Tag Archives: Lake Geneva

60 Years Ago Today

Posted on by

Monday, 14 July 1952:

Helen was up in order to go swimming. I was going to go as well, but that was last night, not in the morning! I actually crawled out of bed at 10 a.m. and tried to finish the letter I was writing to Aunt Caroline and Anna.

Again we were off but this time to Berne via Neuchatel. I was waiting on the corner for the bus when it came rolling up with Florence and Alice. They had helped Andre clean the seats on our bus most beautifully. We were ready to go except for a little bottleneck, Bev had lost one of two engagement rings. Rumor had it that she had already lost one of her rings and had to replace the other one earlier. Nuf said it was just fodder for gossipers.

After awhile we stopped at Neuchatel for lunch. We tried to see a museum and some mechanical dolls. The buildings were closed on Mondays. Some of the Swisse people, especially through here, look like the people in Utah and Idaho. We just hit the German speaking section of Switzerland. I could tell by the signs. Next Sunday we were scheduled to give a program in German. Now back to the scenery where there was a covered bridge on the way to Berne. Then we drove through a beautiful forest.

Arriving in Berne, the capital of Switzerland, was as Swisse German as Geneva and Lauanne had been Swisse French. The clock tower had a bear symbol just below the clock. We found Hotel Poste et France right in the center of a shop with a desk on the second floor again. This time we nosed around the shops till our rooms were assigned.

After awhile we received a key with a great big ball attached so we wouldn’t walk off with it. My darling room 26 had great huge pillows for a comforter, just like last night. There was an extra settee lounge that was big enough for an extra bed with two big pillows per usual. The window flower box had petunias in it.

Later I nosed around the shops and got my money changed at a big bank across from the church. I went back to window shopping before the bus left for sightseeing at 5 p.m. Dickie boy came in with a huge bar of Swisse chocolate which he handed to me. All this fuss because I had fixed his pants. Gee, why how nice can you be?

Then we waited for two missionaries who were coming to be our guides. It was Everett Fisher from Rexburg and MacKay from Salt Lake. They came and we were off to the Swisse Capitol building which had symmetrical flower beds. Next was a 13th century Gothic Münster Cathedral which was Catholic at one time but now was Protestant. Both of these buildings were closed on Mondays as well. We caught a glimpse of bear pits where bears would fight. Before dinner we observed a gold clock with little men on the top hitting the bell on the hour. Finally back to the hotel for dinner.

Traveler Gives Vivid Picture of Swiss Alps, Chillon Castle

Letter to the Editor

Dear Friends;
Over the Swiss Alps through the Simpton Pass is a thrill and exciting and adventurous for the eyes watching through the windows of our bus as it slowly crawls up the paved slopes. The towering rocky mountains decorated with snow, the lower slopes draped in green and gold of farm patchwork design, and the foamy pale green stream below are objects of amazement.

Switzerland is merely a postage stamp size of a country on the map, but the cragged peaks and beautiful scenery are rated high with the travelers. Some go to Switzerland for health and rest, others for mountain climbing and skiing. It is always clean, comfortable and peaceful. Here the children are put to work early to learn that “life is earnest,” consequently we find a thoroughness and love of quality in their skills and trades. They are deeply united in their love of the soil and we see the whole family out pitching hay or bundling grain.

Natural Protection
These mountain passes are somewhat of a natural protection to the country, but they are also well fortified with explosives. In so many places, we see the camouflaged mines and artillery. It would be absolute suicide for an enemy to attempt to enter. The Swiss mean to maintain their political and economic independence.

But we suddenly come to a halt. Why? The road has been washed out by mountain rains and heavy water. Taking the necessary baggage under our arms, on shoulders and head, we walk through the rural country along narrow footpaths, to the next town, Brige, so we can ride on the train up the mountain to Zermatt.

Zermatt is a beautiful little town at the base of the Matterhorn, where mountain climbers from the world over assemble, clad in rugged clothes, to accept the challenges of the mountain.
Hear Bells

Early in the morning we hear the silver tinkle of small bells hung on the necks of goats being taken to their mountain pasture. I learn that, all summer Herman and Rudolph Truffler take care of the goat heard. As the patter along the main cobblestone street, other neighbors bring their two or three goats to join the main herd, of about 25 goats. We are reminded so much of the story of Heidi, especially when Little Sonja comes running out of the house to greet the goats talking to them, patting their heads and lovingly caressing them.

The chair lift, which carries passengers, two by two, up the steep mountain, or the real funicular, cog by cog, railway up to Gornegrat, offers a breath taking panorama of the wedge shaped towering Matterhorn and its neighboring peaks. With the silvery streams, hurrying on their way to the river below. Riffulhaus at the top must have been a great challenge to buildings of houses and trails. But homes on hills are most usual here and so picturesque.

Quiet Day
Sunday was rather quiet at United Nations offices in Geneva. Perhaps the day lent a sanctity to our impressions of the place, as we were escorted through the buildings and grounds. The beautiful peacock resting peacefully in the doorway was a brilliant surprise which almost startled us. He was easily shooed into the sunshine to have his picture taken by the amateur photographers.

We did stir up a bit of mental activity, however when we visited the University of Geneva, where Jean Jacques Rousseau taught his stimulating philosophy. By the side of the first edition of his “Social Contract” was a letter from Leon Tolstoy, written in longhand in March of 1905, in which he accepts the invitation to become a member of the Rousseau Society, expressing sentiment of the elevation of the soul, saying that since he was 15 years old Rousseau has been master of his life with a beneficial influence.

Origin of Red Cross
Did you know that the International Red Cross was first organized here in Geneva? The Red Cross emblem is the revers of the Swiss national flag, which is a white cross on a red background. The white cross of Christian mercy on the battlefield of red.

“Eternal spirit of the chainless mind;
Brightest in dungeons, Liberty thou art,
For there thy habitations is the hear.”

The castle of Chillon reflects much tragic and revolutionary history. Both Rousseau and Byron have contributed to the glory of this old feudal castle. In the beautiful aqua blue of the water of Lake Geneva is reflected the warm color of the turrets and towers, which hold such a gruesome story (as well as romantic) of so many who have “appealed to God from the tyranny of man,”

Carves Name
Byron carved his name in the stone pillar to which the prisoner Bonivard was chained. In imagination we saw him lying on the cold stone bed, or being cast into the pit where only a slight gleam of light entered, twice renewed from the narrow slit in the thick stone wall or again we saw him hanging from the scaffold with weights on his feet. Foot marks in the stone below have been worn by the dropping prisoners.

Yet, from all the torture stories that these moats and walls tell, there comes the spirit of the harmonies of nature and in all fairness to this “chainless mind.” we must look to the future with Jacquest Barzun of this country of solid minds, when he says “the future may revive jollier times where in the life of the mind again seems desirable and needs no apology.”

—Afton A. Hansen

Just before dinner we dashed over to get tickets for Knie Circus before 7 p.m. People were lined up and we tried to find out about the tickets that started to sell at 7 p.m. “Parle Anglais? Parle Anglais?” Finally a man tried to help us. We decided on cheaper tickets for 2.75 francs. It was 7:15 p.m. by the time we got back from dinner which was delicious. It was my fifth time for french fries. My main dish was rare beefsteak. Some of the other kids said the tickets had sold out for the circus and they couldn’t get in.

Our seats were on the top row which was a good deal for the cheaper seats. We weren’t sure if we were going to have any seats at first, but the usher made the people move over. First act was comprised of white bears and black bears drinking milk out of bottles. The orchestra was playing “trink, trink” with the bears climbing up and sliding down a slippery slide. Then some of them went down the slide backwards. Then the clowns, four midgets and a big guy filled in while the scenery was changed.

The second act included animals with a big horse, little horse and three dogs. The dogs jumped from one horse to the other and finally all the dogs ended up together on one horse. In between the clowns appeared again.

The third act had two men that worked on the trapeze. A little boy, girl, big boy and two men took turns as well on the trapeze. A girl, who seemed to be the star of the show, did 50 somersaults without stopping. There were chorus girls with tails, a ballet dancer, and horse costumes.

The fourth act involved two men and a girl that performed the ballet, Slaughter on 10th Avenue, which turned into a comedy. They had a volunteer “plant” from the audience.

The next act showcased a juggler to Sentimental Journey with three balls. Then he juggled three hats and three books. In the sixth act the performers were five seals and a blonde trainer. The seals used balls and clapped their fins. The act also included tightrope walkers, old fashioned bicycles, red headed clowns, and three elephants. The elephants sat down and danced on the stools to the song My Foolish Heart. A girl rode on an elephant’s trunk. Another elephant climbed the stairs and walked the plank.

Leading into the seventh act was an acrobatic spring board act with two men, two boys, and three girls in a family affair. They sprang into chairs with three layers on top of each other.

The eighth act was a racing act with four horses, four Shetland ponies, four drivers in carts, two dogs and eight horses. Amazingly there was an acrobatic horse. A comedian act in German with a jack in box was the ninth act where I missed a few of the punch lines. The tenth act had six horses and six red-coated riders where the horses danced to music. The eleventh act included a little boy juggler. He was a wonder boy. He did just about every kind of acrobatic stunt imaginable.

At intermission a lady asked me in Swisse-French where the ice cream was. Of course, she asked the wrong person for information, but the right person for my love of ice cream. Then the last part of the show included an acrobatic water act with a fellow and girl covered with glitter, a blonde in boat, a big snake act that wound around her, a chorus with little snakes, clowns with one huge snake, a camera man pushed in the water, an alligator act and a fountain dealy. Hoola! What a finale! Finally back to the hotel to go to bed.

60 Years Ago Today

Posted on by

Saturday, 12 July 1952:

The bed was almost as good as Zermatt’s bed and I didn’t want to get up for a second day in a row. Besides nobody had knocked on our door. I quickly ran down to the WC and got lost on the way back. This hotel had more hallways than I could imagine. Everybody else had their bags down in the lobby except “I.”

Finally, I was ready. I madly dashed out the door and ran down the hall. Five minutes later I think I took the wrong path. I didn’t even come to the elevators, but instead found cement stairs. So hoping to save time by not retracing my steps I charged down the stairs and ended up in the laundry. A little maid showed me the way out.

Upstairs again I finally found the street but what street! I took off in the direction of what I supposed was the lake. Then one block later I was on the street in front of the hotel. The gang was coming down the sidewalk on the other side of the street. A nice man said, “Didn’t you stay here last night?” and told me “I’ll be back in a minute to help you with that bag.” But I couldn’t wait. Herr Rogers and Alicia were standing by the bus waiting. Dot helped me carry my suitcase the last mile. Alicia had gone back to try and find me.

We drove by a large lake boat to Geneva. Alicia was out foraging for food. So I ended up with two oranges and a roll for breakfast. However after getting on the boat, we found out they were serving breakfast. So before long, I found myself downstairs eating more breakfast. I had hot milk, ham and eggs baked in a casserole, and bread. It was delicious to say the least.
Back on deck, I raved so much about it that some of the other kids decided they were hungry. When they returned and we compared notes, we discovered they had eaten in the first class dining room. It cost 1 franc more for the same meal.

The scenery was superb all around the lake as we stopped at each lakeside town. We were impressed with the beautiful fountain in Lausanne on our way to Geneva. Lac Leman was also known as Lake Geneva. Andre was waiting for us when we landed at the Promenade du Lac. There was a beautiful park and monument.

Then we arrived at the Hotel Residence which had a nice dining room and lobby. My room 139 was on the 5th floor. It had a balcony and a bathroom at the end of the hall that I made immediate use of. Then I felt like a new woman! I helped Dick by fitting his pants on him so I could fix them. Afterwards I did my washing and organizing.

Next I was off to do some shopping for food. Geneva had nice clean shops. Soon after we had a banquet for 3.50 francs each. Alicia took a can of tuna down to the kitchen to get it opened, and it turned out to be quite the operation.

We were off to see the town of Geneva at 5:30 p.m. We found out the shops were closed. As we tried to find Promenade du Lac, we lost our way and ended up at Promenade du Bastian. In our journey we saw a grade school with a statue of Donald Duck and the headquarters of the American Red Cross. We found an open door and music at De l’ Athenee. Then we snuck a peek in a room filled with paintings by very young artists.

Afterwards, we caught sight of little minnows swimming in a pond in front of the Monument de la Reformation. We discovered statues and bas-reliefs showing the steps in the Reformation process and those who brought it about. It featured documents such as the Bill of Rights, the Mayflower Compact and the Lord’s Prayer. There were large statues of Calvin, Foral, Breze and Knox, who were four great leaders of the Reformation as well as Cromwell and Roger Williams. I took pictures of people from India in front of this monument.

Soon after I spotted a statue of Antoine Carter in front of the University of Geneva. At the University we passed through the library and Musee d’Histoire Naturelle. Inside the library of the University we discovered a notice for U.S. GI’s to pick up their checks. There was a fence around the University campus or at least part of it.

