I suppose you suspect that I got the title from finding Nemo and the answer is yes, but that is where the similarity ends.
Marlis is a wonderful Swiss woman who along with her husband spent many years as a volunteer family hosting teenagers registered in an international exchange program from countries as far removed as the United States to Zimbabwe Thailand, south Africa and of course Jamaica
Although we had only visited Switzerland once and very briefly too, my young daughter had been overwhelmed by the beauty of the country and when she got an opportunity to go on the one year high school exchange program ( a few decades ago) Switzerland was her first choice. That was how she met Marlis who became more than a mother to her, not only in looking after her welfare for a year, but teaching her great things including (horror of horrors) jumping out of a plane in the sport of sky diving.
Among Marlis' other interesting attributes too was her hobby, training dogs to rescue injured people and take them to safety.
For decades therefore I have heard about Marlis and what a wonderful person she is, so when we recently decided do go to Europe for a vacation, visiting Marlis became a must and it turned out to be a great decision.
To get to Solothurn from Venice we took a train to Milan, then Milan to Zurich then another to the final destination.
Actually, I have never traveled by train in Europe before and believe me it is a wonderful experience which I hope to repeat time and time again, due to the sheer efficiency of the integrated system. Also, the landscape was absolutely breathtaking in parts, what with the numerous well kept vineyards and mountains from Venice to Milan.
However, I now wonder if it is possible to travel through Italy without some mafia influenced person trying to take advantage of you.
We had an interesting experience as we were about to board the train from Milan to Zurich. As I tried to put my quite bag on the train, a huge man (built like a bouncer) assisted me to lift it. I was a bit impressed by his "gentlemanlyness" but became overwhelmed when not only did he lift it in but took it down the corridor and stowed it in the luggage section. Then although he did not have on uniform, he did the same for the other two members of my party! It was only when he finished that the real motive became clear, for m,y son in law, thinking he was being generous, offered him a 3 euro tip, only to be menacingly told, he wanted 5!
Quite a shakedown.
Anyway, once started the journey to Zurich the incident was quickly forgotten as we started travelling through a series of pristine valleys that were absolutely to die for. It was as if we were forever accompanied by huge, calm blue lakes dotted with the sails of fun lovers on both sides of the rail and overpowered by the unending range of variegated mountains of different shades and sizes. It left me concluding that it is probably the sheer beauty of the Swiss landscape plus of course the famous Alps, which accounts for that country being such a popular tourism mecca, for from my perspective, it couldn't be the weather!
At Solothurn there was Marlis patiently waiting to take us to her small colorful hamlet (population 300) nearby where tastefully laid out agricultural fields with potatoes, sunflowers and vegetables beside the green pine treed mini forests, gives the place the look of a photograph that had been that had been photoshopped!
Not only is the area beautiful, but it is very central, only half hour from Bern (capital of Switzerland) and one could even see Matterhorn (in the Alps) clearly from there.
The hotel that she booked us at too was a homely 138 year old gem which had once been a farmhouse. The only possible drawback there was that it was right across the road from a church whose bell tolled from 8.45 to 9 am on a Sunday morning but then I have very little sympathy for people who like to lie around in bed!
What was interesting though is that although the bell tolled forever, the church remained closed (the Sunday we were there) for the Swiss, we were told, tend not be very religious people,which is probably why they are so peaceful, giving the country such a low crime rate! (Incidentally, the largest church in Switzerland was built in 1893 and is still in operation in Bern but more as a tourist attraction than a place of worship.) It is interesting also that although Switzerland has had both internal and external peace for years, they take no chances and since 1990 it was legislated that every house built must have a bunker!
Although the weather had deteriorated quite a bit since we got there, the next day Marlis and her friend Rene were early to take us on a tour of Bern (established in the 1700's) which is not only absolutely beautiful with its historic buildings but it is modern and orderly as well, to the point that from the main road, you can tell if the underground parking lots have space without having to bother to enter, as the flashing board outside has all the information you could need. (Boy don't they think of everything?)
Yup, Marlis turned out to be everything my daughter had been telling me for years thus meeting her brought a wonderful European tour to a magnificent and memorable end.
Also, after visiting Solothurn, Bern and Zurich this trip, I am reminded that Switzerland is still a charming place to visit, although socially, women seem to be still under the thumb of the men, for can you believe that up to 2014 there is still no law to guarantee equal pay for men and women who do the same job?. But then, I said the place is charming, not paradise on earth!
