Back to France

One may wonder how you can know it's France. Well, it's kind of obvious. Note the inscription under the clock of city hall in nearby Douvaine:

Geneve Redux

Having slept late and enjoyed a lazy breakfast, we prepared to trek back to the city:

Successfully navigating our way to the center of town, we set out to retrace our steps from 2009. One of our first stops: The Reformation Monument along the wall of the old city:

Then, a hike up the hill and past the oldest bookstore in Geneva, said to be over 500 years old:

To the Reformation Museo, which not only had a bust of John Calvin but also sold (yes, really) Calvinus beer:

Then through the Museo (no pictures allowed) and back into the old city:

And on the the second Museo of the day, the St. Pierre Cathedral archeological museo. Now this was far more interesting than it may sound for two very important reasons. The first reason is that during renovations to the Cathedral in the 1990's, structures from the late middle ages were discovered immediately underneath. Further excavation revealed structures underneath those from early medieval times. Further excavation revealed structures underneath those from Roman times. And further excavation revealed the tomb of an aristocrat from the pre-Roman tribes in the area. All of this proved so cool they made a museo and, yes, it really is cool.

The second reason of importance is that another Calvin, who shall remain nameless, absolutely refused to go to this museo in 2009. But we came back and did it without him. Oh, yes we did. His loss.

After two museos we still had time to wander the beautiful city of Geneva, with weather that is too wonderful to describe. Here is a picture of my Frau with a statue to J.J. Rousseau. It's on Rousseau Island. In the middle of the Rhone River. In Geneva.

Geneve Redux

Having slept late and enjoyed a lazy breakfast, we prepared to trek back to the city:

Successfully navigating our way to the center of town, we set out to retrace our steps from 2009. One of our first stops: The Reformation Monument along the wall of the old city:

Then, a hike up the hill and past the oldest bookstore in Geneva, said to be over 500 years old:

To the Reformation Museo, which not only had a bust of John Calvin but also sold (yes, really) Calvinus beer:

Then through the Museo (no pictures allowed) and back into the old city:

And on the the second Museo of the day, the St. Pierre Cathedral archeological museo. Now this was far more interesting than it may sound for two very important reasons. The first reason is that during renovations to the Cathedral in the 1990's, structures from the late middle ages were discovered immediately underneath. Further excavation revealed structures underneath those from early medieval times. Further excavation revealed structures underneath those from Roman times. And further excavation revealed the tomb of an aristocrat from the pre-Roman tribes in the area. All of this proved so cool they made a museo and, yes, it really is cool.

The second reason of importance is that another Calvin, who shall remain nameless, absolutely refused to go to this museo in 2009. But we came back and did it without him. Oh, yes we did. His loss.

After two museos we still had time to wander the beautiful city of Geneva, with weather that is too wonderful to describe. Here is a picture of my Frau with a statue to J.J. Rousseau. It's on Rousseau Island. In the middle of the Rhone River. In Geneva.

Sciez

We are now living in France in a little apartment in a house in the French countryside. The house appears to be a converted barn that is, perhaps, a hundred or two hundred years old. It sits in an old deteriorating apple orchard on Rte de Prailles, which is one of those roads in Europe that is not really two way but it's used for that anyway. Most importantly, we're in the countryside. Of France. In the foothills of the Alps. Near Lake Geneva but most definitely not in a city or even close to urbanity in any form. We left Geneva behind as we drove along the waterfront and went from city to country in an instant. Such like Europe: no suburbs.

Madame B. found a drawer full of maps in the apartment. It made her very, very happy. She says she intends to study them all. That might take more than a week, however, and there are things to do.

We went exploring. There were discoveries. One we will save for a future post, since the conditions for a picture were less than ideal and we'll be passing it every day this week. Sciez, however, we shall not pass on as it is a lovely little French town with its own harbor on the lake. The tourists are gone but the summer weather is hanging on and we are grateful.

And it's France, in every sense of the word. People often pretend not to speak English when you know they know it. Others are more kind, especially when they can see you need help. Ah, La France. 

We have been noticing things of interest, like the ancient dilapidated chateau below. What was more interesting, though, were the people outside the chateau who saw us taking a picture and yelled at us. Very friendly, these people.

And so we are in France. Tomorrow: Touring Geneva sans Calvin. Hence, there will be museos!

Heckling Protesters in Front of the UN

Okay, maybe the weren't protesters...and maybe there was no heckling at all. We weren't really sure what it was except there were big flags from Colombia. And it was in front of the famous Broken Chair statue. Which is so famous I'd never heard of it. I guess it's a memorial to victims of landmines. Like that makes sense. Anyway, back at the protest-whatever I engaged a friendly guy in Spanish and he told us it was a rally urging a Yes vote on the new peace treaty with FARC. I was wondering why everyone was so well behaved and happy. They're not really protesting anything. Then they all sat down. So there was that.

En Geneve

View from the hotel room.

My wife doing what she does best on vacation: Studying the tour guides.

City hiking along the Lake Geneva waterfront.

On The Way To Geneva, and Seborga, and...?

Near Gate K19, waiting for our Iberian Airlines flight to Madrid.