My Day as a Real Tourist

June 20th, 2011

Front of the Palace of Nations

Yesterday was my big "touristy" experience in Geneva.  With directions in one hand, camera in the other, a bottle of water, a few Swiss francs, and absolutely no French skills whatsoever, I wandered into the European abyss on my own.  Okay that might be a little overdramatized, but in actuality I was pretty nervous about exploring the city by myself.  First of all, I had to tackle the public transportation.  First a bus, then the train, then another bus, then a short walk to the Palace of Nations.  It seemed pretty simple, but for a pampered girl who is used to driving in Los Angeles, relying on the public transportation system is an entirely new concept (yes, global warming is my fault).

View from the Palace of Nations

Ali gave me perfect directions, so I ended up getting to the United Nations just fine.  On my way from the bus stop to the Palace, I ran into a World Health Organization employee from Italy.  We chatted a bit about his job, and he was impressed with the William and Mary Model UN team's success :) The Palace of Nations in Geneva employs 8,000 people, making it the largest UN headquarters in the world. I took a guided tour of the facility, which was absolutely stunning.  The architecture is unlike anything I have ever seen; many different nations came together to donate materials and design the grounds.  Also, the view from the Palace of Nations is breathtaking.  In the foreground are the beautifully landscaped gardens of Ariana Park, and behind that are the crystal waters of Lake Geneva.  Even further are Swiss mountains, divided perfectly so you can see the French Alps through the clouds in the background.  Pictures cannot possibly capture the scene, but I have tried my best!

One of the General Assembly rooms

After the United Nations tour, I headed across the street to the Red Cross Museum.  The museum was dark and a bit spooky inside, but that is because the majority of the Red Cross's history has been dedicated to helping wounded soldiers during wartime, so there were many depressing images and statues throughout the complex.  There were hundreds of posters, artifacts, and testimonies of people affected by Red Cross.  I hadn't known much about the organization previously, but after watching quite a few videos and reading all the placards in the museum, I learned so much.  

Lake Geneva with the geyser in the background

I met up with Ali in downtown Geneva for a bit more touring.  We walked around the lake so I could snap some photos of the iconic geyser and journeyed to the famous flower clock in the English Gardens.  Afterwards we met up with Mike, another William and Mary student who lives in Geneva!  It was a sunny, warm evening, so the three of us bought a few drinks, sat on a park bench near the lake, and chatted as the sun went down and lights illuminated the cosmopolitan city. 

Famous Flower Clock!