Located on the Limmat River, southwest of Zurich–Bremgarten is a lovely Medieval town with towers, churches and timbered buildings. It has a different look and feel from other Swiss towns, perhaps because it was originally a Hapsburg market town. The cobbled streets are now pedestrian-only, providing a safe and relaxing stroll. The stores and restaurants are very local–a music store, tailor, cobbler, etc. and not at all contrived and touristy. We had lunch at the Hotel Stadthof which is located right on the river. It was too cold to eat outside, but the restaurant does have a terrace that overlooks the river and the old, covered bridge. We started with the Rueblicremesuppe (Carrot) which was the Tagesuppe. Delicious. I wanted something small so I ordered the Knoblibrot, which was a large garlic toast that rendered me socially unacceptable for the remainder of the day. Since it was quite tasty it was worth it. For the kids we found 2 playgrounds close to the town center. One was located near St. Nicolas church, the other was south along the river, just past a small aviary. Only 30 minutes from our town, Richterswil, it was an easy day adventure and well worth the drive.

It had a great sign posted for the toll costs of a day when it was booming with people and their animal crossing it. It smelled of musty wood. There was a family cemetery nearby, with a picture posted of its members, a sepia toned antique family portrait. There is a story there. I love to think of my ancestors and how life might have been for them. We have more means now to record our stories, to be remembered.

 Journals are a treasure for ourselves and future generations. Landmarks like this help me to remember there was a past intriguing and full of life and it is worth exploring. There is much genealogy finished in my family line and much to be done. I will pause, relive, and find out the mysteries and treasures of my past and for sure find it fulfilling.~

On the way, we stopped at a lovely old covered bridge.
Pennsylvania has 197 of them,  and this one is sort of nearby.

It looked so pretty with the fall foliage.  And it’s a working
bridge, open to traffic, built in 1842.

Next we stopped at an old inn for lunch.  My friend had pork and spaetzle with red cabbage, I had a salad with medium rare steak slices.  A nice treat!

We stopped one more time—couldn’t resist gazing long
distances over Pennsylvania farmland.  There was even a tractor
way, way in the distance cutting hay.

Then after hill and dale, and dale and hill, we got to the promised
Thrift Shop.  It is huge!  And like the Smithsonian, would take more
than a day to do!

When I walked in the first shop (there are several, you see) I saw an
older lady with a great spider on her head!  I asked her where she got it
and she told me her sister had given it to her.  I looked around and sure
enough, there was a look-alike lady across the room with a spider on HER head.  She kindly posed for a photo–

Ready for Halloween!

The next two hours (!) were spent “shopping”.  And what did I buy?

I bought some cute fabric,  . . .and buttons.