Surfing Couch.

I've been feeling the financial crunch as of late, so I resolved to couch surf in the next city... Which turned out to be Geneva! I went on www.couchsurfing.org and asked a few members if they had space for me for a few nights. I struck gold! A member named Loris wrote back saying canadians are always welcome at his place... Yes!

I accepted to stay at his apartment, named 'Barboa'. I grabbed the train from Venice at 9 a.m., layover in Milan, and arrived in Geneva around 4:30 p.m. Meeting up with my host was easy, he works next to the station. Perfect! I wandered around, found a laundromat (across the street from the cabaret) grabbed a sandwich... And once Loris finished work we headed over to his place. There are 4 room mates at Barboa and they are all so awesome! I really was extremely lucky to have stayed with them... Thank you so much Loris, Damien, Jorge and Simon for making me feel so welcome in Geneva :-)

I only stayed 2 nights in Geneva; wish it could have been more! The first night I stayed was just chill, watched a movie, slept. The whole next day I visited Geneva... I began with a tram ride to the United Nations! Of course, there was a demonstration happening across the street; megaphones, flags and all.


(view of the 3-legged chair that lives across the street from the UN, and the mini demonstration occurring around it)


(out front at the United Nations!)

Continued up the road to check put the Ariana museum. This is a pottery and glass museum with all kinds of elaborate figurines, cups, plates, urns, bananas...


(walkway leading to the entrance of the Ariana)


(inside the museum... Marble pillars 360 around the room)


(and the glass banana bouquet in the lobby!)

Post Ariana visit, back on the tram and off to explore downtown Geneva. I admit, my day involved a few visits to small chocolate shops to nibble the local delicacies... I only thought to take one picture of chocolate because the others I ate quick! Oops!


(coconut macaroon, and Swiss chocolate truffle... In heaven!)

From there I wandered around the ancient part of town, stopping and looking in boutiques for unique clothing and trinkets. Turns out old town is really expensive and completely beyond my budget; however, I still found something awesome... Another Camino trail blaze! Leading through old town and to the cathedral. Too cool!

That night, well it was Friday, the Barboa guys and I went to a pub and had beers with like 12 of their friends. Flo, Jessica, David, Sydney, Ben... And a ton more, but I can't remember all the names! We had a great time socializing, being silly, telling bad jokes. We got to the pub around 6:30 p.m., and left just after 1:30 a.m. A few of us were then supposed to go out to a night club (bars and pubs close at 2 a.m., night clubs are open until 6 a.m.! Ah!), but both Loris and I were dead tired. We headed back and immediately went to sleep. Phew!

Needless to say, Saturday didn't officially begin for me until the early afternoon. I am so not used to staying out late, particularly after 3 weeks of hosteling and sharing a room with strangers. Strangers who wake up early to pack their noisy stuff into their too small suitcases. Ya, I tend to go to bed early these days...


(in the train, on my way to Lyon. You can't really tell in this photo; however, I've got a mini sun burn on my cheeks and nose... And I also have a bit of a headache from the night before!)

Joining Laurene in Lyon for a while! Too excited to see France's second largest city.

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Location:Geneva, Switzerland