Bern, Switzerland (Gurten Mountain)

Thursday, November 23rd, 2017. 

Thanksgiving day back home. I was sorta feeling bad about not being home for my favorite holiday, so I talked Mark into taking a day off and to go hiking with me. We have both been to Gurten Mountain in Bern before, but never together. It was before snow, but still kind of cool. Mark had to make a conference call on our hike, but it was nice to be together for the day. Obviously they don't celebrate Thanksgiving here. If we wanted to have turkey today a 10 pound turkey would have cost us about $60.00. We had pasta for dinner!







This next picture is of our car. Not that I want anyone to track us down, but I wanted to show what the license plates look like, and the features on them. (We are getting a new car this month, so don't waste much time tracking this plate) All plates in Switzerland look pretty much like this. They all have the Swiss flag first. Then the first two letters are they Canton (state) you live in. We live in the Canton of Bern.(BE)  Random numbers, then the state flag. The Canton of Bern has a bear on their flag. Actually the coat of arms of Bern is on a red field, a yellow diagonal band charged with a black bear walking upwards toward the hoist. A count founded Bern in 1160. According to legend he killed a large bear in the forest near his new home town and named the town for the bear.
The CH sticker on the car is an abbreviation based on Switzerland's Latin name;

Confoederatio Helvetica. 

Bern does have a tourist attraction that is a Bear pit. It is an enclosure that is right next to the Aare River. They do have some access to swim in water in the summer. 



View of the Alps from downtown Bern.


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