bern, switzerland is great in summer. and mostly for one reason: the river aare.
the aare is perfect on all accounts. it’s got fresh water straight from the alps, it’s clean enough so we can swim in it, it’s deep enough, it’s got strong but not too violent pull, the temperature is always refreshing at 21 to 22C max – especially on a very hot day water warmer than that is not all that refreshing.
so all these components really fall into place. but yesterday i thought about all this while taking a swim in the river and still i wondered what makes this such an outstanding experience?
i noticed that there is a certain danger to it – every year a few people do drown in the river – so you can’t just take it easy. you have to stay alert and you have to know what you’re doing. this slight threat of danger has to be faced each time you go in.
then swimming in a river is very particular because you don’t actually have to swim to advance. the river takes you along. it envelops you. takes care of things. yet you do have to a fairly good swimmer to get back out of it. so it asks for your educated surrender, knowing your abilities. in that way it’s elitist. we laugh at tourists or newscomers who are too impressed and do not dare to swim.
but another thing really surprised me. it seems that swimming in the river somehow suspends time. all your sorrows, troubles, worries are left on shore. once you’re in the river there is only the moment. the enjoyment. the water. the sounds.
face your fears – surrender – be in the moment. sounds very zen, and awfully esoteric.
i guess, we could simply say, we got lucky…
hi there,
I really enjoyed this post, since I grew up at the above mentioned river and I just wanted to leave my feedback, I know it’s nice to get some comments too, isn’t it : )
to add to your post, it’s also the colour of this gorgeous river that adds to this “outstanding experience”.
don’t you think? this greenblueish beauty is really special.
I live in Zurich now, and we’ve got some rivers and the lake, but aare to me is still unique. there is simply no river that I know that I feel drawn to as to the gorgeous aare. and as you mentioned, you cannot not be drawn to it, since its flow is quiet powerful, especially after rainy days. it gots loads of water then, and you can just let go and drift down until you (have to) make your way back to the land.
I travel to Bern at least once a year, only to say hello to the old lady.
give it up for aare ; )
cheers from züri.
yes yes. ahhh. the colour is gorgeous. especially when it gets that “gletscherwasser” look&feel. amazing.
so you are another “heimwehberner” living in zureich?
to have this in zureich is okay, i guess. its only one hour trainride away. but for me, even when i lived in san francisco for 6 years i had to visit bern once a year in summer just to swim in the river. so that was kinda far…