Golden 10 minutes

Photographers talk about the "golden hour", the first hour after dawn, and the last hour before sunset. In this light, nearly any subject will look good - and the closer to sunrise/sunset you are, the better:

Apartment blocks in Lausanne, 10 minutes before sunset. 

I took the photo with my Nexus S, and added some vignetting with the appropriately named app "Vignette".

Beautiful Photovoltaics

Sunset over photovoltaics, in Lausanne, pont chauderon

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Up and about in Javerne

Well, autumn is here. After waking up to a lovely 15 degrees centigrade a couple of days ago even I had to concede that the seasons have turned, and switch on my heating.

At least autumn is good for hiking: Here are a few photos of my recent trip to the Cauldron de Javerne:

A most lovely and clear day. To begin with, the air was quite crisp, but the sun still retains a bit of heat around midday.

The cauldron is down on the left (and climbing up directly to the ridge was not as fast as I thought it would be):

Then, the fog came.  Of course.

But contrary to last time, it cam, and went. Soon the sky was all blue again, as I am pointing out here.

And I was treated to this most excellent sea of clouds (click to embiggen):

Last but not least, here is the GPS-track. Because I need to justify my electronic toys.

Javerne

EveryTrail

These are so awesome

Do want.
The distinguished nobleman is always ready to shoot his vis-à-vis over a disputed piece of meat, or an unwise comment about his lady. Alternatively, accidentally triggered these cutlery-pistols provide endless amusement for the dinner party!

Weapons-collection in Chateau Grandson, Switzerland.

Vertical Gardening

It's all the rage in Lausanne right now. Point in Case: The new Metro-station Lausanne-Flon. Although I suspect watering might be a pain...

Only in Switzerland

Only in Switzerland is the milk standardised. Yes of course, all modern countries have health standards for comestibles. But I think it is only the Swiss that are so proud of them that they use it to sell their milk. "Hey!", the milk seems to say, "I am not just any old pint of milk, I have standards. Look at me: I am exactly one liter. 3.5% fat. Flash-heated to 90 degrees centigrade, make no mistake. I come from standard-cows, who fed on standard-hay, with standardised antibiotics added for good (and standard) measure."

Switzerland. Even the milk here is stuck-up.

Driving Licence

After one year in Switzerland you have to get a swiss driving license, which I managed to do to day after a few false starts:

Attempt 1) "I am sorry Monsieur, but you need to get an eye exam to exchange your valid Austrian driving license for a Swiss one."

Attempt 2) "I am sorry Monsieur, but you need to get a proof of residence. Pardon me? Why yes, we do have your current address in our computer. That does, however, not change the fact that you need to go to the Controle des habitants and get the aforementioned proof. Have a nice day!"

Attempt 3) "I am sorry Mon... ackk! argll! Stop strangling... It was a joke! Here is your license! Honestly, no need to be rude."

Typical swiss tree

It seems that the poor tree is disgusted by the very un-swisslike graffity, and so it is balancing on one toe...

Yverdon-les-Bains

Yverdon-les-Bains

Last Saturday I visited Yverdon-les-Bains. Unfortunately, it was overcast and rainy the whole day, so my photos didn't amount too much - except the one I call "Beneath a steel sky". I had a look at the Maison d'Ailleurs - Musée de la Science Fiction et Utopie. They had an exhibition of paintings inspired by H.P. Lovecraft - weird stuff.

I didn't go into the castle itself - I am saving that for when my girlfriend has the time to come with me.


The old city of Yverdon is very nice - I especially like the cobblestone streets and the colourful houses.

Beneath a steel sky

Continuing the sky series...

Yverdons-les-Bains, looking out north-west over Lac Neuchâtel

From Vuiteboef to Ste. Croix

Sunday the student's union here at the EPFL organised a hike for the PhD-students. Personally, I think they were in collusion with the administration, and it was their way to tell us to, well, take a hike. But that's just me...














The hike was a big success - 49 people showed up. It was a pleasurable half-days walk, and while I was too slow to get the chamois, I did manage to snap a couple of pictures of a big heron we startled.














Unfortunately I do not have my tele-lens yet, so I had to crop the photos rather closely -but at least the silly bird is still recognizable.

Myself

Since most all the photos from my blog are made by yours truly, it is not often that you get to see me. So here are three photos from last weekend. In all of them I am wearing my all-terrain bad weather and hiking hat, which I bought in the most touristy shop of the southern hemisphere, in downtown Sydney.

First Photo:
Talking to Thistles.

Second Photo:
Dude, Dog and Dad.

Third Photo:
Crazy Contortions Create Cool Captures

More gorge

A couple more pictures from the Gorge du Chauderon, near Montreux.


On the left my first try with b/w photography. I am not too sure if the blur helps or not...

To the right the mossy steps leading up to heaven. Mossy because, well, you know, not much in use anymore...

Châtel

My parents are currently visiting, and this weekend we went up from Mont-la-Ville to the Col du Mollendruz and Châtel; near the Lac de Joux. A nice, easy walk for your average ancient progenitors ;)


I like using my macro-lens, to the right a bumblebee on a thistle.






Feeding time...

clockwise: Laura, my dad and my mother.

No, you have to start on the top left.












View from the top of Châtel. You can see Lausanne and the Lake Geneva in the distance.