Brienz, canton Bern - Monday morning, the day dawns bright, crisp, and sunny, in stark contrast to the past weekend. We had visited a decommissioned Swiss military fortress, toured the majestic Bernese Oberland, and spent some time shopping in Interlaken, the city between Lakes Brienz and Thun.
Leaving our hotel on the shore of Lake Brienz, we load our gear onto the bus - a fortunate move for one of our energetic travelers - and head along the north shore of Lake Thun.
Our first stop is the Huenegg Castle in Hilterfingen on the shore of Lake Thun, built during 1861-1863 for the Prussian baron, Albert Emil Otto von Parpart. This castle differs from many European castles in one important aspect; it was built as a residence rather than as a fortress to ward off enemies.
The castle changed hands many times, eventually landing in the hands of Otto Haag of Kuesnacht, the city where the legendary Wilhelm Tell assassinated the Austrian tyrant, Hermann Gessler. In 1958 Haag sold the castle to canton Bern. The interior has been meticulously preserved or recreated as if the 19th century owners had just left, and today houses the Renaissance Revival and Art Nouveau Museum.
In addition to the interesting interior, the castle grounds afford a picture postcard view across the lake of the Eiger, Moench, and Jungfrau mountains.
We board the bus and travel along the lake to Thun, a city of about 43,000, near where Lake Thun drains into the Aare River. Many immigrants settling in Green County were from Thun and surrounding area, including my paternal grandfather, who came over in the 1890s.
We depart the bus, scatter and drift through the streets of Thun. While most of us were enjoying lunch at various sidewalk cafes, the most energetic of our group decided to dip her toe into the Aare River, doubtlessly "because it's there." Wet rocks are slippery. Much more than her toe ended up in the River. The gentle autumn breeze is chilling when drenched. As this was a travel day, our driver, Urs, was able to retrieve her luggage, enabling her to spend the remainder of the day in dry clothing.
On the way to our next hotel in Solothurn we drive through the scenic Emme Valley (Emmental). This scenic area of green, rolling hills and wooded ravines is among the areas of Switzerland least affected by tourism.
As such, it arguably can be considered the "real Switzerland." The Emmental, mainly dairy country, is the origin of many ancestors of our local residents. And significantly, it is the origin of that golden cheese with holes and nutty flavor that we call "Swiss Cheese."
Ask for "Swiss Cheese" in Switzerland and you will be met with a quizzical stare. All cheese made in Switzerland is Swiss cheese, of course.
What we Americans call "Swiss Cheese" was originally Emmentaler Cheese, named after the Emmental from which it originated.
The green hills, wooded ravines, grazing cattle, barns and farm houses of the Emmental bear resemblance to the rolling hills and rural landscapes of Green County. A major difference, of course, is the view from the Emmental of snowcapped Alpine peaks in the distance, in sharp contrast to the Illinois flatlands south of Green County.
Another interesting feature of the Emmental is its architecture. Instead of the entire roof of a building coming to a peak, the ends are slanted to the front, allowing drainage to the front instead of just the two sides. Monroe's tastefully designed Turner Hall bears this distinctive architectural feature of the Emmental.
After this scenic drive through the Emmental that is so significant to "America's Little Switzerland," we arrive in Solothurn, capital of the canton of the same name. It is located in northwestern Switzerland, on the bank of the Aare River, near Switzerland's "other mountains," the Jura Mountains that run on a northeast-southwest axis paralleling the border with France.
Evening, and we enjoy a sumptuous dinner - they all have been - and are treated to an interesting presentation by best-selling author, Deccon Bewes. Bewes, a Brit who has lived in Switzerland since 2005, has published five books on Switzerland. All have become best-sellers, both in his adopted country and elsewhere.
It probably takes "an outsider" to put into perspective the many contradictions, idiosyncrasies, and complexities of this tiny, diverse land-locked nation.
Bewes writes about his adopted county with uncanny insights and trenchant observations laced with humor. His "Swiss Watching: The Land of Milk and Money" is an absolute "must-read" for anyone who wants to begin to understand this incredibly diverse and complex nation.
Who knows whether it's genetic or cultural? But a reading of Bewes might even lend insight to how some of us descendants of Swiss immigrants, even a couple of generations removed, "got that way."
In another book, "Slow Train to Switzerland," Bewes describes how Switzerland began its journey from being Europe's poorest nation to one of the world's richest on a per capita basis. Totally lacking minerals, Switzerland's natural resources consist of water power and wood. It was a Brit, Thomas Cook, who brought a small group of tourists to this poor, backward nation in the mid-19th century. As there were no good roads, groomed trails, or tourist facilities, these tourists underwent severe hardships in their arduous journey through Switzerland.
That arduous tour initiated "tourist packages" that were affordable by Britain's growing middle class. Tourists, initially British, began arriving in increasing numbers for both health and recreation.
Switzerland's breathtaking scenery and healthful mountain air became a valuable natural resource, generating employment and hard cash. To accommodate increasing tourism, the pragmatic Swiss realized the importance of an efficient transportation system - regardless of the tremendous cost of bridges and tunnels in mountainous terrain.
The resulting world's most efficient transportation system not only accommodated tourists, but generated economic advantages through connecting diverse cantons once separated by steep mountain passes.
Next week: To Langnau, Monroe's "friendship city."
