Walking the streets

One of my favorite things to do here is walk. Sounds boring, right? Ha. Wrong. The people watching is just fantastic and sometimes on my time between shifts, I'll go down to path along the lake, walk, grab a coffee, find a bench, and sit and listen to people that walk by me. A fun game I've invented: guess the language. With my earphones in and iPod turned off, I discretely watch people as they approach and guess what language they'll be speaking... German? French? English? Spanish? Portuguese? Arabic? I'm actually getting pretty good at it!

And walking around the town of Montreux is entertaining as well. The city itself is VERY clean, maybe because it is sooooo touristy. It's very much a resort town, so by the time late September roles around, I have a feeling that it will be a little bit dead to say the least. The town itself is pretty small, about 25,000 people, so there isn't a ton to do, but I have everything I need (so far) and in time I know I'll discover some more hang out spots. For now, I have adopted a few places:

1. Cafe du Globe. This is my morning coffee spot where I walk to every morning before work to sit and have coffee and read. It's an adorable cafe with all wood paneling inside and a few tables on the quiet cobblestone street it faces.

2. Mayfair cafe. (Where I am currently sitting) This is my internet hot spot with super comfy chairs and an interesting crowd. Flat screens line the walls and because it is located on the main drag (Rue du Lac), it can get pretty loud with buzzing cars and the sound of a boat leaving the dock 100 feet away.

3. A bakery that I don't know the name of. I've tried a few places out comparing croissants and baguettes, and so far, this place is by far the best. And trust me, the art of makin the perfect croissant is essential in my search for the perfect bakery. This particular bakery is a two minute walk from the hotel front door and emits an intoxicating smell of baked bread and butter... lots and lots of butter. Maybe I'll just call it heaven for now.

I suppose that's it for now. I plan on making a trip to Lausanne this afternoon or tomorrow to walk around and maybe discover a few new places. I may even take the boat over there (and don't worry, I'll take pictures) and train back. God I love Europe.

Oh! And one more thing I forgot to mention... On the first day I was here, I was walking through the center part of town and saw a young guy wearing a University of San Diego t-shirt. No joke. My mouth literally dropped. I think it's a sign... Of what? Who cares. But cool, huh?