Switzerland, day one

First off, I'd like to apologize for being several days behind in posting. Sometimes the real world gets in the way. However, I've been in Switzerland for several days now. What a country! In my thus far limited experience, all Swiss efficiency stereotypes are so, so true.

Tuesday morning after arriving in Geneva I spent my first few hours sort of just wandering around being on the fringe of totally lost and thinking maps are for squares. This was probably not the best use of time. Eventually, though, I relented in need of a water fountain, and (after finding it) visited the tourist information desk and received a map.

But then I had to make the difficult decision of what to do with myself! I crossed the Rhone River and hung out in the Jardin Anglais looking at the Jet d'Eau for a few minutes, then headed uphill to a museum my guidebook had mentioned and that sounded interesting--la Maison Tavel. It's this small museum in this old house (like, 13th century old) that documents the history of the city of Geneva. I was pretty much the only one there which was a little weird, but it was certainly interesting. Kind of an interesting mélange of urban history/art history/military history and the story of the family that lived there.

Jet d'Eau! It's one of the tallest fountains in the world!

After la Maison Tavel, I headed to lunch, using a tip the internet had given me. Switzerland is super expensive, food (and public transportation) especially, but there are cafeteria-style restaurants in the major grocery/department stores that have a) reasonably-priced food, b) good food, and c) vegetarian food. The one of these I stumbled across was, even better, called Coop and a cooperative! So now I can say I eat in a co-op, even in Switzerland. Eating cafeteria-style also makes eating alone a bit more enjoyable.

Cathedrale St. Pierre

With a full belly and map in hand I pressed on to the Cathedrale St. Pierre, because old cathedrals are the bee's knees. Cathedrale St. Pierre was a Catholic cathedral, but from the time of John Calvin on it has been Protestant (which reminded me a lot of some of the transitions of places of worship in Turkey). Calvin's chair is inside, which is pretty cool since he was so very influential on the history of Geneva as a whole. 

There was a little sign advertising that you could go up into the tower of the cathedral for four francs, and despite being a cheapskate who doesn't like heights all that much I decided to go for it. SO WORTH IT. The views were completely spectacular.

I love how there are just mountains all over the place here.

Jet d'Eau from far above.

All good things must end, and eventually it was time to head back to the house. Once again, I have completely wonderful family hosting me in a little town between Geneva and Lausanne!

I almost fell down the spiral staircase when this thing came out of nowhere and terrified me. Good times.