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Sunday, 27 May 2018

My Sweet Geneva

Hello ladies and gents!

Today, I thought I would share some photos that I took with Sweetheart during our lovely walks in the centre of Geneva.

I absolutely love my city - it is the perfect combination of the exciting and the cosmopolitan with a traditional and village-like atmosphere. Exploring this beautiful little city, seeing the old town houses and wandering down secret alleys, with the mountains surrounding us on every side, is something of which we never tire.

Geneva is a very bustling city during spring and summer; it is quieter during the winter since most of the locals are up in the mountains skiing. If you have been dreaming of travelling to Geneva for a long time, I can tell you that this time of year is a magical one. Indeed during spring and summer there is a multitude of events, so hurry up and make your dream come true.

Parc des Bastions is surrounded by a wrought-iron fence. This large park is where the Reformation Wall, the Palais Eynard and the University and Library of Geneva are located. 

This is the huge Reformation Wall. It’s a 100 metre long monument built in 1909 as a tribute to the fathers of the Reformation.

Upon entering the park, this huge chess area is the first thing you will see. 

Let me present to you Geneva’s Old Town, situated atop a hill, which affords us amazing views…

Cathédrale Saint-Pierre, built between 1150 and 1230. It was originally a Catholic church but became Protestant during the Reformation. If you climb to the top of the tower, you will have a breathtaking panoramic view of the Alps and the lake and its shores.

Let me present you Lake Geneva. Geneva is located on the banks of Lake Geneva, the city is divided into the Left Bank and the Right Bank. The Left Bank is the oldest part of the city.



From almost anywhere in Geneva, you can’t miss Geneva’s iconic fountain, the Jet D’Eau. Its water shoots high into the air (140 metres to be exact).

Many tourists enjoy taking a boat ride on Lake Geneva. They can take in Geneva’s scenery as they are crossing between the shores of Lake Geneva on board one of the Mouettes Genevoises (yellow-red boats), a symbol of the “Belle Époque”.  They carry travellers between the two shores and cover 4.3 km of lake routes.

The heart of the city. So lovely to walk across picturesque bridges with the Lake Geneva and the Alps all around us.

La Romantica Restaurant (2, Rue de la Rôtisserie) What travel diary is complete without food? Being a pizza lover myself, I was practically in heaven and I am very excited to recommend this lovely restaurant located near the main street. The pizzas are excellent, the staff friendly and there is a joyful and warm atmosphere.

Trend Design & Art de Vivre Sa (5, Rue du Vieux-Collège) Beautiful Flower Front Shop. This is our favourite florist in Geneva. Their floral arrangements are stunning.

Fusterie Market takes place around the Fusterie Temple. This market welcomes a different kind of market almost every day of the week.

The bustling Place du Molard early on a Saturday morning still looks sleepy…In a couple of hours this square will be crowded until late at night.

In every corner there is flower-decked fountain. In my opinion they cheer up the city…really charming!!

Oysho Swimcare Shop (8, Place du Molard) – I am absolutely in love with their beautiful beachwear collection.

Martel cake shop & tea-room (8, Rue de La Croix -d'Or) - A cake a day keeps the sadness away!!! This is without a doubt my preferred cake shop. The display of cakes in the window is gorgeous, from brightly coloured tarts, appetising layer cakes and elaborate pastries. Seriously, it was hard to make a choice as to which cake I would have...

Before I end this post, I just want to say that the Genevan countryside is amazing and very close to the city centre. For those of you who are wine lovers a journey to a vineyard on an “open cellars” day presents an excellent opportunity to taste Swiss wines in an informal setting without buying expensive bottles.




Monday, 21 May 2018

The Collector by John Fowles (1963)


A young London office worker, an avid collector, admires a giant butterfly from afar: a young and radiant student of Fine Arts. He kidnaps her, installs her in his country house, purchased with his winnings from betting on football results, and yearns for nothing more than the pleasure of her company. But neither the champagne nor the caviar nor the new dresses nor the art books make her accept her prison. Miranda tries to escape, to call for help and, even, to kill herself. Driven to desperation she offers herself to him. This is a fatal mistake; you cannot make love to a butterfly. Miranda catches cold and soon dies of pneumonia. Meanwhile, in the distance, a girl appears who looks like Miranda and the collector is already considering catching her in his net.

Author: John Fowles was born on March 31, 1926 near London. He studied French Literature at Oxford. He travelled widely in Europe, especially in France and Greece. He was much more influenced by French writers (Flaubert, Camus) than British authors. Fowles’s books have been translated into many languages and he was named by the Times of London as one of the fifty greatest British writers since 1945. John Fowles died in 2005 at the age of 79. 

My thoughts: I read this book twelve years ago (August 2006) and I have been a Fowles fan ever since. I love his writing! I chose this book at Payot bookstore along with the same author’s novel “The French Lieutenant’s Woman”, a Victorian-era romance. I read it in French translation. I adored this novel and remember reading it in one go. Right from the outset this story surprised, fascinated and deeply disturbed me. The plot remains uncertain and worrying until the final page. This is really not a fairy tale story but charts the evil instincts of a criminally insane madman who kidnaps women to remove boredom from his empty life. This is a very scary story - what freaked me out the most about this fiction is that it felt like a true story…

Thursday, 17 May 2018

Le Thé, the kingdom of Dim Sum

Before Easter, we went to “Le Thé” which is a gem of Chinese cuisine with Dim-Sum as its great specialty.

Dim Sum is a Chinese dish, primarily Cantonese in origin, that is prepared in delicious bite-sized steamed or fried savoury dumplings containing various fillings and served in bamboo steamer baskets or on small plates. They are traditionally served in Cantonese teahouses.

Did you know that the literal translation of Dim Sum is “touch your heart” – such a poetic name for delicious raviolis, don’t you agree?

Lovely tropical decor: the walls are lined with shelves filled with boxes of teas, teapots and cups of all kinds. The wooden furniture has a bamboo effect and  there are some green plants. I also love its quiet, intimate atmosphere.

Le Thé, is also great for tea lovers. The owners select their teas directly from China and they have a large selection divided into 7 categories: green, yellow, red, white, black, Oolong and scented teas.

There are also many accessories for tea, including a multitude of teapots in cast iron or sandstone.

To accompany our meal I had Ginger tea and Sweetheart Main de Buda tea.

We chose a selection of fried shrimp raviolis and a selection of steamed ravioli stuffed with shrimp, chicken, pork, vegetables and ginger, wrapped in rice and wheat dough...

Our lunch was a real treat which is why I strongly recommend this address to you. You should book in advance because there are only 9 small tables and be aware that they accept cash payment only.

Le Thé
Rue des Bains 65
1205 Genève
Tél.: +41 79 436 77 18
Opening non-stop 12h00 to 22h00