“Rendevouz at 5:42 pm in front of the Flower clock at Jardin Anglais. I will hand you a box of Cailler Caramel and Sea Salt chocolates. Refrain from opening it! Gentlemen’s agreement. You can call me Gustave Adore. Follow me down the Promenade du Lac. Keep a distance and when you reach the bust of Alexander Calamet wait for the signal and look to the sky. Jet d’Eau will shoot it’s grandiosity up into the air. Bienvenue!”

 Photo: L’horloge fleurie/ Jardin Anglais

Geneva; no one would miss a chance to visit Switzerland’s most cosmopolitan canton. Housing UN headquarters, world’s premier chocolatiers and prominent economic giants, this city is so much different than one would expect. If you ask me, I will say it is the one place on earth where ‘problèmes’ don’t exist! It’s all about morning jogs down the pier with a lake view, Frank Muller façades, high quality confectioners with the finest tastes for every desire or preference, leading educational institutions, sprouting  corporations in every direction you would gaze out and business people with their attaché cases strolling down the tranquil streets or enjoying their afternoon drinks after work in select spots swathing the city. First timers, like myself, anticipate to encounter a parisian ambiance and perhaps a typical european style but are rather misled by their own imagination. Embracing Lac Leman – Europe’s largest lake,Geneva is more elegant, simple and not so loud. On the contrary peace is its nickname.

We stayed at Hôtel de la Paix facing Lac Leman right in the heart of the city. A Ritz-Carlton offspring, this is one of the best choices when considering a stay here. With spectacular window views and a delicate luxurious interior, you will enjoy the swiss hospitality in its finest version. Waking up with a complimentary box of Favarger chocolates, coffee and a view of the city’s iconic fountain is the best start off for the day.

Four days for us, choose your length of stay according to your time and budget, of course, as it can be a bit costly. But trust me you can’t find a better way to invest your hard earned money – memories while roaming the world. Enjoy revitalizing morning walks along the Promenade du Lac which will lead you to the famous Quai Gustave Adore on the south side where you will also see the two boulders spouting from the lake, the famous Pierres du Niton. Don’t forget to take loads of pictures in front of the Flower Clock in the English Garden! Hungry? Well I can’t help you because I just can’t pick my favourite place! It was the first time we didn’t do any research as to where to eat or drink. With plenty of options, don’t hesitate to randomly bust into any eatery that catches your eye. The Swiss have a very good taste and you will just think that you have  found a good restaurant by a fluke. Guess again. Anywhere we went the delicacies were outstandingly delicious. Follow the path to the medieval part of the town. You’re in for a treat here! Cobbled pathways will take you to gothic churches, old traditional buildings, secret underground passings and artistic stabiles. The statues always inspire me. “And action!”

Heading to the Swiss Rive Droit, Ariana Park, the Red Cross Museum and the United Nations headquarters. This walk has a more educational character and many stories to tell. Narratives of sorrow but also happiness and the re-establishment of hope. Purchase your ticket at the Red Cross museum for about 13 euros/ 15$/ 15CHF per person and listen to the ‘Humanitarian Adventure’ on your audio guide. Real testimonies archived since World War I, prisoners separated from their families and reunited, real life stories we should all hearken to. This area is separated into 3-4 exhibitions, you will enter different rooms with a specific theme. Take your time here, every detail is worth listening to. A humanitarian crisis affects us all and we are the ones who can change the world. The first step is to listen. We can learn from our past and build the future.

Heading down the street again and back to the United Nations Office or Palais des Nations  ‘s’il vous plaît’. Watch out! The colossal chair is missing a leg! Oops!

‘My life is my message’ Mahatma Gandhi

Not so fast…your urban exploration ends at the old city walls where you can try your luck on a gigantic concrete chess board and moving along within this area you will reach another historical monument. The Reformation Wall. A tribute to John Calvin, founder of the University of Geneva and a major protestant reformer. Geneva was one of the cities that fell under the protestant veil during the Middle Ages. A major role in the Protestant Reformation and the renaissance of Europe. Gigantic statues depicting religious figures emerging from the side walls attached to a stream of flowing water on the basis.

Ever realized how swift time is when on a trip? Days are never enough and there’s always something you’ve probably missed and instantly think ‘I have to come back’. And this alpine air is addictive. “The culprit always returns to the scene of the crime.”  If you want to catch him…all you have to do is follow me…

On the right: Jet d’Eau