May 7th - Sunday Funday!

 Faith - 

    Today was such a good day!  We had free time all day, so some of us took the train from Leysin to Montreux and explored that area since we won’t be stopping there for long throughout the rest of the trip.  The train was so much fun. In the U.S., especially in the South, trains aren’t a standard method of transportation, so hopping from train to train was such a cool experience that I have never had before. When we arrived in Montreux, I was speechless when I saw Lake Geneva. It was so vast, the water was so clear, and the mountains reflected off of the water like a scene from a nature documentary. We got off the train at Rivaz and made our way to the vineyards. The one that was the most pretty was called the Vinorama. It had a waterfall running straight through it and it sat on the top of a mountain. We followed the steps all the way to the top and saw the most amazing views I have ever seen. It felt like I could not keep my eyes off Lake Geneva and the mountains. 

 

After visiting the Vinorama, we hopped on the train back to Montreux and stopped there for a couple of hours to shop and explore the city. When we finally made our way back to Leysin, we were exhausted, but the view coming back up the mountain was breathtaking. Even though I have been here for a few days, I am still shocked every time I look out the window.

One of the things that I find to be the most different here culturally is how quiet everything is. It seems like everyone keeps to themselves and just goes about their own business. I have yet to hear a car horn honk or a yell. It is just so peaceful. 

Mackenzie - 

          Sunday, the day of rest, which many in the small town of Leysin adhere to and close their shop doors. Only restaurants and the grocery store were open with the morning church service running until noon. 

         The second group stayed in Leysin today and ventured down to the town. We visited cafes and restaurants all day with a little bit of walking around through the zigzagging streets. We were able to see the beautiful homes with outstanding craftsmanship as they lined the mountainsides. Everywhere we walked was bursting with spring flowers welcoming in warmer weather. And the Swiss flag waved in the air as storm clouds slowly rolled into town. The first stop of the day was this cafe that served crépes and they were amazing. We also heard some other Americans sitting next to us so it was a little comforting to hear since Leysin is a smaller town off the beaten path. We then went to a cafe and bakery afterward to meet with the rest of the group and there we had some lunch and talked about what the plan was for the day. All the food and coffee we had at the cafe was very good with fresh vegetables served on the sandwiches and cappuccinos that were described as amazing. We sat outside for lunch and had a kind waitstaff that spoke good English and watched as people came and went. We even saw a mom and her kids walk over to a small area that had a word graffiti on it and they took the time to remove the paint. It was kind of eye-opening to all of us seeing the citizens take such good care of their town without having to be asked. Afterwards, we then started our walk around town. And then made our way back to the cafe an hour or so later as some clouds were starting to move in. We weren’t ready to go back to school yet so we decided to sit upstairs and watch the rain for a while. The clouds were beautiful as they moved through the crevasses of the mountains and since the town is so high up we were in them. The rain started as we were heading back to the school and by the time we got there the light sprinkle started to turn into a heavier drop. The rest of the evening we sat and watched the rain come down as by then it was heavy rain. Not like the rain we get in College Station, this was calm with no wind and just a downpour. 

          Today was really nice being able to do things when we wished and just got to go with the flow of the town and having a laid back day. I can’t wait to see what the other towns are like.