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SWITZERLAND Spring 2000 (1)BIEL-BIENNEYverdon, Murten and Fribourg, Chateau d'Oex, Thun and Zurich Our KLM flight from Amsterdam to Zurich arrived 15 minutes early giving us plenty of time to make our connection to the 16:39 train to Biel-Bienne. We continue to use Rail Europe as our resource for European rail requirements. We would overnight in Biel-Bienne and be joined by our dear friend Fabio the next morning to motor to Yverdon-Les-Bains where Fabio's wife, Cornelia, would join us for a weekend of thermal bathing and touring. Biel (Bienne in French) is a delightful town on Lake Neuchatel in the French part of Switzerland. You might like to read about our last visit to Biel, which includes detail about the town. It was a few minutes walk from the Bahnhof up Bahnhofstrasse to #14, the Hotel Elite. This is a perfect location for easily touring from the beautiful lakefront to the old town and everything in-between. The hotel had recently been renovated and only the lobby area needed to be completed. The soft yellow and rich blue color scheme is carried throughout, as well the fine wood and steel furniture and trim. Our large room was divided into a sitting room and bedroom by a two-pillared bar with a swivel T.V. on top. The floor-to-ceiling windows and door, draped in an attractive blue/yellow fabric, opened to a large balcony with a terrific mountain view. The sitting area was furnished with a sofa, two chairs, a desk and a table and the soft yellow walls were accented with black and white framed photos. One of the nice extras was two firm benches for luggage; we've so often wondered why hotels normally provide just one. The twin beds were firm with lovely coverings and the pillows were not only fluffy but two extras were supplied, without us having to ask. Smoked glass doors led to the two tiled bathrooms, one with bath/shower and double sinks and the other with a toilet and sink. The receptionist recommended the Trattoria Italia, Spitalstrasse 26, just a few blocks from the hotel alongside the canal that runs through the city. It was a bit too cool to consider having our meal outside on the pleasant porch so we sat inside in the mostly pink dining room where there's also a large bar surrounded by comfortable seating. Paintings of Italy with a seaside theme decorate the walls and there are pretty plants throughout the restaurant. For dinner we shared three selections from the menu - a tomato and onion salad, spaghetti with garlic, olive oil and hot peppers and a pizza with tomato, mozzarella, arugula and parmesan - basic choices, but well done and most enjoyable.
Chez Tony et Dominique looked attractive and Fabio whipped into the parking area. We were greeted by Tony himself and led to a table in the very busy, large, Italian-feeling dining room. Linda and Fabio had the lunch special, farfalle with smoked salmon in cream sauce, which they enjoyed. I discovered that calzones are not their strong point but the Swiss beer, Boxer Premium, was delicious. The Castle, sitting high nearby the lake, dominates the town. The tour of the castle is comprehensive, interesting and fun. Some of the highlights are the Knight's Hall, the furnished rooms, the fencing school and the banquet hall that leads to the major attraction, the Old Timer Car Museum.
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