“wede di wosch la tribe muesch zersch losla” If you want to drift, you must let go first

A summer day in Bern
Indulging life in Marzili and Eichholz

The sun shines on my back, the blades of grass glide through my fingers, around me the spoken words mix to a background noise that makes me sleepy. The conversations lose their meaning, the words no longer have any meaning, everything combines to a hum. The sounds of people, the sounds of nature – everything becomes one. I enjoy this feeling and let it affect me. The wind gently blows over the lawn and chases a slight shiver on my back. It’s summer in Bern and 30° after university we went to our outdoor pool, the Marzili, it has been around forever and many generations before us, unforgettable stories were written there. Besides the humming there is the rushing of the river, the Aare – our Bernese river. It circles the old town of Bern, but it has so much to offer. Its banks are a popular recreational area for walkers, cyclists and certainly dogs. In summer the Aare is full of swimmers and rubber dinghies (where dogs are also welcome), bungee surfing is possible in some places and the slackliners like to pull their lines across the river. As children we threw bottle message into the Aare and hoped we get an answer. In recent years there have also been more and more stand up paddlers and canoeists on the Aare. Since the Aare is so important for us, there is an app “The Aareguru” which is the holy bible of the Bernese people. On it you can find the current water temperature and useful tips, of course everything in Berndeutsch (This is the Swiss German accent we speak in Bern).

It’s getting hotter and hotter, we get up and start our walk from Marzili to Eichholz. It’s time for an “Aareschwumm” but before you can throw yourself into the well-deserved floods of the cold river, you have to walk 15 minutes on foot and in bathing suits along the Aare to then drift all the way back. The classic route takes you with all the other Bernese people who are on their feet in summer from the Marzili outdoor pool by foot to Camping Eichholz. At Eichholz, some people are already barbecuing and enjoying their food, others are playing volleyball, others are playing frisbee or football. Some campers can also be found in the campsite right next to the wood, watching the hustle and bustle with big eyes. Arrived at the Eichholz we walk over the stones and already stand with our feet in the Aare. The water is clear and cold, it offers a wonderful cooling on this hot summer day. Again, and again red, yellow, green and blue rubber dinghies pass by next to us, followed by unicorns and flamingos. A colorful play of colors prevails on the river. Waiting for the perfect opportunity and getting used to the cold of the water we wade further into the river until we are almost carried away by the current. The foremost person in our group calls “now” and we all jump into the river at the same time. Head underwater and emerge from the cool water. The first minutes are still cold, but then we get used to the water temperature. On the left side we see the bathers, who are all on their way to the Eichholz and are already looking forward to their cooling down. The air is filled with laughter and words. The sun throws its rays onto the water and makes the surface glitter, which changes the color of the water again and again. On the right side the zoo Dählhölzli begins to appear. The river drives us past the wild boar and ibex enclosures, followed by the water enclosures where otters and pelicans cavort. We are only separated from them by a small grid, because they also bathe in the water of the Aare. The journey continues, past the restaurant of the zoo and the playground with the laughing children running wildly in confusion. Then the zoo disappears behind the trees that are at the roadside. We drift on and on – diving down again and again and enjoying the cold of the water. Next, we drift under a bridge, the Schönausteg, which is the spot to dare daring jumps into the Aare. The coordination between the swimmers in the Aare and the bridge jumpers is mostly regulated by loud shouting. It splashes and behind us a boy has landed in the water with a somersault, the water splashes up on all sides and his head emerges with a radiant smile from the floods. After the bridge there is a wonderful view to the Bundeshaus (seat of government) and the terrace in front of it, also the green dome glitters in the sun. It is rumored among the Bernese that in the past bathing costumes on the balcony of the Bundeshaus were dry. Because everyone on the Aare is the same, whether they are students, politicians, senior citizens, professionals or families – everybody is swimming there.

Every year thousands of people swim in the Aare, but you can not only swim there, but also take a rubber boat from Thun to Bern. In Switzerland we call the “Bööötle” it is one of the most beautiful moments of the year. One spends three hours driving from Thun to Bern. You sit in the boat and jump into the water over and over, listen to music, talk and drink of course a “Bärner Müntschi”, that is a Bernese beer.

I think nowhere else in the world is urban swimming so strongly anchored as in Bern, have you ever seen people walking through the city dressed only in bikinis or people waiting for the bus outside your front door dressed only in swimming trunks? In Bern, this is actually normal in summer, the whole city enjoys its favorite pastime and cools down in the Aare – it has therefore become a tradition.

This can already be seen in everyday conversations as soon as the sun’s rays get warmer and summer approaches, the first one’s venture into the Aare. This opens the bathing season and the Aare officially becomes part of the Small Talk. It is asked who was already in the Aare this season, how cold it is, where you went in. Then old stories are told about cramps during the Aare boom, about whirling, vortices and almost-no-more-coming out. Finally, there is planning, when you jump into the river together and at best if you do so spontaneously – in summer, having your bathing suit with you is always a must.

The Aare belongs to Bern and there is no summer when you don’t dare to swing into the water, but I don’t want to give you the wrong impression. The Aare is a river – a force of nature that also costs people their lives every year. You shouldn’t just climb into the river without thinking about it, if you don’t know it and definitely don’t go alone in the river.

For me, the Aare is a special place, it not only contributes to the unique character of Bern. It is also a link between people, everyone goes into the Aare and the Aare finds everyone together. In summer it becomes a meeting place and, on its banks, unforgettable stories are written. It is so important for Bernese people that there is not only an app, but also a drink dedicated to our river. The “Aarewasser” (Aare water) consists of vodka, blue curaçao, rose’s lime, soda and a secret ingredient, mix everything vigorously and “Proscht” (Cheers). The turquoise blue color matches the Aare – who wants to drink the original on the banks of the Aare should definitely visit this unique city in summer.

Clip from Bern Tourism about the Aare: