Day 17 - Genève

This is how I charge my phone in Switzerland, with an adapter for Europe and one for Switzerland. Not sure why they couldn't use the same plugs as the rest of Europe, but my argument takes me back to the idea that for some reason the Swiss must do things diferently.

Switzerland is very expensive. Period. But at least tourists checking into hotels get a free pass for public transit, which comes in very handy when otherwise a ticket valid for one hour is 3CHF in Geneva. 

We started the day swimming in Lake Lèman (aka Lake Geneva to the world), which is quite clean and warm. Entrance to the "beach" is 3CHF, and on the same beach you can also eat fish among other young people tired of seeing only banks and watch boutiques.  Horologeries.  

We met my friend Nicole who came from Paris to see us, and then went together to the United Nations.  

This was my favorite room, with a ceiling created by a Spanish artist who was inspired by the ocean waves as symbol of unity for all peoples.  

I didn't realize, but UN uses a world projection from the North Pole, so there is no argument about whether to split the Earth map across the Atlantic or the Pacific oceans. 

The tour was interesting, yet I appreciated the most the plaza in front of the UN, and the symbol of the wobbling three-legged chair is telling for the world affairs I believe. 

After more coffee, raspberry with creme Gruyere, Läderach Swiss chocolate, and a stroll in the Old Town, we waved adieu to Nicole and returned to the hotel to pack the luggage. 

We wanted to eat again those amazing berries but the main grocery store, Coop, was closed at 7:45PM.  This reminded me of the convenience we have at home, so I think I'm ready to return. We had a fantastic vacation, but now look forward to a safe return. 

I hope everyone enjoyed traveling with us!

Day 16 - Bonjour, Genève!

I was sad to leave Bern, but happy to go to Geneva.  It's the travel moods. La vieille ville is tucked in the heart of the town-starting at Bel Air, and is similar to the old Bern. Lots of hustle-bustle is concentrated on the Lake Lèman's shore, from the high end fashion and watch stores to restaurants and banks.  

This is the Rhône river rushing from the Alps and going into the lake. 

But the attraction is the Jet D'Eau.  

We played with it a bit at night...

I've seen more Arab/Muslim families here than anywhere else, on the streets, boutiques, Rolls Royces and restaurants.  Everything from water and coffee to Swiss watches is nauseatingly expensive.  

We had a true fondue traditional from the Valais region (see the interesting lights in this restaurant, which have a hand made handkerchief with embroidery covering the actual lightbulb), with a very tasty tomato salad.  This could not be complete without "framboise au crème Gruyère". Delicious to die for! Fresh and loaded with sweetness and flavor, although I had so much cheese and cream, my veins are thick...  I also had a white wine, but we had such a great time, I can't recall its name. 

We also had a "show" for dinner. French and Swiss people from surrounding tables got me into conversations and flirting and we witnessed even high tension moments. One French man ex legionnaire stirred up everyone like in a French movie, and we even talked about the old dictatorship in Romania!

Chloe couldn't enjoy these, but I thought it was a rich night

Final notes: 

1. Have you ever seen an automatic shoe polishing machine in the US? 

2. With so many bikes and pedestrian and bike areas, this is what many traffic lights look like

3. Geneva is a very friendly and humane city, and one way to facilitate it is to gather a bunch of chaise-longs under a wifi hotspot!

Tomorrow is our last day in Europe. We're already getting very nostalgic... 

Day 15 - Bern

I am so utterly upset that we came all the way here to the heart of the Alps and did not get to see the mighty Matterhorn! This morning I stared for a while in the direction where its peak should have materialized from the clouds but no chance... All I saw were clouds and more clouds. White, whitish, grey and greysh... We stayed in Täsch, about 1800 meter altitude, but Matterhorn, which is the highest mountain placed entirely in Switzerland, is over 4000 meters. Quite a beast, a national symbol and an obsession. Even if I didn't see it, I saw his picture on posters, ads, napkins and calendars, it was painted on walls, towels, and train tickets... Ad nauseam! 

Oh, at least the scenery was breathtaking, temperature was reasonable, and Swiss pastries soothed our guts.

We also had a second disappointment today. The Swiss! I got ripped off at the train station in Zermatt, where I paid for first class tickets to Visp (on the way to Bern) but I was handed 2nd class tickets (half price) and I didn't notice. The train conductor did! Although I was confident  that speaking English or Italian will make me less of a prey to such rip-offs, even the Swiss are thieves. Seriously! 

But the best part of the day was actually visiting Bern.  The old town has rows of houses with pointy roofs in different shades of rusty reds and with a gorrest of attic windows and chimneys. Again, flower posts (petunias and geraniums) hanging from windows somehow make up for the lack of trees.

Below these columns in some places are more stores, which are located in the basement and therefore are accessed by stepping down below the side walk.  These are their entrances locked of course, because on Sunday there is NO store open in Bern! 

Also, very often street lights hang in the middle of the street with wires, since there are no lampposts on these mostly pedestrian streets with an occasional tram or trolley bus.

The Aare river meanders through beautifully. 

One can hear a bell sound of some kind - either from a town clock or a church- every hour and half hour. 

We passed by the Einstein House, next to which was a place I had to laugh at - definitely not to be associated with genius!

We wandered around the old town Bern and found the Münster Platform overlooking the Aare. Saw some incredible gardens there by the river.

We then stopped to eat a snack of perfect simplicity and taste in a park by the river.

Traditional Swiss bread, mouth watering cheese, and an offendingly delicious ice cream... Excuse me, Starbucks, all you see in this picture was €18, whereas a small cappuccino and a grande refresher at Starbucks were €13! 

Final impressions of the day: 

1. We saw so many Chinese tourists, it often felt like we were back home in Arcadia, 

2. I find Swiss people cold and stiff. They don't smile and chat like Italians or other warmer blooded Europeans.  Or maybe that's because I don't speak in German to them. 

3. Traditional Swiss food from this area is heavy.  Examples: raclette, fondue and capun, as well as many entrecôte kinds... But I forgive them because the berries are to die for. 😄