A sigh of relief

After nearly two straight weeks of work, we treated ourselves to a delightful trip down to the valley for a farmer’s market and lake-swim excursion. Meanwhile, Obi is still figuring out how to get comfortable on the steep slopes of the cog train:

After filling our bags with local mushrooms and some greens that are hard to come by at our local market (cilantro and swiss chard, to name a few) and picking up some Vietnamese noodles and dim sum, we headed to one of the nearby beach-grassy areas for a dip and picnic lunch.

Obi got lots of grass-rolling in before we packed back up and headed towards the train. This time, rather than taking the direct train back towards Aigle, where we catch our connection to the cog train up to Leysin, we took the local train and parted ways. Freddy continued on towards Villeneuve, where he got off to run up the entire mountain like a crazy person (7,000 ft elevation gain!) while Shona and Obi hopped off at Chateau de Chillon and discovered the sweetest swim spot next to the castle. It really doesn’t get much better than swimming in crystal clear waters nearby early medieval castles.

Obi and I wrapped up our swimming date as Freddy trudged his way up the mountainside, all trying to beat the forecasted afternoon thunderstorms! We all got a bit dribbled on towards the end, but made it home in time for fondue night in the school dining hall.

Now, I’m getting ready to spend Sunday with a visiting alumna and crew touring campus (and potentially wining-and-dining in the local Swiss restaurant) whilst Freddy photographs students off on a glacial adventure. Then, another big week of work ahead!

Love from Leysin,
Shonabell