Le Musee Olympique

After the visit to Chateau de Chillon (and a second meal at the Beijing Chinese Restaurant in Montreux), we went a half hour west into Lausanne to visit the Olympics Museum.

Yeah...I've got some flexibility and balance issues.

The Olympic Flame

The Shot Put is HEAVY.

We had a blast even before we went INTO the museum itself.

It's fun to see how differently Onions and I react at the top of the podium.  I wonder if its cultural?

The Original Olympic Flag.

Most of the museum was about the history of the games and displays about the different sports, the host cities, the medals from each game and like here, the Olympic torches.

The best part, was the simulation games.  Here's Onions during the shooting portion of the Biathlon.

I look like I know what I'm doing here.

Another view of me, still, doesn't look too bad.

The score says something completely different.  Alas, the results don't lie.

The slalom skiing was HARD.  In two runs, I only managed to get around 66% of the gates.  As you would expect, Onions did MUCH better.

The day ended, and the trip ended, in Geneva.  We walked out to the famous Jet d'Eau, but it was turned off when we were there. Winter hours.

The lights of Geneva and then our three flights back home to San Francisco the next morning.  A fun first trip to Europe for Onions.

Montreux

Working west towards Geneva, from where we would fly home, we spent a night in the town of Montreux.  Turns out Freddy Mercury and Queen spent some time here and recorded in a studio they owned in the town.

Freddy!

Right down the road from Montreux is Chateau de Chillon.  We've all seen photos of this castle on an island.  It was a great visit.  The tour is extensive and self-guided and very informative.

Built in concentric ellipses, here's Onions standing between the first and second (older) courtyards.  We're looking outwards.

The "dungeon" where prisoners were kept.

Prisoners were kept chained to the columns. One famous prisoner was here for five years.

Onions going in the secret passage way.....

....and coming out the other side!

Toilets were also defensive tools.  Your waste would go down a long wall and into the lake, thereby deterring and making it harder for attackers to get into the castle.

A final view towards the eastern end of Lake Geneva.