Santé to Switzerland!

Back when I was working on my Bachelor's degree, I hadn't done much traveling. While reading online articles about my area of study, I stumbled upon one from a laboratory in Lausanne, Switzerland. My interest was piqued. It just so happened that the lab was offering funding to foreign students for short-term work. After much persistence, I landed a job from May through August. It has been around four years since then, but thus far, it is the trip that has made the biggest impact on my life. As a toast to Switzerland and all its greatness, here are some the things that stood out to me. For everything else, you can check out some of the great guidebooks and tourist websites out there.

Lausanne really is a picturesque place. My favorite part of the area was Ouchy on the lakefront. Looking across Lac Léman (also known as Lake Geneva), the view of the French Alps is absolutely amazing, especially when accompanied by a beautiful sunset. If you ever have the good fortune of visiting Lausanne, I highly recommend taking a ferry to some of the nearby towns (both Swiss and French). 

If you head uphill into the downtown area, you find charming old buildings and cobblestone streets. On Saturday mornings, you can head to the market, where street vendors sell fresh produce and other goodies. Even on rainy days, people are out and about enjoying the atmosphere. 

Coming from Canada, I was quite excited when I first realized that most Swiss lakes have graceful white swans. Anyone coming from a place where swans are common may not find this so enchanting. For me, it was another element that added to the "fairytale" image of the country.

Another thing that I hadn't (and still have not) seen in Canada is grass roofs. This is something I wish I'd see more often at home.

I LOVED seeing farm animals in the middle of the city. I saw a variety of animals, including sheep, goats, donkeys and horses. One of the things I looked forward to on the way to work was passing by some of these critters. Its really a win-win situation: the animals get to eat nice fresh greens, and humans don't have to mow the lawn or buy fertilizer. When I grow up, I want a goat ;).

As I write, I am realizing that I could go on and on about the things I love about Switzerland.... and to be honest, I didn't come close to visiting the entire country. Unfortunately, I completely missed the Italian region and only saw limited parts of the German region. But, I can't end this post without raving about the Alps! So. very. beautiful. If you like to hike, you'll love them. My only regret is not being there in snowboard season. 


On that note, I'll leave you with this thought: VISIT SWITZERLAND! There is something for everyone. I most definitely have not given a thorough list of all of the things to see and do in this diverse and beautiful country. There are many great guide books out there. I used Fodor's. Whether you are looking for sport, adventure, beauty, architecture, fantastic food, art, culture or just a great atmosphere, you can find it in Switzerland! Cheers!