Viva Espana in Geneva & trying to recall my French!

Saturday, June 14, 2008
To Geneva! We got yummy cappuccinos and nutella croissants for our train journey to Geneva. I got my Spain t-shirt so I can proudly root my boys on to victory over the Swedes! As we sat at the station waiting on our train, we noticed the George Bush ad on the bilboard across from us was decorated the night before by some of the crazy Holland fans with an orange hair do & an awesome walrus mustache. Who knew G.W. was a Netherland's fan?!?! On the train we met a sweet old French Swiss man who spoke only 3 words in English “Hello” “Sweetheart” and something else. He must have been at least 85 and he helped me get my HUGE backpack on. We were admiring his sweet dog (Lucy) who sat like an angel the whole way from Interlaken to Bern. Even when he had to go to the restroom she sat staring down the aisle waiting for him to return. We knew he was on his way back because her tail started wagging like none other! I’m sure PJ would be that good on a train. (Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!) Scary thought! We jumped on a train from Bern to Geneva and saw a view of Lake Geneva all along the Western shore. Beautiful lake with very French homes and vineyards! So odd to have such distinct groups of people living in the same country since the 1200s! In the German sector it’s GERMAN and in the French it is only FRENCH!!! So I’m attempting to use the little I learned from Madame Baker in one year of French class. I can read & translate WAY more than I can understand and speak. We finally found our hotel via tram and asking several people at info desks. We took a walk to find Jean (or John) Calvin’s grave. Very unassuming, unlike many of the other graves in the cemetery. Then onto the Promenade des Bastions in the Parc des Bastions outside the University. Huge chess sets were in use by tourists, old men in caps, and college students alike! We visited the reformation wall depicting the reformation and various events (over 150 years worth) that were shaped by the reformation in a variety of different countries. Prominently featured are the four main reformers (according to Geneva) Guillaume Farel, first to preach the reformation in Geneva; Jean Calvin, the ‘pope’ of the reformers; Theodore de Beze, the first rector of the Academy and John Knox, the founder of Presbyterianism in Scotland. On to the Calvin Auditory, where Calvin began to preach the reformation to all refugees fleeing their countries because of persecution. Here they met for prayer and instruction in the Word! From this little church came the Dutch & Italian Christian Reformed traditions & the Presbyterian (in Scotland and beyond!). We’ll go to the Scottish Presbyterian service here tomorrow at 11am! I’m excited! They have some awesome windows and a glass monument to the reformation (see my pictures for more info). Taking a stroll down the twisty turny coblestone ‘roads’ in Geneva we made it to the English Gardens and the Flower Clock. Done up in the colors of all the teams playing locally, the clock is made to look like a red and white soccer ball. (Again, see pictures.) We also got to see the huge fountain Jet de Eau (Water Jet) in the harbor. Ate dinner and watched the game, after checking out my fellow Espana fans in the FanZone, at a little French café with good food and the game on a big screen. Everyone in there was rooting for Spain too so it made it fun! It was a tight game with both Spain & Sweden scoring in the first 20 min. or so of the game. In the end, my hero, David Villa pulled out all the stops and scored to win the game 2 to 1! Few! Back to the room to send all this stuff out and let our adoring public see what we’ve been up to! Be home in less than a week! See you then!