Geneva
If there is one thing that I remember about Geneva it would be its staggering high prices. A playground for the rich, Geneva might not suit well for budget travelers. When we were there in August, $1 exchanged 1.04 CHF. It sounds moderately equal right? But somehow it's not. Given the exchange rate, our prized dollar deemed fairly worthless compared to swiss francs. To give you a better analogy, a Big Mac at a McDonald's in Geneva would cost you $10USD! Such simple food had turned into that of a fine gourmet meal. Moreover, there were many people resplendent in formal attire striding about, especially around the financial district and diplomatic organization areas, and ladies carrying only the ultra luxurious hobo handbags and purses that I could only envy. How do a pauper survive here? Needless to say, I felt extremely deficient and wondered how I was going to budget on our two days in Switzerland. But if there is a will, there is a way. We managed to find inexpensive ways to enjoy this sleek cosmopolitan hub, but can I reiterate - MAD EXPENSIVE! Oh, another thing I remember about Geneva are the cuckoo clocks.
Ok, I lied. There is another thing that I remember about our trip in Geneva. Actually it was an incident that happened to us. One of the nights we decided to purchase food from a supermarket for dinner. (BTW, this is a great way to save money. For me, it's a great buffet style treat). After our purchases, we went outside and settled down on some benches facing the magnificent view of urban Geneva and Lake Geneva, aka Lac Leman. After several bites into my turkey baguette, I saw this dark skinned lady with a smartphone heading toward our bench. My intuition told me this lady was up to no good, and I was right. There were several empty benches adjacent to us but she headed toward our bench. Instinctively, I immediately told my friend who had her bag opened right by her side, to watch out for her bag. Promptly after my warning, as my friend went to zip up her bag, the lady "accidentally" dropped her phone into my friend's bag. But before the lady could reach in to claim her phone, and perhaps my friend's wallet, my friend quickly reached into her bag and handed the phone back to the lady. Begrudgingly of our luck, the lady then proceeded to sit markedly close to my friend toying with her own phone. What was the lady thinking sitting so close? Does she not know our cognizance of her plan? Does she think we were two doltish Asian gals? Sorry, but she was messing with a New Yorker. I thought she acted alone, but learned several seconds later that she had accomplices in case her first attempt failed. Suddenly, in front of us was an agile happy little boy running around triggered by the joys hyped up from who I believed to be the dad. But this team had no chance even with the cute distraction tool. During the whole time while I was pleasing my palate with juicy bits of melon, I had the canine eyes fixated on my prey - this impudent female thief. I could tell she was very upset and angry. I chuckled with satisfaction on the look on her face and on our triumph. After a few frustrating minutes with no bait, the lady left with her team to go fish again. My whole point of sharing this story is to tell you to be cautious with your belongings when you travel.
Continued on to Geneva. Because everything is so pricey in Geneva, finding a hotel at the center of town can be expensive. Initially, we were planning to stay with my friend's friend at her apartment. But her friend had some last minute changes and as a result, we booked our own hotel only few days prior and decided on the Holiday Express located next to the airport. This hotel was one of the cheapest that we could find. What I liked about the hotel is its free shuttle buses between the airport and hotel and the free internet access at the lobby. These amenities are actually quite advantageous and can save you money. The hotel is also not too far away from the city center. http://www.expressgeneva.com/en/index.php
SIGHTS:
Rue du Rhone and Rue du Marche
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| Jet d'Eau |
Window browsing along the fancy shopping district of Rue du Rhone and Rue du Marche can be quite sad, fun, or intimidating. Obviously, if you have the money the shopping experience will be fun and can be quite exhilarating. Watches, jewelry shops, renowned brands - you name it, it's ostensibly displayed here along these two parallel streets. Walking around here is similar to walking along 5th ave in NYC, but is much more elite here. Prada, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Ferragamo, La Perla, Mont Blanc, Choppard, Baume & Mercier, Patek Philippe, Rolex, just to name a few - everything that I, sadly, could only wish for and hope to purchase some day when I win the lottery. There are also specialty shops featuring everything from truffles to chocolate stuffed pastries and fruits. Nearby is also the prominent landmark Jet d'Eau, an extraordinary water spout. This is one of the largest fountains in the world and water jets out to an altitude of about 459 feet. It's quite an aesthetic addition to this elegant city.
Old Town
Another great place that I really enjoyed strolling around is in the Old Town area. Around here are winding alleys, cobbled roads, and French style buildings that once housed the wealthiest residents. Along these antique quarters are art galleries, museums, and boutiques. At the Place du Bourg-de-Four, a medieval marketplace, is where bohemia meets affluence. People congregate here at terrace cafes soaking up the ambiance of architectural styles ranging from archaic inns to religious facades. Nearby at the Place de la Taconnerie is the St. Pierre Cathedral. The cathedral is said to have been built on the remains of occupation going back to the Romans around 350AD. The archaeological site of walls and rooms beneath the cathedral is open to the public.
Nyon
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| Chateau de Nyon |
On our second day, upon recommendation from our friends from Geneva, we took a 25 minutes train ride to Nyon from the Geneva Airport. If you have a car, it takes about the same time from Geneva Airport on Autoroute A1 (exit Nyon). Nyon is a small and quaint town located some 25 kilometers north east of Geneva's city center. This charming town with chateau and Roman monuments lies along the western shore of Lake Geneva. On a gorgeous blue sky day, like the day when we visited, Nyon is absolutely lovely. Right after you get off the station at Nyon, I recommend that you head to the tourist office located on 8 Avenue Viollier to get a map of the area. The map features walking tours of the old town that took us through Nyon Roman ruins and waterfront paths. Our favorite spot, which we had our nice brown bag lunch while enjoying a spectacular view of Lake Geneva, the roofs of the Rive district, and the town's waterfront promenade, was at the white Chateau de Nyon-museum. Lucky for us on that clear day, we could see the French Alps and the Jet d'Eau from afar from the Chateau's terrace. Further on our self-guided tour, nearby the Roman museum, we saw three Roman pillars looking out of Lake Geneva. This impressive remain, however, is sadly surrounded by what I felt was an unkempt park. Finally, when we ended our day walking along the waterfront, with the bobbing boats and ducks, I immersed myself with wistful memories as I gazed beyond this European version of Cape Cod. If you are in Geneva and need a day trip destination, I highly recommend a visit to Nyon.
TRAVEL EXPENSE: (excluding attraction fees and food):
Hotel - my portion - $122 for 2 nights
Train: to Nyon - ~18CHF round trip
Fourth Stop: Copenhagen, Denmark
... to be continued ...
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