In the small village of Vufflens-la-Ville, I took a water break on an unusual bench in front of the cemetery. What made the bench unusual was that it had been carved out of a single log. On one end of the log, it looks like it started as a single trunk, but the other end of the log suggests the tree developed two joined trunks. It had to weigh a couple of tons, at least, and I wondered what the the process or motivation had been for carving it and then installing it in front of the cemetery. There are so many unsolved mysteries!
The Via Francigena then approaches the city of Bussigny, on the outskirts of which are a couple of unusual sculptures in a traffic median. Again, I would love to know the story behind them. Why is a fisherman wearing an iconic yellow rain suit riding a hedgerow, and why is he being chased by a chicken? I wish I could have been in the meeting when the artist presented his vision to the city council and they approved it. I love it, but I would just have enjoyed hearing the planning discussions.
While I was walking through Bussigny, a significant parade, led by a festively dressed couple, came marching down a side street onto the street I was on. I thought it was a wedding celebration until I noticed that almost all the parade participants were men wearing similar outfits and wearing colorful armbands. When I asked a similarly dressed man not in the parade what was happening, he said that it was “La Fête du Tir” or “The Shooting Party”. They marched into a fair that was set up in the middle of town and I later heard what sounded like a cannon. Whatever it was, it seemed so perfectly Swiss.
The trail then followed La Venoge, a small river, along wooded banks all the way to Lake Geneva. It was a sunny, warm Sunday afternoon and many people were enjoying the river.
The trail finally reached the Lake Geneva waterfront, where it seemed like everyone in Lausanne had gathered for the day to swim, kayak, sunbathe, barbecue, play volleyball, and a dozen other things. After so much time in the quiet countryside, it took some time to adjust to the crowds, but it was also fun to see so many people enjoying themselves on a beautiful Sunday afernoon.
Just a fountain I thought was creative.
Lausanne
On arriving in Lausanne, I checked into my hotel, grabbed a quick shower, and then took the free tram up the hill toward the Lausanne Cathedral. On the way up the many steps to the cathedral, the cathedral bells began to chime.
In front of the cathedral is a large terrace that overlooks the city and is a popular place for watching the sunset as the evening light magically lights up the Alps, the city, and Lake Geneva.
As I was standing at the railing of the terrace, there were four local policeman adjacent to me. I asked them if they would all give me the peace symbol while I took their photo so that I could send it to Becca. They wouldn’t do that together, but the burliest of the four did volunteer to give me the heart symbol along with a friendly smile.
Next up: A quick overview of Lausanne
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One Response
Hi Charles,
I’ll bet that was a shock to see so many people! What a beautiful scene with the lake, the city and the Alps. I’m sure that you’ll be back in the country before long so enjoy some community for a couple of days! Tomorrow is the big day for Tim and Alfredo as they both run The Great New York 100 Mile race! They both have a sense of adventure as do you!