Memories.... A pictorial memorial of old Bern
JOAN WILLIAMS, moderator of Joan Williams on Line broadcast on POWER 106, describes herself as
an unapologetic addict to the Jamaican outdoors. A foundation member of FUN AND
THRILLS ADVENTURE CLUB, she explores the island at any given opportunity cycling, hiking or swimming with that
group, family, Jah 3 and anyone else who will have her. In 1995, she published
the popular TOUR JAMAICA and the 4th edition is now an ebook
available at;
Marlis is a wonderful Swiss woman who along with her husband spent many years as a volunteer family hosting teenagers registered in an international exchange program from countries as far removed as the United States to Zimbabwe Thailand, south Africa and of course Jamaica
Among Marlis' other interesting attributes too was her hobby, training dogs to rescue injured people and take them to safety.
For decades therefore I have heard about Marlis and what a wonderful person she is, so when we recently decided do go to Europe for a vacation, visiting Marlis became a must and it turned out to be a great decision.
To get to Solothurn from Venice we took a train to Milan, then Milan to Zurich then another to the final destination.
Actually, I have never traveled by train in Europe before and believe me it is a wonderful experience which I hope to repeat time and time again, due to the sheer efficiency of the integrated system. Also, the landscape was absolutely breathtaking in parts, what with the numerous well kept vineyards and mountains from Venice to Milan.
However, I now wonder if it is possible to travel through Italy without some mafia influenced person trying to take advantage of you.
We had an interesting experience as we were about to board the train from Milan to Zurich. As I tried to put my quite bag on the train, a huge man (built like a bouncer) assisted me to lift it. I was a bit impressed by his "gentlemanlyness" but became overwhelmed when not only did he lift it in but took it down the corridor and stowed it in the luggage section. Then although he did not have on uniform, he did the same for the other two members of my party! It was only when he finished that the real motive became clear, for m,y son in law, thinking he was being generous, offered him a 3 euro tip, only to be menacingly told, he wanted 5!
Quite a shakedown.
Anyway, once started the journey to Zurich the incident was quickly forgotten as we started travelling through a series of pristine valleys that were absolutely to die for. It was as if we were forever accompanied by huge, calm blue lakes dotted with the sails of fun lovers on both sides of the rail and overpowered by the unending range of variegated mountains of different shades and sizes. It left me concluding that it is probably the sheer beauty of the Swiss landscape plus of course the famous Alps, which accounts for that country being such a popular tourism mecca, for from my perspective, it couldn't be the weather!
At Solothurn there was Marlis patiently waiting to take us to her small colorful hamlet (population 300) nearby where tastefully laid out agricultural fields with potatoes, sunflowers and vegetables beside the green pine treed mini forests, gives the place the look of a photograph that had been that had been photoshopped!
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| A homely gem |
The hotel that she booked us at too was a homely 138 year old gem which had once been a farmhouse. The only possible drawback there was that it was right across the road from a church whose bell tolled from 8.45 to 9 am on a Sunday morning but then I have very little sympathy for people who like to lie around in bed!
 |
| The church across the street |
Although the weather had deteriorated quite a bit since we got there, the next day Marlis and her friend Rene were early to take us on a tour of Bern (established in the 1700's) which is not only absolutely beautiful with its historic buildings but it is modern and orderly as well, to the point that from the main road, you can tell if the underground parking lots have space without having to bother to enter, as the flashing board outside has all the information you could need. (Boy don't they think of everything?)
Yup, Marlis turned out to be everything my daughter had been telling me for years thus meeting her brought a wonderful European tour to a magnificent and memorable end.
Also, after visiting Solothurn, Bern and Zurich this trip, I am reminded that Switzerland is still a charming place to visit, although socially, women seem to be still under the thumb of the men, for can you believe that up to 2014 there is still no law to guarantee equal pay for men and women who do the same job?. But then, I said the place is charming, not paradise on earth!
Memories.... A pictorial memorial of old Bern
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| The steepest railway line in Europe is in Bern |
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| Old Bern with is cobble stoned streets |
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| View of a section of Bern from the parliament building |
Ps. Jasper died in September 2014. Walk good my friend. It was great knowing you.
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