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Swiss Family Young

September 2023
Pack the cowbells, pick some edelweiss and tone up those yodelling muscles, we are off to Switzerland. Read more
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  • Swiss Family Young
    Day 1

    And So it Begins

    September 14, 2023 in Switzerland ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    A couple of people, knowing we were heading off to Switzerland for a long anticipated 10 day break, suggested I might continue to write about our adventures. I won't say who, just in case you don't agree.

    It has been a long day of planes, trains and automobiles (well a bus, a plane and 3 trains), starting with the 08.00 airport bus from Corstorphine. The offer of overnight accommodation from our good friend Glynice gladdened the heart as it also came with free long stay car parking, a lift to the bus stop with our luggage and the chance to use our bus passes to get to the airport. Us wee lads from Lanarkshire do like to save a bob or two.

    Even before we reached Switzerland everything ran like clockwork, with only short queues for the bag drop and security and a flight that landed on schedule, despite a brief delay in Edinburgh. The only slight wrinkle was the additional body scan as a result of my wrist brace setting off the metal detector. I forgot it has a stiffening rod inside. On the plus side, the time taken for the scan allowed me to be reunited with my hand luggage just in time to help the security agent confirm that the suspicious object in my luggage was a travel speaker and not a hand grenade.

    The trains in Switzerland are everything I had expected. Clean, tidy, on time and with connection that just work. I am reliably informed that the Swiss Railway is based on the Hub and Spoke system. All the express and local trains and buses arrive at key hubs all at the same time allowing passengers to interchange seamlessly between them. Less efficient in terms of rolling stock, but much more efficient in terms of the passengers (thanks Alastair). So Geneva airport to Olten, a platform change, the specifics of which were included in the timetables and also announced by the guard on approach and on to Lucerne within 10 minutes. It was then we fell foul of Swiss efficiency. The connection time for the local train from Lucerne to our hotel was 7 minutes and we had to buy tickets at the machine. As I lifted my case and prepared to board, the doors shut in my face and the train headed on its timely way. Twenty seconds were all we needed, maybe 15 at a push, but that was not to be. Still the next train would be along in 10 minutes.    Read more

  • Swiss Family Young
    Day 3

    Burning Bridges and a Dying Lion

    September 16, 2023 in Switzerland ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Booking a hotel online with no previous knowledge is not my favourite pastime. Too many things can go wrong and occasionally they have. Add to that the financial outlay required for a night in a Swiss hotel and the pressure really is on. The Gasthaus Zur Weldegg however was an excellent choice. Located in Horw, a quiet suburb of Lucerne and at the foot of Mt. Pilatus, it is within a 5 min train ride of the city. The room is modern, spacious, air conditioned and very comfortable and breakfast is included.

    There is a sweet spot with hotel breakfasts that I rarely achieve. Having my usual light breakfast isn't an option as it represents such poor value for money. On the other end of the scale is to eat so much that you don't need to shell out for lunch and somewhere in between is eating more than usual, but not so much that you feel sick all morning and can't contemplate lunch anyway. It is fair to say that the sweet spot was missed today.

    The weather was kind to us and we had a gentle 4 mile stroll along the lakeside, punctuated by a number of stops on shaded benches to bemoan the level of breakfast consumption. Of the available tourist sites, we selected Lucerne's famous Chapel Bridge, constructed of wood and dating back to the 17th century (or 1993 if you take into account the fire that destroyed about ⅔ of the structure). The bridge has been fully restored and does look splendid.

    Our other must see was Lion Monument, or the Lion of Lucerne, a 10 meter by 6 meter relief of a dying lion carved into the rock face. The sculpture, said to be one of the saddest monuments in the world, dates from 1821 and commemorates the 600 or so Swiss Guards massacred while defending the French king during the French Revolution.

