Day 20 Lausanne, Switzerland, August 18, 2007

After 2 days of clouds, it finally started clearing up as I was leaving the Jungfrau region of central Switzerland, and it was glorious! When I woke up and looked out my window this morning, I could see the top of the cable car lift that I took up for my first hike yesterday. I had no idea it was right there! I wanted some sunny pictures, and I finally got a few on the ride down the mountain. (left) It really is this glorious!

I thought it would be a pretty straightforward train ride to Lausanne. Once I took the 2 small trains to Interlaken, I would only have to change once in Bern. Wrong! Once again, they were working on tracks (washed out by rain, I think) so I was re-routed to Biel, which is even further out of the way, and got a train there for Lausanne. I almost missed the connection because my watch stopped. One of the info ladies I had talked to picked up on the fact that I should be hurrying to catch the train, but I was just sauntering away in the wrong direction. She chased me down and sent me running to the train!

A really cool thing happened in Bern: I saw a sign from the train that said OberZollikofen. I knew the Swiss temple is in Zollikofen, a suburb of Bern, so I started looking wildly in all directions, and I spotted it from the train! I did not see the whole temple, just the spire and angel Moroni, but it was enough. I had wanted to see it, but thought there was no chance.

I got to Lausanne about 2:30, got directions from the tourist info, took a streetcar, and found my hotel. Lausanne sits on a hill and the whole town slopes down to Lake Geneva. The lake is lovely. It's on the border between France and Switzerland, so now I am trying to remember my French again. It's really hard, because I keep sticking German and Italian words in, and not so many people here speak English. Lausanne is the permanent home of the Olympic Committee, so it's a really international city.

I thought I ought to see the cathedral, so I went. I found it typical of cathedrals built in the French Gothic style around the year 1300. Maybe I'm getting jaded. Anyway, I also saw on the map something called "Chateau" so I walked uphill a few blocks and found it. It was really cool looking, with a round tower on each corner. I could not get in, though, because it is still being used as county offices. There were pictures of what it looked like in the 1300's, 1500's, 1700's etc. It's hard for Americans to comprehend that if you build something sturdily enough, it might still be around in 700 years!

I could not figure out the map, with all the winding little streets, so I just walked downhill, consoled myself with a pastry in a chocolate shop, and collected my thoughts. I finally found my way back to the station, and took a bus for only one stop because I was so tired.

I had an exciting afternoon doing laundry in a little laundromat. It really was exciting, because I did not have to wash in my room. I didn't have to roll it in a towel and stomp on it to get it almost dry, and then hang it for 2 days until it dries out!

I was not really impressed with the hotel. It's older, but has sort of been renovated. My room is on the 4th (American 5th) floor. The hall was dim and the light bulb was dangling from it's wires, and I could hardly see to get my key in the lock.

Then I opened the door to my room, and all was forgiven! It's small, but new looking, with a complete view of the lake! The tall french doors were open and the sheers blew gently and the view was to die for! It has the tiniest balcony. (view from the balcony, left) So what if the hall is dark and reception area needs help! This computer is in the day room, which is being used as a storage room; so it's stuffed with sheetrock and furniture piled on top of each other. Who cares? The room is wonderful!

The hotel has 2 bikes to loan. When I got back from the laundry, the bikes were back, so I got one and went for the most beautiful ride down by the lake. Lausanne has a large park area all along the lake, with a "promenade" beside the shore through the grass and trees, with a couple of marinas and swimming areas with ducks and swans. It was suppertime, and groups of people had set up picnics and others brought hibachis and were cooking. Lots of people strolled, some kids rode scooters or rollerblades. (nobody skateboards) For two hours I pedaled along the lake. The light was perfect and the air was warm, and it was wonderful. I must have gone at least five miles. I had to miss the pedestrians, but the path was wide and paved, and I didn't hit anybody or fall, so I consider it a great sucess!

I also stopped for awhile to watch some international beach volleybal tournament. The players were really good. When I went past the first time, very athletic women in skimpy bathing suit-type uniforms were playing. I'd seen adverts for it. When I came back, I stopped to watch the Swiss team defeat Canada. Next was Brazil versus Canada. It was in an arena along the path, about the size of a small rodeo arena.

I have seen so many wonderful things on this trip, and I have loved them all, but I'm learning a lesson. I enjoy the parks and the bike rides and the scenery and the people more than the "must-see" sights. So much better that monuments and cathedrals! There's a good lesson in that for my tours for next year. People come to Europe to see the sights, but let's break it up with a bike ride or a stroll in the park.

For supper at 9:00 I had a dish of some strange but good soup in the Indian restaurant across the street. I was the only customer in the place. They only serve their specials for lunch, so that must be when they have customers. The soup was supposed to be spicy red lentil soup, but there were no lentils in it. It was a clear broth with what I think were some kind of rehydrated peppers and mushrooms, plus fresh chives and tomatoes. It was really good.

Time to quit for the night . . .