Francophone Extravaganza

While I was in England, both my cousin and my friend from Bath, who had studied in Switzerland, told me I had to visit Lucerne. Never one to turn down free advice, I canceled my plan to head to Bern (the capital city) after Basel, and made my way slightly further east to Lucerne. I have to say, they were right. Even though the hostel was quite a ways outside the city and it took me half a day to find it, it was one of the most picturesque stops on my tour. There was a river running through the heart of the town and a walled "old town" with walls and gates still left from some time ago. There were also several footbridges stretching across the river, offering splendid views of both the architecture and sunset. Since I only had one night there, I spent most of my time taking in the sights, and snapping pictures. It was also where I picked up the obligatory swiss army knife.
Bright and early the next morning, I was on a train and heading to Geneva. This was one of my more tense arrivals as I was supposed to stay with friends of a friend, but had not yet made contact. I decided to try a hostel instead when I got there, but unfortunately they were booked. At this point I was sweating a bit, but decided to check my e-mail one more time at the hostel, and thankfully, I had an e-mail awaiting me from my hosts-to-be. It all worked out and the family I stayed with were wonderful people. I somehow didn't get a picture of them, but I do have one of their cat...
There wasn't a lot to see in Geneva proper. Things I did see included Jon Calvin's old church, huge chess boards and Lac Lemon. I spent my full day in semi-nearby Montreux checking out Chateau de Chillion. A castle with lots of history and an unsurpassed view. Pictures of all these things can of course be seen if you follow the links to panoramio and picasa on the right.
Switzerland was a nice place to be at this point in the trip. Its famed organization and precision allowed me to have a tight schedule and quick stops without much of a problem. It was also fairly laid back, which along with all the scenery made it a pretty relaxing stop. The people, though friendly, were not particularly outgoing. There's a bit more of a reserved nature there, and it takes time to get to know the folks. If my experience is any indication though, the time is very worthwhile.
From Geneva I caught the TGV to Paris. With my schedule and budget, I didn't have the opportunity to explore France, but I at least wanted to make a stop in the capital. Especially after all the historical study I did during my time at NU. My plan was to spend a minimal time at the landmarks, and try to really get a feel for the urban fabric of the town. Spending time on the famed boulevards, and in the cafes was the priority. As they say though, "the best laid plans of mice and men go oft awry." I didn't realize the sheer magnitude of the city, and much like London was hustling from place to place nearly non-stop. From museums to monuments and all the metro stations in between, I saw them. I think sticking to these places also gave me a bit of a stilted view of the city as it seemed like the place was constantly crawling with tourists. I even started seeing the same tourists over again. Even smaller neighborhoods like Montmartre were full of Non-Parisians and the shops and restaurants that would cater to them.
Paris was one the site of my most random moment on the trip. I was making my way to the Mona Lisa in the Louvre, and ran into a graduate student who I had taken a seminar with back at NU and was married to one my TAs. We hadn't seen each other in quite some time, adding to the surprise. We caught up a bit and discussed education plans etc. It was a bit of home in the middle of a European capital.
Highlights included the Centre Pompidou, views from Montmartre, the new French architecture museum, a scooter ride during evening rush hour and of course the Eiffel tower.
Disappointment: The cathedral of Notre Dame. It was in a horrible state of disrepair, with tools, building materials and other objects laying all over.
Next to Berlin, Paris is the city I would most like to return to. Despite the frequently snooty conduct of most of the Parisians and hordes of visitors, I would like an opportunity to actually adhere to my original plan for experiencing the city.