Sunday. We woke up to cloudless skies, a fine summer day. Lausanne has recently inaugurated a semi-underground tram service from Ouchy up the mountain through the center of the city which we were able to try out. It is one of those engineering feats we admire so much in Switzerland. The fast ferry boat left Ouchy for Yvoire after 9, stopping in Evian les Bains (where the bottled water comes from) and another spa town, Thonon les Bains. Yvoire sits on a promontory jutting out into the lake. It was walled in the 14th century to defend itself from its enemies, Geneva and Bern. The walls were partially pulled down centuries ago but enough ruins remain to give the town an aura of Romantic charm. The town is quite small, just a few streets. Most of the houses are ancient, vine covered and decorated with window boxes of cascading flowers. It is a jewel of a little medieval town despite having become a tourist trap. We stayed for about two hours, just before the arrival of a major tourist onslaught, then boarded a paddle wheel steamer for the trip back. This boat, the Simplon, has been newly refurbished. The restaurant, where we had lunch reservations, has retained its gorgeous wood panelling. We ate in great style and watched the world slip by on either side. Even the assiette végétarienne which I had was superb. It was one of those perfect days. The pics are of the bateau Simplon and views of Yvoire.
Tomorrow I leave early by train for Innsbruck via Zurich. I will pick up a rental car in Innsbruck then drive to the South Tyrolian town of Toblach where I have a reservation to stay for a week.
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