    Like a lot of picturesque Swiss cities, Lucerne is situated beside a lake and surrounded by low mountains, or high hills. I have to confess to spending too much time on Google trying to figure out when a hill becomes a mountain. There appears to be no unique global consensus although there are broad alignments between countries around 2000 to 2500 feet. Having been married for 43 years I have a much clearer grasp of when a molehill becomes a mountain....    Read more

  • Swiss Family Young
    Day 3

    Missing Seconds

    September 16, 2023 in Switzerland ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    Although the title could just as easily be in reference to this morning's breakfast, it is the nuances of the Swiss Railway clock that is in my mind this morning. Having already established that Swiss trains are punctual, I was checking the second hand of the platform clock to see just how true that was and noticed that time froze briefly every time the hand reached the 12 o'clock position. There are no numbers on Swiss Railway clocks but you can visualise where 12 would be. Time to consult with Mr Google...

    The Swiss Railways clock was designed in 1944 using black lines and hands on a white background, to make it easy to read at a distance. Also, so that all railway clocks in the country would be at the same (correct) time, the minute hand was moved using an electric impulse, sent via telephone cable from a master clock in Zurich. When the red second hand was added 2 years later, there wasn't the technology to update a clock using impulses sent every second, so the second hand was allowed to complete a revolution of the clock face under its own steam (well 50 Hz electrical supply - railways don't use steam any more). To ensure that fluctuations in the power grid didn't affect accuracy, the hand was designed to complete a full rotation in 58.5 seconds and then pause, waiting for the impulse that moves the minute hand to kick start the next 58.5 second sweep. And there you have it, even though this technology has long since been superseded, this distinguishing feature of the Swiss railway clock was retained and continues to be a big part of what makes the Swiss Railways tick.

    Today we visited Engelberg, a picturesque alpine town surrounded by major summits, such as Titlis, Walenstöcke, Ruchstock and Wissberg, all above 2500 metres and so all well within my newly learned mountain classification. As with a lot of things in life, the journey was every bit as spectacular as the destination, as scenes from The Sound of Music and Swiss chocolate adverts moved slowly past our train's panoramic window.

    We didn't take the cable car up Mt Titlis as it was a bit steep (about £90 each), but instead chose to wander round the town and spend some time in quiet reflection, first in a coffee shop and then in the Kloster Chapel, part of Engelberg's Benedictine monastery complex. The chapel was stunning - vaulted, bright, colourful, airy and with beautiful music floating in the air, care of the group of classical musicians rehearsing in front of the sanctuary. Being a religious establishment, we had to do the obligatory tour of the graveyard so Mrs Y could tell me about all those who passed away whilst younger than her tender years. I don't know if the world has become a more dangerous place, but there seems to be more of them these days than there used to be. She even picked out a suitable headstone for herself and if she had taken much longer I might have been tempted to put down a deposit for an early delivery.

    By now we are more or less used to the fact that almost everything in Switzerland is more expensive than at home, but I was shocked when I discovered that having to answer an urgent call of nature this afternoon set me back £8.80. It's just as well that it came with a complimentary cold beer and a glass of wine, organised by Mrs Y while I was attending to my needs. Sitting in the sunshine, surrounded by blue sky and mountains, drinking in the scenery (and the cold beer / wine) was just wonderful, so much so that we let the 15.02 train depart in its timely fashion and caught the next one.    Read more

  • Swiss Family Young
    1
    Day 4

    Interlaken Bound

    September 17, 2023 in Switzerland ⋅ 🌙 20 °C

    This morning we said goodbye to Lucerne and the first leg of our mini tour of Switzerland came to a close. Our home for the next 4 days will be Interlaken, a traditional resort town in the mountainous Bernese Oberland region of central Switzerland, built on a narrow stretch of valley, between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz (hence the imaginative name).