- John Waelti of Monroe can be reached at jjwaelti1@tds.net.
His column appears Fridays in The Monroe Times.
Leaving our hotel on the shore of Lake Brienz, we load our gear onto the bus - a fortunate move for one of our energetic travelers - and head along the north shore of Lake Thun.
Our first stop is the Huenegg Castle in Hilterfingen on the shore of Lake Thun, built during 1861-1863 for the Prussian baron, Albert Emil Otto von Parpart. This castle differs from many European castles in one important aspect; it was built as a residence rather than as a fortress to ward off enemies.
The castle changed hands many times, eventually landing in the hands of Otto Haag of Kuesnacht, the city where the legendary Wilhelm Tell assassinated the Austrian tyrant, Hermann Gessler. In 1958 Haag sold the castle to canton Bern. The interior has been meticulously preserved or recreated as if the 19th century owners had just left, and today houses the Renaissance Revival and Art Nouveau Museum.
In addition to the interesting interior, the castle grounds afford a picture postcard view across the lake of the Eiger, Moench, and Jungfrau mountains.
We board the bus and travel along the lake to Thun, a city of about 43,000, near where Lake Thun drains into the Aare River. Many immigrants settling in Green County were from Thun and surrounding area, including my paternal grandfather, who came over in the 1890s.
We depart the bus, scatter and drift through the streets of Thun. While most of us were enjoying lunch at various sidewalk cafes, the most energetic of our group decided to dip her toe into the Aare River, doubtlessly "because it's there." Wet rocks are slippery. Much more than her toe ended up in the River. The gentle autumn breeze is chilling when drenched. As this was a travel day, our driver, Urs, was able to retrieve her luggage, enabling her to spend the remainder of the day in dry clothing.
On the way to our next hotel in Solothurn we drive through the scenic Emme Valley (Emmental). This scenic area of green, rolling hills and wooded ravines is among the areas of Switzerland least affected by tourism.
As such, it arguably can be considered the "real Switzerland." The Emmental, mainly dairy country, is the origin of many ancestors of our local residents. And significantly, it is the origin of that golden cheese with holes and nutty flavor that we call "Swiss Cheese."
Ask for "Swiss Cheese" in Switzerland and you will be met with a quizzical stare. All cheese made in Switzerland is Swiss cheese, of course.
What we Americans call "Swiss Cheese" was originally Emmentaler Cheese, named after the Emmental from which it originated.
The green hills, wooded ravines, grazing cattle, barns and farm houses of the Emmental bear resemblance to the rolling hills and rural landscapes of Green County. A major difference, of course, is the view from the Emmental of snowcapped Alpine peaks in the distance, in sharp contrast to the Illinois flatlands south of Green County.
Another interesting feature of the Emmental is its architecture. Instead of the entire roof of a building coming to a peak, the ends are slanted to the front, allowing drainage to the front instead of just the two sides. Monroe's tastefully designed Turner Hall bears this distinctive architectural feature of the Emmental.
After this scenic drive through the Emmental that is so significant to "America's Little Switzerland," we arrive in Solothurn, capital of the canton of the same name. It is located in northwestern Switzerland, on the bank of the Aare River, near Switzerland's "other mountains," the Jura Mountains that run on a northeast-southwest axis paralleling the border with France.
Evening, and we enjoy a sumptuous dinner - they all have been - and are treated to an interesting presentation by best-selling author, Deccon Bewes. Bewes, a Brit who has lived in Switzerland since 2005, has published five books on Switzerland. All have become best-sellers, both in his adopted country and elsewhere.
It probably takes "an outsider" to put into perspective the many contradictions, idiosyncrasies, and complexities of this tiny, diverse land-locked nation.
Bewes writes about his adopted county with uncanny insights and trenchant observations laced with humor. His "Swiss Watching: The Land of Milk and Money" is an absolute "must-read" for anyone who wants to begin to understand this incredibly diverse and complex nation.
Who knows whether it's genetic or cultural? But a reading of Bewes might even lend insight to how some of us descendants of Swiss immigrants, even a couple of generations removed, "got that way."
In another book, "Slow Train to Switzerland," Bewes describes how Switzerland began its journey from being Europe's poorest nation to one of the world's richest on a per capita basis. Totally lacking minerals, Switzerland's natural resources consist of water power and wood. It was a Brit, Thomas Cook, who brought a small group of tourists to this poor, backward nation in the mid-19th century. As there were no good roads, groomed trails, or tourist facilities, these tourists underwent severe hardships in their arduous journey through Switzerland.
That arduous tour initiated "tourist packages" that were affordable by Britain's growing middle class. Tourists, initially British, began arriving in increasing numbers for both health and recreation.
Switzerland's breathtaking scenery and healthful mountain air became a valuable natural resource, generating employment and hard cash. To accommodate increasing tourism, the pragmatic Swiss realized the importance of an efficient transportation system - regardless of the tremendous cost of bridges and tunnels in mountainous terrain.
The resulting world's most efficient transportation system not only accommodated tourists, but generated economic advantages through connecting diverse cantons once separated by steep mountain passes.
Next week: To Langnau, Monroe's "friendship city."
- John Waelti of Monroe can be reached at jjwaelti1@tds.net.
His column appears Fridays in The Monroe Times.
