Check out the LAUSANNE GUESTHOUSE

I was poking around on TripAdvisor for Lausanne and read the reviews for the Lausanne Guesthouse which is much more reasonable than the Regina and doesn't sound half bad. Did you check it out....you would have a kitchen to share as well? And laundry facilities!
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Search?q=LAUSANNE+GUESTHOUSE
and they have doubles with private and semi-private bathrooms
http://www.lausanne-guesthouse.ch/indexe.html
It would make you feel young again!

Swiss Riviera

It looks like I will have to bring a bathing suit:

http://www.swiss-riviera.com/

Or maybe a wet suit.

When will you have time to sleep?

Let's see....You'll be there a week...you have jet lag, a conference, and at least a month's worth of hiking. Oh my, oh my!

Via Jacobi

Oh my, Penny, the Hiking in Switzerland site has information on the Via Jacobi, the St. James pilgrimage. So that means we can pick up the Camino de Santiago in Switzerland! Who would have thought.
Here's more information http://www.viajacobi.ch/

Rochers-de-Naye

I wonder if the Grand Hotel seen in this postcard is still there.

Here is some information on Rochers-de-Naye: "an imposing rock formation above Montreux offers simply stunning views of Lac Léman and the surrounding Alps". You get to it via a cogwheel railway that leaves from the Montreux railway station.

Rochers-de-Naye is the starting point for hikes and also has the La Rambertia Alpine Garden, where around 1000 various colourful and sweetly scented species of plants from all over the world are on display. (Maybe I can find something that will grow in Pittsburgh!)

• Montreux Vevey

It appears that Friday and Saturday are the days to do the wine trail. Monday through Wednesday almost all of them appear to be closed. It is too bad we are traveling on the weekend!

Lausanne Weather

Obviously we have to keep track of the weather since we have to know what to take. With 2 stops on our flight to Geneva, our luggage is 3 times more likely to be lost so we absolutely have to carry it on which means we can't take anything but the essentials. Just like on the Camino.

• Lausanne Weather from meteosuisse

Where did the French ever come up with "meteo" for weather? I guess it means measure...

This morning I took the giant leap and bought our airline tickets. For a price from Expedia (the cheapest rates). Now I'll have to continually check online to see if they go down. But the hours were reasonable and the layovers long enough but not too long. We'll be leaving Saturday night, August 23rd at 5:30 pm on US Air to Philadelphia and then on to Dublin. From Dublin we take Aer Lingus to Geneva, arriving at 3:10 pm on Sunday (sounds long, doesn't it?). On the way back on Sunday, August 31st we take Swiss Air to Zurich at 7:40 am (sounds early doesn't it) and then US Air to Philadelphia and then home to Pittsburgh.

Montreux & Lausanne

You mustn't forget to visit Montreux where Mitch says he wants to retire (1/2 hr by train). You'll have missed the jazz festival, but c'est dommage!

Look up the hiking routes on Switzerland Mobility http://www.myswitzerland.com/en.cfm/holidayoffers/page-Tab_Activities-Activities_SchweizMobil-320588.html

As far as breakfast I think all the Swiss and German hotels have great breakfast buffets.
You should also (according to Mitch) take a historical tour of the city, and visit the museum at the International Olympic Headquarters. He'll look up the name of his favorite chocolate shop in Lausanne so you don't miss that, and he doesn't know a thing about markets!

Oh my there are lots of things to do on the lake, too. Maybe a couple of weeks?
P.S. It's very hilly and makes Pittsburgh look flat