On our way back to Saint Jean de Losne, we decided to go through Bern (just a slight detour) so that we could catch up with Rita's Mum. We arrived before lunch and spent a little time with her before she went to join her friends in the nursing home for lunch. Since it was such a hot day, Rita decided that she would like to go for a swim in the Aare River. So we drove down to the river, only to find the parking lot absolutely full. So we parked a little illegally, and Rita headed for the water, while I waited onshore to take photos. Soon enough, she floated past with the flow. You can see here how fast it flows!

Following soon after her were a plethora of swimmers and boats of various shapes and sizes, all trying to escape the heat.

After lunch, we went back to talk with Mutti for a while, before heading off in late afternoon to find our accommodation for the night at Gasthof zum Hirschen in nearby Almendingen. It was a classic old Swiss Hotel/Guesthouse, with good sized rooms and a traditional hanging sign above the front door.

In the evening, we were invited to dinner with Rita's brother Frank and his wife Annette, and spent a lovely evening on their balcony in the cooling temperatures, as we watched a thunderstorm building up in the Alps.