Geneva, Switzerland - 6 October 2007

This morning, before departing from Walters B&B in Interlaken, we squeezed in two loads of laundry for €7. Our destination today is Strasbourg, France - a drive that typically takes around three hours. But I couldn’t resist making a detour southwest to Geneva, adding roughly 2.5 hours to the journey. From there, it would be another 4.5 hours north to Strasbourg.

We parked at Manor in Geneva (CHF 5 / €3.23) and explored the city on foot. Lunch was a delightful outdoor picnic by Lake Geneva: the plat du jour for CHF 12 (€7.74), simple and splendid. Naturally, we couldn’t leave Switzerland without picking up a generous stash of chocolates - about €20 worth!

According to 2007 data, Geneva ranks third worldwide in quality of life, after Zurich and Vancouver - and I can see why. For me, it was love at first sight. Home to numerous international organizations like the (European) UN, UNESCO, WHO, WTO, and the Red Cross, Geneva radiates a cosmopolitan spirit. Newspapers from every corner of the world, a marketplace offering global cuisines, and a mosaic of small specialty shops reflect the city’s richly diverse population and its high GDP per capita. Cultural tolerance feels woven into the fabric of daily life.

There’s something about the people there - a quiet confidence, seasoned by experience and softened by humility. It’s a city that doesn’t boast, but simply is. And honestly, it’s a place I could imagine calling home.

Above left: Broken Chair ~ this wooden giant work of art - standing only on three legs in front of the UN - symbolizes the campaign against landmines.

Above right: The Flag of the Canton of Geneva (right) and the Swiss flag

Above left: Lake Geneva; Above right: The Brunswick Monument ~ a mausoleum built in 1879 to honor Charles II, Duke of Brunswick.

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