Ein Tag Meines Lebens

The view from my dorm room--on the FOURTEENTH FLOOR.

The main building of the Uni. This is where I take language classes (most of my other classes are in a refurbished Toblerone factory).

 

My favorite of the many paintings decorating the main building. I love the woman's face--"go away Satan, I'm trying to study."

The view from the front door of the main Uni building. 

 My department's library (also in the Toblerone factory). No big deal, only FIVE STORIES (I'll take better pictures in the days to come).

Der Bahnhof (the train station). Also the only place to buy groceries on Sunday (everything else shuts down at 17:00 Saturday night). I spend waaaaaay too much time in here.

Die Strassenbahn (tram/street train). I ride one of these to and from the city center pretty much every day.

      

  Obst und Gemüse--there's a farmer's market in the center of  town at least twice a week where you can get an absolutely gorgeous assortment of fresh fruits, vegetables, pastas, and cheeses. It's a vegetarian's dream come true. I have a feeling I'll spend 90% of my money here, but hey, at least I'm eating well (also: sorry about the blurry pics--I'm still trying to learn how to use my phone's camera!)

                                                                         

These things. You see these things from time to time. I think they're pedal-powered..? Anyway, they're cute.

Street chess. One of several giant chess boards set up in the streets. Probably also the reason for ninety percent of ended friendships among elderly Bernese men.

One of two main buildings of the Swiss national bank (I think the other one's in Zürich). That thing in front of it? That's a public skating rink. Any time it's open, it's packed.

The capitol building. I'll try to get a better picture some other day.

The view from behind the capitol building (I think). The castle off to the side there? That's the Bern History and Einstein museum.  Here's a better picture:

A pretty view. Because I'm in Switzerland.

Another view. That river underneath me? That's the Aare. It runs basically all around Bern. It also has some of the cleanest, bluest water I'v ever seen.

Der Kindlifresser. There's this big statue of an ogre eating babies in old town. No one really knows why.

(All the fountains in old town are really ornately decorated--unfortunately, this is the only one I have a decent picture of). 

Der Zytglogge--an 800-year-old clock in old town. The other side is decorated with an astronomical clock and a set of clockwork figurines that make noises and dance every hour. I'll have more pics and details of and about it later (maybe). 

And finally, we have--

Smurfs. Die Schlümpfe (in the window of a Kabob restaurant). Because...reasons?

(See if you can spot Schlumpfine)