This has been another busy week.  It started out with laundry day on Monday which only comes twice a month in our new building.  It took all day to get the eight loads we had built up through the one washer and dryer we are allowed to use.  A perk of our new apartment though is that the washer and dryer are free to use.

Wednesday evening we welcomed our second guest when Melissa’s cousin Kirsten came to visit.  She just graduated college and is spending time traveling across Europe and staying with Britt, the foreign exchange student that Kirsten’s family hosted.

Thursday Melissa went to work and I went about showing Kirsten all the sights in Lausanne.  We saw Melissa’s university, the old town and cathedral, the lake front, and the Roman ruins.  The only big attraction we missed was the park with a look out tower above the city.  We would have gone, but for some reason the bus wasn’t running.  After all those sights it was only 2PM, but I couldn’t think of what else is interesting to see, so we made our way back to the apartment.  I was surprised how fast we saw everything, if we get more visitors I’m going to have to think of more things to see.

Friday Melissa went to work again, while Kirsten and I went to Geneva.  This was my third trip to Geneva so I think I’m getting a pretty good sightseeing path down.  The new things for me were getting up close to the Jet d’Eau and taking a bus to the U.N.

Saturday Melissa wasn’t working, so the three of us loaded up into a train and headed off to Zermatt to see some mountains up close.  The train ride was amazing.  We rode along the Rhone river valley until the town of Visp where we transferred to a famous train called the Glacier Express.  This train took us along another river valley to Zermatt.  The mountains are all around you on both legs of the journey, jutting up almost unbelievable high from the valley.  When we got to Zermatt it was still clear enough to get incredible views of the iconic Matterhorn.  We then took another train up from Zermatt to the top of a mountain called Gornergrat at an elevation of 3135 m.  It was a little cloudy at the top but still had nice scenery.

Sunday we were a bit lazier but did manage to get Kirsten two more Swiss experiences.  We had lunch at one restaurant where we shared fondue, then went to a different one for crepes.  She leaves tomorrow and it’s been great catching up with her.  Now I have lots of pictures to go through this week.

Also this week we had a new development in our Swiss house hunting experience.  Friday our rental company called up and said we have to pay for a parking spot.  Even though we don’t have a car and never sent them back the contract for renting a parking spot. So figuring that mess out will be next weeks work. Then we’re leaving Friday for Stockholm Sweden to celebrate Easter with the Lindholms.

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