ÿþ<html> <head> <style type="text/css"> body { background-color:black; color:white; font-family:bookman old style,times roman; font-size:105%} h1 { text-align:center; color:gold; font-family:Monotype Corsiva,times roman} h2 { text-align:center; color:gold; font-family:Monotype Corsiva,times roman} table.big { width:850; font-size:110%} table.left { float:left; width:1; font-family:arial; font-size:50%} table.right { float:right; width:1; font-family:arial; font-size:50%} table.small { float:right; background-color:AA5500; color:black; font-size:60%; font-weight:bold; border:red blank; width:225} tr { vertical-align:top;} td.time { font-weight:bold; width:70} td.odo { font-weight:bold; width:60} p { text-align:left} p.center { text-align:center} p.bottom { text-align:center; font-size:80%} b.gold { color:gold} b.aqua { color:aqua} b.white { color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:110%} img.v { width:77; border:0} img.h { height:77; border:0} </style> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="d.css" /> <title>Switzerland -- Day 2</title> </head> <body> <p class="center"> <table class="big"> <tr> <td colspan=2> <h1>Day 2 -- 3rd Sep</h1> <td> </tr> <tr> <td class="time">Time</td> <td><td> </tr> <tr> <td class="time">9:00</td> <td><p>The warm Geneve sun welcomed us to our first morning in Switzerland. After breakfast on the balcony, we spent the morning unwinding and trying to win the approval of Gut and Don, the feline members of the household. (Being ourselves servants of two kitties, we well understood who were the bosses.) </p></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="time">11:20</td> <td> <p>Thomas took us for a ride in the countryside. The rolling hills around Geneve were covered with miles and miles of vineyards. </p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td class="time">12:15</td> <td> <p> <table class="left"> <tr><td><a href="photos/DSCN0136.JPG" target="blank"> <img class="h" src="thumbnails/DSCN0136.JPG"></a></td> <tr><td>At the winery.</td></tr></table> We stopped to sample the wine from a road-side winery, which also served lunch (cheese and cured meat) which looked delicious. We did not had lunch at this winery, however, as we were heading for ... </p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td class="time">12:30</td> <td> <p> <table class="right"> <tr><td><a href="photos/DSCN0141.JPG" target="blank"> <img class="h" src="thumbnails/DSCN0141.JPG"></a></td></tr> <tr><td>Too eager to eat, we remembered to take this picture only when the food were almost gone.</td></tr></table> The town of <b class="gold">Dardagny</b>. We skipped some more intriuging items on the menu (boiled calf head?) and correctly chose a wonderful mushroom sampler (excellent with white wine), followed by pork chops. Emily also spent some effort to improve her French vocabulary, especially in the food-related categories, as we would need to order food for ourselves once we left Geneve. </p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td class="time">14:20</td> <td> <p> <table class="right"> <tr style={vertical-align:bottom}> <td><a href="photos/DSCN0143.JPG" target="blank"> <img class="h" src="thumbnails/DSCN0143.JPG"></a></td> <td><a href="photos/DSCN0144.JPG" target="blank"> <img class="h" src="thumbnails/DSCN0144.JPG"></a></td> <td><a href="photos/DSCN0145.JPG" target="blank"> <img class="h" src="thumbnails/DSCN0145.JPG"></a></td> <td><a href="photos/DSCN0151.JPG" target="blank"> <img class="h" src="thumbnails/DSCN0151.JPG"></a></td> </tr> <tr><td>Ivy covered houses.</td> <td colspan=2>The vines and the ripe grapes.</td> <td>A solitary bungalow in a sea of vine.</td> </tr></table> After lunch, we walked among the vines around Dardagny. It was almost harvest time, and the grapes were black and ready to be picked. Emily greedily sampled more than a few grapes from multiple vines and reported that they were all really juicy and sweet. </p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td class="time">15:20</td> <td> <p>We were just leaving Dardagny when the car were stopped by a small crowd of people celebrating something on the road. Then through our opened window, a guy offered us a glass of white wine. Such unexpected friendliness really warmed our hearts. </p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td class="time">15:50</td> <td> <p>Thomas dropped us at the <a href="http://www.patekmuseum.com/" target="blank"> <b class="gold">Patek Philippe Museum</b></a> near downtown Geneve. The famous watchmaker, who made outrageously expensive clocks and watches, displayed many of their famous timepieces (and some non-timepieces, like music boxes). We were most fascinated by the <a href="http://www.patekmuseum.com/EN/theWatches.asp?themeID=20&floorID=Sec" target="blank"> automata</a>, i.e., pieces with moving figures. Given the value of these clocks and watches, no wonder the security guards stopped CK from taking some pictures. </p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td class="time">17:00</td> <td> <p> <table class="left"> <tr><td><a href="photos/DSCN0159.JPG" target="blank"> <img class="v" src="thumbnails/DSCN0159.JPG"></a></td></tr> <tr><td>Rhone.