Cheese and Castles (and glaciers)

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Writing from the fourth country of the trip (England, Ireland, Switzerland, now France). I'm actually just across the Swiss border in a mountain town called Chamonix; I didn't have to show my passport to get here and everyone speaks French just like in Switzerland so it really doesn't feel too different. Up in the mountains, you can see into three countries (the aforementioned plus Italy). While it's in the mid-50s down in the valley, it's in the teens and twenties on the eternally snowcapped mountaintops. I got rained on again walking to my hostel from the train depot in Chamonix (helped rinse some of the mud out of my jeans, ha) and it's raining lightly tonight but it was sunny during the day for gorgeous views of the mountains. It's still early for summer season up here so not all the trams, lifts, and trails are open, so I was able to take all two that are open in the same day. The first, the Aiguille du Midi, was a series of gondola lifts that ascends 2700 meters; at a height of 3842 meters (12,600 ft), it's the highest lift in the Alps. Mont Blanc is on one side at the top, and the other looks out toward the Chamonix needle peaks (pictured). It's ski season all year up here, and a few true daredevils rode the lifts up and launched off the granite precipice at the top. Over the course of my time at the top, the clouds came in and the tourists thickened, so I was definitely there at the right time. I rode the lift back down and took a tram up to the Mar de Glace (literally Sea of Ice), the French Alp's longest glacier. As it is currently retreating, it really looked more like a huge riverbed running through the mountains since the top layer of ice is covered in rocks and debris that it picked up during its advance. I wasn't able to get out on top of the glacier, but I hiked back down to the bottom alongside it for most of the way. Overall, it was a truly spectacular day of alpine hiking and I'm looking forward to exploring other parts of the valley tomorrow.

Prior to Chamonix, though, I was in Switzerland working my way along the shore of Lake Leman . I started in Geneva proper, and spent the day wandering the city, visiting its numerous parks, and taking a tour of the UN European headquarters (pictured). The UN complex was really impressive, with the original building dating back to the original League of Nations and some important goings-on like the International Conference on Human Rights while we were there. I then trained east along the lake to Vevey. Vevey and Montreaux (my location the next day) are cities in the Swiss Riviera, meaning that they're small, tourism-centered towns that cling between the lake and the mountains behind them. It was clear my first evening in Vevey, so I could see across Lake Laman to the snow-covered French Alps that frame the lake; the water is also remarkably clear. It was raining the next day in Vevey, so I wandered through two great, quirky museums: the Alimentarium Food Museum and the Swiss Museum of Games. I learned things ranging from how the first chocolate bar was created (in Switzerland--Nestle's headquarters is in Vevey) to when playing cards became popular in Europe; Trivial Pursuit, here I come. In Montreux, I visited the Chateau de Chillon. It's a castle located on island at the end of the lake, and its beauty and history have inspired numerous writers including Byron, Dumas, and Hemingway. Originally built by the House of Savoy in the 12th century to control East-West trade through Europe, it subsequently served as a prison and palace under the Bernese in the 15th century. It was remarkable how well-fortified the castle was, with the walls and moat, numerous inner courtyards, and a layout strategically designed for defense. The castle sanitary system was also interesting (the audio guide was quick to point out that hygiene was prevalent in the Medieval period, contrary to popular belief). Eager to get away from the hordes of Chinese tourists, I hiked up into the mountains outside Montreaux in the afternoon; I almost made it to the top of Rochers de Naye before some unmelted snow forced me to bail out on the tram early. A combination train-bus-train ride (since the tracks were under construction) brought me into Chamonix yesterday afternoon.

I had the best cheese fondue (fondue de fromage) of my life in Montreaux--sorry Melting Pot. Fun fact, the Swiss don't use the Euro so I've also encountered 4 currencies on this trip (dollars, British pounds, Euros, and Swiss Francs). $1=1.1 Swiss Francs, so that makes things easier. Since being in Switzerland the vernacular language is also no longer English, so I've had some spectacular failings at French pronunciation. On the topic of language, here is a list of my favorite Irish phraseology that I move should be incorporated into American English:

Half six, etc. (6:30)

How's the crack?/The crack's amazing (How's it going?/It's going well)

Thanks a million (Thanks very much )

A soft day (when it's humid or raining outside; basically everyday)

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Photos

French Alps
View from the top of the Aiguille du Midi (3842m)

Chamonix Valley
Off the right side of Mont Blanc, looking down the valley as the clouds roll in

Mar de Glace
Shameful selfie

Jet d'Eau
It once was the result of a pressure release valve from a power plant, but now it's just decorative.

UN EU HQ
Largest conference room in UN. Fun fact-they reconfigure the room depending on if the session is being held in French or English (different alphabetical order of countries to determine seating)

Castel de Chillon
Great shot down the lake from my hostel.

Comments

[D MJ Binkley]

Swtizerland and France
We've been to France and love it. Switzerland is still on our list. You make it look wonderful.

[AdventureswithEvan]

I highly recommend Switzerland (it was one of the top two countries on my trip). Part of the appeal is its amazing diversity--between world-class cities and stunning scenery, the 3 unique linguistic and cultural regions, and both high altitude and low altitude experiences. It's definitely not the cheapest country to visit, but it helps that the exchange rate is much more favorable than the Euro!

[D MJ Binkley]

Alps
Stunning!