    The journey from Lucerne to Interlaken was just stunning, as the train threaded its way through narrow valleys, hemmed in by steep sided mountains (or tall hills - I didn't check). We crossed green valley floors, watched by herds of cows ringing their bells in greeting, and climbed gradients I didn't think possible for a train. At times the track bed was blasted into the side of the mountain, such that we seemed to cling precariously close to the edge. Our route took us past several lakes, which as result of the mineral content of the glacier melt water that feeds them are beautiful shades of bluish green (my description) or depending on the light are emerald, turquoise or azure (Jackie's description).

    As I gazed out of the panoramic window from our seats in First Class, my eye caught the Co-op bag with the 2 croissants we had bought for the journey. Two pastries and a bottle of water for £4.30 - definitely got to be cheaper than the food on board. You can take the boy out of Lanarkshire but you can't take Lanarkshire out of the boy.

    The Swiss Railways seem to be run on trust, at least on a local level. We dutifully purchased our tickets for each journey made, however with no barrier checks at platforms or inspection on the train, I did wonder if fare dodging was a thing. There was a notice posted on the wall warning of a 100 CHF fine for travelling without a valid ticket, so I suppose it must be. We did have our tickets and half-fare entitlement checked on both intercity trains for our journeys to Lucerne and Interlaken.

    Remaining on the theme of public transport, the bus was waiting at the train station for our arrival and brought us swiftly to the Neuhaus Golf and Strand Hotel. Transportation hubs certainly make tourist travel simple and stress free. Our hotel is quite different from the one we have just left, and is directly on the shore of Lake Thun, with nothing much else around. Our room is a good size and comfortable, with a balcony overlooking the lake. At the time of writing Jackie is sitting on said balcony, with a glass of wine in her hand and a big grin on her face. In between talking about Heidi, she keeps saying "I love it I love it". When Mrs Y is happy, I am happy.....    Read more

  • Swiss Family Young
    Day 6

    Clouds, Castles and a Damsel in Distress

    September 19, 2023 in Switzerland ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    A hotel that serves pancakes and maple syrup for breakfast deserves one more star on its nameplate, in my opinion. The "don't overdo it" rule was temporarily suspended. We'll see how it sits as the day unfolds.

    It's raining today and the hills are wearing clouds as hats so we are very unlikely to see any mountains. Shame really since this is where the big ones are. We caught a glimpse of the Eiger or Jungfrau last night at dinner. Matching the contours to the picture of the mountain range that adorned the restaurant placemat, I was sure we were looking at the Jungfrau, however our waiter informed us it was the Eiger and I suppose he should know as he lives here. Then again he may have just arrived last week and hadn't done so well in geography at school. He was very convincing though.

    The train to Thun runs along the southern shore of Lake Thun, which for the majority of the journey was lost in the mist. At least there was no discussion on the colour, although the subject arose briefly at breakfast when Jackie informed me her guidebook described the Swiss lakes as aqua marine. But aqua means water and marine means of the sea, I replied, so you are just saying sea water. Yes she replied, sea water is a bluish green. And so we turned full circle.

    The guidebook describes Thun as a medieval town and I am sure that at one time, perhaps 800 years ago, it must have been. Granted, the 12th century castle keep, with it's magnificent vaulted roof, and the 14th century church, Stadtkirche Thun, have survived but the centre itself has for the most part given way to glass and concrete. We spent an enjoyable hour or so wandering around the castle learning about its chequered history and playing knights and damsels in distress, as can be seen (and never unseen) in the accompanying photos. Much to Jackie's delight, the castle gift shop was selling hard back copies of Heidi, one of which was duly purchased and has already been read cover to cover. So long as she doesn't want to learn the Schwyzerörgeli (Google it) we'll be fine.

    We briefly debated taking the boat back along Lake Thun. It had more or less stopped raining and the cloud had lifted a bit, but the 2 h journey time (and the hefty ticket price) were a tad off-putting so we returned to Interlaken by train in 20 minutes or so and hopped onto the free bus back to the hotel, in time for a cuppa and a wee biscuit.

