S-T Post: Shrine of Time

It is hard to beat an exploding-snowman-head in a follow-up post.

European countries with such a long history have, by sheer time, amassed incredible buildings, structures, monuments, and fountains that shout to the visitor:  “I have been here a long time!” 

A first time visitor to Switzerland suffers from camera overload:  so many photo opportunities, that it is overwhelming to pick and choose. 

As a returning tourist, I visited Switzerland by myself in July 2012 to see a newborn grandson.  My photos naturally focused on him and his parents.  Each day, I rode a bus through the city of Bern and viewed the city differently every time.

My second post on S-T is this:  A Shrine of Time

These are stone watering troughs from old farmlands, gathered together  for artistic appreciation.

An old English telephone booth without its glass, in which a plant had grown

A trail marker along the Aure River

A tree along the Aure River, and it is hanging on with its roots until the next snow-melt flood

 Sometimes the smaller Shrines of Time speak the loudest.

S-T Posts: Switzerland Time

Switzerland is a country made famous for its dedication to keeping time accurately.  The watches produced there are valued world-wide.

That said, another famous Swiss attribute is its work ethic.  

People expect to have a job, save money, work hard, and that is all there is to it.  

The city of Zurich exceptional work ethic is celebrated on the third Monday of April, Sechseläuten.  This means literally “The ringing of the six o’clock bells”, referring to the fact that the workers of all the guilds could work an extra hour each day until autumn.  Hurray!

Quoting from a magazine,  Hello Switzerland, is this explanation:

“On the day itself, the bells are the cue for the ten-metre-high  bonfire in Sechseläuntenplatz (plaza) to be set alight.  

On the top of it is the Böögg, a giant snowman with a head full of explosives.  

When the fire reaches his head and the head explodes, winter is officially over.  Tradition says the sooner his head explodes, the better the summer will be.”

Per Wikipedia

Take that, Punxutawney Phil.