Geneva!

Fantastic view over Geneva!

Yesterday Mark and I took the train to Geneva to do some sightseeing, since it was our first visit. Geneva is a beautiful city that sits on the western end of Switzerland and Lake Geneva (known as Lac Leman in Switzerland). It houses the European HQ of the United Nations and is known as the "International City."

We walked towards the lake from the train station and were greeted by a spectacular view of the Jet d'Eau, which is the world's highest fountain. 113 gallons of water are shot 460 feet into the air every second. It is a pretty amazing sight! It was originally set up in the late 1800's to relieve water pressure during a reservoir system installation, but was so popular with the residents that the authorities constructed a permanent fountain. Luckily for us, it is still flowing over 100 years later!


We headed past the Jardin Anglais (English Garden) marked at the entrance by the Horloge Fleurie (Floral Clock), dedicated as a tribute to show the importance of clock-making in Switzerland's history. We ate lunch at a cafe on the lake and then walked to Geneva's Old Town, where we toured Cathedrale St. Pierre. This is the church where Jean Calvin, famous for his influence during the Protestant Reformation, preached his sermons. We walked up the cathedral tower and took in the amazing view from the top.


Our final stop on the way back to the train was to the American Market. Yes, it sells products from the U.S.! Although all the food here is very good, I have been having a craving for my beloved Ranch, which is not sold in the Swiss grocery stores! I was in luck, and walked out of the store w/ a bottle of Hidden Valley Ranch. :)

It was a great day trip and we look forward to going back and seeing more of the city.