Auction (with video) and Bern

Found out last week that my flatmate has decided to move to another spot down the street for cheaper rent. Although perhaps a long-term goal had been to have a place of my own, right now it isn't really possible with the francs on hand. So that means I've been elevated to landlord status. This city is truly in flux at all times. I didn't even have to post an ad to get 4 people to contact me and see the place. After fielding visits on Friday and Saturday evenings, I decided upon a new flatmate who will move in August 1.

The other cool events from the weekend were going to a lost and found auction at one of the local malls (Letzipark) and then spending most of Sunday in Bern touring the old town.

The auction was an event on my calender for a couple of weeks. Basically, everything that is lost and not claimed on the trains, buses and trams of Switzerland (or perhaps just in Zurich area?) is then sold off cheap at a store in the city. However they also hold a couple of auctions each year for some of the more expensive (laptops, iPods, handys) and unusual (boomerangs, piccolos and unopened suitcases from the airport) objects. It was also great German practice for my numbers. I bid on a couple of items, but didn't win anything. The best story was the mystery bidder who bid and won each of the unopened suitcases.

Video of the bidding for the third and final unopened suticase

The best part of these is that they open them immediately for everyone to see once the winning bid is accepted. This guy spent 1380 CHF on three suitcases. The first had women's clothing in it (with a couple of Luis Vitton purses), the second had a bunch of men's clothing (with some Armani suits, although they looked too big for him) and an expensive pen, and then the third had some diabetic's medicine...whoops. Hard to tell from his face if he was dissapointed or not, but how couldn't he be. Although, as a consolation prize he did mange to win the piccolo...

I'll link to a video of the bidding action when I figure out where it is online.

On Sunday, I took the train to Bern to see Ben and Cornelia get a tour of the old town. We met at the train station and then walked through old town, enjoyed a Rivella in the Rosengarten (Rose Garden) at the top of the hill overlooking the town and then after seeing the oldest and largest church in Bern, we went for a swim in the Aare (the longest river in Switzerland) that runs right through Bern (very fast moving and colder than anticipated) and then had pizza for dinner. Here are some pictures of the day:

There are a number of statues on fountains around the old town. This one was the best, hands down. Ogre eating babies.

View of the old lower part of town where workers would have lived. Taken from the Nydeggbruecke.

View of the Aare (where we swam) from the bottom of the Bundeshaus (House of Parliament)

The symbol of Bern is the bear and there are many statues all over town depicting them.

This is the former city bear enclosure. Currently a new bear park (looks much nicer along the banks of the Aare) is being built (opening Oct 2009) where live bears are kept. In the past up to 24 bears had lived in this old enclosure.