Interlaken to Montreux via the Golden Pass Belle Epoque

Tom inside a cow in Zweisimmen

It was another sweaty night - didn't even try to sleep under the sheets!  Woke up a couple of times to clashes of thunder, but no rain.  Looking out the window this morning it looked quite cool but we stepped outside and it wasn't!  The clouds have come in though and the Jungfrau has disappeared in them.  We got up (all woke up naturally today - I think because we went to bed early) and had breakfast - same as yesterday - so yoghurt and a couple of buns with cheese and eggs for me.  I do like a continental breakfast as do the boys, but it always seems wrong when at home - I guess because cheese and ham are traditionally lunch items rather than breakfast foods.  We did a bit of people watching...we are staying in 3 star hotels, mainly to keep the price down but also because we aren't that fussy about hotels and don't actually spend that much time in them.  The faces at breakfast are a mixed bunch - European, Asian (South Asian - guessing most are Indian) and Middle Eastern (lots of women in head scarfs).  The Europeans tend to be scruffy like us: shorts and T-shirts, the Middle Eastern families better presented and then the South Asians seem to have an attachment to brands and are wearing full Louis Vitton / D&G / Burberry and lots of other brands I don't recognise.  They look so out of place in a 3 Star Hotel and were demanding all kinds of things from the staff who were politely saying no to them!  We wonder why, if they are happy to spend £1000s on branded goods, they don't spend more on accommodation (assuming it is all real of course?!).  They must have been so disappointed with the hotel!   Anyway it leads to good people watching.

Luxury travel

We got packed up and headed to Interlaken West station to pick up a train to Spiez from which we got another train to Zweisimmen.  Once again we were plunged into the countryside of Alpine chalets and mountains soaring up into the sky at impossible angles.  It is all so picturesque that really you don't get board watching it pass by.  At Zweisimmen we had an hour to kill.  Tom and I went in search of lunch from a supermarket whilst Matt stayed behind with the luggage.  We found a new supermarket chain which was selling goods at an ok price.  We got a curry chicken sandwich for Matt, a Tuna mayo sandwich for Tom and I found a salad and some vinaigrette.  All good. 

In the lake!

We returned back, I took a little look around the village (another very picturesque village) and before we knew it our hour's wait was up.  The Golden Pass Belle Epoque rolled into the station.  The engine was just a regular engine, but the carriages were amazing - 2nd Class looked good, but, of course, we are in 1st Class.  The seats in 1st Class were huge sofa like chairs - very wide and very comfy.  What a lovely way to travel!  We settled in and enjoyed the ride.  Luckily the set of seats opposite us were free so we spread out and had access to the views on both sides of the train.  The time went very quickly.  Just as well as the train didn't move very quickly.  Steep gradients and sharp bends meant it crawled along the track.  When we got to Montreaux we were in tight hairpin bends all the way to the bottom - we are all amazed that trains are the main form of transport in such a hilly country!  You would think that it would be impossible to build these lines, but not only are they in existence they are also well used.  Whatever the Swiss are doing with them, they are doing right.

We arrived into Montreux at 2.30 and headed to the hotel.  We are now in the French speaking area of Switzerland, and as we walked through the streets, it did really feel French.  It didn't feel as wealthy as Zurich or Interlaken either.  We were too early to check in, so left our luggage and walked down to Lake Geneva for a look.  Tom tried it out, he loved it.  Before we knew it, he had stripped down to his shorts and was swimming in it.  He does love a swim in cold water.  I popped my legs in and got up to my shins, not a chance I would go in any further!

Once it had turned 3 we went back to the hotel and checked in, had showers etc etc.  This one is a bit cramped and very hot! However the showers are great and the beds comfortable.  We had our usual downtime and then headed out to the prom.  We found a statue to Freddie Mercury and said hi - they owned some recording studios nearby, then a quick once round in a shopping centre before looking for somewhere for tea.  We ended up in a really friendly place - we were the only customers, but the gentleman running it was lovely and had a laugh with us (all in French too!).  Tom had a calzone, Matt had a pizza with Mereguez sausage and I had mushroom risotto.  All very lovely and washed down with some ice cold beer which is what both of us needed (Montreux is very hilly - only the street on the lake's edge is flat, everything else is up a hill and we are talking very acute angles, it is sweaty work walking up them.  After paying the usual CHF100 for tea we headed down to then lake to walk along the prom - it was very pleasant, the sun was setting, everyone was in a good mood and it was a little cooler - phew!  

Got back to the hotel - wowzers, our hotel room was boiling, so we opened all the windows to try to cool it down.  We are in the centre of town, so now we have a choice of windows open, cooler but very loud street noise, or windows closed and the room boiling!  Not sure what is best?!