Monday, June 10: Day 49 – Trains, Trams and Autobuses

We originally came to Annecy to see a HUGE grass volleyball tournament frequented by European professional volleyball players who are not currently in season. This annual tournament is held on the Sunday and Monday of Pentecost. What an amazing venue of hundreds of outdoor volleyball nets overlooking beautiful Lake Annecy. However, Sunday morning this is what we saw:

There were a few trailers so we asked if it was postponed. Actually, the tournament had been moved indoors to 30 area gyms. After buying a T-shirt, we walked in the rain to a gym nearby.

I was impressed with this athletic trainer’s set-up near an impressive rock climbing wall. I was wondering if sore spectators could get a quick massage!!

Au Revoir, France. On to Guggisberg, Switzerland

Rob says almost daily, “Why are we going to Guggisberg?”

“I read about it on a placemat in Millersburg, OH,” is my constant reply.

As you will see, it is really difficult to get there.

Rob needed a challenge. Here is how we got to Guggisberg, Switzerland from Annecy, France.

Beginning (8:30 a.m.)

• Walked in the rain from our Airbnb in Annecy to the train station (Always choose from the recommended paths for one that is free of cobblestones.) – 30 minutes.
• Discovered that we need to take the bus instead of the train. 10 minutes
• Bus from Annecy to La Roche – 45 minutes
• Stood in drizzle to catch the next bus. While waiting for the bus, a woman came up to us and asked if we spoke English. We said that we did. She said, “Today I do not hate.” She kept repeating this to us and said with a smile while puffing on her cigarette. “Isn’t that astonishing?” Then she left – 10 minutes
• Bus from La Roche to the outskirts of Geneva – 45 minutes. (There was a woman who had a large dog and wanted to get on the bus. The bus driver said NO. I am not sure what she then did.) – 45 minutes
• Once we got to Geneva, the bus driver tried to tell us in German, then in French how to get to the train station by way of the nearby tram. After lots of pointing, etc. we saw the tram pickup point – 10 minutes
• We got on the tram but we were headed AWAY from the train station. (Thanks to seeing our bubble on Google maps going out of the city.) – 10 minutes
• Rob bought tram tickets in a downpour while we waited for the correct tram – 15 minutes
• Got on the correct tram headed toward the Geneva train station – 15 minutes
• Walked to the train station – 10 minutes.
• Boarded train from Geneva to Bern. We ate our packed lunches and read a little – 1 3/4 hours.
• Changed trains in Bern – 10 minutes
• Traveled from Bern to Schwarzenburg – 45 minutes
• Arrived in Schwarzenburg where a bus bound for Guggisberg was waiting 20 steps away. Awesome! Our driver spoke English, and I asked him if this bus was going to Guggisberg. He said No. Take the next bus. I remarked that’s funny since your bus says Guggisberg. He shrugged and left. When the next bus arrived, I asked this bus driver if he was going to Guggisberg. He said, No, that was the bus that just left. I told him the ugly story. We had a good laugh. Maybe it was my accent. He told me that the same bus driver would be back in an hour. Ugh! I learned that his name was Rudy, and we were going to talk again. He must have been forewarned because it was a different driver! Oh well, if we had been on the first bus, we would have missed this:
• Bus from Schwarzenburg to Guggisberg – 15 minutes.
• Bus let us out by the side of the road
• Walked to Hotel Sternen – 2 minutes

Hotel Sweet Hotel (4:00 p.m.)

My cold was getting worse. The rain throughout the day didn’t help. I was thrilled to be in Ricola land and looked outside our hotel window and saw this!!!