Day 3 in Suisse - Montreux Jazz, Lake Geneva

What happened to day 2? Ask my wife, at your own risk.

We jumped in the car around 3pm and headed west towards Montreux to visit the annual “Jazz” festival; the tickets to see Liza Minnelli didn’t pan out. I use the word “Jazz” in quotes because this festival has grown to include all kinds of music, including jazz.

We parked just outside Château de Chillon and walked along Lake Geneva towards Montreux. Parking inside the city was reported to be difficult to find, but it was a lovely day worthy of some time outside. My adorable nephew Matia was enjoying the sights and the people we encountered along the way. Past the casino, the vendor stalls started to appear along the walkway, hocking all kinds of clothing and trinkets. On the lake, one of the Belle Epoque steam boats that transports people between all the villages in Switzerland and France blew its horn as it passed by us. The crowds of all nationalities grew thicker as we approached the city center.

The beer tents appeared, sporting the logos of what was apparently one of the headline sponsors of the event, Heinekin. 4 Swiss francs for a half pint; kinda pricy, but still cheaper than a Coors at a Rockies game.

Don’t worry, I didn’t drink, like, 5. Ate a sort of grilld cheese, Croc Raclette: deliciuos. We wandered around some more, listened to “The Amazing Sax Band” from the UK (likely a student band… seemed most of the free concerts were student bands), before we staked our claim on a bench and waited for my beau-frère
JJ to meet us after he left work in Lausanne.

Soon we ate a dinner: I could not resist the smell of Thai curry. Delicious. We hung out for a bit longer before heading back to the car, opting to take the bus instead of retracing our long walk from earlier. The sun was setting just as we left, giving the opportunity for some lovely photos.