Bon Anniversaire Grand-mere!

It's my Grandma's birthday! Happy Birthday Grandma - hopefully you've received the package I sent you and if not, you will soon. Below is a birthday sign for you on the shores of Lake Geneva (known locally as Lake Leman).

And then some ducks wandered by...
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Lots of love and I'll see you soon!

Signs of Easter!

What does Easter look like in Switzerland? Kinda like this:

Easter bunnies in shop windows

Tulips

Chocolate ducks & rabbits

The traditional family set of Easter Bunny costumes...must be a European thing.

Trains Trains Trains!

Where's the train?

Waiting waiting waiting...

Here we are!

Montreux: The Swiss Riviera

After the Brocante on Friday, Maddie and I headed to Montreux, also known as the Swiss Riviera. It is the home of the famed Chateau of Chillon, a statue of Freddie Mercury, and as we were to find out, a collection of straw statues themed to the Disney film, Madagascar. It's actually a gloriously beautiful town which we were able to see in a variety of weather conditions, all one day.

(Above) We took the train, as usual. Montreux is South-East of Lausanne along Lake Leman.

(Above & Below) It was rainy and gray as we arrived which is probably what inspired us to have lunch at the White Horse Pub, a cosy if not touristy pub near the water front.

(Above & Below) As we waited for the weather to improve, Maddie made a phone call and I danced with a pack of Madagascar Lions.

(Above & Below) The next few photos are from the Chateau of Chillon. It dates back at least to the 1100's and has been added onto extensively since then. This was one of the more exciting tours as you can basically just wander around the whole fortress with very few limitations.

(Above) Oh look, a me-sized door!

(Above) You may remember Chillon (SHE-on) from the poem by Lord Byron, The Prisoner of Chillon. Byron wrote the poem in 1816 during a prolonged stay in the area. It's based on the true story of a Genevois monk named Francois de Bonivard who was imprisoned there in the 1530's for political reasons. Read my tribute post to the poem HERE.

(Above) The slit pictured above was intended for defensive purposes. According to the sign nearby, its shape lends itself to the well-known term, loophole.

(Above & Below) As we left, it was beginning to rain again and a thick mist was hanging low over the castle, which you can see above. We decided to walk back to the downtown area despite the weather but luckily, it began to get warmer and the sun came out.

(Above) Oh my gosh - it's Freddie Mercury! He lived in Montreux for many years before his death.

(Above) Another famous spot, the Gardens of Fairmont le Montreux Palace. It features statues of celebrities who have stayed in Montreux.

(Above) We headed to the high part of the city...

(Above)...to see St. Vincent's Church which is dedicated to the patron saint of wine-growing. Yes, that is a vineyard directly next to it.
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And then we headed home as it got dark.

In Chillon's dungeons deep and old

The Prisoner of Chillon

by Lord Byron
(1788-1824)

(Find the full text HERE)

And mine has been the fate of those
To whom the goodly earth and air
Are bann'd, and barr'd - forbidden fare;


There are seven pillars of Gothic mould,
In Chillon's dungeons deep and old,
There are seven columns, massy and grey,
Dim with a dull imprison'd ray,
A sunbeam which hath lost its way,


And through the crevice and the cleft
Of the thick wall is fallen and left;
Creeping o'er the floor so damp,
Like a marsh's meteor lamp:
And in each pillar there is a ring,
And in each ring there is a chain;


Lake Leman lies by Chillon's walls:
A thousand feet in depth below
Its massy waters meet and flow:


We heard it ripple night and day;
Sounding o'er our heads it knock'd;
And I have felt the winter's spray
Wash through the bars when winds were high
And wanton in the happy sky;


I had no thought, no feeling - none -
Among the stones I stood a stone,
And was, scare conscious what I wist,
As shrubless crags within the mist;
For all was blank, and bleak, and grey;


I saw the white-wall'd distant town,
And whiter sails go skimming down;
And then there was a little isle,
Which in my very face did smile,


My very chains and I grew friends
So much a long communion tends
To make us what we are: - even I
Regain'd my freedom with a sigh.

Bric a brac

It was Friday before Maddie and I made our way to the Brocante at Ouchy (as previously mentioned).

Shown above are Napoleon souvenirs. The 19th century curling irons (I think) are below.

(Above) While you could buy wine from the 1960's, another option would be the little cafe installed in the middle of the tent (Below).

It was relatively busy though the prices were much higher than would would be expected in the United States. Here are a few more pictures to give you a sense of what the inside was like:

Afternoon in Geneva

On Thursday, three friends and I ended up in Geneva for the afternoon where we mainly wandered around and enjoyed the sun. This means I have a bunch of pictures of the back streets of Geneva, but may have missed some of the more popular destinations. Still - it was an enjoyable day in good company.

(Above) The crest of Geneva features an eagle and a key.

(Above) As in any major European city, one can find street art...

(Above, outside the Jardin Anglais) ...and gaggles of tourists.

(Above) Some of the streets were wide and busy...

(Above) ...and featured eccentric street performers.

(Above) Others were quiet and winding.

(Above) It's an international city so many languages are spoken, even though Geneva is located in the French part of the country.

(Above) We didn't go inside this church but it looked interesting from the outside.

(Above) Okay, see the stream of water at the top? That's the famous jet d'eau. It's presence supposedly helps to relieve the pressure in the city's water pipe system.

(Above & Below) Took a stroll through the Parc des Bastions.

(Above) Geneva was the headquarters of John Calvin during the Protestant Reformation in the 1500's.

(Above & Below) As you may remember, Ouchy also has an outdoor chess set. But this park in Geneva had many more as well as a checkers set for the less strategy-minded.

(Above & Below) Geneva is notably the headquarters of the United Nations. Many buildings sported the flags of the country, their city, and the UN.

(Above & Below) We did go to the Red Cross Museum though. For many, that organization is also identified by a red crescent (croissant rouge).

(Above) One of the temporary exhibits was one of photographs, "Humanity in War: Photos from the Front since 1860". The oldest were from the American Civil War.