We spent our last five days in Europe in stunning Switzerland, the place that Marts is going to call home come 2009. As most of you know I have accepted a post-doc position in Lausanne and although I had already visited the lab during my post-doc tour, we returned to Lausanne so that I could meet my new boss who was away at the time of my last visit.
Lausanne is just a stunning city, situated on the banks of Lake Geneva, surrounded by the snow-covered alps. In the winter, you are only half an hour from some of the best ski fields in Europe and in the summer, Lausanne is a place of festivals and water sports on the lake, or hiking in the mountains. It is in the French speaking part of Switzerland so I will get to learn French which is very exciting.
While we were there, Ange and I were lucky enough to meet some lovely people (Cedric and Jerome) who really looked after us! They showed us that there really is a nightlife in Switzerland, despite the rumours! We also went out for dinner and discovered some of Lausanne's restaurants and we even were invited to Cedric's house by the lake for a traditional Swiss raclette! I met my new boss and visited everyone in the lab again and it feels like the best decision I could have made, combining the best of work and a new, exciting culture! I think I will love it here, even though it means I will be far from home. You will all just have to come and visit me!
