At the end of May I attended a conference in the French-speaking part of Switzerland for 5 days, and the venue is located in Les Diablerets, a skiing town to the east of Lake Geneva (or Lac Léman as the local name in French ). Of course I took the opportunity to do some travelling in the region.
五月底到瑞士法語區開會議5天，地點是日內瓦湖（英語稱Lake Geneva，當地法語稱Lac Léman）以東的阿爾卑斯山滑雪小鎮萊迪亞布勒雷Les Diablerets，我當然沒放過這個機會，順道旅遊一下。
I have already arrived in Geneva the day before the conference (26th May) but saw all of the main tourist attractions within 7 hours! The most eye-catching landmark of Geneva is its Jet d’eau (water jet) that reaches about 50 m in height and can be seen anywhere around the lake. The south side of the lake is the more interesting part of town with a shopping street and the old town which is located on a small hill. On the southern end of the old town there is a promenade which overlooks the Parc des Bastions and the campus of the University of Geneva. The Wall of Reformers (Mur des Réformateurs) lines the foot of the promenade and commemorates important figures in religious reformation in the 16th century. The St. Peter’s Cathedral (Cathédrale St. Pierre), located at the highest point of the old town, is also an important site for the reformation in Geneva.
會議開始前一天（5月26日），我已到達日內瓦，但祇消7小時左右，所有大景點都看過了！日內瓦最奪目的是湖內的噴水柱（Jet d’eau），沿著湖畔甚麼地方都能看到那道高幾十米的瘦長白水柱。湖以南是舊城區和購物街，舊城區位於小山上，南端可俯瞰堡壘公園（Parc des Bastions）和日內瓦大學校園，山腳豎了一堵長幾十米的宗教改革牆（Mur des Réformateurs），用以紀念對16世紀宗教改革作出貢獻的人，舊城區山頂的聖彼得大教堂（Cathédrale St. Pierre）也是當年宗教改革的一大據點。
The conference would not start until the evening of the next day. As I didn’t feel like spending another day in Geneva and have bought a Regional Pass Léman-Alpes, I decided to make use of it by taking a steam boat first to Lausanne then changing to Les Diablerets there. The boat trip took a bit more than 3 hours via a zigzag route between the northern banks of Switzerland and southern banks of France.
翌日的會議到黃昏才開幕，橫豎不想繼續留在日內瓦，而且買了一張日內瓦湖區的交通證（Regional Pass Léman-Alpes），所以便決定早上坐蒸氣船前往洛桑（Lausanne），再在那裡轉往萊迪亞布勒雷。船程長三小時多一點，穿梭北岸的瑞士和南岸的法國，坐在船頭的甲板，別緻的小鎮和環湖的高山中輪流展現在眼前，放眼遠方，開揚的景色在晴空和湖水的襯托下，令人身心鬆弛，完全融合於這片天地中。
Jetée des Paquis, a jetty in Geneva
Nyon
Yvoire, France; apparently a popular spot for a dining trip by Geneva people
法國Yvoire，據說是日內瓦人尋找美饌的地點
There was a 2-hour gap in Lausanne, and after a stroll along the lakefront near the pier I quickly took the automatic tram uphill to Lausanne city centre and walked a bit farther uphill to the old town, where I had a quick browse through the church and the classical-style government buildings nearby.
到達洛桑後有兩小時空檔，在下船附近的湖濱閒逛一會後便趕緊坐無人駕駛電車上山，再走一段斜路到舊城區繞一圈，走馬看花地看看教堂和附近古典的政府辦公樓。
Cathédrale de Lausanne
洛桑大教堂
The trip to Lausanne to the conference venue Les Diablerets involved a train trip along the lake, alongside slopes that have turned into a big stretch of vineyards then past two well-known resort towns of Vevey and Montreux. The train trip ended at Aigle where I changed for a bus to Les Diablerets via a narrow winding road uphill. The mountains on both sides of the road formed one layer after another of natural shielding from the outside world. The intention of choosing such a location became clear to me: the other 150 or so attendants and I were meant to forget everything else and instead focus solely on the conference.
