Saturday, July 4

We have been outside the United States on many an Independence Day holiday and, of course, this year was another. Today was when we were to see Pierre in a rehab hospital but Claude said not until 4:00. So, what to do? She suggested a 2 hour boat ride around Lake Geneva or what the Swiss call lac leman. Thinking about how to deal with the forecasted 100 degree heat, we all decided that was a good idea.

We drove over to Vevey – about 20 minutes down the road and along the shore of the lake. 

We parked in a garage and walked over to the pier. The area near the pier was set up like we were at the beach: a merry-go-round, some volleyball nets, ice cream sellers, paddle boats, chess players, and young people jumping into the lake. 

This is a classic house that the town has been renovating since at least 2007, when we were here before. Claude said they had money problems.

Oversized chessmen.

Kids swimming around statues. It was so hot that the cold water probably felt good.

The Swiss like flowers and put them many places that I don't think we would think of putting them.




The boat was a two sided paddle wheeler. The captain brought it in fast and only stayed at each stop long enough to unload and load passengers. 

We tried various places to sit. It wasn’t crowded, so we could sit almost anywhere we wanted.  As the boat pulled out, we toured the decks. The inside had been refurbished and was quite elegant for a tourist boat that just went around the lake.

We found a place we liked that gave us some air and was shaded. Of course, every time the boat changed course we needed to adjust.

The water was a beautiful aqua and so clear you could easily see the rocks as we approached shore.

Claude on the stern eating area.

Claude and Bill checking out the starboard side of the bow area.

We had a salad and a beer while sitting in an area that could have once been the wheelhouse.

A few stops after we boarded we stopped at Montreux: the host of jazz festivals and the place that Linda’s brother, Alan, brought his high school jazz band to compete a few years ago. They were getting ready for another festival that day.

Another stop was at the Chateau de Chillon. We had visited this small fort in 2007. You could only attack it from the land. Very difficult.

But very picturesque.

A nice couple having a good time.

Across the lake is France and we made a couple of stops there before heading back across to our departure point. Most of the time we had a breeze, and always good scenery, so it was a good thing to do.

Back to Vevey we walked around the town a little, sitting on a Fat Boy dog,

and splashing cold fountain water onto our faces. Oh, that felt good.

After a little fooling around to find the correct parking garage, we were off to see Pierre at the rehab center. We found him on the veranda reading and looking out onto the mountains and lake. 

What a great view. He was thin but looked a lot better than Linda and I expected. We hugged and chatted about stuff. 

Claude showing Pierre how to properly perform an exercise using an elastic thing.

After some of that, he walked us out to the garden and we walked over to a bench and sat awhile admiring the view. 

After about 1 ½ hours, we left and told him that Linda and I would come by tomorrow morning on our way out to say goodbye.

Claude had made reservations at a very nice restaurant on the lake close to the condo. We sat outside, in the shade and had a nice small breeze for most of the meal. Fish for the girls and veal for me. Claude picked the wine, a rose, and we all enjoyed ourselves. Our waiter asked us at the beginning of the meal what language we would prefer he speak and we said English. He said that was good because he could practice his English. But, with Claude speaking French, there was a lot of that too.

We even had ice cream for dessert: Linda and I shared a chocolate ice cream and raspberry sorbet and Claude had a coffee ice cream concoction.

Back to the condo and a little chit chat and to bed.