I took pictures of the pond in front of Dufour’s statues which is across from the Musee Rath at Place Neuve. As we continued the tour at the Grand Opera Conservatory of Music, Alicia lost her talk for church tomorrow. I spied a Plaque Republic of Geneva on a wall built in 1600 a.d. Everything was closed up. This was really different. Then we moved on to Pont de l’Ile with its old tower from 1700’s a.d. I attempted a conversation with a waiter to find out about it. He told me Philibert Berthelier, a Swiss patriot, was decapitated here. There were historical pictures in charcoal on burlap that decorated the walls of the bar. We wandered down the river bank.

Hunger pangs were rising again, but I had to think of the budget. Then I spotted fish swarming below the bridge on Rousseau Island. At the other side of this bridge we finally located the Promenade de Lac where the concert was scheduled to be held later that night. Before the concert, we had to find food else we would never enjoy said concert.

We priced several restaurants, but they seemed a little high. After talking to a waiter at an expensive restaurant, we got some directions for a good economical restaurant. We set out to search and found the street, but I’ll be damned if that restaurant was there. After awhile we gave up and tried to find our way back to one café that seemed to be within the higher limits of our budget.

We ran across an old tower that we had passed previously. We nabbed onto it as a landmark. Funny thing how they build the new building right over the old building. After wandering around a couple of blocks we sighted Herr Watkins in a café right next to the one we were trying to find. He had just finished a light lunch, because he had indulged with too many souvenirs. Herr said he was still hungry, but would cinch up his belt instead of eating. He had eaten in the café next door for lunch and recommended it.

We tried to sit down in the fore part of the café, but when we mentioned dinner they ushered us into the dining room with table cloths. By leaving off one course we had a delicious dinner and twice as much as we could eat for 5 francs plus tip. We had to leave a big plate of french fries, large piece of roast beef, and a roll.

With a little encouragement from Alicia and a reminder that after all she had gotten the tuna opened via the bellboy, kitchen, and scullery. I asked the waiter for a napkin to wrap up the piece of meat and roll sandwich since we had decided to take it back to Herr Watkins. A lady and man nearby had a fit. Dessert by the way was the most delicious I had experienced—sherbert, fresh strawberries and cream. Emptier stomachs to enjoy it on would have been the only thing that could have improved the dessert.

We rushed over to the concert slightly late. In fact, when we sighted two seats and sat down, the fellow sitting next told us there was only one number left by Rimsky Korsakov. We discovered afterwards that audience members on the sit down seats were supposed to pay. The fellow next to us made a remark to this effect, but it was hardly worth it for one number. We were not accosted for money, so we didn’t pay.

The gentleman asked us where we were from? When Alicia said BYU in Provo, Utah, he asked if we were Mormons. We were quite amazed that he had even heard about the Mormons. He explained that he was a theology student and had studied about us. He had met male members of our church, but not any Mormon women.

We ran into part of our group after the concert and went window shopping. Then we found our way home via the tracks. Just when we thought surely we were lost and we had gone too far, there ahead of us sat our pretty blue bus. We were lost no more. I said good night to the fish aquarium by the kitchen and started to fix Dick’s pants after crawling into bed. Lights went out and I coughed myself to sleep.

Side note about Switzerland, streetside “dealies” were thankfully much more modest than in Italy and France.

60 Years Ago Today

Posted on by

Friday, 11 July 1952:

The bed was too wonderful! Even more comfortable than when I first crawled into it. I had to get up though. There were new fields to conquer. First on the list was the post office where I mailed five cards for 2.75 francs. Looking around I discovered that the Matterhorn was at its best. The sky was crystal clear blue and peak free of clouds.

As we tried to catch the train, there was not enough room on the train for us. Herr Rogers explained that there were 36 of us so the train workers rolled the baggage car onto the next track and put on another car. Herr Rogers helped. We experienced the same beautiful scenery on the way down or maybe even more so. It kind of grew on you.

As we reached the Stalden station, we were confused whether or not to get off. Andre where art thou? Nope, stay on. Herr Rogers breathlessly came dashing in with more tickets to go on to Visp. Andre couldn’t get through. We prayed that he was at Visp. We were captivated once again with more picturesque scenery of the kind that defied description. One had to see it to appreciate it.
Visp was coming up. Could anyone see Andre? Yes, yes, there he was. Whatta reunion! Never were we so glad to see Andre. Fifteen “rahs” for Andre! Another fifteen rahs because our baggage was all repacked and ready to go. I’ll bet Andre felt like the hen who just found his 36 chicks. Cause we swarmed around him just like chicks around a mother hen.

