December 2000 › Lisa's day in Dusseldorf, Germany › Geneva, Switzerland › Geneva, Switzerland also › Interlaken, Switzerland › Lausanne, Switzerland › UN or UB? Switzerland › Atlantic Wall - Hoek van Holland Other Months › Index page

Lausanne, Switzerland Sunday, December 03, 2000; posted by Paris On Sunday, Lisa and I took a 35 minute train ride to Lausanne. On top of one of the hills is Vieille Ville and after taking a tram-like device, we went down to the lakeside in Ouchy. We visited the Lausanne Cathedral and took a death-defying climb to the top of the bell tower. Had a good lunch in a nearby restaurant, followed by a stroll along the lake as the sun set and some hot tea to warm us up at a local cafe. This was a very relaxed, slow-paced vacation. Here is one of the massive bells in the bell tower of Lausanne Cathedral. Luckily, we were in the tower around 3:10pm. The bell is suspended by a huge wooden structure (which supports another bell like it) within the bell tower structure. An inside view of the Lausanne Cathedral. They piped in male choral singers - nice touch. The cathedral was originally consecrated in 1275. The Protestant Reformation caused much of the cathedral's original ornamentation to be stripped. The rose window was saved, however. Here is a view of the mountains on the other side of Lake Leman from the top of the 200-step Lausanne Cathedral bell tower. It was cold and windy up here. Tried not to look down. Lisa standing outside the cathedral. Notice the buildings behind her. Everything in this area is built on the hillside. Staircases are everywhere. Not a good place to be on crutches or a wheel chair. Just to the right of Lisa you can see one of the medieval covered staircases that takes pedestrians to the top (or bottom) of the hill. A view of Lake Leman from the shore at Ouchy following sunset. Clouds and mountains. Zoner - some young punks updated this sign.