    Currently the weather forecast suggests full sun on Wednesday, so a trip to the mountains is potentially on. And for those concerned that my breakfast binge may have returned to haunt me, it was fine. I hit the sweet spot between not feeling bad and not feeling like I needed lunch.    Read more

  • Swiss Family Young
    Day 6

    Moving Mountains

    September 19, 2023 in Switzerland ⋅ 🌙 16 °C

    I wonder if people who have grown up in this area ever look up and don't see the mountains. They are big, imposing, solid and enduring but maybe eventually the brain just accepts their presence and moves on. It would be a shame if the sense of awe and wonder I feel when confronted by their silent, immense presence were to diminish.

    We are catching the boat to Interlaken this morning which doesn't leave until 10:25 and with breakfast finished before 9, we are sitting on our balcony enjoying some down time before hitting the road. Maybe too much down time, as my mind has turned to toilet signage. I grew up to recognise the symbols for gender specific toilets as a wide legged stance for Gents and a filled-in triangle skirt for Ladies. The Swiss, it seems, take a much more imaginative approach to announcing their facilities and we have negotiated kings and queens, top hats and tiaras, cubism and in one establishment, a bow tie and a pink lacy bow nailed to the respective doors. Enough with the musing, though and back to the trip.

    After a short boat trip from the hotel into the centre of Interlaken and a very pleasant coffee in Interlaken watching paragliders coming into land, we are heading for Grindelwald. The route is once again spectacular, threading up a narrow, winding valley, near vertical in places with trees clinging to the rock face in seeming defiance of gravity. Around the next bend and the wall was replaced by a narrow strip of green sloping meadow, dotted with the wide eaves of typically Swiss wooden chalets. The only animals in sight were goats, presumably of the mountain variety, but every now and then, the sound of cow bells filtered through the open window. And as we climbed slowly upwards, the occasional glimpses of snowy mountain peaks hinted at the spectacle to come.

    Sitting having lunch in the sunshine under the watchful eye of the Eiger it is near impossible to find words to describe the majesty of the vista in front of us and I wish you were here to see it for yourself. Pushed up by the colliding of tectonic plates and ravaged by glaciers, the Alps are a testament to the beauty of our fragile planet. Grindelwald itself is like other Swiss towns we have visited, a picturesque village of ancient wooden buildings, expanded by tourism and concrete. But given the backdrop, it maintains a certain charm.

    There are many webcams set up throughout the region allowing you to double check the cloud cover and potential views before making the trip into a particular area, unless of course you have booked in advance and feel that having paid the ferryman, you have to travel up into the clouds to see what clouds look like from the inside. We had planned to take the cog railway from Grindelwald to Kleine Scheidegg, which reportedly offers the best view of the Jungfrau mountain range, but the webcam showed the view to be obscured by clouds so we opted instead for a glass of vino and a cold beer in a local bar in Grindelwald. Despite the bustle of the passers by and the delicate sound of thunder echoing across the valley announcing the passing of an airplane or two, the overwhelming emotion was one of contentment and peace. And so there we stayed until the cloud began to roll down the slopes of the mountain and we decided it was time to head back for the train.

    Today there was nothing particularly interesting to report, so instead I have includd the titles of 6 Pink Floyd albums and a nod to Rocky in the narrative. Possibly more for my entertainment than for yours.    Read more

  • Swiss Family Young
    Day 7

    Four Finns and a Screaming Child

    September 20, 2023 in Switzerland ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    This morning we awoke to a clear blue sky and full sun for what was to be our last full day in Interlaken. Tomorrow we are heading to Montreux for a couple of days before reluctantly saying goodbye to Switzerland and returning home. Sitting at the edge of the lake in the morning sun and waiting for the boat to arrive was a brief respite before a busy day of travelling. Our final destination was Murren, a high alpine village and getting there involved the boat, followed by a bus, a train, a cable car and finally another train.

