Thing #8 that I love about Geneva - The Lazy Cyclist's reward

I stand resolute in my stance that Geneva is a cyclists paradise. But. But, into every cyclists life a little hill must climb.

Some of us are lazy bastards (but just un-lazy enough to get off our butts and peddle a bit). Some of us are good hearted souls, who having not had our coffee that early in the morning, just can't quite face the prospect of biking up the steep incline that goes from the flat plain of Geneva to the higher grounds of the city.

Fortunately, there is a solution, and quite a lovely one at that. There is an elevator (with a big honking "no bikes" sign soldered onto it) that with the push of a button will not only absolve you of the penitence of the harsh early morning exercise of getting up the steep hill, but also will reward you with one of the most lovely city bound views of Geneva.

As I see it, when the gods decide to reward your idleness with a view like this, you can't be doing no wrong.

Thing #7 that I love about Geneva - The Train Track Gardens

It's been a couple of years now that, on a daily bike ride that I used to take, I noticed that some enterprising souls had jumped a fence next to an apartment complex and planted a garden on an incline above the train tracks leading to the airport.

You can't see it so well in this photo, but just under the trees and to the right of the grey pole, there is a thriving garden containing flowers, veggies and fruits.

I am immersed in a mania around guerrilla gardening and the general use of unloved urban spaces for growing plants, and in particular, edible ones.

Myself, I am biding my time and preparing myself for the day I will don my militant gardening clogs and take up the urban gardeners arms of spades and seed packets to reclaim a tiny patch of forsaken public space.

Long live the revolution! The people must have a garden! Stay tuned!

Thing #6 that I love about Geneva - The Demure Stop Sign

Graffiti can be vulgar. Graffiti can deface an otherwise lovely public space. But there are times where the modification of a piece of public space with a little paint or a sharpie pen can delight and inspire.

The last few weeks I have noticed that the backs of several stop signs in town have been painted with a pair of demure closed eyes. Every time I see one of these altered stop signs it makes me smile.

It is so sweet and thoughtful. Taking an empty ugly grey space and giving it a sudden human kindness.

Thank you, oh mystery sign humanizer, for giving me an extra smile.

Thing #5 that I love about Geneva/Switzerland - Guardian Sheep

In the Autumn of 2007, the head of the Swiss People's Party (UDC), Mr. Christophe Blocher, launched a campaign against the naturalisation of "undesirables" (read: not white/not of western European descent) in Switzerland.

To make his point, a series of billboards were put up with the image here on the right (boooo! and crossing out, courtesy of me) showing the good white sheep kicking the bad black sheep out of Switzerland "for more security".

There was an immense and immediate uproar in Switzerland about this, even with international condemnation about the racist nature of the publicity campaign.

Though it was depressing to see such a fascist item up on public display, in the end it was very heartening to see the large public outcry. Everywhere that the billboards appeared in Geneva they were either totally defaced or they were recomposed to mock the UDC party and Mr. Blocher. An added plus was that the Mayor of Geneva went on the record as saying that these advertisements were so blatantly racist and offensive that anyone apprehended defacing them would not be charged. Go Mr. Mayor!


Another positive of all of this was the creation of the group "Moutons de gardes" or Guardian Sheep (see left). The group calls for open political dialogue in a respectful, non-hateful, non-racist, non-xenophobic fashion. For me it is also a celebration of the diversity that we have here, particularly in cities like Geneva.

The cherry on the cake with the nasty sheep ad campaign was that it was so blatantly racist that it seriously undermined the UDC party and helped create a rupture.

Go sheep!

Thing #4 that I love about Geneva - The City is Yours!

Back in 1992, one of the neighborhoods in Geneva called Pâquis started having an annual neighborhood street party call "La Rue est à Vous", i.e. The Street is Yours.

Basically a big weekend long block party where anyone can come out on the street and sell things they don't want anymore (very useful since we have no yards for the most part here in Geneva and so do not have yard sales), eat food, play music and just generally have a good time.

There is a limited infrastructure put in place by an organising committee, but otherwise the idea is that you go out on the street and get on with your funky self (or maybe just try to sell that funky coat you have had stashed in the back of your closet for 15 years).

The whole thing was so successful that the City of Geneva adopted the idea and now has started the annual "La Ville est à Vous", i.e. The City is Yours. Now each part of town has their own weekend long street party. Some are better than others, but generally a good time is had by all and it helps create a better sense of community. Plus, you see roads closed off to cars which is always lovely. Nothing like lots of feet taking back the tarmac :)

Thing #3 that I love about Geneva - Open Air Markets

In a world where it is common practice for supermarkets to choose their produce not by its ripeness, taste and quality, but rather by its uniform appearance and how well it transports (i.e. picking it before it is ripe so it is hard as a rock and transports like one), it is a great happiness in my life to be able to buy my fruits and veggies from local open air markets.

In Geneva, you can find a fresh produce market on just about any given day, but we are particularly lucky in my neighborhood to have a market that runs three days a week.

Just a five minute walk from my door and I get to wander between the stalls and choose what is looking the freshest and yummiest that day. Not only that, but I have the satisfaction of knowing that my money is going into the pockets of a local merchant, instead of some big faceless corporation, and that often times I can buy food that was grown locally.

Goodness all around!

Thing #2 that I love about Geneva - Cressy les Bains

Man. Do I LOVE Cressy les Bains. Hot thermal water in a huge basin underneath a glass roof and surrounded by palms and other lovely green plants.

Imagine a cold, grey, dismal day in Geneva. Imagine you haven't seen sunlight in days. Imagine even having a hangover. THEN imagine going to Cressy and submerging yourself in hot bubbling water. Massaging your back and legs and feet with powerful underwater jets. Imagine floating on your back in the lovely hot water looking up at the sky through the glass.

Man. I love Cressy.

Thing #1 that I love about Geneva - My bike

Geneva is a small city with a bike friendly heart (apart from our friends the SUVs and the evil bastard taxi drivers). Anywhere you need to get around here can pretty much be reached in a 30 minute bike ride with plenty of bike paths and charming little trails hidden here and there where you least expect them.

Other than my childhood glory riding my bike around playgrounds and the occasional safe street (sassy streamers flying in the wind), I didn't really become a cyclist until I moved to Geneva almost eight years ago.

Having gone bike, I just can't ever imagine going back. The idea of life in a city where I couldn't use my bike as my primary transport is pretty much unthinkable to me now.

So here's to Geneva and here's to my bike!