Eigentlech hätti scho lang is Bett söue … Aber de hani hie avo läse … Und de isch es nach de Öufi gsi, de hani dänkt: Chasch grad ufblybe und en erschte Text grad nach Mitternacht schrybe! De cha emu de niemer säge, d Bärnerinne sige langsam!
– In case you didn’t understand one word:
This is one of many swiss dialects and my mother tongue.
What it says:
My usual bed time would have been much earlier … but then I started reading this blog. And suddenly, it was past eleven, so I thought: You could stay up and post a first text right after midnight. Then, nobody can tease you about Bernese people being slow.
You see, we have this rivalry between the so called cantos (they’re like districts) – and the people from Berne, where I come from originally, are said to be very, very slow. To which we usually reply: We could be quicker – but we want the Zürcher (i.e the people from Zurich) to be able to catch up with us. Which makes me think that maybe, Leap Year Days are actually a Swiss Invention, like watches. It’s the Bernese who have introduced this extra day for the others to catch up! clever. eh?
Or, as the Bernese they:
Äbe!
Hello! I loved your post. I went to to Switzerland about 4 years ago taking some Girl guides to Adelboden. Such a beautiful country, lovely people and beautiful cows! Your public transport is a thing of great beauty in its time tabling so prompt so organised, so timely like a Swiss watch.
We visited Berne on our way home and enjoyed the city very much. Slow is good it means people have time for other peopsle, something that is often lacking in the UK. We are too busy and stressed. We need more mountains to look at and beautiful cows!
Gruss Gott! German I know but a sentiment I think you’ll understand.