So first let me apologize for stinking at this updating game...but this time it wasn't just laziness. I had a midterm on Thursday that I was studying my butt off for. Promise :)
Last weekend, Jim, Dayna, Carlin, and I ventured off to Geneva, Switzerland. What a fantastic city...I'm ready to find a job with the UN and just move there. I think we tried to do just about everything and succeeded. We stayed at City Hostel near the train station, which was really nice. After getting in on Friday mid-morning, we went off to find Lake Geneva and le jet d'eau. So beautiful...and you can see the jet from just about everywhere. After lunch, we wandered up Rue France toward the Place de Nations to see the Landmine Chair...annnd play in our first fountain of the weekend. We also saw the UNHCR monument to people lost in their missions, stumbled upon the World Intellectual Property Organization, which had beautiful grounds (and more fountains), and the Ariana Museum of Ceramics and Glass (also had a fountain). Then we headed up to Old Town, which is absolutely adorable. Because of the way Geneva is set into a hill the roads are narrow and all over the place. So we wondered for a bit and discovered the Reformation Wall as well as the life-sized checker/chess boards on le Promenade des Bastions. Jim and I played a game of checkers with the help of a crazy Swiss man. That night we headed to the Paquis Bath for fondue on a jette in the lake for dinner. Soooo delicious and the best view. We ended the evening at Lord Jims Pub.
Saturday, we got up and went watch shopping. (What else would you do in Switzerland!?) Jim and I both bought Tissot watches :) After that, we went to St. Pierre's Cathedral and climbed the towers there. Absolutely amazing. You could see forever. Then we went down to the archaeological dig that is underneath the cathedral. It was preserved for display really well and was very interesting. The site was religiously important since before the Roman Empire. After that, we took a boat ride (for free with our complementary transit passes) across the lake toward the hostel for lunch. After lunch, we rode the 8 bus to the end and crossed the boarder into France to go up a cable car to Mont Seleve. The view from the top was again amazing (you could still see the jet d'eau), and fall was everywhere. We also got to see some guys para-gliding which was cool. After that we returned for a brief nap and then headed to a Swiss restaurant for dinner, which was delicious. We returned to Lord Jim's to watch the end of the France v England rugby match, which England miraculously won. That night, we wandered along Lake Geneva with a bottle of wine and just enjoyed the atmosphere.
Sunday, we headed back up toward the UN and went to the Red Cross/Red Crescent museum. The museum was really good and eye opening. After that we went back to the lake to find lunch and found a festival of some sort going on. We were able to get a really good sausage for lunch for only 6 francs! After that, we went to the UN which was by far my favorite part (of course). The tour was really good, and while we were in le Palais de Nations we could see Mont Blanc waaaaaaaaaaay off in the distance. The hall in the original League of Nations building was so ornate and beautiful, and the gifts from all the member states were interesting. After our tour, we went back to the lake for one last boat ride and then it was off to the airport to go home.
I really liked Geneva and the whole atmosphere there. I definitely wouldn't complain if I could get a UN job there.
This week was good too. I worked both days (go figure!) and got some guidance on the briefing note that I'm writing. We had the Law midterm on Thursday, which I studied intensely for. But I think it went well. Next and last is the Econ one on Monday. Wish me luck.... I'm in Leuven this weekend though, so I have no excuse to not study...
That's it for this week!!
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