Spiez

 After spending an educational and fascinating morning in Bern, we climbed back aboard the train and traveled to Spiez, a small town in the Canton of Bern. While I love exploring large cities, I’ve always found that meandering around smaller towns can be interesting as well. In many ways, I think that a country’s overall culture is better illuminated in small towns, away from the hustle and bustle and invading cultures

.

When we arrived in Spiez, a parade was passing through the town, as part of a celebration to give thanks for a successful harvest.

so many people came to enjoy the parade!

the sled dogs were my favorite- they looked so excited to
be running!

these people were swinging large metal cow bells back and
forth. clank clank! clank clank!

After watching the parade for a bit, we began wondering downhill, walking towards the Spiez Castle and the magnificent Lake Thun. At every turn we stopped to admire views of snow-capped mountains, vineyards, and the deep blue lake.

walking towards the lake. 

spiez castle, lake thun, and the alps.

dappled sunshine on an overcast day. 

grapes! and a future glass of wine. 

rolling hills of vineyards. 

lake thun.

although we never went inside the castle, we did explore
the grounds for a bit.

Although the medieval castle was open for tours, we decided instead to enjoy the incredible natural beauty and take a walk alongside the lake. 

lake side stroll. 

there was a small marina by the castle- ben kept saying
that he wanted to go sailing!

there were trees-turned-art sprinkled
throughout our walk. 

last bit of summer. 

a mountain with a hat of snow on its head. 

the leaves were just starting to change. 

the water was incredibly bright and clear. 

after a long walk, we decided to rest and warm up
with hot coffee and hot chocolate. delicious!

au revoir!