Day 2- Gurten and Bern

So on Saturday we hiked up the Gurten- a smallish mountain very close to our house.  We spied some small houses.       

When we got to the top there was a tower, and we climbed that too.

This is Bern. These are the Alps.  The tower had a nice view, though it was just a little overcast.

  At the top there is a restaurant and a big playground, a little track for some kiddie cars, and this ball ummm, thingee.  Talmage got a kick out of it.  The kids had a ton of fun and ran around while the parents sat and rested (after all, we had carried most of the kids up the mountain).  On the way home, Brett tried carrying Ethne in creative ways.Eventually she fell asleep like this.  It’s very funny because I have a picture of Jethro being asleep in this same position when he was the same age on a trail in Colorado.

We went home and had some Rösti and bratwursts.  Mmmmm.  Then we drove to the Old City in Bern, and walked around.  We saw these guys playing chess.

We climbed to the top of the Muenster (very good workout that day).  I like this picture –thanks Ben!     I think this picture is cool too – again from Ben.  (p.s. it was awesome to have another person with a camera so that I’m actually in some of the pictures!  THANKS!)  Then we continued walking through the city, finding cool things to take pictures of.  Here’s your virtual tour.    We went to the Barengraben and saw this cuddly guy and also the mama and her two cubs.

    The atomic clock.      We were there on the hour and saw this dude strike the bell. Then we went to the favorite fountain—the Kindlifresserbrunnen, or "Fountain of the Eater of Little Children."  So we put all the kids in front of him.  :)

  Check him out. Jethro’s cool with it.  Peace.

And that was that night.  I’ll sneak in the following day too.  Here we are watching conference. We went to one session at the stake center next to the temple.  I took this  picture for Ben and Allison.  Don’t they look so fantastic?  Smashing, I say.Ben loved our view.  What can I say?  It is great. And our little next-door farm.It was Allison’s birthday so we had some cake and we sang and she got to blow out a match.  (Remind me to buy candles before Brett’s birthday.  Actually, Brett won’t care.  Remind me to buy candles before Hazel’s birthday.)        The kiddos.  :)I must say that I wish we had had one more day.  There just wasn’t enough time!  Ben and Allison were the most perfect guests ever—they appreciated everything—even when we got home so late the first day that I just served leftovers of beans on bread instead of cooking anything.  What a great hostess—here’s your cheapo meal.  The kids got along great and I had such a wonderful time getting to know Ben and Allison.  Perhaps we’ll see them again before they cross the ocean!