Even though Switzerland has been visited numerous times a visit to Bern, the capital city, has eluded me until now. Being just an hour from Lucerne by train it was an easy trip to make and the central station places you right at the head of the historic Marktgasse that is the main thoroughfare of the old city area. This street is wide and on both sides there are vaulted walkways housing all of the shops and café's. At the far end of Marktgasse is the Zytgloggeturm clock tower which then marks the beginning of Kramgasse that leads to the river and the 'Bear Pit' that houses three bears that have become the symbol of the city. The original pit is fairly small however today the bears have a wide area of embankment with pleasant views of the river - I am sure they are much happier now than in the past. Close to the bears we were able to partake of of special midday menu (just CHF 21.50 or £15.50) that gave us a green salad to start, a decent portion of beef goulash served up on a potato rosti, bread and half a litre of water each. Compared to many places we have eaten at in Switzerland this was a bargain and at a good quality restaurant, not a cheap imbiss/take-away type of shack. Admittedly the additional glass of wine and a beer helped inflate the final bill, but it was certainly was a very good call for lunch. With a walk along the river after lunch we found time to visit the Botanical Gardens - which were just about OK (we have seen far better - most notably in Singapore) but filled the time before we headed back to the station for a train to Neuchâtel. Neuchâtel was just a 35 minute hop on a BLS train from Bern, a place that had not made it onto the itinerary initially but a chance snippet if an overheard conversation suggested it was a nice place - and it was. With a lakeside setting, Neuchâtel sits in the French speaking part of Switzerland and that was obvious from the moment you stepped from the station following the signs to 'Centre Ville'. After a brief walk along the lake, a refreshing drink and a wander around the old town area it was time to catch the 1827 SBB train back to Lucerne via Olten. It was interesting that not one German language sign was to be seen in Neuchâtel so that made it easier to know which language to go for when making an order for drinks overlooking the lake - in other parts of Switzerland a combination of German/French and English (with the odd bit of Italian or Romansch) seems to be the order of the day. In fact in some places the languages seem to be interchangeable in the same sentence . . . . . so, "Ciao, Güten Jour, and Merci Schön" to you all.