Awake at 9:00 - done posting by 11:30 - up to date yeah! The door hits our back as we head out into the sunshine - there isn’t a cloud in the sky and no plans of any arriving - it’s lunchtime and we still haven’t eaten so we are really hungry. Entering the old town's streets we are on the hunt for food. There is a popular Taco joint that is packed with people (I’m not sure how you can call a panini a taco, but okay). It’s hot and crowded inside the tiny store and we are having trouble figuring out what to order - too many options. Back on the street we find a slower paced bar with a "plat du jour" - half a chicken, salad and fried potatoes. We split the plate and wash it down with a beer. Nice start.
The goal is the #3 bus to take us downhill to Lausanne de la Gare (the train station) because there is a Salt store where we can purchase a SIM card for Switzerland. We are addicted to google maps for easy travel. They charge us only 10 Swiss Francs for unlimited data. One catch, it takes an hour for the system to recognize the card. We will wait.
The #2 metro train takes us to Ouchy - the lakefront. Our camera's are clicking away and the weather is superb. Sunny and mid-80’s works just fine. After sitting at the lakefront for an hour (the SIM is alive) we get the idea to take a train ride to Chateau de Chillon, a medieval castle on the outskirts of Montreux. It closes at 18:00 so we need to go. The metro takes us back up hill to the train station where there is a great information desk. We learn the train we want leaves at 15:00 from track 3 so we quickly buy tickets - six zones - in a hurry - are we doing the right thing?? We have six minutes to get to the track. Upon arrival at track 3 we turn around to see a train farther down the platform - we run and jump on. We were not sure it was the correct train as it starts moving but a nice woman let’s us know we are fine - we strike up a conversation until her stop whisks her away. It became apparent almost immediately after arrival in Switzerland that the Swiss are friendly people - most kids greet us with a “bon jour” as we casually pass by them or enter the same store or tram.
In Montreux we need to take a city bus to the castle. Monique learns it is the #201 and leads us - she sees the signs as I am trying to ask a train employee for help. So I turn and follow. We find the bus ticket machine - the machine spits out the tickets and we guess the bus stop. We are correct.
The bus drops us off right in front of the castle. We get the audio guide and follow the planned route. The aristocratic Savoy family enlarged the Chateau to its current state in the 13th century. From the outside, the castle has looked pretty much the same for 800 years. It was built on a rocky island and has a unique organic shape that combines a fortress (on the land side) and a residence (on the lake side). The Chateau has never been damaged or destroyed and has been maintained so it seems like it is frozen in time.
We take a direct train back - a key bit of knowlege we learned from the woman we talked to on the train out. Google maps directs us to the small train station back to Lausanne. On the ride back we decide to have dinner in Ouchy and pick a place with a great view. Italian again but we are ok with it as we watch the sun set. We walk back up the hill to our hotel location and miss the #3 bus we want so we start walking to the next stop. There was a couple from Italy dragging their bags and they look lost. They do not speak English and we do not speak Italian. We try anyway to help and it turns out they are going to the same hotel as us. They are unsure but we convince them to get on the bus with us. Dave makes a sign of zero money and follow me - it's ok - normale. We take a ride up the steep hill. Three stops and we get out. Right at the side of the hotel. They thank us and we leave them in the lobby. Upstairs we get deep into planning our next couple of moves. Back into France and then on to Barcelona.
What a cool idea - utilizing the ceiling space for an art piece. This tribute to the Olympic Capital can be found at the base of the metro stop at Ouchy. In 1915, Baron Pierre de Coubertin chose Lausanne to establish the headquarters of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). He moved to the shores of Lake Geneva where he found a more peaceful and stable environment in a time of war in Europe. In Lausanne, “the Olympic spirit will find an independent and proud atmosphere where reigns the pledge of freedom that it needs to progress”, declared the reviver of the modern Olympic Games at the time.
Let the games begin!
The promenade at Ouchy
Chillon Castle is the most medieval that we have seen so far, both inside and out - I’m thinking Game of Thrones.
Here in the castle prison you can see the rock on which the castle is built - dating back to the 11th century. In its current state it dates from the 13th century; the Gothic vaults are typical of this architectural period.
This prison owes its fame to Lord Byron who, in 1816 recounted the captivity of Francois Bonivard (1493-1570) in his poem “The Prisoner of Chillon.” On the wall you can see a plaque commemorating Lord Byron’s visit to the prison.
Aula Magna or Hall of Justice: In the Middle Ages the Savoys used this room as a reception, banquet or feasting hall. Here they received their vassals and dispensed justice. You can rent this room out for parties - how cool would that be!
They had a very large display of wooden trunks used to store the possessions of the Nobles as they moved around to their various castles. The smaller ones like this one were used to store their more valuable possessions and documents.
If you are brave enough to climb all the flights of very higgledy piggledy staircases (single file), you are rewarded with the amazing view at the top of the Keep - 25 meters tall.
Back at Ouchy to watch the sunset on beautiful Lake Geneva.