Sunday, May 28, 2006
Geneva, CH
(I can't get rid of this giant gap, sorry)
Highlights of Geneva: Jet d'eau, eating at Manora on rooftop of Manor, biking the lake and river trails.
Highlights of Annecy: Castle, canals, mountain/lake views.
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| Recently we made a trip to Geneva, Switzerland (city page and travel guide). Situated on the south end of Lake Geneva or Lac Leman where it drains into the River Rhone that has just meandered out of France for a brieff distance. Appropriate as it is also the home to the UN. We were fortunate to have 3 out of 4 days with excellent weather. | |
 | Started the visit off by renting a couple bicycles. Best way to see a large portion of a smallish place like that. Promptly upon arrival I found a kiosk that had free bikes are for rent. Turns out there were several located in town, mostly along the lake and staffed by asylum seekers. From here the best tour of Geneva ever started. Though I was starving and tired, once I climbed on the bike there was no stopping me. First I went NE along the lake side, through the botanical gardens. A very nice place currently with a display on biodiversity and its importance. Had gardens with products displayed next to the plant species it was derived from. |
 | From there I skirted around the UN. They wouldn't let in a dude on a bright orange bike. As a result I ended up in a town called Pregney, part of the canton of Geneva. Finally stopped for water here, and carried on SW along the lake to downtown Geneva. For some reason all these fountains everywhere where pouring out 'eau potable'. Whatever it is it sure tasted good! By the way, the UN has released the top 10 news stories not being told for 2006. |
 | I was enjoying the water side so much I stuck to it through town and out the other side along the river. |
  | Here where the end of Lake Geneva meets with the River Rhone I crossed on a railway bridge, after a very long climb up a very long stair case, with that very heavy bike. But with every wicked uphill 'should' be a very wicked downhill. And there was this time. Again I followed the river back into town and continued up the lakeside on the south side of the lake this time. Too many bugs forced me to turn around and head back into town. After a break for lunch and some clueless wandering I decided to turn the bike back in, head to the hotel, and watch some German MTV (they really like Viva la Bam). This is where the rivers met: draining Lake Geneva (blue water) and the River Rhone (grey water) from France. |
 | If you plan your trip to Geneva well enough in advance you can book a tour of the CERN particle accelerator and part birthplace to the WWW. You even get to go in and see part of the accelerator that goes from Switzerland to France and back. |
  | Sunday we hopped a bus for Annecy, France (location, travel guide & webcam of castle). Coolest little town I have been in since Fernie. Annecy had canals (I think they were too fast flowing to be called canals, but whatever), neat castle, and was on a lake in the mountains. We visited on a Sunday, during the towns main weekly market. Among good local food and neat garbage was this street performer, his guitar, and 2 puppets: Annecy performer video: 3 sec., 1.6 MB |
    | While there we had the opportunity to check out the castle in town. Very nice, with some of its art, and scenery seen here. My favirite part f this was the building itself, with the stone, wood beams, deep windows and spiral staircases. It was easy to get lots of nice pictures in here. Though there was a cost to enter it was less than 2E, so well worth it. |
  | a bird over the canal, and a bit of Canada in this small northern French town. |
Highlights of Annecy: Castle, canals, mountain/lake views.
# posted by Us : 11:48 p.m.
Hangman
