I’ve just returned from London after one of the most contagious displays of unity I’ve ever experienced.
The wedding of Will and Kate on Friday, 29 April 2011, will forever be etched into the memories of Britons and the worldwide audience of honourary Britons. A show of pomp and ceremony with an air of the accessible for the everyman. No better example of this than the 200,000 that descended onto Hyde Park to view on the outdoor screens.
I had two amazing days in Berlin. What a 20th Century it’s had. A city long oppressed by Nazism and the Soviets for most of that time now thrives as a melting pot of culture, foreign and domestic. Ironic, isn’t it?
With only two days to spend, I went for the “must-do” options. The East Side Gallery (the remnants of the Wall, now a 1.3km-long mural gallery), Checkpoint Charlie and its Museum and Brandenburg Gate were obviously on the list. But I also recommend Gendarmenmarkt, Unter den Linden, the Reichstag, Potsdamer Platz, Tiergarten and Hackescher Markt. It’s handy that a lot these attractions are walking distance to each other.
During my time in Switzerland, Geneva was homebase. Although not the most central Swiss location (being on the western-most side of the country), there are several flight options from the UK and I have friends there, so accommodation was free. Just as well, since Geneva is the fourth most expensive city in the world.
It is also the most international city in Switzerland. Not surprising, since it’s home to the world’s second largest United Nations office. This means that you will hear English and several other languages spoken everywhere you go.
After the United Nations, we crossed into France again, in the late afternoon. We headed to the medieval fishing village of Yvoire, on Lake Geneva. Yvoire dates back to the 14th Century. Because of its strategic position on the Lake, it became fortified in 1306, playing an important role in the war between the Dauphiné and Savoy.
Today, much of the original structures remain and restoration of the village has taken place to maintain it. Brimming with tourists during the warmer months, Yvoire features several small shops and eateries which are also popular with locals, especially in the evenings.
On Monday, I unleashed my inner diplomat and went to the United Nations Office in Geneva. It’s the second most active UN Office in the world after the New York Headquarters, hosting about 8,000 meetings a year.
I first started by taking the obligatory tourist photos in front of the main gate and the Broken Chair (the missing leg of the chair represents a symbol for landmine disarmament). I then headed for the Palais de Nations for the guided tour. Remember to bring you passport with you and leave time to pass through the security checkpoint with x-ray machine. The tour costs CHF 12 for one hour and is worth every penny. Our guide, Natalia was extremely knowledgeable, providing the historical background on the UN and each of the main rooms within the building. The website says tours are in English or French but they offer several languages and I heard Spanish and Italian tours while I was there.
On Sunday I crossed into France from Geneva to see the view atop Le Salève, a mountain on the border which rises up 1400m.
We took the téléphérique (cable-car) up to the top, a ride that lastest only about eight or so minutes but offers a great view. Once you reach the vista, you’re greeted with a panoramic view of Geneva, the Lake and surrounding countryside.
Zürich is a beautiful city, brimming with history and culture. It’s also quite compact and easy to walk in a few hours.
Starting from the Zürich Hauptbahnhoff (central train station), I headed down the main shopping street, Bahnhofstrasse. Featuring the usual suspects of H&M, Zara and an Apple Store, I headed into Coop for food and water for the day.
Today I was in the Olympic Capital, Lausanne, sadly without the now deceased Mr Samaranch. In lieu of our great benefactor, I had hoped to get at least a “The winner is…. SIDENEE!” from one of the townsfolk but alas none obliged.
I hopped on the train at Geneva mid-morning. After 30 minutes of beautiful Swiss countryside, I was in Lausanne. My first stop was a nearby hotel to grab a map to get my bearings and plan the day. I only had about four hours, so I wanted to make the most of it.
I decided that sight-seeing and lunch in Ouchy by Lake Geneva, would be a good starting point. I took the Metro to get there. A nice touch is that when you arrive at the station, they play the sound of waves lapping the shore and seagulls over the PA.
It’s been a few years since I headed into Brizzle and it’s been well done up since then. While not one of the top tourist destinations in England, you can get some good shopping done there. And Cabot Circus is a shopping centre up to the task. It opened in 2008 and has just about every retailer under the sun, under its glass domed roof.
The ancient city of Bath sits beautifully nestled in the countryside of Western England. It’s famous for its hot spring which was discovered when Romans occupied Britain 2000 years ago, providing its namesake. Just about every England visit involves a trip to Bath as my family live in nearby Chippenham.
LIN NYUNT 