August 2nd, 2024

Last Sunday, my biker friends from Zurich organised a ride through the Emmental, that beautiful region famous for its cheese, stretching between the cantons of Lucerne and Bern. Since it wasn’t too far and I really wanted to get back on the bike, I decided to join them for part of the route. And if it didn’t work out, I could always head back at any time.

I met up with them in Sempach, and we enjoyed a stunning ride through idyllic scenery. The morning weather wasn’t very promising, I even got a few drops of rain, but after our lunch in Moosegg, the sun finally came out and we were able to continue under clear skies.

Along the way, we stopped at the Würzbrunnen chapel, rebuilt after a fire in 1494 and still standing in the form we know today. Its interior decoration, a genuine little baroque gem, was completed in 1779. The chapel is a popular wedding venue, and the Swiss writer Jeremias Gotthelf (1797–1854) often mentions it in his works. After a coffee break at the Kambly biscuit factory, our paths diverged: I headed back to Bern while the others continued on to Zurich.

On the way home, my foot started hurting. It swelled up and my motorcycle boot began to feel tight. Once home, I was relieved to finally take my boots off, but the pain then increased and I had no choice but to take some painkillers. Despite the discomfort, I had a wonderful day, which did me a world of good. It was the first time since my accident in Morocco that I had put my riding gear back on!

Yesterday, 1st August, Switzerland celebrated its national day, marking the founding of the Confederation in 1291. I went down to the Federal Palace square where the authorities had organised a celebration. There were no big fireworks this year, for several reasons: budget constraints, noise and air pollution, as well as the ongoing drought. That said, some people had bought their own fireworks and we still heard a few bangs, but it was much quieter than in previous years. Some cities opted for drone shows instead, an interesting alternative, though around ten times more expensive than traditional fireworks.