Being Here Requires Pinching Myself (5/11)


Wednesday evening, after returning from the Alimentarium, I decided to sit in the common area of the hostel to get some upcoming hostel reservations and do some blogging. In Vevey, I couldn’t get a single room; I had a bed in a women’s dormitory, which was why I thought those activities were better done in a common space.  At around 9:30 PM, I packed up the computer and went back to my room/the dorm, where I found three other women in bed and asleep, with the lights out. I hadn’t opened my suitcase or made my bed, and I still had my contacts in. Hmmm . . . I rifled through my stuff blind and got through all my bedtime tasks, probably awakening all three women in the process, and went to bed early. Surprisingly, I had a great sleep!
The next morning, I woke up at about 7:30 AM.  One woman was in the process of walking out of the room, and the other two left shortly thereafter.  Their schedules made me feel like a slacker!  But I packed up and found the closest place for le petit dejeuner. Then I took the bus to the Chateau de Chillon! (Anybody remember their English classes in high school? Lord Byron and “The Prisoner of Chillon”?) The trip along the Swiss Riviera took us through Montreux, where they have the annual jazz festival and where there is a big casino, and almost to Villeneuve, a trip of around 45 minutes.  The sun was shining and the mountains rose out of the lake, with snow still on the tops. It was almost too beautiful to tolerate! I don’t know how else to explain it. The beauty almost hurt!
On this route, there is a bus stop specifically for the castle!  I decided to get an audio guide – the castle gives out iPhones set up to give the tour.  You have to give them your passport or driver’s license while using the iPhone, which was fine with me. The iPhone worked really well – less clunky than other audio tours I’ve done.
The castle is amazing – built on a rock on the edge of Lake Geneva. Given the rock’s shape – kind of oval, the outside walls are in the shape of a ship. The beginning of the tour takes you to the “basement” where François Bonivard was held prisoner. It would have been pretty grim to be there for however long it was. I understand why Lord Byron was taken with the romanticism of it all. Then we moved through the various halls and rooms, which have been restored to how they looked in various eras of the castle’s use. I really enjoyed seeing the architecture, how the walls and ceilings had been restored, and the furniture.  The tour also makes it clear how important this location was, defensively. It was on the route through the Alps and would be a stopping place for any traveler, whether friend or foe. Given the different “families” who lived in the castle, and the purpose it served, I felt, once again, as if I were back in high school world history, this time learning the stuff rather than having it go in one ear and out the other. Among the highlights of the tour were the latrines (like out houses, but inside the “house”). In some castles, they were located so that enemies would have to go through them to get inside the castle – and the stench was pretty strong! The last stop on the tour was the top of the ”keep” – essentially, the watchtower (although there is another structure actually called the watchtower, that looks over the bridge and the entrance). I climbed the stairs up to the top – a major endeavor – where there are views across Lake Geneva – definitely worth the climb!
My camera battery gave out half way through the castle – darn! And yes, I had MY iPhone, but I’m not adept at taking pictures with it. I think I only actually got the last few of the photos I took.  This is a great incentive to remember to charge the cameral battery!
Afterwards, I took the bus back to Vevey, and got off a little early so I could spend some time walking along the shore – in the sun rather than the rain of the day before.  It seemed that the whole town was out on the shore, and there was a merry atmosphere.  I bought a panini, and sat looking out over the lake while I ate it. Pretty spectacular!  Then I retrieved my suitcase from the hostel, and made my way to the train station.
My next stop was Martigny, but by mistake, I bought a ticket to Montagnez – a 40-Swiss-franc error. Fortunately, when I arrived in Martigny, the train attendant was able to refund the difference. In Martigny, I was away from the lake – AND in a place surrounded by mountains with snow on them! Unbelievable! THIS is the Switzerland I’ve always wanted to see! I made my way to the hotel – on the other end of town from the train station, so I had about a 20-minute walk.  This time, at the hotel, I had my own room WITH a bath - for the first time since Frankfurt! (I have not minded the shared bath/shower, but a private bath is just easier!)
Since it was still fairly early, I went out to get my bearings in the town so I would know where to go in the morning.  It turns out the hotel is a block from the Fondation Pierre Gianadda, the art museum where I want to go tomorrow – and 2 blocks from the St. Bernard museum, where I also want to go. And the St. Bernard museum is right next to the Roman amphitheater, which I climbed around on before heading toward the center of town for dinner.
My guide book recommended a place, next to the church, that serves both raclette and fondue. My friend, Judy, who lived in Geneva as a teenager, had talked about raclette, so I decided to try it.  I think I’m in love . . . OMG!  They take a half a wheel of cheese and put it over a stove or heat source so that it melts onto a plate. You get a little at a time, and when you’re done eating it, the server gets you another portion. Before they start bringing the melted cheese, they put a cloth bag that is warm onto your table. It is filled with tiny, roasted potatoes. There was also a dish with white cocktail onions and small, sweet pickles. You eat the potatoes with the cheese – or not – and complement the taste with a bit of onion or pickle. The server kept bringing more cheese until I couldn’t eat any more. I think I have a new favorite food!

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