Robert
& Jan Davies
with Anne & Roger Lyas
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Neuchatel
was one of only a few cities permitted to have its own army.
A statue marks the old city gateway in honour of the guard.
His stockings, right leg green and left leg red, were to reflect
the colours of the ruling family's Coat of Arms. Not a mariner's
reminder, red right for port and green left for starboard!
A fine house, once the home of a rich merchant of the city and
now a restaurant, has this unusual set of windows. The story tells
that the merchant had built a window
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for each of his children. The late arrival of a seventh child
required building changes after the original plans had been made!
The church within the castle walls has its roof adorned with tiles,
again in green and red, which look resplendent against the mellow
yellow stone extracted from the Jura mountains.
This stone had been used extensively to construct the city buildings
and fortifications. Indeed it was said in times
gone by that Neuchatel was built from golden butter, such is the
warm glow from the city in summer evenings. With two castle visits
in a day and with the weather hot and sultry, a final refresment
stop was provided (and needed) before moving towards evening dinner.
A final visit to a wine cellar and soon that wonderful mellow
feeling just melted away the toils of the day. Finally relaxed
after a well planned
day, on
Swiss military precision timing (not BIBOA timing), which included
an early morning brief and a full tourist programme.
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