Jet d'eau (Water Jet)
by etfromnc
Though I enjoyed Lake Geneva, the parks along the lake, my first attempts to actually communicate in a language other than English (which incidentally I had studied for five years), shopping for watches and giving up on ever owning a truly outstanding watch, retracing some of Jean Cauvin's (aka John Calvin) steps, the highlight of my stop in Geneva that first time (other than meeting Claire) was the magnificent fountain which sits at the point where Lake Geneva empties into the Rhone River. It is one of the largest fountains in the world and very commonly used as a symbol for the city and the lake, and perhaps even the canton of Geneva. This fountain pumps water nearly 500 feet into the air at a nozzle speed of nearly 125 mph. At any given moment, there will be nearly 2000 gallons of water in the air when the fountain is operating. My favorite memory of Geneva is Claire. Among memories that I can revisit, the lighted night display by Jet d'eau would be the best.
Swiss Chocolate
by sue_stone
When I think of Switzerland, I think of mountains, cows with bells, and chocolate! This country is a chocolate lovers paradise. Not only are there numerous speciality chocolate shops to browse and shop in, but pop into any supermarket, food hall, tourist shop etc and you will be confronted by a massive display of tasty Swiss chocolatey goodness.
I have a soft spot for Lindt chocolate, and didn't bore of looking at the large selection on offer. I may have sampled a few varieties you can't seem to buy in the UK, and bought a few blocks home too. We did taste some other brands of Swiss chocolate, but none of them compared to my precious Lindt.
My favourite purchase was a blue Lindt tin with a picture of the Matterhorn on the top, which was filled with chocolate. I bought it at a souvenir shop in Zermatt, expecting that I paid way too much for it. I saw the exact same tin at the Geneva airport on our way home, and it was double the price that I had paid! Lesson for the day - souvenir shops aren't always a rip off.
The Museum of Art & History
by eranda
The Museum of Art & History is maybe the most well-known museum in Geneva. It has over hundred thousand paintings, sculptures and archaeological substance, but the museum itself is not that large. The first floor contains the Fine Arts compilation with paintings by Conrad Witz, Corot, Jean-Etienne Liotard, Calame, Diday, Agasse, Valloton and others. A number of rooms are dedicated to specific painters.
The upper ground floor houses the applied arts and has temporary exhibitions, silveware and pewterware and parts of the Castle of Zizers. The provisional display I saw was an attractive exhibit of contemporary drawing collages.
Baur Collections
by aliante1981
An unusual thing to come across in the heart of Europe… Or may be not, for Geneva is in many ways the luxurious city, and Chinese and Japanese antiquities can certainly be described as luxurious but stylish. Just as the Geneva I know…
The collections, housed in a 19th-century mansion with a garden, constitute a private exhibit of artworks from China (dating from the 10th to the 19th century) and Japan (these are more recent than Chinese ones, for they mostly belong to the period from17th to 20th century). On display are some exquisite ceramics, jade, lacquer, ivories, paintings, and delicate sword fittings. There’s also a library with books on the history of Chinese and Japanese art. Temporary exhibitions are often held, and you can usually get details in advance at the Geneva web site, which I found pretty helpful in this respect.
You should expect to pay 5 CHF if you’re an adult, free for children, and for the holders of the Swiss Museum Card. Plan your visit, for the museum is open only from Tuesday to Sunday, from 2 till 6 PM
Best stationary and card shop
by Toshioohsako about Brachard & Cie
Its a good quality stationary and card shop. It has beautiful and sophisticated greeting cards and stationary items. It is a quality shop and things are above average price. greeting cards, post cards, high quality stationary items. As much as you can afford. 50 swiss francs??
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Mont Blanc ( 2/3 across pic), France, from Geneva
Palais des Nations, HQ of the United Nations
1. Signpost for the 9:14 ICN train to Basel
2. Entrance to the park and Scene Ella Fitzgerald
