Month: November 2014

by

Geneva’s Jet d’eau – Up close and personal

I’ve come to believe that Geneva’s Jet d’eau (“water jet”) is one of the most underrated man made landmarks on the face of the earth. And interestingly, the jet d’eau is something of an “accidental’ landmark. The idea was first conceived way back in in 1886 when a separate outlet was created to control excess water pressure at a nearby hydraulic plant. That precursor to the current Jet d’eau released a stream of water a mere 30 meters into the air, but everyone still thought it was the coolest thing ever, so five years later in 1891, the Geneva city council came up with the bright idea that they could relocate the fountain out into the Geneva Harbor and attract tourists to come and see it. Continue reading →

by

Desperately need a stuffed blowfish? The Geneva flea market has that!

Outdoor markets are a big thing — not just in Geneva, but in all the European cities we have visited. We’ve gotten into the habit of frequenting Geneva’s largest market to buy fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, and our favorite booth, which sells awesome fresh Italian food (which I will feature in a future blog!). But this post’s topic is not the food market, which takes place every Sunday, but rather the “Flea Market” which takes place every Saturday. Every Saturday morning, around 100 or so venders display their wares, and as this post will attest, you never know what gems you are likely to find. Continue reading →

by

The “Coup de Soleil” is the most awesome light show ever!

Sadly, there is no way that justice can be done in this post to adequately convey the sheer awesomeness of the light show currently being performed three times a night at the University of Geneva. The show, called “Coup de Soleil” (a clever double entendre whose literal translation is “sunburn”, but has the double meaning here of “sunburst” or something similar.) What makes this show so unique is that the “screen” is the Administration Building of the University of Geneva. Continue reading →

by

I’m having trouble getting used to the magnificence of the Alps

I’m very proud of my adopted home state of Minnesota (I’m not originally from there) and I have always told anyone who asked that Minnesota is truly beautiful with its 10,000 lakes, its rolling hills, the spectacular fall colors, the north shore of Lake Superior, and the pristine Boundary Waters to name just a few of its most appealing features. But there is one thing that Minnesota lacks, and that’s mountains. I’m making up for that now, living so close to Europe’s major mountain range, the Alps. Continue reading →

by

A glorious bike ride and hike, and a reunion with my 2nd grade BFF Leo!

When I found out we were relocating to Geneva, my mom said to me, “Did you know that Leo lives in Geneva?”. Leo was my best friend when our families both lived in Washington D.C. when I was 8 years old, and while we had seen each other a handful of times since (he also has a strong Minnesota connection) we hadn’t seen each other for a good 15 years or so. We recently connected and made plans for me to come out to his home and then, weather permitting, do something fun outdoors. Continue reading →