This is considered to be one of the green cities in the world in my own humble opinion. We found that out soon enough when we visited a super market. You have to have your own bags to carry out what you buy. There's no paper neither plastic bags offered.
It has a very unique environment blended between forests, mountains, and lakes. The air during our stay was very fresh, and crisp. The weather was cooperated as well for the whole time we were there, nice sunshine with the temperature holding around the high 70s and low 80s.
Public transportation is widely used for both locals and tourists includes trams, trains, buses, and boats. To our part, we mostly walked. We stayed in one of the hotels in central Geneva. From there, we could simply walk anywhere thorough the city.
To our surprise, my wife and I found these flowers everywhere, the exact same kind of flowers we have here in North Carolina. I guess that some travelers inadvertently brought their seeds from here to the States or the other way around. The environment and weather must be to their liking. That's why they blossomed into very colorful pleasant-to-the-eye bushes.
The most surprising till this day was the friendship we had developed with the other tourists from this trip the last few days. We slowly tried to get to know one another in the same group. The first few days were kinda awkward. We hadn't known one another at all except for those from whom they were related to before the trip. We had come from all walks of life. We had come from all over the place, even some from Hawaii. We were in different age groups, backgrounds, professions, and educations. Slowly but steadily, we all found our matches. We started to form our own groups despite all the differences.
The first picture together for both (Hong & Trinh).
We got to Geneva late in the afternoon after a long and tiresome trip from Paris during which we visited a winemaker. On both sides of the road, there were nothing but grapevines mixed in with corn and wheat fields swaying under the summer breeze. I forgot the name of that small town of 2 thousands. Its streets were so old and narrow, made it very hard to maneuver the giant bus.
The wine cellars here were not as big as those in Canada or California, but they carried something very sacred, like a heirloom passed down from one generation to the next. Some has been around for a few centuries. There were so many different kind of wines I found here, typical as: Gamaret, Merlot, Garanoir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris, Viognier, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Chasselas and Muscat just to name a ... few. After half an hour of wine tasting, I was so much wanting to buy a truck load, but knowing the trip was still many days away from completion, and many countries ahead, in an earnest gesture of goodwill, I settled for a couple of vintage bottles of red wine from Corton Les Perrieres region.
Soon after shaking off the dirt from the long trip, and checking in to our hotel, we all walked down to see Lake Léman (also known as lake Geneva), one of the largest lake in Western Europe. On the other side of the lake, we still could see the snowy peaks of Mont Blanc even in the summer time. The first thing we saw even from very far away was the Jet d'Eau, the water-jet fountain. It shot up hundred of feet in the air. The walk on the lake shore was so soothing, we seemed to leave all of our problems behind.
The wine cellars here were not as big as those in Canada or California, but they carried something very sacred, like a heirloom passed down from one generation to the next. Some has been around for a few centuries. There were so many different kind of wines I found here, typical as: Gamaret, Merlot, Garanoir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris, Viognier, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Chasselas and Muscat just to name a ... few. After half an hour of wine tasting, I was so much wanting to buy a truck load, but knowing the trip was still many days away from completion, and many countries ahead, in an earnest gesture of goodwill, I settled for a couple of vintage bottles of red wine from Corton Les Perrieres region.
Soon after shaking off the dirt from the long trip, and checking in to our hotel, we all walked down to see Lake Léman (also known as lake Geneva), one of the largest lake in Western Europe. On the other side of the lake, we still could see the snowy peaks of Mont Blanc even in the summer time. The first thing we saw even from very far away was the Jet d'Eau, the water-jet fountain. It shot up hundred of feet in the air. The walk on the lake shore was so soothing, we seemed to leave all of our problems behind.
The next day we went visit the United Nation complex building. It's a home of many committees from many nations all around the world. They get together here to deal with issues as: health, labor, human rights, humanitarian action, disaster relief, international trade and development and disarmament. The huge statue we saw right in front of the complex is the chair with 3 and a half legs. It's an icon involving the disagreement between the disarmament of personal mines used in the wars. The complex is huge, and security is very tight, just like any large international airport in the US.
The whole network is beautifully set up. It situated on a large piece of land facing Lake Léman, and Mont Blanc. Even in the summer time, we still can see the snow on top of the summit.
In reality, there are so many disputes unresolved, specially any issues involved with international trade, human rights, land dispute between nations ... etc. That's why we have had so many wars just in one's lifetime.
It's interesting to know that they even have a conference room with 2 separate doors so representatives of the arguing nations don't have to have one enter the room ahead of the other!
After that we visited Geneva Cathedral. The structure and statues here are very much different with anywhere else in Europe. They carry somewhat a kind of Gothic look. It's very hard to explain, but they are different.
We ate lunch at one of many Kabob restaurants in Geneva Shopping district. The food there wasn't very good, but the prices were very high. It cost more than 15 US dollars just for a simple sandwich with a drink. The shop had a mere handful of seats for a few of us. The rest had to eat while standing up elsewhere on the street.
The shopping central is huge with hundred of high end shops along the bustling Rue de la Confederation. This street is lined with endless shopping opportunities and is completely pedestrianized. Most of the merchandise for sale are very pricey, but in general, the quality is good. I've doubted if it's worth the money though. Walking along this street, I saw an endless T-shirts, key rings and cow-pattern mugs, together with traditional Swiss watches, and also plenty of Switzerland's famous knifes of all kinds, included the well known Swiss Army.
Just like Paris, past time for the local is sitting in an outdoor cafe with its pastries, and a cup of coffee, a beer or even a glass of wine. Some of these cafes went out of their way to offer a live band with minimum charge.
There's not much else in this city. We spent only a day and a half here in Geneva, but in my opinion, that's more than plenty unless you spend a whole day shopping for Rolex watches. I found one with a price tag of almost 50 thousands Euro. Talking about expensive accessories!
Tomorrow we would be heading to the second smallest country in the world. Even with such tiny size, it is well known around the world for its extravaganza life style that draws all the rich and famous names of the film industry, Monaco the glamorous fairytale kingdom.
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