More beautiful countryside ahead, in stark contrast to tank barriers and mined roads. I spotted a landing strip on both sides of a tree-lined road. It rounded and crossed the road at one end. The hanger was camouflaged with straw.

We traveled through Rhone Valley where it was warmer. We viewed ruins of an old castle on a hilltop, this was the French section of Switzerland. They irrigated by sprinklers. Everyone had lunch on the road again. It included cherry jam sandwiches, an apple, and a cookie. When we crossed the Rhone River, it was a tight squeeze getting the bus onto the bridge. Then there was a sharp turn, but Andre always came through. At 1 p.m. we arrived at Lake Geneva with its beautiful blue water. Later we ran into some road repair.

Castle of Chillon, built in 1256 by Peter of Savoy, was where Byron got his inspiration for the Prisoner of Chillon, a 659 line narrative poem. We walked down the road to the castle and saw a camouflaged gun mounted in a wall along the road. The castle bore the emblem of Berne from 1536 a.d. and was built to guard the road and collect toll taxes.

There was a Gothic prison downstairs with stone slabs for those condemned to death and a hole where some prisoners were thrown down and forgotten. Also I saw the gallows and windows where prisoners were thrown into the lake with a stone tied to them. Byron’s poem described the trials of a lone survivor of a family. He spent four years in prison and was almost blind. Byron visited him and carved his name in the stone.

The guide said that a big banquet was scheduled there for that evening. Candles were at each place setting. What an atmosphere! We saw banquet halls with heavy old pewter ware, swords, and other weapons. Then we proceeded through the torture chambers. We had a good English speaking guide. She was an Italian looking lady with dark hair and a pleasant voice. I noticed her beautiful ivory necklace.

Next on the tour was the old moat, towers and places where they poured boiling hot water on their attackers. I didn’t have my notebook with me and couldn’t remember everything she told us. I bought a souvenir, book of Chillon, at the little shop outside the gate. Then it was back to the bus and off to the hotel.

The hotel turned out to be a large, pretty place right along the highway overlooking the Lac Leman on the outskirts of Montreux. It had a beautiful lobby downstairs, game room, and a pleasant girl at the front desk. When I asked her a question about the concert, the phone rang. She lifted the receiver and kept talking to me until she had finished.

The hotel, though it had seen better days, was still nice. And it turned out to be the only hotel so far without running water in the rooms. We had huge pitchers of water, large basins, a “dealy” in which to pour the waste water, and a big long soap dish. All of this was flowered crockery. I got lost almost every time I left my room with too many twists and turns. I cleaned up slightly to go visiting. Herr Watkins, Alicia, Henry and I took off for Montreux Proper to find the folks of Herr’s home teacher back home in Orem. We decided to walk instead of using the train so we had a chance to window shop on the way.

One store had darling little dresses. Herr Watkins finally succumbed and ended up with one for his little girl. After wandering around in a couple of circles, we found the right street and number. Up some stairs we went and knocked on the door. A little, slightly stooped man peered over his glasses at us. Herr Watkins explained to him in German who we were. I guess we took him by surprise because he seemed a little at a loss. He asked us to come back at 7:30 p.m. when his wife, who spoke English, would be home. Before we left, his kids squirted us with their water guns.

After saying adieu to Art and Henry, we went window shopping for awhile. Then we searched for a likely eating spot. We finally settled for a tea room that looked more French than Swiss. It was cool and pleasant. I had a plate of assorted cold meat and a milk shake. Ha! Ha! They should let us show them how to make milk shakes. After I went to a perfume shop and “john” at the big station.

Later we went back to visit Herr’s friend’s parents. They were thrilled to see us and had been crying for fear that we wouldn’t come back. They had a dressmaker and tailor shop in their home. They once had a dressmaking shop under our hotel, in the days when it was Montreux’s biggest and best, that catered to royalty. Their flat was clean and nice, but quite modest.
We looked at pictures, talked a little German with them and they showed us around. We went for a boat ride around the lake and, unfortunately, saw a crowd at the side of the lake that was looking for a drowned man’s body.

As we passed Chillon, it was all lit up. People at the banquet waved to us as we circled around the lake. What a beautiful night and city with weeping willows everywhere. They insisted on taking us to the casino for a drink. The casino insisted on charging 2.50 for drinks plus 15 cents cover. I had a really jippy ginger ale. There was a New York band with an interesting floor show. Other entertainment included: four ballet dancers, comedy team, and a Spanish number. The roulette table was quite a temptation for me. Later we walked home with them and then back to the hotel ourselves.