從洛桑到開會地點萊迪亞布勒雷，要先坐一趟火車，沿著湖邊，途經一片片開墾成葡萄園的山坡及兩個度假名城沃韋（Vevey）和蒙特勒（Montreux）後，來到Aigle，換乘一程大巴，在山腰的羊腸山路緩緩上山，兩旁峰巒疊錯，一個接一個的高山，把外面的世界分隔得越來越遠，心想到如此地方開會議，目的就是讓我們暫時與外隔離，專注會議吧。
Vineyards - left: between Lausanne and Vevey; right: the mountains near Aigle
Les Diablerets is a small skiing town nestled in a valley surrounded by mountains. It ticks all the boxes for a pretty Alpine town, and I didn’t get tired of seeing the same view on the walks between the hotel and conference centre everyday. Although almost the end of spring, the mountains were still snow-capped with waterfalls flowing about halfway down from the peaks, presumably from the melting snow. Lying at the foot of those mountains was an expanse of lush green meadow dotted with a sea of white and yellow little wild flowers. The meadow was surrounded by wooden houses, with many of those first founded 100 or even 200 years ago. The houses reminded me of giant versions of cuckoo clocks with their steep roofs and walls made of logs!
萊迪亞布勒雷是個滑雪小鎮，四周被高山環抱，自成一個天地。每天往返酒店和會場，舉頭一望，但見白雪蓋頂的山巒，半山流著一道道相信是融雪形成的小瀑布，山腳有一大片綠油油的草原，長滿白色黃色的小野花，圍著草原蓋了一家家褐色木屋，在原址屹立了百多二百年的比比皆是，陡斜的屋頂、用木頭砌成的牆身，活像是布谷鳥鐘的真實巨型版！
Up on the mountains there is a glacier also named Diablerets (also called Glacier 3000) with an altitude of more than 3000 metres. I paid a visit there with a fellow conference attendant from Beijing on the second day of the conference (28th May) as I had more free time during the free-activity period that afternoon. Admittedly the weather wasn’t the greatest and we were hoping that it would fine up by the time we reached the peak, but our wish didn’t came true and we were shrouded by thick cloud or fog. Still there were plenty of magnificent views to be seen from the cable car up and down the peak. Looking downhill from the cable car, the altitude dropped almost vertically for more than 1500 metres as the mountains rose from the valley almost like a stone wall. It’s sure to make those afraid of heights tremble!
山巒上有道大冰川，亦名為迪亞布勒雷（亦稱冰川3000），位處海拔3000多米高，開會第二天（5月28日）趁下午自由活動時間較空閒，便約同一個來自清華大學的與會者一起乘索道（纜車）登山。那天天色其實不算太好，本來希望到山頂時雲霧會消散，可是事與願違，到了山頂甚麼都看不見，四周白濛濛的，倒有種騰雲駕霧的感覺。在山上逗留了差不多一小時後下山，從索道車廂向下望，才驀然發現那座山真的是從山谷拔地而起，山坡差不多垂直下降千多米，畏高者想必會嚇得雙腳發軟！
The ascent (left) looks innocuous but the descent (right) gives everyone a true idea of how steep these mountains are!
Endless valleys and endless peaks
連綿的山谷和山峰
Entering another world beyond the clouds
撥開千里雲霧，登入另一世界
The five days at the conference were very satisfying. I learnt a lot on the latest developments in the field from the lectures and discussions with other people, and during free time I could go for a saunter in the nearby woods and enjoy what the nature had to offer. I sent this photo of Les Diablerets to several colleagues, and they were all quite envious of the scenery. It was indeed a fortune to be able to come to this place.
開會議的五天過得很充實，每天聽演講、跟其他人聊天討論，得悉行內的最新發展，有空時也可到小鎮附近的山林逛逛，接受大自然的滋潤。開會期間，寄了這張相片給幾個同事，讓他們羨慕不已，我這次有幸到萊迪亞布勒雷，是一種福氣！
五月底到瑞士法語區開會議5天，地點是日內瓦湖（英語稱Lake Geneva，當地法語稱Lac Léman）以東的阿爾卑斯山滑雪小鎮萊迪亞布勒雷Les Diablerets，我當然沒放過這個機會，順道旅遊一下。
I have already arrived in Geneva the day before the conference (26th May) but saw all of the main tourist attractions within 7 hours! The most eye-catching landmark of Geneva is its Jet d’eau (water jet) that reaches about 50 m in height and can be seen anywhere around the lake. The south side of the lake is the more interesting part of town with a shopping street and the old town which is located on a small hill. On the southern end of the old town there is a promenade which overlooks the Parc des Bastions and the campus of the University of Geneva. The Wall of Reformers (Mur des Réformateurs) lines the foot of the promenade and commemorates important figures in religious reformation in the 16th century. The St. Peter’s Cathedral (Cathédrale St. Pierre), located at the highest point of the old town, is also an important site for the reformation in Geneva.
