Paddle boats for those looking to tone their thighs.

Lausanne, Switzerland

Rewind back to Lyon, where I sat in an apartment room sending messages to potential hosts hoping to line up accommodation plans for my journey through Switzerland. Being a solo and female traveler, I try to be as safe as possible – always checking for references, and preferring to house with female couchsurfers. I also try to avoid people with only female references (meaning the guy has an affinity for traveling women), people with no references at all, or people who respond with an excessive use of winkys. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, girls simply aren’t as active as guys on couchsurfing.

So imagine my excitement when I message a girl asking to be hosted, and she responds, “I can’t, but my friend Gabrielle probably can.”

An hour later, I get an offer from a brunette ‘Gabriele’ with a strong jawline from Lausanne.

In my head, I figured that the original girl asked her friend and that said friend had now messaged me.

I glanced at the profile but didn’t look too into the pictures or the small details. I read all positive references and the about-me section. It actually seemed like Gabriele and I had a lot in common! Excited to stay with a girl, I readily accepted.

Turns out, Gabriele is the Italian spelling of Gabriel – a male’s name. Obliviously, I took my train to Lausanne imagining girl’s nights out with a dark and masculine looking female. To be fair, Gabriele does have longer hair and wears sunglasses in all pictures.

Gabriele picked me up and we went to a barbeque with his friends on a lake. All were very friendly, even if they communicated in smiles and food offerings more than English. This part of Switzerland speaks French, one of the four official languages of the country.

A simple barbeque
A simple barbeque
Our view from the barbeque
Our view from the barbeque
Children playing in the fountains
Children playing in the fountains

Gabriele spent the next few days at a work event in Geneva, so I largely had the apartment to myself with his sister roommate. I spent most of my time walking along the lake, ducking into nooks to avoid random rain spells. The Alps dotted the background, and I loved the natural beauty of Lausanne vastly more than the industrial bustle of Geneva.

Swans run Switzerland - it's a fact.
Swans run Switzerland – it’s a fact.

statue lausanne switzerland

Paddle boats for those looking to tone their thighs.
Paddle boats for those looking to tone their thighs.
What a beautiful place to hang out
What a beautiful place to hang out
Quaint dock on the lake
Quaint dock on the lake
Solo travel breeds selfies... and floral accessories.
Solo travel breeds selfies… and floral accessories.
Sailboats speckling the blue landscape
Sailboats speckling the blue landscape

While the city is small, there are many gardens and even a free Olympic museum located on a beautiful boat on the lakeside.

Lausanne totes the Olympic flag everywhere - a symbol of their prized museum
Lausanne totes the Olympic flag everywhere – a symbol of their prized museum
The Olympic Museum housed on this boat
The Olympic Museum housed on this boat
Representing LA!
Representing LA!
Another Olympic jewel
Another Olympic jewel

Cute homes, stores, swans, and a stunning cathedral were frequent sights and stops for me as I wandered around. I was happy to find that the city was relatively free of other tourists like myself.

I loved these buildings
I loved these buildings

buildings Lausanne

One of the many beautiful sights I discovered in my meandering
One of the many beautiful sights I discovered in my meandering
Advertisements under a bridge
Advertisements under a bridge
No wonder everyone in Switzerland is so slim - nobody can afford the fast food!
No wonder everyone in Switzerland is so slim – nobody can afford the fast food!
I've been crushing the raillll road, all the live-long day....
I’ve been crushing the raillll road, all the live-long day….
The Cathedral can be seen from most of the city
The Cathedral can be seen from most of the city
Outside of the cathedral
Outside of the cathedral
Guardian she-goblin
Guardian she-goblin

Not necessarily being a Francophile, I struggled with the French-only bus ticket machines. Gabriele had advised me to take a ticket that was apparently only good for three stops (little did I know). The bus ticket checking brigade had checked me twice in the short time I was in Lausanne… the third time, I handed them my ticket proudly and resumed journaling. The man shook his head angrily and spoke to me in French.

A few seats away, another passenger was being chastised.

My blank expression must have shown a disconnect between his words and my comprehension – but when he pointed at the open door, I understood one thing: he wants me to get off.

The other bad passenger and I left the bus and stood on the sidewalk alongside my punisher until another English speaking ticket policeman came by. I explained that I was using these tickets every time and never had a problem before. I opened my wallet and revealed a black pocket stuffed full with tickets valid for only three stops… I told him that I been using most of them to get across the 10+ stop city.

He laughed and showed me how to pay for the correct ticket. I boarded the next bus unscathed.

The other Swiss passenger, however, was not so lucky… they did not entertain his pleads for mercy and fined him 200 Swiss Francs.

Ignorantia juris non excusat, or “ignorance of the law does not excuse” unless of course, you are a confidently-oblivious-five-feet-tall foreigner.

My Self Timer & I: A Love Story
My Self Timer & I: A Love Story