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Monday, May 25, 2009

Switzerland and a day in Annecy, France

Our time in Geneva, Switzerland has come to an end and we can hardly believe it. We have had the time of our lives here and things were made easier by my friend Cassandra and her boyfriend Maarten. A hundred thanks to them for their hospitality. So….where do we even begin to tell you how much has happened over the past week. Well, after our amazing trip to visit the vineyards we thought things couldn’t get any better, boy were we wrong. First of all we made sure we made it to church. We went to one of the few and very old churches in Geneva where the mass was in English. One of Cassandra’s friends went with us and it was beautiful mass. It felt good to go to church since we have been unable to catch an English mass since we have been away. Then, we went on a day trip to Annecy, France and the area is just breathtaking. We feel like we are saying that a lot but Switzerland and what we have seen of France is a very beautiful place to see. We spent the day in Annecy, France and also had a very filling lunch there. The day was just one of those days where we were pinching ourselves to see if all of this was a dream. The next two days were spent sightseeing more of Geneva, Switzerland. We went to waterside where the famous water fountain is. We think it goes up to like 200 ft; it is quite an amazing thing to see. We then went to the famous Geneva Park where we walked for what seemed like hours. We were also able to get a glimpse of the world trade organization building right by the park. Also during that this time we went to a very filling dinner of the Swiss cheese fondue. This is a traditional winter meal to have but it is a Swiss thing and of course our friends made sure we partook in the culture. We ordered gruyere cheese, traditional dried meats and who could forget the wine. After all that cheese and wine we went to a bar to have none other than Swiss and German beer. What a time we had.

The next day in Geneva we visited the Patek Phillipe museum and realized why Geneva is such a big watch place. This guy is directly behind the history of watch making and it was amazing to see how everything (and we mean everything) was put into a watch back in the earlier days. After this, Cassandra and Maarten took us to the mountain side where we hiked for the day and enjoyed the views from the Saleve area. We could see the entire city of Geneva from where we were and again it was just an amazing time with spectacular views. Not to mention that we got a hell of a workout from hiking the steep mountain side. Another day after this was spent visiting the Red Cross museum. This museum was another very powerful museum to visit. They had very unique exhibitions showing the help that they do across the world. This museum really empowers you to think about the human race and how you can help. We were very happy that we were able to see and experience this museum.

The last couple of days were spent in Lucerne, Switzerland and celebrating my (Tamika’s) 26th b-day. We went to Lucerne to start off the b-day celebration and it was similar to Annecy, France in that the views and city were exhilarating. We spent the day enjoying the city by taking a boat ride to see the sites and enjoying a good lunch and a very nice dinner. We spend the night losing money at the Casino in the area and Bobby gave me a unique video card to wish me a happy birthday. The next day we went to nice the Gutsch hotel where we enjoyed some champagne before our trip back to Geneva. We then headed back to Geneva and stopped by the Gruyere area where we enjoyed some of the famous cheese in salads and sandwiches. Maarten also drove the scenic route so we could enjoy some more of the views before we left. That night we to a fine Thai Cuisine place to celebrate my b-day. They knew I loved Asian food and couldn’t have picked a better restaurant to have my bday at. I ate till I couldn’t eat anymore and they sang happy birthday to me. It was bittersweet because I was also missing my family. We ended the night by going to a posh bar and enjoyed some more champagne while overlooking the lakeside with the famous water fountain. And here we are today getting ready for our next adventure in Greece. So till the next update…..

Things to note:

1. On Sundays almost everything is closed and it is hard to find places to eat.

2. Being naked over here is not a big thing. There are pornographic magazines laying out in plain view for everyone to see and the XXX rated stores advertise their products on the store window for everyone to see as well.

3. Waiting= Cuing

4. Apartments= Flats

5. Almost all the places here have no air conditioning and although it doesn’t get too hot often here, it has been blazing hot the past few days and hard without air conditioning.

6. My parents (Tamika’s) cards are helping us when we get homesick. They gave us cards to read periodically and even put the month to open them. Thanks!!!!!

7. We are counting our blessings and thanking God everyday for this wonderful adventure!!

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