    The first staging post of the journey was the village of Lauterbrunnen, set in the valley floor beneath rocky cliffs and surrounded by mountain peaks. One of the first sights to greet you on leaving the train is the roaring, 300m-­high Staubbach Falls, the highest freefalling waterfall in Switzerland. After a short walk and countless photographs, we sat at the foot of the falls to eat our packed lunch. I emptied out my water bottle, filled in the hotel toilet, and refilled it from a font that I like to believe was dispensing pure mountain water. After lunch I made the climb alone up into the cliff face and behind the waterfall, Jackie's knee and her nerve not trusted to make it up and back unscathed.

    Murren is a cosy mountain village, which at 1650 meters is the highest continually inhabited settlement in the region. Nestling between the towering peaks of the Schilthorn and the Jungfrau, just across the Lauterbrunnen valley, this car-free village is only accessible by cable car or mountain train (or on foot). High above the village, at the top of the Schilthorn is Piz Gloria, the revolving restaurant featured in the 1969 James Bond movie "On Her Majesty's Secret Service ".

    We squeezed into an already full cable car, the last 2 of about 80 passengers and the doors closed. It was about then that the little girl beside us started screaming and grabbing at the door handles. The screaming continued for the full 4 minute ascent and also after we disembarked. Knowing Jackie's love of cable cars, I am sure the child was vocalising what she was feeling inside. The train waiting for our arrival was a small narrow gauge single coach with doors at either end so we hastily headed the opposite end from the still screaming child.

    We secured 2 seats and the train rapidly filled until it was standing room only. At least the densely packed bodies helped deaden the sound of the clearly inconsolable child at the opposite end of the carriage. Standing beside us were 4, middle aged and slightly tipsy Finnish guys. We had as lovely and meaningful a conversation as one can ever have with 4 slightly tipsy Finnish guys on a train at the top of a mountain, so much so that they invited us to join them at the pub. Or to be completely honest, they suggested I go sightseeing and Jackie join them at the pub.

    I can't overstate the sense of awe and wonder we felt wandering around this picture perfect Swiss village surrounded by massive mountain peaks. The Eiger, the Mönch and the Jungfrau look particularly impressive from Murren and we could have sat and gazed at them all afternoon. In fact that is exactly what we did, accompanied by a glass of wine on a wooden deck overhanging the valley below.    Read more

  • Swiss Family Young
    Day 8

    Fallen Trees and an Australian Cobberdog

    September 21, 2023 in Switzerland ⋅ 🌧 19 °C

    For today's journey to Montreux, we chose to travel first class on the GoldenPass Express which runs from the heart of the Swiss Alps to Lake Geneva, following an old trading route that has been used since the Middle Ages. The entire train has an elegant and beautiful design with large windows that allow you to fully appreciate the view. Thanks to a complex gauge changing system that my brother Alastair will be only too happy to explain, you can complete the journey without the need to change train, despite the route involving different track widths. We were served a lunch of antipasti and wine, which we tried and failed to leave untouched until after 12 noon.

    One of the catering staff, having conversed with the Canadian couple across the aisle, first in French then in a Swiss-accented English, turned to us and in the broadest Glasgow accent asked "Are you guys Scottish" She told us she grew up between Glasgow and Edinburgh and has a Scottish Mother and Swiss father. The longer we chatted the stronger her Scottish accent was let loose. We established she was from Coatbridge and her aunt works in Wishaw General. Small world.

    The journey to Zweisimmen was nice but not as Heidi-esque as I had anticipated - or perhaps we have now grown accustomed to the beauty around us. There was a longish wait at Zweisimmen while the train silently switched to the narrow gauge and after this point we began to climb back into the mountains and Heidi-ville returned as we passed through green valleys full of traditional wooden chalets.

    Taking photos from a moving train is very hit and miss. There are reflections from the windows to contend with and the slight delay between the decision and the actual capture almost invariably means a tree or a pylon will be in the middle of the shot. But the scene is too pretty not to try and perhaps if you try enough times you will get that one picture that captures the essence of the scene and will stir the memories for years to come.