會議開始前一天（5月26日），我已到達日內瓦，但祇消7小時左右，所有大景點都看過了！日內瓦最奪目的是湖內的噴水柱（Jet d’eau），沿著湖畔甚麼地方都能看到那道高幾十米的瘦長白水柱。湖以南是舊城區和購物街，舊城區位於小山上，南端可俯瞰堡壘公園（Parc des Bastions）和日內瓦大學校園，山腳豎了一堵長幾十米的宗教改革牆（Mur des Réformateurs），用以紀念對16世紀宗教改革作出貢獻的人，舊城區山頂的聖彼得大教堂（Cathédrale St. Pierre）也是當年宗教改革的一大據點。
The city centre by the lake (above and below) 市中心環湖的部分（上、下）
Posters for a referendum on popular initiatives, whereby the general public has the right to propose amendments or additions to the constitution, to be held in Geneva on 17th June.
瑞士政治的一大特色——民間創制繼而公投表決，在日內瓦透過海報宣傳展示，公投日子為6月17日
A pretty fountain (above) and the majestic Jet d'Eau (right), as seen in Jardin Anglais (English Garden)
在英式花園（Jardin Anglais）看噴水池（上）和噴水柱（右）
A classy hotel
古色古香的酒店
Cathédrale St. Pierre
日內瓦聖彼得大教堂
The Old Arsenal (above) and Hotel de Ville (right), the seat of Geneva cantonal government and venue of important historical milestones such as the establishment of the Red Cross
舊城區內的舊軍火庫（上）和城市酒店（右），後者是日內瓦省政府辦公室，亦見證不少重要歷史時刻，例如紅十字會成立。
Parc des Bastions from Promenade de la Treille 從舊城區南端Treille大道俯瞰堡壘公園
Mur des Réformateurs in the Parc des Bastions 堡壘公園內的宗教改革牆
Musée Fondation Zoubov, an art museum
Zoubov基金會藝術博物館
The Broken Chair exhibit outside the Palais des Nations - United Nations Office, to raise awareness against land mines and cluster bombs
聯合國辦公室外的雕塑「斷椅」，旨在令公眾明白地雷和集束彈的破壞力The conference would not start until the evening of the next day. As I didn’t feel like spending another day in Geneva and have bought a Regional Pass Léman-Alpes, I decided to make use of it by taking a steam boat first to Lausanne then changing to Les Diablerets there. The boat trip took a bit more than 3 hours via a zigzag route between the northern banks of Switzerland and southern banks of France.
翌日的會議到黃昏才開幕，橫豎不想繼續留在日內瓦，而且買了一張日內瓦湖區的交通證（Regional Pass Léman-Alpes），所以便決定早上坐蒸氣船前往洛桑（Lausanne），再在那裡轉往萊迪亞布勒雷。船程長三小時多一點，穿梭北岸的瑞士和南岸的法國，坐在船頭的甲板，別緻的小鎮和環湖的高山中輪流展現在眼前，放眼遠方，開揚的景色在晴空和湖水的襯托下，令人身心鬆弛，完全融合於這片天地中。
Jetée des Paquis, a jetty in Geneva
日內瓦市內的des Paquis堤
Left 左：Versoix
Below 下：Coppet
Nyon
Yvoire, France; apparently a popular spot for a dining trip by Geneva people
Leisure in the lake
湖中的閒情逸致
Destination: Lausanne
終點在望：洛桑There was a 2-hour gap in Lausanne, and after a stroll along the lakefront near the pier I quickly took the automatic tram uphill to Lausanne city centre and walked a bit farther uphill to the old town, where I had a quick browse through the church and the classical-style government buildings nearby.
到達洛桑後有兩小時空檔，在下船附近的湖濱閒逛一會後便趕緊坐無人駕駛電車上山，再走一段斜路到舊城區繞一圈，走馬看花地看看教堂和附近古典的政府辦公樓。
The lakefront at Lausanne
洛桑的湖畔
Palais de Rumine, home to the Cantonal Library of Lausanne and several museum
Rumine宮，集圖書館和數家博物館於一身
Cathédrale de Lausanne
The woven seats of the chairs inside the church
教堂內的椅子，坐墊由藤（？）織成
Château St Maire (left) and other government buildings for the Canton of Vaud (below) surrounding the Place du Château (Castle Square)
Saint Maire城堡（左）和城堡廣場（Place du Château）四周的政府建築物（下）
Pont Bessières (Bessières Bridge)
Bessières橋
The trip to Lausanne to the conference venue Les Diablerets involved a train trip along the lake, alongside slopes that have turned into a big stretch of vineyards then past two well-known resort towns of Vevey and Montreux. The train trip ended at Aigle where I changed for a bus to Les Diablerets via a narrow winding road uphill. The mountains on both sides of the road formed one layer after another of natural shielding from the outside world. The intention of choosing such a location became clear to me: the other 150 or so attendants and I were meant to forget everything else and instead focus solely on the conference.
