Enjoying Justin's Adopted HometownBefore we joined up with our Rick Steves Tour, we took a few days to explore Justin's adopted hometown of Lausanne, where he currently works at a federal research university. It was a time for celebration: we celebrated Justin and Elyse's birthdays and Mother's Day all in rapid succession. And Justin had no shortage of fun activities planned for us. In addition to exploring the City of Lausanne and EPFL where Justin works, we got to ride a cogwheel train up into the surrounding mountains and visit a thermal spa on the valley floor below. Some mornings, we just enjoyed hanging out at our waterfront hotel, Hotel Au Lac, where we had three adjoining balconies that we strung together to create a "super balcony." However, our favorite activity was going to the Lausanne city market to pick out a picnic lunch for our adventures and homemade pasta to cook for dinner later that evening.
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Cailler Chocolatiers: A Sweet Stop for Mother's Day
The best way to celebrate Mother's Day is to start with a wonderful breakfast at The Blackbird Cafe and finish with a homemade dinner of fresh pasta from the farmer's market. What about lunch, you may ask? It was entirely composed of chocolate - chocolate bars, chocolate filled with hazelnuts and sultanas, and chocolate mountain peaks for dessert. It was the sweetest Mother's Day ever!
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Picknickplatz: A Picnic with a ViewOur perfect picnic lunch was served high in the Alps surrounded by snow, the beautiful mountains, and a view in the distance of Lake Geneva. The journey was not a simple one and involved a car driven with precision through many mountain switchbacks and culminating with a cogwheel train ride up the steepest portion of the mountain. The delicious lunch included bread fresh from the oven, finely aged cheeses, piles of salami, crisp apples and melt-in-your-mouth strawberries. The group split up after lunch to pursue varied activities. Elyse and Justin tackled the mountain and scrambled their way to the top of the closest peak, although they were passed in both directions by an impish youth toting a bucket of rocks. The rest of the group enjoyed the scenery and built a snowman.
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Cathedral of Notre Dame: Lausanne's Tribute to 'Our Lady'Switzerland’s finest gothic building, the Lausanne Cathedral, drew us inside on our first evening in town. The soaring chapel is impressive, but seems barren as a result of the Reformation. Only the south side of the building, with its vibrant 13th century rose window, gives a clue to the beauty that this house of worship once held. The original church entrance, from the middle ages, is located on that side. This painted portal gives a glimpse of the cathedral’s original elaborate decoration. It is a wonderful tribute to ‘Our Lady’ Mary.
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EPFL: The Future of Fusion EnergyOne of my favorite days when the kids were growing up was “Take Your Child to Work” day. And just like those days from long ago, we had a similar treat during our visit to Lausanne. Justin got to enjoy a “Take Your Family to Work Day”. It seemed like such a familiar format. Justin gave the lecture he uses when taking school groups through the Swiss Plasma Center. We learned how the plasma is heated, contained with powerful magnets, and ultimately produces energy. Next we were taken to see the Tokamak where the fusion experiments are performed. Since we were all very good, we were taken to the cafeteria for a snack. It was there we learned that the most important piece of equipment at EPFL is not the Tokomak, but the La Cimbali espresso maker.
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Celebrate Good Times!Elyse's birthday in Lausanne was packed with all of her favorite things: warm weather, sea and sun, extra potatoes, and coffee, coffee, coffee. After a picnic prepared by Justin on our giant balcony (dubbed "Super Balcony") overlooking Lac Leman, we walked along the Ouchy lakeshore then took the train into historic Lausanne. Justin taught Elyse and Jill a new method for overcoming jet lag. He took Elyse to The Coffee Project to pick out a bag of coffee for her birthday, and after five espressos they were more than energized enough to tackle the rest of the day (at least until about 10pm). We capped off the evening with dinner at one of Europe's oldest restaurants, Pinte Bisson where traditional fondue is served downstairs only, with an optional "potato supplement."
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