This evening I took the bus with my host sister Tabea to the train station in Romont and then traveled to Bern where we spent a lovely hour like teenage Americans, drinking Starbucks. I tried pumpkin spice for the first time, and yes, it was delicious! I also experienced for the first time, the wonderful name interpretation of Starbucks employees. I am now Lydie. Anais, who studies in Bern, met us there and tasted our drinks, and then we walked together to the square in front of the capital building to met my
host mom. The sky darkened, the square filled up with people, and the lights of the buildings all around went out. A bell rang out and a clock, projected on the face of the capital building, started to count down to the start of the show. First, we saw the capital building, projected on the capital building. But then it started to melt and lava poured through. We were presented the formation of the earth, the cooling, the ice-age, the movement of the continents, and eventually the formation of the famous Swiss mountain
Matterhorn. The mountain came to life with the illumination of a magic crystal, and out popped a friendly mountain face that enjoyed the thriving wildlife around it. Then a man came. He brought others and they began to build the capital building, first in wood, then in stone like a castle, and then there was an industrial revolution represented by trains and gears. The capital was then built in glowing blue stone to represent the future, and at the very top was a spot for the magic crystal that had brought the mountain to life in the beginning. Everyone then went to the mountain to fetch the crystal, and a psychedelic scene erupted, prompted by an overabundance of ropes that the Swiss were using to climb the mountain. Eventually they cut out the crystal, and a great storm erupted as the mountain cried. The Swiss returned to their capital building, but they were afraid, and it was destroyed by the lightning. They crystal was then returned to the mountain, trees were planted, and the animals all returned. ...And they all lived in harmony! The 60's song "Respect" then blasted through the square and another psychedelic trip commenced with the capital building twisting, turning, and changing color in an astonishing feat of illusion. The lesson? Don't let in tourists and take care of the environment!
Afterwards we went back to the train station where we bought roasted chestnuts! It was my very first time eating roasted chestnuts, and they were delicious but incredibly difficult to get out of their shells. I shall become an expert! The practical Swiss serve them in little paper sacks with one pocket for the unopened and one for the shells. Now I know the magic of chestnuts as was attested to in the Christmas song "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire...". I believe I have now seen these wonderful stands at every big city train station in Switzerland, so I will be sure and find them again! Merry Bundesplatz to all, and to all a good night!
The Rendez-vous Bundesplatz started the past year and takes place twice a day in the evening from October 18th to the 23rd of November. It is the projection of a light show on the capital building. For more information learn French and read the website: http://www.rendezvousbundesplatz.ch/fr/
No comments:
Post a Comment