Arrivé à Geneve

Hotel de la Paix

Last night, Jason and the boys dropped me off at the airport and I was on my way to Geneva. The eight hour plane ride was painful but I survived. I have my seating preferences saved with my work travel agency so they know that I prefer aisle seats on all of my trips. So of course, I just assumed that I would have an aisle seat. When I walked on the plane, I realized that I was in a middle seat. I was livid. I Hate riding in the middle seat because I feel crowded in and I can't get up whenever I want. And I like to get up a lot. The people seated around me were fine. There was someone that didn't say a word to me (I prefer this) and someone who also works for the Federal Government in a very similar line of work as me so we talked a bit which was nice. I slept for maybe a total of 1 hour last night.

View from my hotel room

I took a cab to my hotel and on the ride I found out that there is a marathon race today in Geneva so the taxi had to drop be a block and half a way. I have been in Geneva three other times that the marathon was held. It is a funny coincidence because the meetings I attend during this time are not recurring meetings.

View from my hotel room of the Marathon

I arrived at the hotel, Hotel de la Paix, which is a 5-star hotel at about 9am. I was excited to get to stay there because I have walked by the hotel many times in the past and I have never been inside. It is a beautiful hotel right on the lake (Lac Leman). They were very nice and gave me a room right away (even though check-in is not until later in the afternoon). The room is a bit small but its just me so its cozy. The bed is big, with lots of pillows and very comfortable. My room is on the fifth floor (the top floor) and over looks the lake. I couldn't be more lucky. When I got to my room I changed out of my travel clothes and into my pjs and slept for about three hours. After that I took a shower to help me wake up and walked to the other side of the lake (rive gauche) and window shopped. The air was fresh and clean. I stopped at the train station for a sandwich Thon (tuna) which is one of my favorite sandwiches and batteries for my camera.

As I was walking around the town, I passed a movie theatre and decide to see what was playing. I read the little piece of paper showing the movie times and decided to see 17 again (starring Zac Efron, aka Troy Bolton). It started at 2:30pm and by the time I got to the ticket counter it was 2:35 but I decided to see it anyway. With my poor french I bought a ticket and with my poor french asked which theatre it was in. After that we had some confusing conversations in French and I realized the movie wasn't playing until 4:30pm. The 2:30pm show was at another theatre (Balexert) far away. So I decided to come back to my room, blog a little, and then go back.

Mommy at the flower clock

I will leave for the movie at 4pm (or 10am DC time) and then will probably have an early dinner--I'm thinking pizza--and then I will relax a bit more in my room. I'm already very tired.

Jason, Aidan and Leo: I love and miss you so much! I wish you were here avec moi.