從洛桑到開會地點萊迪亞布勒雷，要先坐一趟火車，沿著湖邊，途經一片片開墾成葡萄園的山坡及兩個度假名城沃韋（Vevey）和蒙特勒（Montreux）後，來到Aigle，換乘一程大巴，在山腰的羊腸山路緩緩上山，兩旁峰巒疊錯，一個接一個的高山，把外面的世界分隔得越來越遠，心想到如此地方開會議，目的就是讓我們暫時與外隔離，專注會議吧。
Vineyards - left: between Lausanne and Vevey; right: the mountains near Aigle
酒園 ——左：Lausanne和Vevey之間、右：Aigle附近的山
Mountain views en route to Les Diablerets
前往Les Diablerets途中的山色
Les Diablerets is a small skiing town nestled in a valley surrounded by mountains. It ticks all the boxes for a pretty Alpine town, and I didn’t get tired of seeing the same view on the walks between the hotel and conference centre everyday. Although almost the end of spring, the mountains were still snow-capped with waterfalls flowing about halfway down from the peaks, presumably from the melting snow. Lying at the foot of those mountains was an expanse of lush green meadow dotted with a sea of white and yellow little wild flowers. The meadow was surrounded by wooden houses, with many of those first founded 100 or even 200 years ago. The houses reminded me of giant versions of cuckoo clocks with their steep roofs and walls made of logs!
萊迪亞布勒雷是個滑雪小鎮，四周被高山環抱，自成一個天地。每天往返酒店和會場，舉頭一望，但見白雪蓋頂的山巒，半山流著一道道相信是融雪形成的小瀑布，山腳有一大片綠油油的草原，長滿白色黃色的小野花，圍著草原蓋了一家家褐色木屋，在原址屹立了百多二百年的比比皆是，陡斜的屋頂、用木頭砌成的牆身，活像是布谷鳥鐘的真實巨型版！
Pretty wooden houses
充滿阿爾卑斯特色的木屋
Along the path between the hotel and conference centre 酒店及會場之間的路徑
Rural scenery
農村景緻Up on the mountains there is a glacier also named Diablerets (also called Glacier 3000) with an altitude of more than 3000 metres. I paid a visit there with a fellow conference attendant from Beijing on the second day of the conference (28th May) as I had more free time during the free-activity period that afternoon. Admittedly the weather wasn’t the greatest and we were hoping that it would fine up by the time we reached the peak, but our wish didn’t came true and we were shrouded by thick cloud or fog. Still there were plenty of magnificent views to be seen from the cable car up and down the peak. Looking downhill from the cable car, the altitude dropped almost vertically for more than 1500 metres as the mountains rose from the valley almost like a stone wall. It’s sure to make those afraid of heights tremble!
山巒上有道大冰川，亦名為迪亞布勒雷（亦稱冰川3000），位處海拔3000多米高，開會第二天（5月28日）趁下午自由活動時間較空閒，便約同一個來自清華大學的與會者一起乘索道（纜車）登山。那天天色其實不算太好，本來希望到山頂時雲霧會消散，可是事與願違，到了山頂甚麼都看不見，四周白濛濛的，倒有種騰雲駕霧的感覺。在山上逗留了差不多一小時後下山，從索道車廂向下望，才驀然發現那座山真的是從山谷拔地而起，山坡差不多垂直下降千多米，畏高者想必會嚇得雙腳發軟！
The ascent (left) looks innocuous but the descent (right) gives everyone a true idea of how steep these mountains are!
登山（左）時也沒覺山原來是那麼陡，下山時（右）向下望真會嚇人一跳！
Reaching for the sky
登高望遠
Endless valleys and endless peaks
Entering another world beyond the clouds
The serene world of snow
雪的仙境
The five days at the conference were very satisfying. I learnt a lot on the latest developments in the field from the lectures and discussions with other people, and during free time I could go for a saunter in the nearby woods and enjoy what the nature had to offer. I sent this photo of Les Diablerets to several colleagues, and they were all quite envious of the scenery. It was indeed a fortune to be able to come to this place.開會議的五天過得很充實，每天聽演講、跟其他人聊天討論，得悉行內的最新發展，有空時也可到小鎮附近的山林逛逛，接受大自然的滋潤。開會期間，寄了這張相片給幾個同事，讓他們羨慕不已，我這次有幸到萊迪亞布勒雷，是一種福氣！
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