    I felt the need to visit the toilet on the train just to fully appreciate the full five star experience. Picture a toilet on the Glasgow to Edinburgh train at any time of the day and then try to imagine something as far away from that as possible. When I had finished and washed my hands (yes I am one of the 53% of males who do), I was immediately greeted by a loud bing-bong. However, rather than offering congratulations for a job well done, it was the start of a train announcement for the next stop.

    Sadly the last section of the line was closed by fallen trees that took out the power grid, so we missed the steep, winding descent through the vineyards into Montreux. We transferred onto a waiting replacement bus service at Montbovon to complete the journey by road. We were already aware of this as the train company had informed us by email the evening before and arranged to refund our seat reservation fees (about 20% of the overall price) as compensation. We are not in Kansas now Dorothy.

    We were met at the station by Maria's sister Becky, as she and her family live in Montreux. She very kindly took us to her house for tea and cake (my reputation for cake precedes me) and introduced us to Sidney, their adorable Australian Cobberdog. It was great to catch up with Becky and her family as we haven't seen them since Grahame and Maria's wedding in 2019. We were also grateful for the lift to the hotel, where we are now sitting with a nice glass of wine.    Read more

  • Swiss Family Young
    Day 9

    Frank, Freddie and Travellers Cheques

    September 22, 2023 in Switzerland ⋅ 🌧 15 °C

    For years, ever since the children were old enough to find me annoying, there has been a young family tradition. To be fair it is my tradition and no-one else is overly impressed. On the day before any holiday ended, I would at some point start to sing the opening lines of Frank Sinatra's New York New York. "Start spreading the news, we're leaving to...morrow". Guaranteed to get a chorus of "Oh dad!", normally by the end of the 4th word. So today is that day and traditions must be upheld. But I will choose to uphold them silently, otherwise I may suffer actual bodily harm. I have been Jackie's sole companion for the last 9 days and even I accept that one can have too much of a good thing.

    Last night, despite warnings of an imminent heavy thunderstorm, we decided to travel to Vevey for dinner. It was a straightforward journey, 5 min by bus, 6 min by train, then a 7 minute walk. Leaving the restaurant, the heavens opened and the rain started to bounce off the pavement. We hopped, skipped and jumped between what cover we could find on the way back to the station, but by the time we got there we were soaked through. No matter, life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, its about learning how to dance in the rain. And we did.

    This morning, we walked along the lakeside through Montreux, past numerous art installations, including the famous statue of Freddie Mercury. As a science graduate with a logical brain, I struggle with visual art in much the same way as I do when wine connoisseurs describe the bouquet of a fine wine. Take for example the sculpture in the photo. Whilst I see numerous vertical poles ending in metal figures, not unlike those we have found in toilet signage, the artist visualises "the trickle of ink paint in space, a tension between sculpture and painting. Through this work, I suspend time between 2 states, the flow of paint and the ascent of the sculptural form". Aye right then.

    After we had walked our fill of art, we returned via the Queen Studio Experience, a museum set in the Montreux's Casino Barrière, which previously housed the legendary Mountain Studios, the recording studios used by artists such as David Bowie, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and Yes. The studio was at one time owned by Queen, who recorded 6 albums there between 1978 and 1995. The Cassino is probably best known for burning down during a Frank Zappa concert in 1971, when a fan with a flare gun got a bit excited and set fire to the wooden roof. Deep Purple were also recording in Montreux at the time and seeing the smoke from the fire billowing across Lake Geneva were inspired to compose "Smoke on the Water".

    Afternoon coffee was accompanied by a delicious pastry with fresh, glazed raspberries but tested our cashless society approach to this holiday to the limit, when the café's card reader couldn't get a signal. As we had already eaten our fill, I considered it to be more their problem than mine and after a telephone discussion with IT support and switching the reader off then on again, everything turned out fine. It is perhaps one of the few positive legacies of the COVID pandemic that cash has lost its crown. It is certainly a far cry from travellers cheques and queuing at the post office for currency.

