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Crash Landing on You

2024-04-09T12:02:19+02:00

This pretty spot on lake Brienz, called Iseltwald (near Interlaken) suddenly became quite famous.

Between 2019-2020 Netflix produced the South Korean heart-breaking series „Crash Landing on You“. The stars Son Ye-Jin and Hyun-Bin turned the series into a big hit.

Most of the story focuses on Yoon Se-ri, the beautiful heiress to a conglomerate in South Korea. By mistake she lands in North Korea and gets arrested by a handsome North Korean elite military officer, captain Ri Jeong-hyeok.

Part of the series looks back to encounters in Switzerland.

Here in Iseltwald and in the area nearby quite a number of important scenes took place.

Iseltwald has suddenly become a place of modern pilgrimage. For CHF 5.- you can stand on the landing where Ri played his piano, preparing to go back home to North Korea.

Crash Landing on You2024-04-09T12:02:19+02:00

Winter Losing to Spring

2024-03-23T18:56:57+01:00

In March the temperatures are wildly oscillating between 15°C spring weather and 0°C winter weather. The battle is raging, but it is clear who the winner is.

The spring flowers have made a grand entrance and the snow is slowly retreating back to higher altitudes.

It is the time to bring out the plants that had to survive inside our homes fearing the cold weather. And the moment has come for a change for our cars from winter to summer tires.

Winter Losing to Spring2024-03-23T18:56:57+01:00

The Swiss Rail

2024-02-29T11:34:39+01:00

The Swiss trains are known for their punctuality and their cleanliness. The Swiss love their public system network, with which probably every village in the country can be accessed.

For a few decades the double decker trains have helped in coping with the streams of commuters during the daily rush hour.

More than 10,000 trains run on the network every day, together with the Alpine railroads, which are attractive to tourists. All of this contributes to the image of Switzerland as a railroad country.

The Swiss rail network is considered the best in Europe in terms of passengers transported, punctuality, kilometers travelled per passenger and low number of accidents. At the same time it is one of the most expensive in the world.

The Swiss Rail2024-02-29T11:34:39+01:00

Homberg

2024-01-17T18:32:11+01:00

The village of Homberg is tucked away, just above and behind the hills of Steffisburg (Thun). It has a very romantic feel with a lovely active church on prominent small hill with an incredible view.

A few houses are just along the road passing through Homberg. Most farms in the typical local style are strewn all over the area.

Now in January temperatures (a little higher up) are often below the freezing point. Famers’ life tends to slow down too.

Homberg2024-01-17T18:32:11+01:00

A Green Christmas

2023-12-31T09:09:45+01:00

Christmas this year happened again without snow!

But this year a few other events did take us by surprise.

A big shock was that the 167 year old Credit Suisse (CS) was folding up on March 19. The UBS took it over with the help of the Swiss National Bank in order to avoid a worldwide economic crisis.

The world was amazed when in spring ChatGPT was revealed. The power of artificial intelligence awed many. Yet now the Pandora box is open and it can’t be closed anymore.

In summer the US government announced that UFOs were real. They got officially renamed UAPs (or Unidentified Aerial Phenomena). People who before claimed that UFOs were real were labeled conspiracy theorists. Why this sudden turnaround? What is it we don’t know yet?

The Hamas terror attack on Israel on October 7 followed by a war in Gaza took everyone by surprise as well. Many are grieving and worried about wider implications.

To the surprise of many the economy in our country did much better than expected. The SMI is at a similar level as it was at the beginning of the year – at a bit over 11’000 points.

A Green Christmas2023-12-31T09:09:45+01:00

Pro-Palestinian Demonstrations

2023-11-04T15:22:06+01:00

The totally unexpected Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 23 shocked Israel and the world. Since then Israel has been fighting back hard. Now there is a sense that anti-semitic feelings worldwide are rising to new heights.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrations are also taking place in Switzerland. Here is national one that took place in Bern on November 4.

The Cantonal Police commented this event:

„We are on duty because of an authorized demonstration in Bern and are protecting the fundamental right to protest for freedom and peace. We do not tolerate any anti-Semitic, inciting or violence-glorifying slogans. We wish you a peaceful Saturday afternoon.“

Pro-Palestinian Demonstrations2023-11-04T15:22:06+01:00

Birthrates are dropping

2023-10-21T19:02:25+02:00

Since 2015 the birth rate in several European countries has been dropping. Only during the pandemic there was a short reversal followed by sudden drop and a continued decline.

Europe is looking at an aging population and growing health costs.

Quite a few younger couples also worry about the clouds an uncertain future and prefer not to have children.

In our church however we have many young families with kids and many babies being born or on the way.

Birthrates are dropping2023-10-21T19:02:25+02:00

The Beatus Cave

2023-09-23T18:28:00+02:00

High above lake town, on the right side of the lake (closer to Interlaken) is the famous Beatus Cave. Beatus was an British monk who lived here, defeated a dragon and thus won the people’s heart.

The cave is developed on a path of 926m into the heart of the mountain. It slowly climbs 87 meters up from the entrance. In some places water is gushing down a gulley. In others there are ponds where the water reflects the surrounding.

This is an ideal outing during wet days. Inside the cave it is however dry and only 8-10°C. At the cave entrance is a nice restaurant.

The Beatus Cave2023-09-23T18:28:00+02:00

23°C

2023-08-24T13:03:53+02:00

Lake Thun is a cold lake. The glaciers up on the high mountains carry cold water into lake.

This summer the lake water temperature  has reached 23°C. This is about the maximum. Flocks of people are using the wonderful cooler water to find refuge from the oppressive heat.

The best experience of the lake is going out for a swim at night, when nobody is around and the stars are shining above your head.

This kind of high quality of life is free and easily available during the hot summer months.

23°C2023-08-24T13:03:53+02:00

Hot Summer Days

2023-07-20T15:21:16+02:00

In Europe record temperatures are measured all across. In Spain and Portugal up to 44°C were recorded. Here in Switzerland in our area we have had up to 37°C. That is rather unusual. There are some summer storms bringing some coolness but on the whole the ground is very dry and needs more water from above.

During the summer weeks many people are on holidays and life slows down somewhat. We love to spend the summer here out in nature with bearable temperatures and many rivers and lakes to cool down.

Hot Summer Days2023-07-20T15:21:16+02:00

Sailing

2023-06-25T17:48:32+02:00

Switzerland is a very small country with 208 mountains over 3000m and 24 mountains over 4000 meters. 70% of the country is hilly. Many rivers have their source in these mountain areas. That is why Switzerland also has over 1500 lakes (small and big).

In Switzerland sailing is a hobby that quite a few people are enjoying.

The biggest sailing school is on lake Thun, in Hilterfingen.  It offers a basic course over 4 days. From day one people are paired up and go out in a sailing school boat to try out sailing fully hands on. Instructors are nearby on motorboats and keep an eye on the newbies.

Sailing2023-06-25T17:48:32+02:00

Allotment Gardens

2023-05-05T21:29:18+02:00

In our area there are at least 3 different plots of land that are owned and operated by a garden association. Local residents can join the association and for a very fair price rent a small plot of land for growing vegetables, fruits and flowers. Most tenants set up a shed or at least a roof with a couple of walls. Many spend much of their time off on the land, farming and gardening, chatting with friends and neighbors.

Many plot tenants also raise their own flags above their shed. So between Swiss flags you can see flags from many other nations. It seems that foreigners who tend such a plot of land tend to integrate better into Swiss society since that is an easier way to make friends.

Allotment Gardens2023-05-05T21:29:18+02:00
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