I had arranged a two month house-sit through a family connection located in the outskirts of Geneva, looking after an elderly lab named Skeena. I was looking forward to staying put for a bit as I don’t have a lot of energy on the best of days, and I was exhausted from the previous few months of packing and emotional goodbyes.

The Turin to Geneva route on the train involved a full day of train travel. It involved five trains and four changes, a number of tunnels and a non-existent border crossing. Italian regional trains are half the price of Swiss trains and great value for money. As soon as I crossed the border, the fares went up significantly! Everything went smoothly though in spite of my anxiety.

Looking after someone’s home and pets in exchange for lodging is a cost-effective way to live like a local and discover places you would never learn about otherwise. My sit was located in a beautiful rural village near Geneva. The house was a large converted barn with a pool and I even had my own private space in the basement with an en-suite bathroom. The one downside was that it lacked air conditioning, and the temperatures were in the high 20’s to low 30’s every day. It was very hot, and I had to get up early to take the elderly dog out before the sun reached its full strength.  The basement area was a cool oasis from the heat so I spent quite a bit of time down there, writing and working on my online courses. I was surprised how violent the weather was in neutral Switzerland. There were many rain and thunderstorms which I watched from the safety of the house.

The dog was a sweet 13 year old Lab who was surprisingly mobile for her age and didn’t need any special medications thankfully. I did have to keep an eye on her as she liked to eat everything she wasn’t supposed to, including apples which fell from the tree in the yard.

10 things you might not know about Switzerland. #1. Its population is 8.7 million. #2. It’s the oldest democracy in the world. #3. It has the highest population of millionaires in the world – 14% of its citizens are worth over $1m. #4: Zurich has the highest cost of living of any city in the world. #5: The Swiss eat an average of 50lbs of cheese per year. #6: Every citizen has access to a nuclear shelter (there are 300,000). #7. They hold an average of four referendums per year. #8: 15% of its agriculture is organic. #9: Cows have a right to fresh air and natural feed. #10: Average net monthly salary is $9,000 CDN!

Here’s a list of a few grocery items I purchased at the local grocery store. Please keep in mind:  minimum wage in Switzerland is $38/hour. Rent is $2,000 – $3,000 per month for a one bedroom place. Ready? (prices in Canadian dollars) Delicious, giant organic trio of fresh leaf lettuce: $2.82. Small whole milk: $1.90. Pack of 3 red peppers: $2.67. Cantaloupe: $2.90. A few things were a bit more, but I would say groceries on average cost a bit less than Canada. “Food” for thought.

I swear this place is like a Richard Scarrey book. Everything is so small and cute and clean. Nobody is in a hurry. Everyone smiles and says bonjour. I watched a little electric post office vehicle drive by every day. Sometimes the driver wore a helmet.

While out driving one day I came across a closed road. A rope was across it, with a sign saying something about SHOOTING with a skull and crossbones. And some young adults / late teens were walking around with rifles. I heard gunshots. I guess it’s their military training starting quite early. 45% of Swiss households have a rifle in a safe place in case of national invasion. They are polite but don’t piss them off.

So yeah one day I just went over the border to France to a Sunday market. Bought some croissants and wine. My Canadian mind cannot compute.

My sister Emma and her husband Hans came to visit me for a few days at the house-sit (they are friends with the home owners).

Emma and I went on a day trip to Yvoire, France on a cool paddle boat across lake Geneva. We ate delicious crepes. Yvoire is a beautiful little town, but unfortunately quite touristy.

On another day, we visited a friend of Emma’s in a nearby village for a hike. We walked in the beautiful countryside and came across this Abby now used as a caretaker house. I wasn’t ever quite sure of the rules, but it seems as if locals are permitted to walk through farmers lands as long as they behave. I was never quite brave enough to do it by myself without a local.

A wee little video about the Chemins de Saint Jacques trail network nearby. It traces some routes the Huegenots took while fleeing religious persecution.

I spent my birthday by myself and thought I’d treat myself to a trip into the big city, which took about 30 minutes on the train. My long distance sweetie Randy sprung for a fancy Italian lunch in the Old Town of Geneva. It was incredible. Butter sage ricotta tortelloni, tiramisu and (because I’m a spoiled baby) I had a glass of Moet et Chandon. I had the song Killer Queen stuck in my head on repeat for a few days after that. I was essentially the only tourist at the restaurant, as the clientele were local business dudes all dressed crisply and no doubt doing million dollar deals over their three martini lunches.

While researching the area online, I discovered that Richard Burton was buried  in a town close by. I took the dog for a walk to find the modest local cemetery along a windy single lane lined with ivy-covered stone walls. The road abruptly ended into a dirt track in a field, and I had to ask a local dog walker where the cemetery was located. He pointed at a small trail off to the left and when I went down it, I soon came across a creaky metal gate. The cemetery is overgrown with headstones poking up from the undergrowth. It would be a perfect location for a horror movie. Richard Burton’s grave had been recently refreshed by a fan and was decorated with dried flowers and other tributes.

I was able to get away for a weekend trip to visit Montreux, a beautiful historical town along Lake Geneva (whose proper name is actually Lac Leman). I had no idea the crazy rock’n’roll history embedded there. Smoke on the Water was written because the casino here burnt down during a Frank Zappa concert while Deep Purple was recording up the street. The casino was rebuilt with a recording studio, Mountain Studios, which Queen ended up purchasing and recording seven albums in. Oh and David Bowie just happened to be hanging out here at the time and swung by the studio to record ONE OF MY FAVOURITE SONGS OF ALL TIME: “Under Pressure.” The Queen Experience museum in the casino is free and excellent. I got quite verklempt actually, watching the video and seeing how his band mates respected Freddie Mercury.

So very many artists of all ilks have shared this space and been inspired by its beauty, peace and tax breaks. Lord Byron, Mary Shelly, David Bowie, Victor Hugo, Richard Burton, Ian Fleming, Stravinsky, and Charlie Chaplin to name a few.

Montreux grants a tourist pass, included in all hotel bookings, offering free local transportation and discounts on many attractions. I was able to take the bus to the next town over, Vevey, where Charlie Chaplin lived.

I visited the incredible Charlie Chaplin World exhibit and then visited his grave nearby. I learned about his humanitarian politics. And learned about all the great thinkers he befriended, such as Einstein and Ghandi.

Then, because it was free, I took a funicular up a big hill for fun and wandered around the lake front of Vevey for a bit before heading back to the house sit in order to pack up my things and prepare for the next leg of my journey — the UK — to see my relatives.