The DadLadTour (Now Actually In Switzerland)

Day 3 (Part 2) – Bern. Bikinis, bears and bridges.

The Match – The Italians come up against the Spanish

11^th July 2025

Zürich is awsome; it is stylish, beautiful, clean and the people are welcoming. The River Limmat is simply stunning, as is the lake.

Genève is similar, although the people, while thoroughly pleasant, seem more reserved. Maybe it was just the DadLadTour that brought that out in them? However, Genève does have that lake and its connection to a rock classic.

I’m torn between which city is my favourite of the two. I decide that Zürich just sneaks my vote. It has memories of The Lionesses rampant victory over the Dutch and of that marvellous Oranje Walk.

But that’s before we get to Bern.

Bern is a belter of a city. Incredible. It’s beautiful – obvs. this is, after all, Switzerland where most every thing seems postcard perfect – and I love it. I can’t quite put my finger on why – well, I maybe can, but more on that in a moment. Bern just has a vibe and look that appeals to me. Especially the Old Town area.

Liam – our travel planner extraordinaire – points us in the direction of the Bärenpark.

Bärenpark is German for “bear park”…….YES!….Bern has bears. Grrrr.

We set off walking through the Old Town. We seem to do an awful lot of mooching and walking on this trip.

*Side note: I’ve just checked the app thing you get on iPhones and these are my steps / miles / standing deets while on the DadLadTour:

Weds 9^th

Steps = 27,042 / Distance = 12.44 miles / Flights climbed = 21 / Standing 17/12 hours

Thurs 10^th 

Steps = 22,381 / Distance = 10.01 miles / Flights climbed = 32 / Standing 14/12 hours

Fri 12^th

Steps = 21,232 / Distance = 9.42 miles / Flights climbed = 10 / Standing 15/12 hours

TOTAL:

Steps = 70,655 / Distance = 31.87 miles / Flights climbed = 63 / Standing 46/36 hours

I am not a statistician – was once, for several seasons for a football records book, whole different story – and I’m not great with statistics. I do know that my steps and the distance I walked reduced each day. And, after having crunched the numbers and “done the math’, I have reached my analysis of these figures and come to the conclusion that…

I was knackered.

…from all that walking. Plus it was really hot while we were in Switzerland, especially so today (the Thursday). Unbearably hot! We tried to walk in shade where we could. Thankfully several streets along the route had broad, covered pathways – these were very welcome!

My feet – as mentioned in blog post #38 (I Hear The Train A-Comin’…”) – are giving me grief. They are absolutely killing me. I’ve started to limp on both feet. I confess to Liam that I am struggling. I’m having a whale of a time on our adventure but I am dead on my (aching) feet.

But, tired as I am, we’ve yet to reach the Bärenpark. Liam assures me that the bears are  just a little further on. Not far to go, just across this bridge. And what a magnificent bridge it is. Stunning!

The Nydeggbrücke bridge was completed in 1840. It has three arches and stands 25 metres above the average river level. Most importantly to me, on this incredibly hot day when I am already wilting and am limping like an old man, is the length of the Nydeggbrücke bridge. It is 190 metres long….oh no!

It sounds even longer when you ditch the European metric system and say it in old-fashioned imperial…620 feet. Six-hundred-and-twenty feet! Each imperial foot of which inflicts further suffering on my own bruised feet.

Was it worth it? Crossing the Nydeggbrücke?

Heck! It sure was.

The views from the bridge are incredible. The river Aare flows through Bern and its waters – some of which originated back at Lake Zurich and flowed here in the Limmat – shimmer like jewels in the afternoon sun. It is an incredible spot.

We pause and snap away. Down on the banks of the Aare we spy people sitting with their feet resting in the river. My, that does look good! I think. That would be wonderful. I could soothe my feet.

But it is a long way down to where these people sit. And a long way back up.

Liam points out some steps leading down. I genuinely don’t believe I can manage them. Such a shame!

I limp on. I have to. The Bärenpark is at other end of the Nydeggbrücke.

There is a zebra-crossing at the end of the bridge. As we approach, four people are on it. The scene is reminiscent of the Beatles album cover for “Abbey Road”. Like George, Ringo, Paul and John, this quartet are evenly spaced. The middle two are women. I don’t see if the others are male, female or a combination of both because the scene is so out of the ordinary. The two in the middle stand out because they are wearing bikinis. Using a zebra-crossing, just wearing bikinis. In the middle of a city. With bears in close proximity. As you do.

I ponder if they are heading to the river or, maybe, returning from it.

The Bärenpark is right next to the crossing. We look down into a circular enclosure. A large – well, it looked pretty large to me – brown bear trudges from the shade cast by the enclosure walls. He (the bear looks like a “he” to me) doesn’t stay in the sun long before plodding back to the shadows. He looks – like I am – knackered. I empathise with him. I’m hot and bothered but at least I’m in shorts and a footy shirt and not wearing a heavy fur coat.

A second bear appears. This one is slightly smaller. Maybe it’s Mummy Bear? Then, from one of two openings in the enclosure wall comes a third bear. It’s baby bear. A family of bears. All look hot, tired and…..bear-draggled….!

I peer into the shadows, trying to see into their den. I wonder if Goldilocks is in there, munching all their porridge, escaping from the heat and kipping on the comfiest of their mattresses.

Bears done. We decide to brave the steps down to the Aare. My feet arena desperate need of some relief. Though it’ll probably kill me getting back up. Hey! What’s the worst that can happen?

Rounding a bend in the walkway, the steps appear. Just before the steps, however, is a lift!

A lift! Down to the cool, refreshing waters of the Aare! Praise be!

And, what’s more, it’s a funicular lift. That is so cool! So cool!  I’ve never seen – or even heard – of a funicular lift. Switzerland just keeps on giving.

Shoes off. Socks off. Feet in…..Bliss!

I cannot describe how incredibly soothing it was to sit and let the Aare wash over my tired toes. Football and views aside, this was one of the best moments of our trip.

We sat for a little under an hour or so. Feet in the water, just watching the world – and people – float past us. Yes….people. Floating past.

At first I thought it was an animal of some type. Possibly an escaped bear? I’m almost certain it won’t be a dolphin….almost, but not 100%. Maybe it’s a beaver? Or a big squirrel?

It is none of these. Instead, it is a person being swept along by the current. A small bag floats with them. We discuss what this bag might be and decide it is either a floatation device or, possibly, a waterproof bag for their belongings. It is quite odd to see someone being carried along by the waters. If you tried floating down the river Calder then you’d likely get very sick. But the river Aare is almost impossibly clear, its waters a mesmerising turquoise in colour.

I now revise my earlier decision and choose Bern as my favourite place we’ve visited during our adventure.

This “floating the Aare” seems very popular. In the time we spend with our feet chilling in the Aare at least another dozen floaters go past. It does look a cool thing to do. Cool in both meanings of the word.

I consider letting myself drop in to the river to join them.

Liam says I can’t. He says #WifeNo1 would kill me.

That is, if I don’t drown. Or my feet do the job for her.

When we eventually leave, I again use the funicular lift. Liam, invigorated by our rest and the waters, decided to use the stairs and race the lift to the top.

He wins the race….but, heck, he looked, and felt, terrible for a while after.

#SonInLawNo1 can sometimes be an absolute ejiit.