Picture Interlude... Thun
A petite, pretty gem in the Bernese Oberland
Hello from dreary February in Züri. It’s raining, it’s snowing, it’s windy, it’s cold. It’s all of these at the same time. It is the kind of weather that makes you say BLAH, not know whether to wear a waterproof coat or a woolen one, and in the end just stay home. I’ve been busy with another solo parenting adventure, and am in the midst of a 10 day stint this time. As such, I have vowed not to do “too much” apart from eat, sleep, and clean… myself, my daughter and the house. So far, the house seems to be getting the most attention. At times like these, when I have less time for lengthy written posts on photography, I will instead share a collection of images with brief descriptions, and embrace wherever my tangents might go. Enjoy!
I enjoyed my first visit to the city of Thun (pronounced toon) a million years ago, last May. It was truly a gorgeous spring day with bluebird skies, the sun shining on the water and warming our backs, as we took a leisurely ferry ride after a museum visit.
I was in Thun with a group of friends connected to Sinokultur, where I’m also a member. My friend, Tina leads the most incredible—rich, diverse, inspiring, thoughtful—art tours, salons and other cultural events. They are held mostly in Zürich but increasingly in other parts of Switzerland and beyond. It’s a great organization, and if you’re local, check it out.
On this trip, we visited the beautiful Kunstmuseum Thun for a private tour with the director of the museum and two artists whose work was being shown. As we walked through the galleries, the artists talked about the works, their influences and backgrounds, and answered all of our questions. It was such an extraordinary way to appreciate and understand the artworks more deeply, and a much richer museum experience overall. I left feeling thoroughly inspired.
Afterward, we took a ferry on the Thunersee to Tina’s family home, directly on the water, for an apero where the artists joined us for more conversation and connection.The artists we spent time with are Angela Lyn and Rebekka Steiger. Each one quite talented, yet with very different styles and also at different stages in their careers. I was really struck by Rebekka’s use of color, her scale, and the way she handled paint. And I was really taken with the way Angela could create a mood and strong sense of emotion in her works, and how she wove her own history through each piece.
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Thun is particularly beautiful, because it is situated around a substantial lake, which lies cozily right up next to the mountains. Yet, its small size makes it very approachable, quaint and completely charming. That day, it honestly struck me as so preposterously picturesque and idyllic that I almost felt like hidden people were going to scurry out of the bushes and pull back a curtain to reveal that I was, in fact, on a ride at Disneyland.
Living in Switzerland, there are moments when I suddenly get this Golly Gee feeling and wonder how can it be so beautiful and majestic? And is it even fair the the rest of the world? Even taking into account how expensive everything is, Switzerland does so much right, and is so extraordinarily stunning, that there are times when I am sat in awe of it.
In fact, Conde Nast Traveler recently did a story on this. But I want you to know that I wrote this post before it was published. Apparently Switzerland has this effect on people. The super talented photographer for this story is a friend I met through Steven (below), Jonathan Ducrest, who you should check out.
What really strikes me lately about Switzerland as a whole, as a contrast to other countries, is how they approach urban growth and development. Or the lack of it. Here, the astounding natural beauty is not only celebrated, but it is almost always available to everyone. There are big cities and smaller cities and villages. In between, there is nature. In cities, walking and public transportation is favored over cars in a huge way. Because of this, there are ample places for the public to enjoy the natural landscape, be it mountains or lakes or forests.
Thun is great example of the Swiss priorities of sustainability, preservation of green spaces and accessibility. There are pristine, landscaped walking paths all along the waterfront combined with ample public transportation that is clean, efficient, and effortless. There are views for miles and developments never seem to obstruct what Switzerland prizes so dearly—it’s natural beauty.
I really look forward to getting back to Thun, again so I can explore it further.
Thanks for reading!
Haven't of Thun before. thanks for sharing. Those photos are stunning!!
I've only visited Switzerland in Winter; your photos are making me want to visit in the warmer weather!
Thank you Kassie for the beautiful report about Thun ! You really do it justice. It is my favorite place in the world and I am very thankful to be able to live here.