I flew in this morning and had a few hours to kill before my first meeting, so I finally had a chance to see the Cathedral. I had walked around it several times before, but hadn’t had a chance to see the interior or climb the tower because I’m so often tucked away in conference rooms during their open hours.

So I climbed the hill to the old city ‘Cite’ and did it justice. The sky was overcast and the atmosphere generally gloomy, but that kept the visitors away and I had the place mostly to myself. It’s a 12th century building, and towers over the town from the highest point on the hill. I’m sure on a clear day the view of the mountains from the tower is spectacular, but today I couldn’t see that far.

A view from the top

p.s. I’ve been watching Richard Clarkes’ testimony this evening in my hotel room. The man has courage.
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Lausanne was gorgeous today, although I spent much of the day indoors. This is my second to last trip here, and it’s been filled with meetings. I’m starting to get excited about being home, seeing friends, and preparing for my next adventures.

I did get a chance to leave the office early this afternoon to take in the sun and warmer air. I walked up the hill toward the Cathedral once again, this time with my jacket over my shoulder. It was probably in the high 60s, maybe even 70. The streets of the old town were actually somewhat crowded, I think everyone in town had the same idea. The cafes were packed, with tables out on the street. I had dinner on a patio outside and read last weeks economist. I guess that’s how I relax…
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The weather has warmed a bit and I spent a good deal of the weekend outside. I relished every moment of my free time saturday and sunday as I recovered from two days of 8 hour client meetings and the travel. It’s quite an involved process my commute to Lausanne. It usually takes around 4-5 hours each way, a combination of subway, train, plane, train, taxi, foot etc. Sometimes it’s all for a two hour meeting. They’ve been putting me up in a very nice hotel though, it’s far nicer than my London apartment, and that makes up for the inconvenience of the trek.

Working on the train…

I got back into town saturday morning after spending a rainy and uneventful night in Geneva. I had wanted to see a bit of the place, but a late meeting and general weariness conspired against me. I did briefly leave my hotel looking for food, and ended up lost in the maze of alleys near the cathedral. I stumbled upon a nice little Thai joint and had dinner. That was the highlight of my evening.

Yesterday (sunday) I sat in a pub and read a book. I think I’ve found a little neighborhood place to call home. They have Caffreys and Stella on tap and serve excellent Thai food.

Note to self: considering my plans for the next few months, maybe I should hold off on all this Thai food…?
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Wednesday morning I flew to Geneva and took a train along Lake Geneva to Lausanne. It’s a beautiful place that I look forward to exploring more. I’ll be there again next weekend, and then for a full 2 weeks at the end of march.

I had a brief chance wednesday evening to explore the city’s old quarter. I was hungry and figured I should find a restaurant with atmosphere. I took the metro train up the hill from my lakeside hotel and explored the cobblestone streets for a while. The pictures included show some streets leading up to the cathedral on the hill, and some shots back at the town from the top. One of the great things about Lausanne is the scenery, it overlooks Lake Geneva and is surrounded by the Alps in all directions.

More photos can be seen by clicking the “Continue reading Lausanne Switzerland” link…

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