Zweisimmen

On Saturday the three of us took the Golden Pass Line up to Zweisimmen. The line is a scenic route with panoramic windows in the train cars. The weather has been very nice the past week and it was a clear and warm day. I was a bit worried I might be a little cold as we were heading up in the mountains and there is still snow on the ground, but I refuse to wear any more coats! Dad went to Phoenix yesterday and as I sent him with a suitcase full of my coats, winter boots, and other things I don't plan on wearing anymore. I did keep my lightest coat just in case, but so far I've been lucky and not needed it except at night. Despite the remaining snow it was quite warm, in the 60s, and as we sat outside for lunch I even took off my sweater and was comfortable in short sleeves.
Even Lausanne has a different character to it now that the weather has changed. For the first time the restaurants have started setting up tables outside, and everyone has taken advantage. The trees are just beginning to show spurts of leaves, and some yellow and pink flowers are just beginning to bloom. Seeing the city in the spring feels like the reward for making it through the winter. You don't realize until the sun comes out just how drab it has been. I am sad that I will be leaving just as it is getting beautiful here.
Zweisimmen is a chalet town, mainly a skiiing destination. The houses in chalet villages are required to have a certain amount of wood, so the result is a town full of stereotypical (but cute) chalet homes and buildings. There were still a few people skiing, but it is obvious the season will be over soon, the snow is definitely melting. We have been warned there is usually one last snow in April, but right now no one is thinking about that. Hopefully it comes after we are back in Phoenix. If our usual pattern holds, it will snow the day we are leaving town.
We only stayed in the village for a few hours and had lunch. There is not much to do there otherwise, besides ski, although in the summer there are apparently nice biking and hiking trails. The train ride was the real point of the trip, and the views were wonderful. I particularly like the initial gain in elevation from Lausane, with wide views of Lac Leman, the Chateau de Chillon, and the Alps towering up from the French shoreline. I have added the photo link on the right.