For what may be the final time in my life, I went to cheapoair.com for a plane ticket. Sure, I saved a couple hundred bucks, but the flight schedule was grueling. I haven't been a college student backpacker for a long time...
I had an eight hour layover in Geneva on the way to Athens. Yes, Switzerland in late November. Fortunately, it was decent enough weather in the morning that I could get out and explore the town for a bit. I guess I was too excited to be in Europe to notice the cold temperature, and anyone who knows me knows how much I hate winter.
I suppose it was a bit after 8am when I got to town. The airport, in stark contrast to nearly everywhere else, is a brief ten minute train ride into the city. And the train station is in the city, too, I mean in the middle so I was already where I needed to be to start walking around. These were pleasant surprises.
I'd been to Switzerland once, back in those college student backpacker days. We went to Interlaken, where I skied for the first time in my life. Imagine that. Learning to ski in the Swiss Alps. We were only there for a weekend, so I can't say I got to know anything about the Swiss, but a weekend is more than the four hours I had in Geneva.
Nothing was open at 8am on a Saturday morning. I thought that the proper way to do things. It made for a nice walk, and it must have been warmer at that time than when the weather moved in around noon. No, it wasn't too sunny, but the sun did peak out from behind the clouds for a bit.
The old town was fun for me, very "Europe," or what I often think of Europe in my mind when I am away from it. Compared to what I was about to see in Greece, the old town wasn't that old.
I appreciated hearing French again. Always do. I don't understand too well when I arrive, and, as it usually takes a few days of constant exposure for it to come back, I struggled some to understand what people were saying. But I never think twice about reading things when I go to a French speaking country. Not like I had to in Greece.
Some old town pics:
I've had these two cysts on my back for years. One decided to become inflamed right before I left. It grew bigger and bigger and was quite painful, and I had a big backpack rubbing against it. I was ok for the first two hours of wandering and cappuccinos. But then the pain came. I wasn't able to walk around as much as I had liked.
Still, I pushed on to the lake.
At this point, the pain was so bad, and I hadn't had any sleep, and I was feeling sick from the beer and the wine I drank to calm my nerves while flying and probably too much coffee and the jet lag. I had wanted to stay another hour, but I was in bad shape. I decided just to go back to the airport. When I arrived, it was snowing. Snowing!
I sat in the airport for more than two more hours before my flight to Athens. That was a struggle. I don't remember the flight to Athens. I must have slept most of the way.
Anyway, here are the rest of the Geneva pics:
Last thought. The irresponsibility of those who would demonize police in the US has led to the spread of anti-police sentiment throughout the world. Way to go, brats.
I had an eight hour layover in Geneva on the way to Athens. Yes, Switzerland in late November. Fortunately, it was decent enough weather in the morning that I could get out and explore the town for a bit. I guess I was too excited to be in Europe to notice the cold temperature, and anyone who knows me knows how much I hate winter.
I suppose it was a bit after 8am when I got to town. The airport, in stark contrast to nearly everywhere else, is a brief ten minute train ride into the city. And the train station is in the city, too, I mean in the middle so I was already where I needed to be to start walking around. These were pleasant surprises.
I'd been to Switzerland once, back in those college student backpacker days. We went to Interlaken, where I skied for the first time in my life. Imagine that. Learning to ski in the Swiss Alps. We were only there for a weekend, so I can't say I got to know anything about the Swiss, but a weekend is more than the four hours I had in Geneva.
Nothing was open at 8am on a Saturday morning. I thought that the proper way to do things. It made for a nice walk, and it must have been warmer at that time than when the weather moved in around noon. No, it wasn't too sunny, but the sun did peak out from behind the clouds for a bit.
The old town was fun for me, very "Europe," or what I often think of Europe in my mind when I am away from it. Compared to what I was about to see in Greece, the old town wasn't that old.
I appreciated hearing French again. Always do. I don't understand too well when I arrive, and, as it usually takes a few days of constant exposure for it to come back, I struggled some to understand what people were saying. But I never think twice about reading things when I go to a French speaking country. Not like I had to in Greece.
Some old town pics:
 |
| had a cappuccino and a croissant. place had blankets on the seats. was a wonderful morning. |
I've had these two cysts on my back for years. One decided to become inflamed right before I left. It grew bigger and bigger and was quite painful, and I had a big backpack rubbing against it. I was ok for the first two hours of wandering and cappuccinos. But then the pain came. I wasn't able to walk around as much as I had liked.
Still, I pushed on to the lake.
 |
| famous geneva thing. not like it isn't headquarters of UN or anything. giant water stream. |
At this point, the pain was so bad, and I hadn't had any sleep, and I was feeling sick from the beer and the wine I drank to calm my nerves while flying and probably too much coffee and the jet lag. I had wanted to stay another hour, but I was in bad shape. I decided just to go back to the airport. When I arrived, it was snowing. Snowing!
I sat in the airport for more than two more hours before my flight to Athens. That was a struggle. I don't remember the flight to Athens. I must have slept most of the way.
Anyway, here are the rest of the Geneva pics:
Last thought. The irresponsibility of those who would demonize police in the US has led to the spread of anti-police sentiment throughout the world. Way to go, brats.
 |
| The police kill. General Strike! |