    For our final treat of the day, we took the Funicular up Mt. Pèlerin. At 3,540 feet above sea level it is easily into the mountain classification, but with the summit covered in trees rather than snow and with Lake Geneva already at over 1200 feet, it looks more like a tall hill than a mountain. There are clusters of houses all way up the slope and the car soon filled with the excited shouts of school children returning home. The views of Lake Geneva and the towns of Montreux and Vevey below, with the backdrop of the French Alps across the water, were spectacular and we spent a lovely half hour sitting in the sun drinking it all in (the view - no wine involved).    Read more

  • Swiss Family Young
    Day 10

    The Cat's on the Windowsill

    September 23, 2023 in Switzerland ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    We have become so used to everything working and transport arriving when it is supposed to, that the first live update from EasyJet came as a surprise. A 40 minute delay taking off, not too bad, we would still be in Edinburgh by 11 pm. But instinctively you know that won't be the end of the matter. Hardly an hour had passed before the 40 minutes had become 1 h and 20 minutes. I think airlines try to lessen the blow of bad news by breaking it to you gently, much like the lady, having agreed to look after a holidaying friend's cat, trying to break the news that the cat had died. "Your cat was on the windowsill and wouldn't come in....." it is a good joke, worth telling (and I have done so, frequently).

    When I used to travel with work, we had a saying that when things started to go wrong they tended to go very wrong and in some small way that was how the rest of the day went. We checked out of the hotel and following the recommendation from last night's waitress, headed to Lutry, and a wine festival. There was nowhere to leave our luggage so we trundled downhill to the lake front, rolling the suitcases over cobbled streets. There were flags, tents, food and wine outlets but everyone was just setting up and nothing much was happening. So we pulled the cases back to the station (uphill and cobbles). Next stop Lausanne, where the left luggage lockers had a QR code for instructions backed up by a dreadful internet service and we only just won that battle after a frustrating 20 min. I would have put it down to us being silver surfers but the 2 twenty something girls next to us were having the same issues. Next we fruitlessly followed Google maps trying to find a café, then gave up and dived into the COOP for a sandwich and some Pringles. However after that things started to look up as we found a cheeky wee cake and coffee down by the lake.

    Booking a holiday with a late evening flight home feels like you are getting a whole extra day free added on, but there does come a point in the day when you just want to get on with it and hit the airport. I think I reached that point at about 2 pm, but common sense dictated that we stay away from the airport until at least 6 pm. Normally my restlessness to be home starts 1 to 2 days before the end of a holiday (hence the New York New York ritual), so this holiday sets a new record.

    Trying to stay away from the airport as long as possible, we stopped off at Geneva for a walk along the lakefront. Geneva's big fountain was going full blast, throwing 500 litres of water 140 meters in the air every second. Originally built as a pressure control valve, the fountain was to become the symbol of strength, ambition and vitality of the city and is one of Geneva's top tourist attractions. It is an impressive sight and one I remember from TV in the 60s as it was used in the title sequences for The Champions, a TV series about a trio of crime fighters who had received special powers from a lost civilisation. Not as entertaining as Batman and Robin but with only 3 channels on TV, beggars can't be choosers.

    We headed back to the train station around 5.30 pm, retrieved our luggage and climbed up onto the platform for the train to the airport. There was clearly something wrong, as the 4.30 train was still sitting on the platform. My SBB app confirmed all trains to the airport had been cancelled due to a 'blockage' so we headed for the airport bus. At least we have accomplished our aim to stay away from the airport until after 6 pm and further validated my previous statement about things going wrong.

    EasyJet have been sending updates back and forth all day and the takeoff time has been ever changing. The latest estimate is 23.24 (2 h and 10 min late). If this continues on trend, I may have been a bit premature with my New York New York rendition.    Read more

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