could not resist taking the ultimate tourist photo.
Armed with all of the delicious fresh food items from the market, we walked to the dock and boarded a ship for a cruise of Thundersee (Lake Thun). When we went to get our tickets for the cruise on the lake we were told that the price of that was covered by our Swiss Pass also! We LOVE our Swiss Pass. It has covered every train trip we have taken between towns and given us a substantial discount on the more expensive lifts in the area of the Alps. It covered all that, and we managed to purchase them on a 2 for 1 discount. What a bargain!
Our cruise was on the paddle-wheel ship, the Blumlisalp. We sailed from Thun, passing the Schadau Castle, which was built between 1847 and 1854.
On the Thundersee cruise we passed other castles, large lakeside hotels, picturesque church buildings, beautiful mountain views, and grassy hillsides. We watched para-gliders float over us, trains run beside us, and hikers walk along the edge of the lake while we glided across blue glacial water. When the ship’s horn sounded, it echoed off the mountains.
When lunchtime arrived, we ate our treasures we had purchased at the fresh market. It doesn’t get much better than that!
After several stops at various towns along the lakeshore, we reached our destination, Interlaken (west). The cruise lasted slightly over two hours. By this time we had decided that since it was such a beautiful day we would take the cruise on the second lake, Brienzersee. (Knowing that the price of our boat ticket was covered by the Swiss Pass made our decision a little easier!) So, we got off the first boat at Interlaken (west) and took a train across town to Interlaken (ost) where we had just enough time to eat an ice cream cone before boarding the boat to cruise Lake Brienz. This cruise ended a little over an hour later in Brienz, and from there we took a train from Brienz back to Thun where we ate dinner and are ready to end a perfect day.
We just heard from our son, Barry, who took his own cruise today on the Sea of Galilee. This has been a day of family cruises in various parts of the world.
Tomorrow is the Lord’s Day. We plan to meet with the Christians in Thun before doing a little more sightseeing and then heading back toward Zurich for the night. Monday we will return home. The time has simply flown by. How could our trip be this near the end? We would love to stay longer in this lovely place, but that isn’t possible this time.
Tomorrow our oldest grandchild will celebrate his sixteenth birthday. We send you love, Jacob…from Switzerland.
When we woke up this morning and looked out our window there were local merchants setting up a fresh market in Rathausplatz, the square our hotel is located on.
After breakfast we visited the market and purchased fresh apples, pears, cheese, olives, dates, and home made bread. We bought our bread from the lady who had made it, using the wheat they had grown on their farm.
Our first sightseeing stop of the day was at the town church, which was built about 1330. We climbed up into the bell tower just about the time the bells sounded, which was an ear-shattering experience.
From the church we walked up to the Schloss Thun (Thun Castle), which towers over the entire town. When we got to the gate to pay the admission, we were told that with the Swiss Pass our entrance was free. Great!
We walked around the inside of the castle, which has walls 12 feet thick. We went into the dungeon and while in there we tried on the leg irons and stocks. They were heavy and terribly uncomfortable, but I suppose the people they were used on were not there because of their good behavior.
We climbed up into the turrets and looked out the openings to the courtyard, 84 feet below. Most of the town of Thun was still several feet below the courtyard level. We were able to spot the Rathausplatz where we had visited the market earlier that morning.
We took photos of the town below us and of one of the other turrets.
As we left the castle we could not resist taking the ultimate tourist photo.
Armed with all of the delicious fresh food items from the market, we walked to the dock and boarded a ship for a cruise of Thundersee (Lake Thun). When we went to get our tickets for the cruise on the lake we were told that the price of that was covered by our Swiss Pass also! We LOVE our Swiss Pass. It has covered every train trip we have taken between towns and given us a substantial discount on the more expensive lifts in the area of the Alps. It covered all that, and we managed to purchase them on a 2 for 1 discount. What a bargain!
Our cruise was on the paddle-wheel ship, the Blumlisalp. We sailed from Thun, passing the Schadau Castle, which was built between 1847 and 1854.
When lunchtime arrived, we ate our treasures we had purchased at the fresh market. It doesn’t get much better than that!
After several stops at various towns along the lakeshore, we reached our destination, Interlaken (west). The cruise lasted slightly over two hours. By this time we had decided that since it was such a beautiful day we would take the cruise on the second lake, Brienzersee. (Knowing that the price of our boat ticket was covered by the Swiss Pass made our decision a little easier!) So, we got off the first boat at Interlaken (west) and took a train across town to Interlaken (ost) where we had just enough time to eat an ice cream cone before boarding the boat to cruise Lake Brienz. This cruise ended a little over an hour later in Brienz, and from there we took a train from Brienz back to Thun where we ate dinner and are ready to end a perfect day.
We just heard from our son, Barry, who took his own cruise today on the Sea of Galilee. This has been a day of family cruises in various parts of the world.
Tomorrow is the Lord’s Day. We plan to meet with the Christians in Thun before doing a little more sightseeing and then heading back toward Zurich for the night. Monday we will return home. The time has simply flown by. How could our trip be this near the end? We would love to stay longer in this lovely place, but that isn’t possible this time.
Tomorrow our oldest grandchild will celebrate his sixteenth birthday. We send you love, Jacob…from Switzerland.
fabulous!
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