By 3pm, the winter day at Bern was waning.  I debated where to go as I wandered randomly in town.  Bus 12 just passed by me, going to Zentrum Paul Klee and so I hopped on.  Having crossed through the town and onward to its outskirts, the bus took me there in 20 minutes.

Zentrum Paul Klee had a very special appearance with three domes, or otherwise wave-like arches.  The Italian architect Renzo Piano designed the structure.  The wavy tops express a unity between man and nature, as they are meant to bear resemblance to the hills that surround the City of Bern.[1]

The museum houses more than 4,000 pieces of artwork by Paul Klee, who was a Swiss-born artist.  These pieces are on display on rotation in the permanent exhibition.  The Zentrum serves as the research center for the life of Paul Klee and his influence.

Paul Klee (1879-1940) was born near Bern in 1879 to a German father and a Swiss mother.  In his early years as an artist he was established as the Munich avant-garde, and a member of the artist group “Der Blaue Reiter” (Blue Rider).  He made his breakthrough after a visit to Tunisia with August Macke and Louuis Moilliet.  Thereon he developed his own style, mainly in abstract drawings and paintings.  He also explored new materials and creative media for his art.  During WWI, the period in his life that was on exhibit when I visited, Paul Klee established a cult following with his art.

Since then, he wrote on the theory of art, and taught as a professor at the Dusseldorf Academy of Fine Arts.  As an artist, Paul Klee belongs to “the most important creative artists of the 20^th century Classic Modernist movement.”[2]

This exhibition that I saw focused on Paul Klee in WWI.  He was fighting on the German lines then, though spared of the frontline battles.  As he was mostly sitting behind his desk in the air fields, he had time to develop his art further.  Some of the artwork clearly shows inspiration from the instruments of war, mostly in his references to aero-planes in his drawings.  The artwork was more interesting than beautiful, however; though, as always, I did enjoy the first-hand descriptions of war in the diaries displayed.

Back on ground floor, another exhibition showed a theme of people with Down Syndrome.  That included the work done by them, and for them.  I had to leave my backpack at the door, as guests could not bring their bags into the exhibition.  Then I did a quick go-around, and left.  I thought that, despite its good intentions, the exhibition failed to convey aesthetic value.  As such, it ended up leaving an unfavorable impression on people with Down Syndrome, which was a pity.

I spent 20 CHF on the Zentrum, and sadly to say I thought it was steep for what I saw.  For I later realized that the Kunstmuseum (Museum of Art) housed work by Monet, Picasso and many European artists on three large floors.  There was a minute or two that I regretted spending time at Zentrum Paul Klee.

Yet, in my better judgment, I knew that it was more worthwhile to see the work of a Swiss artist.  Paul Klee was clearly a national pride of Switzerland.

[1] Inexhibit.com, Zentrum Paul Klee, Bern at https://www.inexhibit.com/mymuseum/zentrum-paul-klee-bern/

[2] Zentrum Paul Klee, Introductory Brochure.

Just as I wondered about the Albert Einstein Haus, its sign came into view.  Up the stairs I walked into the apartment area, where Albert Einstein once lived.  Then came a very unfriendly voice, “it’s not free!”  I then paid 6 CHF, though not without some chagrin at the unfriendliness of the lady guarding the entrance.  I would gladly pay but the sign did say that the first level of the apartment was free for visitors.

Albert Einstein was born and raised in Germany until his teen years.  He then moved to Switzerland.  This apartment in Bern was where he first developed the Relativity Theory.    He lived in this apartment from 1903-1905.[1]

When he began his academic career in Switzerland, he was looking for work that would enable him some free time to think.  He worked at the federal patent’s office in Bern when he lived in this apartment.  He married a former classmate Mileva, who would be his first wife.  The Albert Einstein Haus in Bern symbolized the happy early years of their marriage.  Mileva bore two sons.  That was the history that this house stood for.

Then came the exceptional life enabled by a genius’ scientific discovery.  At the film showing upstairs I learned that Einstein was intimately involved with the founding of Hebrew University.  Later, Israel offered the presidency to Einstein, but he turned down the offer.  One surprising thing that I learned was that the Nobel Prize for Physics was not given for the Relativity Theory.  The Nobel Prize to Einstein recognized him for his work in Theoretical Physics, and “especially for his discovery of the law of photoelectric effect.”[2]

The extraordinary times that Einstein lived in has witnessed the emergence of Einstein’s political stance against Hitler.  In 1933, he saw clearly the rise of Hitler and its implication on the fate of the Jews around the world.  A world war was clearly in view, and Einstein even went as far as petitioning the President of the United States (FDR at the time) about the possibility of developing an atomic bomb.  He feared that the Nazi’s might have succeeded in building one.[3]  Einstein returned to Belgium in 1933 from California.  When he left the United Kingdom again for the United States that same year, he has never turned back.  He left Europe for good.

