Switzerland Day 6

In the morning we drove back to Lausanne. The weather was good again, so we could admire the beautiful landscape this time. These photos are just snapped from the car, as we didn't have time to stop.




(this one taken by Miles)

After dropping Miles off at the university, I went back to Lake Geneva and surroundings.









When we got to the airport, we found out that our flight had been cancelled and we had to wait until the next flight, which was five hours later just before midnight. So we had to kill hours at the airport. Ugh, oh well - the trip had been perfect until then! Luckily we found Montreux Jazz Café where they had comfortable sofa to sit on, at least. And we could have drinks and food while waiting. But it was boring and annoying nevertheless, as it always is at airports.









With the right person marketing them, I bet I could sell those photos for thousands! ;-)

And then, finally - finally! Head for the gate. The airport was almost empty, and our flight was the last one out that day.

Switzerland Day 5

Nothing much to report today. Rained all day. Picked up Miles from work and drove 187 km to Bubendorf to meet my friend Fränzi. Due to the weather didn't see much in the way of scenery, so we amused ourselves by laughing at some of the place names we came across along the way. Gland was a place near Lausanne in the French speaking part of Switzerland, and here's our candidate for the best place name in the German speaking part:


(photo taken by Miles while I was driving)

Fränzi was my best fellow exchange student friend during my year in Japan in 1987-88. We used to have a good laugh together (not uncommonly making good-natured fun of the Japanese) and we shared our frustrations with Japan and its culture, as well as our love of it. We have remained good friends ever since, even though we don't meet or even keep in touch that often. Here I'm with Fränzi and her husband Urs, making a standard Japanese "Cheezu!" pose (after reminiscing our exchange student year in Japan).

Switzerland Day 4

In the morning I drove Miles to work at EPFL and on the way back stopped to have a look at Lake Geneva.



It happened to be a place called The Pelican Beach.



I drove to Parc aux biches in search of Sauvabelin Tower, but all I found was some birds and pigs.





The pigs were very cute. Reminded me of Zebedee, whom I'm missing a lot.



This photo just had to be taken.



I kept walking around in Sauvabelin Woods back and forth round in circles but still I couldn't find the damned tower. It was a very pleasant walk in the beautiful woods, nevertheless.



After Miles got back from work, we started walking towards Lausanne Old Town.





Graffiti? In Switzerland?! Scandalous!









The day ended with a splendid cheese fondue and plenty of wine. Heaven.

Switzerland Day 3

Today was even sunnier and warmer than yesterday! (Apparently, in England they are having dreadful weather. Ha.)



We started walking along the lakeside promenade in search of a ferry stop. And admired the pretty Swiss houses and their gardens along the way.





We found the ferry pier just in time for the next ferry!



We decided to sail to Interlaken and back on the steam ferry that operates between various towns and villages around the lake. First stop was at Giessbach, which means that we saw the falls again - this time from the lake level.



There were about seven stops before Interlaken, so we saw various places...









....and people.







Finally we approached Interlaken which is a very popular tourist town set in the middle of the two lakes of Thun and Brienz.



But we weren't going to get off the boat. We sat down at the boat restaurant to have lunch on the way back to Brienz. We'd worked out from the boat and train timetables that if we went straight back, we'd arrive in Brienz a few minutes before the last but one mountain train leaves for Rothorn, so that's what we decided to do.



I'd been on a mountain train once before in 1995 when I visited my friend Fränzi in Vitznau, so I knew what to expect. Well, kind of. The beginning of the journey was what I expected: gentle ascend, nice views...





...but this train just kept climbing and climbing...



It felt more like a roller coaster than a train.



And so we got higher....



...and higher...


(there is another train in the middle of this picture - click for bigger version)

...and higher...






We kept ooo'ing and ahhh'ing at the view the higher we got: when we saw a glimpse of the lake below, when we saw the first snow top mountains in the distance, etc. The photos don't do the feeling justice. (Click on the photos for bigger versions - it helps a bit.)



And finally we got to the top!



We were at about 2350 m (7710 ft). The view from there was breathtaking.



Not sure why my polariser makes the sky more magenta colour... Must investigate.







(Someone has actually uploaded a video of this railway on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDWl_SUGmiE)

As I had the long lens with me I used it to get a closer look at one of the snow tops.



We only had about 15 minutes at the top before we had to catch the last train back to lake level.





And then it was time to drive to Lausanne!