Euro2: Bruxelles to Geneve

Just like any trip there have been a few hiccups, and things not running quite as smoothly as I had hoped. But I have survived. Mostly it seems to be caused by communication errors on my part.

While initially my plan was to spend two weeks with Aurore in Bruxelles, She thought that I was staying with Eduard for the second week. Then though Eduard was organized to go out drinking with me on sat night I wasn't sure (not having much contact with Ed) and so implemented a backup plan of visiting Geneva to see one of dads friends Rev William.

Surprisingly Geneva reminds me of a sci-fi book (I don't recall the title) in which the main character is a part of an organisation that was formed on the ruins of an old galactic civilisation. when they re-discover a planet with life on it it is inspected and audited to determine how warlike it is and if it will rebel against the recovering civilisation. If they pass then they are incorporated and assimilated, if they fail then they are isolated and ignored until such time as they rediscover space travel.

Maybe its just because I was staying in an old bomb shelter but Geneva seems very warlike to me. Railways high up, shops only on ground level, all the carparks are underground in bomb shelters. Wouldn't be hard to remove all the street signs so that foreigners get lost. More than anything else though is the constant metion of war, peace advocacy and human rights. In a nation truly at peace wouldn't this be far from the minds of its citizens?

In contrast Bruge & Yvoire seemed like a tourist towns, stone buildings, windy streets. not much there except shops and no carparks.


Wednesday I will be travelling to Nuremberg, and hopefully finish my Terry Pratchett book "Dodger" which has an unfortunately predictable plot and is not as humorous as I had hoped.
I've been unable to open a new swiss bank account because I'm not a resident. and have not been able to locate a nice wallet or a camelpack water bottle.

and now some pictures

 This church I think was at the uni we went to in Bruxelles, the only one with light coming through the stained glass.

 These flowers are only visible in the first few days of spring.

 shaking hands with a tiny T-Rex, couldnt find the big one

 the taxidermy of australian animals was very strange

 some interesting architecture

 The Vennus of the north

 Unecpextedly I found Michalangelo's mother and child, mentioned in the movie "Monuments Men". Though I'm sure Aurore knew it was there. and this makes up for never going to Ghent.

 Photo of one of the lace shops for Mum.

 A beer wall in Bruge, all the belgian beers that I have not yet drunk with Eduard.

 Leaving Bruxelles, one of the nobby no leaf trees that were everywhere.

 Founding Fathers of the Swiss reformation

 A beach with stones in place of sand.

 the massive fountain with a space invader

 In the red cross museum

 in the museum of glass and porcaline

 one of the many swiss shops

 Ringing in a big bell

 a landmine amputated this cambodian chair

 Finally found some yellow spring flowers