When the United States dropped its atomic bombs in Japan, Einstein lamented.  He soon joined other scientists in founding the scientists’ movement against nuclear weapons.[4]

There is certainly a lot more to Einstein’s life, but I will stop here.  Suffice to learn that Bern was the birth place of the Relativity Theory.

[1] Bern.com, Einstein House.

[2] Nobelprize.org, The Nobel Prize in Physics 1921.

[3] Thomas Levenson, The Scientist and the Fascist, How Einstein Reacted to the Hitler’s Rise, June 9, 2017, The Atlantic.

[4]  Id.

I arrived at the Chauderon station this morning.  Not far ahead stood the eye-catching Rolex building on the block.  I remembered it from yesterday and knew that there would be a bit of walk to the Vieille Ville, the Old City of Lausanne.  Soon I came upon the beautiful Place St-Francois.

The Place St-Francois was built in the 13^th and 14^th century by the Franciscans.  The monastery dissolved, however, during the Reformation.  Gone were also the church’s original decor.  The tour book said that the interior was bland.  I found it to somewhat resonate with the Oud Kirk in Amsterdam.  Yet it was still slightly more ornate than the minimalist Oud Kirk.

I then blindly made my way up because my destination was Le Musee Historique.  The prominent Lausanne Cathedral was my North Star.  I did end up at the Cathedral again, and soon found the allegory figure of justice at the fountain.

The signing of the official documents ratifying the establishment of the International Olympic Committee took place at the Place de la Palud.  I stopped by a souvenir shop and bought some postcards.  This was the opportunity to ask the keeper, “ou est le musee historique?”  In flowing French and a combination of body language he showed me the way.

It turned out that I never found Le Musee Historique, but soon I saw a building with an assertive grandeur, in the neo-renaissance style.  The Palais de Rumine was built during the late 19^th to early 20^th century.  It used to be home to Lausanne’s university.  Now its five high stories provide exhibitions in history, geology and anthropology.  To my disappointment, however, there was no exhibition open to visitors except for the top floor with models of animals.  I took a quick walk up and down the stairs and soon exited, again looking out at Place De Riponne.

The Ave de l’universite was right behind, and I ended up at Chateau St Marie.  It served as an administration building for the Bishops of Lausanne, who ruled the City of Lausanne before the Bernese overthrew them during the 16^th century.  Now it is an administrative building for the Canton of Vaud.  There was scaffolding all around as the structures underwent restoration.  I did manage to snap a few pictures, however.

I went back to Place de Riponne and found Le Basilique Notre-Dame du Valentin.  Despite its plain architecture, which was quite unusual for the Notre Dames of Europe, I felt an incredible sense of respite inside.  There is always spiritual comfort at the churches in Europe.  For the little time that I spent there, I felt rested and thankful.  This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be learning about Switzerland.

Out at the Place de Riponne I spotted some food trucks.  I was just happy that I would not have to spend a fortune on lunch.  Having had a hearty hamburger yesterday at the Manor, today I opted for crepes, the ultimate European comfort food.  It was yet to open so I seated comfortably under the morning sun in the open seating area.

The chef came out and apologized, “just a few minutes.”  “What would you like?”  I was glad he spoke perfect English.  “La complete.”  (I pronounced “complete” in the English way and he drew a blank.  Then I tried “com-plette” and he got it right away.)  The filling was yummy with an sunny side up, cheese and lots of jambon.  But the crepe itself was not quite smooth so I decided not to order a sweet one.  With a shot of espresso I only spent 10 CHF.  What could be better?

I came upon another minimalist church.  What intrigued me both yesterday and today was the large portrait of Martin Luther King Jr on its façade.  With research, I later learned that it was the Eglise St-Laurent.  Like the other cathedrals in Lausanne, it became Protestant during the Reformation.  Randolph de Gousaz designed its façade during the 18^th century.  It is “one of the few examples of Neo-classical architecture in Lausanne.” As I went inside, the organ was playing.  I was all the more thankful for this spiritual restoration.

Again, there was never ending cheese in the supermarket at the COOP.  I have a feeling that if I ask a true blood Swiss if it was cheese or chocolate, he would tell me, “hands down cheese!”

When I exited the COOP, the bells at the Eglise St-Laurent Church pealed, signaling the noon hour.  I was unmistakably placed in a Christian time and place.