After negotiating a few transportation scenes, I felt pretty confident about traveling about the city by myself. My first objective however, was to buy a COAT. I had been wearing Christopher's leather coat. Didn't need to be chilled any more than necessary and besides, everyone wore boring colors, like black, gray, white, tan, brown...need I say more? My LOUD American clothes made me stand out like a sore thumb. So now I have this adorable, chic, black coat from Lausanne with a scarf that I brought from home (originally bought in France though), my black leather sneakers (white ones are just TOO much for me even though Florida tourists seem to love them) - and my good ole jeans. I fit in. Carried my photography stuff in a new black bag too. I was cool. Swiss cool. As cool as an old lady could be.
First stop was a Graphics Art museum at the TOP of Lausanne. After recovering from the upward hike and inhaling deeply, I was able to visit this museum to see an exhibit on packaging. One of the items was the Evian bottle and its evolving design from the 1980's. Interesting. Evian is also across the lake, about a 40 min. boat ride if one cared to visit the origin of Evian water. Who needed it - it's the same water from the tap in Lausanne! Well, anyway - Even the KAT drinks the "Evian" -
I even discovered a "scriptorium" which carried pens and inks and calligraphy stuff. Now I KNOW I'm going to like this place!
From there I ventured DOWN Down, down the stairs, a much easier trek I might add, hoping to find a place called "Holy Cow." (Photo above) Don't know how I found it but I did. It has organic hamburgers and they are out of this world. It's run by Brits and they are the funniest people I encountered. This was a place suggested by my absent tour guide, Christopher. He had to eat school lunches today..which by the way, were not that bad either!
Venturing into the shopping areas....danger danger....Quelle surprize...Un Starbucks pour moi et un capuccino, normale. Not tall, mais NORMALE. Et trés chere. Starbucks was also in Zurich when I got off the plane and walked into the terminal. Is there anyplace that Starbucks has not claimed land?? Starbucks serves in mugs unless you are taking it out, which I heard is an American thing, to walk around sipping your capuccino. Most people stay there, socialize, read, do computer stuff.
One of the things I noticed about the overall feel of Lausanne - and Switzerland in general - was how quiet everything was. There was hardly a murmur in Starbucks yet everyone was busy talking. The trains, the buses - no one used a cell phone unless it rang (another observation: the ringtones are VERY soft) and then they made the conversation short - and hushed. Amazing. I felt a certain respect of each other's "sound" space. Very nice.
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