The Ireland, Italy, and Geneva Interrail adventure is just a memory, but the reality is it’s only a fortnight ago and in between was the wonderful Costa Music festival in Ibiza. I’ve been home for a week and fitted in a magnificent walk on the North Yorks Moors on a glorious blue sky day with lifelong friends who are a pleasure to be with.
Millie is doing well since the death of her lifelong friend Bruno, but she’s 14 now and it’s a big age for a dog so she still requires a little bit of extra love and care. My daughter, who has been visiting most days, assures me that she’s got her ‘wag’ back and Tom has been giving her extra walks to keep her occupied. She certainly seems to be coping well with the sudden void.
I also had the joy of a secret surprise meeting at granddaughter Harley’s school. She didn’t know so the excitement was a thrill. Even more joy sharing a gorgeous time with her and her mum in the Garden Center cafe. The drink may have involved something sweet but hey, you can wind grandkids up then give ‘em back 😇. The tornado of fun that followed was case in point.
All of this was capped with a BBQ with my daughter and son-in-law in London with a bonus of special hugs from my grandsons.
I’m now getting a personal lift to Gatwick Airport and it all goes like clockwork which is a good preamble for a visit to Switzerland.
It’s a loop journey starting and ending in Geneva over three or four days depending on thunder storms but today is about Geneva.
Walking, Riding and Floating around Geneva
I drop my rucksack of at Rudina’s apartment and catch the number 5 into the city centre followed by a walk around the water area then spot a water taxi and note my bus ticket covers me for water taxis so I jump on board.
At this point I have no idea where it’s going but work on the principle that it’s going to be scenic wherever it goes…
At some point today or tonight my intention is to go to a big water spout that I’d spotted a fortnight ago when I was being chaperoned to ensure my safety.
It has a story that I’ve dug out of T’internet:-
Jet d’Eau is one of the tallest fountain in the world. Originally, in 1886 they built the fountain to control and release the excess pressure of a hydraulic plant at La Coulouvrenière. Shortly it became remarkable symbol of the city and so it was amplified and relocated to the center of the Lake.
…going back to my water taxi. It casts off and turns around in a huge sweep that takes in most of the bay then heads towards the bridge that I’d just crossed and, as if by magic, we emerge in the bay with the water spout and he’s heading to a landing stage not far from it. In fact if it had been any closer we would have needed our ‘big coats’ on. As it is were rendered slightly moist from the spray but everyone is delighted and the good spirits manifest in laughter and feigned indignation as the young women in the boat huddle under their boyfriend’s coats.
I do the full loop and end up at the landing stage where I got on and enjoy the rest of the evening admiring the early spring wallflowers (Mary loved wallflowers and they’re abundant in planters around the city)
The weather remains good so it’s fingers crossed now for the rest of the week.
Enjoy the snaps. G x