The Todds in Geneva

Day 2 of Children’s Visit – Saturday May 7

In case you missed our previous posting our children Jon and Amy and Rachel and Justin came to Geneva to visit us. I have broken their visit down by day. On this day we got up, had breakfast and headed to the marche (street market) in downtown Ferney-Voltaire where we live. This marche has everything from foods to clothes to home furnishings. Although not as big as the marches in Paris it was still fun. The girls and I did a little clothes shopping while the guys checked out the food section. There are all kinds of foods including sausages,

seafood,

roasting meats that look and smell yummy

to things that don’t look yummy at all!

We stayed far too long but had a good time. Once finished at the marche we packed into the car and headed north to Gruyere, Switzerland.

Doug and I had not been to this medieval village and castle before so we were excited too. It seems that every castle is up a hill – I guess that is where you have the best vantage point to protect against enemies.

In Switzerland they raise many, many cows and each cow has a bell around it’s neck. It almost sounds like music as they walk along. However, if I were a cow it would drive me crazy.

In Gruyere they also had black sheep with bells around their necks as well.

As we entered the gate of the village

I was amazed at the wide street which was probably used as a plaza for the villagers.

It seems that most of the homes are being lived in today – that would be interesting to live somewhere that people lived in so very long ago. As we came to the castle the views were marvelous.

We could look down on this beautiful little church.

There is always a church in these medieval villages. There are always interesting little nooks to take a rest.

We look like we are studying the fascinating buildings and surroundings in this picture –

which we did do but mostly we were fascinated by this glider which is taking off

and the parachutists who are jumping out of other planes. Very old meets very new.

From the medieval city we headed to the Callier Chocolate Factory.

Once parked, we stopped for a quick tailgate lunch and then headed to the factory for dessert –

all you can eat chocolate! We went through a presentation on how chocolate came to be the wonder that it is today. I felt like I was at Disneyland as we went through the tour with all of its animations, lights, sounds and dioramas. We were all impressed.

When we finished that part we could watch them make chocolate bars

and then see the ingredients that go into the chocolate.

Then, finally – taaadaaah THE TASTING ROOM.

All different types of chocolate treats and you can taste as many as you want as many times as you want. One small catch, there are no drinking fountains and after 15,000,000 pieces of chocolate you really need a drink of water! Then you come out on the sales floor where you can buy all of those delicious chocolates.

As we left the factory we saw this cute home across the street –I wonder if that is where the original owners lived.

We also passed a field full of flowers so we stopped for some quick pictures.

After pictures we left for Chateau de Chillon – a castle on the edge of Lake Geneva.

The original construction started in the 12^th century and it has had several centuries of different construction and alterations. As you drive there on the Auto Route (freeway) you can look down on the castle. Later, you can look up and see how high up you were and what relatively small columns support that road!

Being on the edge of the lake makes for a beautiful setting and a very strategic site. It has inspired some of the greatest names in literature, such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Victor Hugo and Lord Byron. By the time we got there, the castle was closed (too much shopping and chocolate) but we enjoyed walking around the castle, anyway -

and taking lots of pictures.

Justin always found something fun to do while everyone else took millions of pictures. Below you can Just on the warf through a slit they used to shoot bows and arrows

Justin's best imitation of the Swiss icon to tell you the way to the exit

Castles are so romantic!