Anti-American Angry Birds

Today was the fourth of July, which apparently meant that all Genevois birds with anti-American sentiment had to lash out against Americans on train platforms. This morning, waiting for the train to Bern, Allison and I decided to share a pain au chocolat (more or less a chocolate croissant). The birds in Switzerland are all half-tame. Now, I use the word tame loosely, as they have a tendency to beg. They just about swarm when they see someone eating. Occasionally, they even fly up into your face, but harmlessly so. Well, the 4th of July seemed like the day to lash out, it seems, because a bird bit my finger trying to get at my precious pain au chocolat. I repeat: a BIRD BIT ME. Not a big bird, oh no; not a crow or a swan or a pigeon. This was a chickadee (a very fat chickadee) the size of a Cadbury creme egg.

But anyway, Bern was gorgeous. We toured Albert Einstein's apartment (he moved to Switzerland when he decided that Germany's government was too militaristic -- and that was BEFORE the Nazis). You can't see it in the photo, but his view of the Bern streets was fabulous.

Bern also has this famous clock. Every hour on the hour, some animatronic characters come out and do... well... something. Best we could tell, it was different every hour. I just saw the little golden bird flap its wings, and after the incident on the platform this morning I was feeling decidedly anti-bird.

And then there was this incredible view of the Alps, behind some kind of fairy tale building (turns out it was the Bern historical museum).

We visited another cathedral today, this beautiful place (I figured it was time for an interior view of these amazing centuries-old buildings -- to give you an idea of how huge it is, the tiny green dot at the bottom is a person at the far end of the cathedral).

We had dinner at another outdoor cafe, where the waiter spoke no English but some Spanish (Mrs. Beamguard, if you're out there, I just want you to know that Spanish came in handy in Switzerland, of all places) and I had yet more delicious Swiss fondue. We took a lap around Lac Leman to get a closer view of the Jet d'Eau. I leave you now with the Jet d'Eau against the sunset -- short and sweet blog today, because I'm le tired.