Geneva, Switzerland (September 2008)

*This article was previously posted on a different blog of mine which has been deleted. 

Geneva and its famous Swiss watches

Inside the UN

It was my second trip to Geneva, third to Switzerland. As I was getting sick of my job, I decided to get out of it..I just couldn't work there anymore..I need a break. So, I bought a ticket to Geneva. Don't ask me why Geneva though! 

I took a KLM flight to Schiphol, then to Geneva. The journey reminds me of my first trip to the UK for my studies sometime ago. I was lucky as the connecting flight from Amsterdam to Geneva wasn't long. Even if you are stranded for a few hours at Schiphol, it's really alright as the airport is big and there are many things for you to do like do a little shopping or simply people watching!

My fav shop H&M!

Old city of Geneva

Bakery by the Old Town

I stayed at Hotel Royal Manotel which is just across the bridge and a 10 minutes walk to Geneva city. On my previous trip, I stayed at Residence Hotel St. James right at the heart of Geneva city. I recommend both hotels for anyone on a budget trip. Geneva is a nice city to relax. There are many United Nations (UN) affiliations around the city which you can visit. I went on an hour tour to the UN for the price of CHF12 (If I'm not mistaken). I got to see the assembly hall, which is usually featured on the news. Surprisingly, it was not as big as I expected! I also got to see gifts that are given from countries all over the world to the UN and understand more of the UN function. Overall, it was an interesting and knowledgeable tour.

Lovely scene at the Botanical Garden

Old city of Geneva is an interesting place to visit. In fact, I like the old city more than any parts of Geneva. Walking around the old city of Geneva felt like going back to the olden days. Besides that, I visited a huge park just off the city centre. It's a long walk, but worth it. The garden is huge and there weren't many people there when I went, so some areas can be a bit creepy, but I got to take as many pictures as I could without interruption!

Big bikes parked along a street 

As for shopping, be sure to stop by at any COOP. The price is good, and some of the souvenirs are cheaper here than at the typical spot where tourists go. If you aren't interested in shopping, just enjoy a stroll along the many parks in Geneva, bird watching or feeding the swans by beautiful Lake Geneva.  

Feed them!Feed them!

Geneva is a place to go if you need a place to relax and get your thoughts cleared, or just a place to visit for leisure. Though Switzerland is known as an expensive place to visit, Geneva, unlike other cities in Switzerland (Lake Lugano for instance), is still affordable. The people are just okay, not as friendly as other countries, but that's probably because they are neutral (like the country's international political standings)! As long as they don't bother my travels, I'd recommend Geneva to anyone :)

*I'll be re-posting my other travel blogs in the future on this site :)