Letters from the Lighthouse: Travel Edition: Switzerland

The whole motivation for this European adventure is that my son Brandon, his wife Tori, and three of my grandkids - Reagan, Cole & baby Oliver - live in Geneva, Switzerland and I wanted to visit and meet the new baby. It was a long day of train travel, but I arrived safe and sound, picked up by Brandon at the train station. It was late at night and everyone was in bed and I did the same. Wiped out by a travel day.

Cole (2) and Reagan (5)

Baby Oliver (6 months)

Brandon and Oliver

Reading stories with Cole

Family Home Evening

Grandma Sally and Baby Oliver
"Nice to meet you Oliver!"

Reagan went off to school and when I finally got up and acclimated, I headed off on an adventure, driving for the first time in 10 days, on roads I knew nothing about. Oh well, it was an adventure.

Chillon Castle is an island castle located on Lake Geneva, south of Veytaux in the canton of Vaud. It is situation at the eastern end of the lake in the town of Montreux. Chillon is amongst the most visited castles in Switzerland and Europe. Chillon began as a Roman outpost, guarding the strategic road through the Alpine passes. The later history of Chillon was influenced by three major periods, which I know nothing about . . . yet: the Savoy Period, the Bernese Period, and the Vaudois Period.

Not my picture as I could not get a photo on the lake side of the Chateau.

View of the Alps from the prison

Drawings on the wall of the prison - unknown artist

Lord Byron visited the prison of the Chateau (why??) and carved his name on a pillar. Many others did likewise.

This is a great example of how the Chateau was built on a rocky island, built on and around the rocks.

Inside the Chateau de Chillon

A recipe book explaining how to use spices.

Reproduction of one of the many travel chests.

Love this window!

The town of Montreux as seen from the Chateau. Directly across the lake is France.

Lake Geneva and the Alps

Not very far down the road, headed back to Geneva, is the wonderful town of Lausanne (pronounced Lew-zahn). I had heard of a cathedral in Lausanne that housed a 7,000 pipe organ. I was off to find it.

The front of the Lausanne Cathedral

Inside the cathedral

Not only was there a fabulous organ in this church, but the stained glass windows were phenomenal!

This was extraordinary!!!

The inside (above) and the outside (below)

The sun came out for a minute a hit a couple of windows just right.

Way too many stops and decisions to make on this organ!

The great pipe organ of the Cathedral of Notre Dame of Lausanne was inaugurated in December 2003. It is a unique instrument in the world. It took ten years to design it and it is composed of 7000 pipes, two consoles, five manuals, and one pedalboard. It is the first organ in the world to be designed by a designer.