Geneva and Konstanz

Geneva and Konstanz Geneva and Konstanz

Taking the train, from Montelimar to Geneva		I had to take a photo of this guy, working. He was doing paperwork, annotating forms, highlighting things, etc. It just struck me that I haven't seen anybody in the US work through paper forms like this for a long time now.


Our bikes, and someone elses, almost blocking the corridor. I felt bad about it, but there was really nowhere else to put them. I chatted for a while with this family of 5, who were selling their house in Colorado, and to make it easier (!) traveled with their 3 kids through Europe. Nothing booked, everything last minute, but they seemed to be doing just fine. Very impressive. Travel time was quiet time, because that was the only time they got screens.		All the train cars were grafittied up.


The train station in Geneva - they were giving out samples of a new type of ice cream		The main street of our old neighborhood - Eaux Vives!


In Parc La Grange		The cafe we had been in so many times


The playground!		Unfortunately the wading pool, which was absolutely incredible, is being removed. So sad!


		They have actual grills now, instead of letting people grill on the grass (and honestly, there was a lot of burnt grass).


Parc des Eaux Vives


We had a work event once in this old mansion.		The rose garden at Parc La Grange


		Baby Plage - some of the old swings, etc, made from bike inner tubes, are still there.


		At Baby Plage - these friendly pharmacy students made a sandy lady.


Our old apartment		The old school


The next morning in Geneva, we went to Cern.


It was a pretty impressive layout.





On the way back to the Delebecque family		Really - 5 containers to choose between? Aluminium, glass, plastic, paper, and "waste". Seems like a lot of trucks that need to come by and pick things up.


Walking around the old town - this is going up to the Promenade de la Treille		Some of the old playground equipment Peter used to like


		The longest wooden bench in the world, apparently


		At the cathedral


An old model of the city, Maison Tavel		Not as convenient, but still "running water"


Peter and Mathis, getting ready for a birthday party


		Heading up the the Saleve


Interesting old cablecar from the 1930's		Great views of Geneva





Mont Blanc


		This giant ball machine was just barely functional.


I think these rocks is where we hid some geodes, for the kids to find.








At the gift shop - lots of nature signage, no historical signage


Peter's 18th birthday! Michel got a really nice swiss army knife shaped cake, complete with corkscrew.


On our way to the train station the next morning, following Jeannette, who's amazing at figuring out the best bike route. We were headed to Konstanz, Germany, right next to Zurich, for the last few days of our trip.


We changed trains in Winterthur		Our room in Konstanze was absolutely HUGE.


The kitchen was basic, but functional.		The next day - a bike ride to Reichenau. For being as supposedly bike friendly as Konstanz is supposed to be, I found it hard to get there.


More nature signage, at some old ruins (Burg Schopflen).


		On Reichenau, it was mostly greenhouses.


		Konstance was a biker's paradaise, with "bike streets".


This scaffolding was up on our hotel/apartment building, apparently to put up solar panels. It was affecting the internet very badly - it barely worked.		The next day - up the eastern side, towards Mainau. It was really tough finding the trail - I'm guessing the bikes were previously allowed on the pedestrian paths, and then they changed the rules, because there seemed to be contradictory signage.


		Interesting cantilevered restaurant


		To get home (and also escape some rain), we went through the university of Konstanz. Very unusual 1970's style architecture.


		We had a snack in the cafeteria. Out of 4 main dishes for lunch, 3 were vegan, and one was turkey.


It was very dark in the cafeteria, no lights were on.		We sat by the windows and read.


At the harbor		We took a little sight-seeing ferry. Met a older Swiss couple who'd done a lot of bike tours, similar to us but longer!


A really tortured, convouted bike bridge over the train tracks in Konstanz, we walked over it to get to the main train station.		Last views of Konstanz.