750 Year Celebration of the Town of Thun in Switzerland

This post is dedicated to a very special town in Switzerland, Thun, and to two very good friends of mine, Roland and Martin. We all went to school together at one time or another, then we played in the high school band together. Both Roland and Martin played the drums and I played the trumpet. Roland still lives in Thun while Martin and I live in Queensland.

The town of Thun in Switzerland with castle and church

Thun is situated at the foot of the alps, on the Lake of Thun. It has wonderful views of the Bernese Alps, especially the Eiger, Mönch and Jungrau, which attract thousands of visitors every year.

Thun with views over the Bernese Alps

So, this year, the town celebrates its 750th Anniversary. It become a town in 1264 and joined the Canton of Berne in 1384.

In 1964, I was still living there and together with my father, took part in the celebratory 700th Anniversary march through town, in the local band, wearing period costumes.

The town band in period costumes in 1964
(I'm playing trumpet centre,  my dad plays french horn behind me)

My mate Roland on drums (centre front)

Roland and me in school

On Wednesday afternoons we had cadet training which involved either sporting activities or rifle training as this shot shows, both Roland and Martin were off to the rifle range for target practice. A German tourist stopped us and wanted to know, why we were carrying guns. After explaining, he wanted to pose with us and got his wife to take a picture.

Roland, Martin and me posing with a German tourist

So, happy birthday Thun, I'll be thinking of you.

Swan wants to go a traveling

In Thun, Switzerland, a white swan decided to take a train, or so it seemed when the bird casually walked onto the busy train lines. Unfazed by passing trains and unaware of the dangers he just sat there.

A passenger on an incoming train spotted the animal and alerted the station master.

The train and security personnel were eventually able to guide the bird back to the sea. All's well that ends well.





From the blick.ch newspaper

Update on the Black Swan Saga

Last week I mentioned that the Cantonal Authorities of Bern want the black swans (Cygnus atratus) banned from the Lake of Thun because they are not native to Switzerland, they are native to Australia but have been there since the late 1980s and the people love these birds. They have integrated beautifully and are no threat to local flora and fauna, nor do they breed with the native white mute swans. (Cygnus olor).

As I mentioned, the local people are outraged and have written lots of letters to local newspapers and contacted radio and TV stations.

Last Saturday, hundreds of people assembled in the town square of Thun and released hundreds of black and white balloons. A few local politicians joined the crowds and promised to bring up the matter in the cantonal and federal parliaments. Hopefully they are successful  in persuading the bureaucrats to lay off the black swans. We'll see....

500 black and white balloons are released

in the town square of Thun, Switzerland

(Photo Berner Zeitung)

St Beatus Caves in Switzerland

 On the eastern side of the lake of Thun, near the famous tourist town of Interlaken in Switzerland, nestled into the massive Niederhorn Mountain is a cave system of which the first kilometer is open to the public during the summer months, on guided tours.

Legend has it that in the middle-ages an English or Irish Monk was sent to the region to teach the pagan inhabitants about Christianity. The monk was known by the roman name of St Beatus. He heard that there was an evil dragon living in the cave. St Beatus was not afraid to confront the dragon. He showed the dragon his holy cross. Enraged by the sight, the dragon ran down the mountain into the lake and was never seen again.

Today there are about 15km of the cave system surveyed, with the first kilometer well lit and open on guided tours during the summer months.

The cave entrance is high above the lake

The water that runs through the cave exits in a waterfall

The view over the lake is magnificent 

The presumed grave of St Beatus

The stalactites and stalagmites are fabulous 

Internal lakes are plentiful 

In the early 1960s I was a member of the Swiss Speleological Society and took part in a couple of expeditions during the winter months into the caves beyond the public access area. In summer, there is too much water running through the cave which makes access through some of the narrow openings impassable.  

Me (foreground) during an exploration trip in the 60s

Surveying the cave system