I was in a super fast TGV train and it took me 3 h to reach Geneva from Paris (360 km/h). First thing I did, searched for the new sim card. My french number was not useful and from my search result it was a great suggestion to get a new sim card. I found "SALT" (I prefer salt over sugar ;-)) network and I found a great deal, ten days unlimited 4G network for 20 euros. 20 euros sounded nothing. So I was very happy about it and went to buy my SWISS SBB travel cards.
I tell you something, this SALT network was awesome, it worked in the mountain high 4300 m and also in the tunnel travel. I do not know about other services but I personally gurantee this one !
As I decided before I went to get a 8 day swiss travel pass. Voila!
For Geneva, I got a 24h day pass that covers all transports inside city, boat trips, touristic bus tours and lot of museums free visit. Day pass cost something like 25 euros. It was all done in quite a short time and I had to meet my couch surfing friend at 7 pm. With salt network was easy to communicate.
My plan always with my couch surfing member is to prepare a indian food and have a good chat. Since Swiss is an another world, in order to avoid the time delay I gave list of things to be bought and Eric (CS member) did a great job. He received me in the bus station and as soon as I arrived his beautiful home, I started cooking. Eric was giveing me a good hand so we had dinner in the balcony with the beautiful view!
I was given a room with glass roof so I was looking at starts and I had a good rest! It reminded me my childhood counting the stars and sleep. I had a same feeling and I have to thank Eric for that! It meant a lot!
Morning, Eric prepared a great breakfast, he is a guy expects quality in everything. That was my first observation. So everything he does was unique and it was quite interesting to observe.I enjoyed his company. We both left early and I went to explore Geneva and he went for working. He gave me lot of tips for the city visit. Also he promised me that he would find a time to get me a one of the best chocolates and hand over me. That was impressive to think how considerate people are. Sometimes I go speechless and just embrace the moment!
So my touristic plan starts now. While I was waiting to take a sightseeing bus trips, I had time to walk along lake side. It was a beautiful day!
First interesting encounter happened. Elisabeth (a swiss woman) asked me if I want a photo with jet. I appreciated her and we start to chat and in a short moment we exchanged our numbers and she invited me to saty at her place! I was shocked and surprised and I found it quite interesting. It was early morning like 8 am and she told me that at the evening there is a free CONCERT in the park, gave me all the details of the location and told me to meet her there. I promised her that I would be there to meet her again! So I was with all smiles I left to explore the city.
With Geneve pass I took first international sightseeing tour.
This bus took all interenational organisation places and with guided tour. It was very cool. So many information I was not aware of that. I am not going into detail and you should go and explore.
As you well aware all international leaders supposed to stay in this hotel for safety reasons.
This is the residential area of other side of the lake, where famous and rich sportman and film actor actreess have their homes. I have heard from the tour is that these rich and famous people are treated as normal people and local population dont care about them so these people can go to local markets without any security or issues. I found that quite interesting. This should be very good for the famous people. So no wonder they are all there! Some of the homes were incridible!
After I decided to visit Red cross museum. Among all other museums, the only thing I wanted to spend time is this one. I have to warn you, it is quite painful experience. But I do not want to escape.
The data of people who lost their lifes and refugee details.
This photo was impressive! We complaint to be in a queue even for a short time. I want to keep this picture in my mind always. Not just this, all the experience I felt in this museum was very meaningful and useful for my lifestyle!
So I participated in the human chain.If you are interested you can join the chain too, just need to download tha app and proceed!
After a heavy feeling I left the museum. It was worth visitng though.
Then back to relaxation. I took a boat trip in such a beautiful lengthy lake in Geneva, in french is called lac Léman. First time I see in my life such a large lake of 73 km long, the blue green water and very clean and transparent. Quite surprising and seemed impossible! Anyway, to embrace it and since I had an opportunity to have a free trips (included in the Geneva pass) I took an hour ride. It was perfect and I could not stop and I wanted to do it again and went for little differnt path in differnt tours (also included in the pass).
I assure that no best camera with the best camera man can capture what you see in reality there. I tried several times and gave up was the best decision because I do not want to miss the present and embrace it!
I DID indeed!
This light house (in french: le phare) is the best design I have ever seen. I will show later the light settings at night. We will come back to Geneva end of my trip again. A long story to tell!
This boat is too much showing off with swiss flags. It was quite funny and I liked it though!
Jet d'Eau (water jet) is one of the city's most famous landmarks, being featured on the city's official tourism web site and on the official logo for Geneva's hosting of the 2008 UEFA Championships.
(Five hundred litres of water per second are jetted to an altitude of 140 metres by two 500 kW pumps, operating at 2,400 V, consuming one megawatt of electricity.The water leaves the 10 centimetres nozzle at a speed of 200 kilometres per hour. At any given moment, there are about 7,000 litres of water in the air. ) It is quite impressive!
After I did not want to miss the opportunity to get to the top of the mountain in geneva to get a good view of the city. It was not easy to reach this place but I found it and I was lucky to go before the closing time.
If you see, it in remote area almost no one is around.
Eric was very sweet, though he was quite busy he waitied and handed over the two huge bars of chocolates.
I told him about my plan of ging to concert like Elisabeth suggested, he said he is the sound engineer for this and he will be there too. It was a great considense and I was very happy that I would see again there in the park.
So on my way to concert place I enjoyed little schenic stuffs in the lake.
Of course since I saw jet I wanted to go close and feel the pressure of the water. It was on the way to the park where the concert will be. So I went near jet and already the clouds were gathering and strat to drizzle and with jet pressure I enjoyed both water droplets on me.
I can still feel the pressure of the water flow!
When I approached the park I already start to listen the music and I was happy to be there! I have no clue about music and I went because Elisabeth invited and I didnt have anything else to do. So it was a good decision.
As soon as I arrived, it starts pouring. I have packed almost everything but umbrella. I love rain and it is summer so I know I would enjoy and I did indeed! I just stood and enjoyed music with rain. It was quite magical to me. At that time, another interesting encounter happened. I supposed to keep his name hidden on request, so I refer him ET ( l'extra-terrestre). We start to speak and he said he was to India several times and he seemed that he knew more stuff about India than I do. We shared many things and he invited me to his place for staying. I was quite shocked, because it happend the same day second time. It felt funny and interesting though. I had to refuse his invite because if I had to stay it had to do with Elisabeth. I tried to reach Elisabeth and I sent her whatsapp message and I did not get any response so I continued stayed in the concert and enjoy in RAIN. Because my plan was to catch late or early morning train from Geneva to Zermatt ( Explore the one of the higest points of mountains Matterhorn).
I was even prepared to stay in the park for couple of hours and even veryfied about that with cops. He said it is safe place and they will be around. So I was good.
But in a while I got continuous messages from Elisabeth, starting with apology since she left the concert because of the rain and she insisted me to go to her place. It was almost 10 pm and she said that is fine she will wait for me and she gave me all the instructions to reach her home. I was completely wet and I thought it would be nice to dry my cloths before starting my early journey. I arrived her place around 11 pm and she provided me food (that was preapred for me to have picnic in the concert, isnt sweet?). I was shokced and I was speechless with her kindness and appreciated her help. I warned her before I went to her place that I would leave early. She said it is absolutely fine by that to my added surprise she woke up with me 4.45 am and drove me to the station.
I dont know how to thank her still.
Meanwhile I exchanged my number with ET and he suggested me some interesting places to visit in Switzerland. He sent me few photos of Geneva from his flat. That was provoking ( you would know end of my swiss visit why I say this). Anyway I will finih my SWISS journey in Geneva and I thought I could visit him later. So I kept in touch with ET.
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