Monday, May 17, 1920

We had early showers but the promise is for a bright day. In this mountainous country it rains very easily and the sun seems to play hide and seek. We were off on schedule.

Our Italian guide (and I can scarcely pronounce his name, much less spell it) has a way of rushing through our rooms in hotels after we leave them in search of forgotten things. When we are all seated in the train he comes through in search of the rightful owners. It is perfectly marvelous the articles of women’s attire he can produce from the depths of his pockets. This morning he had a variety of things from pink bed-room slippers to wash cloths and soap. I am not sure that it is a good thing. Some of the women seem to feel if they do forget anything, that he will be sure to find it.

Yesterday was election day (Sunday) in Switzerland to decide whether or not they would enter the League of Nations. We are anxious to hear the result.

The wood here is cut so accurately and piled high under the projecting eaves of both house and out-houses. The mountain sheep and goats clamber over the rocks and scale almost perpendicular ascents. The goats are about the color of the deer, the cows larger than ours and the latter wear large bells. We are passing through valleys, in and around the mountains or through them and there are acres of wild narcissus, which is so fragrant. People bring it to the windows of our train an sell it and everybody wants some.

Such brilliant hued flowers, the grass so green, waterfalls on the mountain sides and all crowned by the snow capped mountains, forms an enchanting picture. We had our first glimpse of Lake Geneva through the mountains.

We reach Montreaux (which is made up of a number of small villages and we stop at the large one) and are taken to Hotel Eden, which is rightly named. After lunch we go to the Castle of Chillon, made famous by Byron. We strolled through the shops and streets and back to the hotel, to sit on the balcony opening off from our room and overlooking mountains and lake. It is a magnificent scene and we are speechless with delight! After dinner we listened to the orchestra and a Russian soloist who sang in the parlor below.