Montreux

Spent the day in Montreux - a beautiful city down on Lake Geneva famous for its annual jazz festival.

We had an adventure on the train ride home when we got on the train that pulled into the station at 4:04 (our train was scheduled to leave at 4:10). When the train pulled out at 4:06 I said, "We're on the wrong train." Swiss trains never ever leave 4 minutes early (or 4 minute late!).

Sure enough, it was some sort of express and didn't stop at our station (Bex) but flew right on by. There was no conductor or train official around so Paula, who speaks the most French, asked the guy sitting across the aisle where the train was going and he said, "Milan"... Excellent. None of us had our passports for a day by the lake...

Fortunately, the train finally stopped prior to the Italian border at a town called Sion. We immediately pushed our way out and all three of us threw ourselves to the concrete and kissed it. Well, maybe not.

Fifteen minutes later there was a train heading back to Bex and we hopped on without buying $56 worth of tickets (the price of 3 tickets from Sion to Bex). On this train a conductor asked for our tickets and I explained the situation. He chuckled, thought to himself, "Stupid tourists" and punched our tickets. He made a point of telling us that Bex was the second stop up ahead.
We were glad to get off at Bex and hop on the little train with two red and yellow cars that pulls itself up the mountain to Gryon every half hour or so.

We arrived home safe and sound and again the locals were witness to three seemingly deranged tourists throwing themselves to the pavement and kissing it...