</td></tr></table> After the Museum closed at 17:00, we walked down to the banks of the river <b class="aqua">Rhone</b>, <table class="right"> <tr style={vertical-align:bottom}> <td><a href="photos/DSCN0169.JPG" target="blank"> <img class="h" src="thumbnails/DSCN0169.JPG"></a></td> <td><a href="photos/DSCN0187.JPG" target="blank"> <img class="h" src="thumbnails/DSCN0187.JPG"></a></td> <td><a href="photos/DSCN0172.JPG" target="blank"> <img class="h" src="thumbnails/DSCN0172.JPG"></a></td> </tr> <tr><td colspan=2>There were plenty of waterfowls, like geese (left) and swans (right), in every Swiss waterway. </td> <td>Jazz musicians playing on a bridge over Rhone.</td> </tr></table> where the Genevois walked their dogs, drank beer and relaxed in the shade. Along the river we strolled leisurely upstream towards Lac Leman, which was actually a wide section of the Rhone. After walking for an hour, we stopped at a small park on an island and took a rest. </p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td class="time">18:40</td> <td> <p> <table class="right"> <tr><td><a href="photos/DSCN0176.JPG" target="blank"> <img class="h" src="thumbnails/DSCN0176.JPG"></a></td> <td><a href="photos/DSCN0178.JPG" target="blank"> <img class="h" src="thumbnails/DSCN0178.JPG"></a></td></tr> <tr><td>On the beach.</td></tr></table> We woke up (yes, we both fell asleep on a park bench) refreshed. Wandering along the West shore of Lac Leman, we came along a breakwater on the lake which doubled as a small beach and boardwalk. People of all ages were swimming, and a few swans too.</p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td class="time">19:15</td> <td> <p> <table class="left"> <tr><td><a href="photos/DSCN0185.JPG" target="blank"> <img class="h" src="thumbnails/DSCN0185.JPG"></a></td></tr> <tr><td>Sharing a beer.</td></tr></table> Miraculously nappearing 15 mins before our rendezvous, Thomas bought some beer, and we chatted by the docks when the sun slowly set. After several frantic weeks at work (things always get crazy before a vacation, don't they?) it was a luxury to unwind in a such beautiful location. </p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td class="time">20:20</td> <td> <p> <table class="right"> <tr><td><a href="photos/DSCN0193.JPG" target="blank"> <img class="h" src="thumbnails/DSCN0193.JPG"></a></td> <td><a href="photos/DSCN0192.JPG" target="blank"> <img class="h" src="thumbnails/DSCN0192.JPG"></a></td></tr> <tr><td colspan=2>Fondue (bread dipped in melted cheese) served well with white wine.</td></tr></table> Thomas took us to <a href="http://www.cafedusoleil.ch/" target="blank"> Cafe du Soleil</a> (the cafe of the sun), which according to its website was "the oldest restaurant in Geneve and the best fondue in Switzerland". The fondue was really good, and so were the grilled chicken liver, ham with cantalope and raw beef with figs.</p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td class="time">21:30</td> <td> <p>Full of fondue and wine, we returned to Thomas' place and called it a day. </p> <p style={text-align:right}><a href="d03.html">next day</a></p> <td> </tr> <tr><td colspan=2> <hr> <p class="bottom"> <form name="nav" method="POST"> <div align="center"> Jump To: <select name="xfer" size="1"> <option value="../../private/index.html">CK's Home Page</option> <option value="index.html">Switzerland Trip</option> <option value="d01.html">Day 1</option> <option value="d02.html" selected="selected">Day 2</option> <option value="d03.html">Day 3</option> <option value="d04.html">Day 4</option> <option value="d05.html">Day 5</option> <option value="d06.html">Day 6</option> <option value="d07.html">Day 7</option> <option value="d08.html">Day 8</option> <option value="d09.html">Day 9</option> <option value="d10.html">Day 10</option> <option value="d11.html">Day 11</option> <option value="d12.html">Day 12</option> <option value="d13.html">Day 13</option> <option value="d14.html">Day 14</option> <option value="d15.html">Day 15</option> <option value="d16.html">Day 16</option> <option value="d17.html">Day 17</option> <option value="d18.html">Day 18</option> <option value="d19.html">Day 19</option> <option value="d20.html">Day 20</option> <option value="d21.html">Day 21</option> <option value="d22.html">Day 22</option> <option value="d23.html">Day 23</option> <option value="d24.html">Day 24</option> <option value="thoughts.html">Thoughts</option> </select> <input type="button" onclick="location = ''+document.nav.xfer.options[document.nav.xfer.selectedIndex].value;" value="Go!" /> <div style={font-size:75%}> (These pages were developed with Internet Explorer and may not align correctly in other browsers.) </div> </div></form> </p> <p align="center">Created on 9th Oct 2005. 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