Memories, pressed between the pages of my heart...

So today was a loooong day. I ate breakfast and gathered my things up for the drive to Geneva. I was grateful that I booked another night at the airport hotel rather than try to drive back the next morning to catch an 11:00 a.m. flight. It had been raining on my trip down to Annecy, but today was partly sunny and a nice day to view the green countryside. The Haute Savoire mountains are so different from the Rockies. Everything is well groomed and taken care of here. The meadows and the green forest and the rolling hills are beautiful, as is the new autoroute which doesn't have a bump in it. After reaching Geneva, I went directly to the area where we used to live -- two communes close together called Collex-Bossy. I was appalled to find that Collex, which 40 years ago consisted only of a farm house and a brasserie, now is a thriving suburb of apartment buildings and houses. I continued on to our little village of Bossy which I was afraid might no longer exist, but it had not undergone quite as much change. I made the right-hand exit off the first roundabout and there, and to my left was the house where we had lived. It had been newly built when we lived there by a couple who lived in the connected house and had built the one where we lived as a rental property. I stopped immediately to take a photo. A man and young girl were at the end of the driveway in front of the second house, so I thought I should explain myself as I started to take a photograph.

"I used to live here," I told the man. "That's not possible," he replied. I explained that I was pretty sure this was the house when all of a sudden he looked surprised and said, "When was that?" When I told him 40 years ago, he asked me my name. When I told him he exclaimed, "Oh, yes, les diplomats." It appears we were the only renters of the house after it was built. When we left, it was sold to a woman who still lives there. The man I was talking to was the son of the people who built the two houses and were our landlords. He remembered us, and I remembered him. He must've been 10-14 years old mowing the grass and tending to things when we were there. There had been no landscaping at the time, but now vines cover the perimeter and herbs grow in the garden. The village fared a little better than Collex. It still has the water fountain in the little square, although the resident donkey is gone. The village is still surrounded by vines, apple trees and lavendar fields, with a nice view of the Jura mountains. I went on my way happy to have tapped gentley on good memories.

Afterwards, I checked into my hotel (not far from Bossy), took a littl rest, returned the rental car, and took a bus to the Rive Droite, which was the side of the lake I was most familiar with. It was crowded, very windy, and unfortunately Mont Blanc was hidden behind a heavy cloud, but again it touched good memories. Now I'm back at my hotel, watching yesterday's Broncos football game on my tablet's connection to my DirectTV recordings at home...how things have changed! This has been a PERFECT vacation and retreat. I have felt so out of sync with the world for the last couple of years. Seems like every plan was delayed, canceled or otherwise went awry. For this trip, I picked the right quiet retreat, I mixed in a little nostalgia, I got a little time away from pressures and responsibilities, got upgrades on both long flights, everything just went according to schedule and was perfect. If things are out of sync, they can get back into sync. If this is my swan song, it sure was a good one!

Reboot

What a magnificent day! One thing computers have taught us is that we should reboot when too much data piles up and confusion reigns. This reboot has been perfect. It started 4 days ago in the pouring rain when I drove from Geneva to Talloires, not being able to see the panoramic view of the lake and its villages. Each day was drizzly with the rain stopping at fortuitous moments for walks, but leaving a calm and cozy atmosphere indoors. And then this morning the sun rose gloriously in the East proclaiming that the storm was over and a new day was at hand. I had a great night's sleep, a delicious gourmet breakfast in the hotel's dining room, and a healthy walk around the Baie of Talloires. Skulls slipped through the water, hang gliders filled the air, and the sun warmed the back of my neck. Perhaps I'm feeling peaceful because I haven't turned the news on since I left home. Rested and rebooted! The afternoon was another tourist opportunity, but more pleasant than the rainy boat ride. I visited the beautifu Chateau of Menthon St. Bernard. It is a private Chateau still owned by the same family for almost one thousand years. Sitting high on a hill above the lake, the chateau, with its turrets and stone bastions is said to have inspired Walt Disney to create his Sleeping Beauty castle.

All of the thousands of books in the Chateau's library date from before the days of the French Revolution, 1789. They even have a first edition of Diderot's first Encyclopedia, one of the first attempts to gather all the knowledge in the world. The only glitch in the day was the number of people. This must be the spot locals go to on a weekend to get away. The narrow mountain roads were buzzing, not only with angry little European cars, but with hundreds of bicycles out for a "course", as well as pedestrians and motorbikes. Did I mention earlier opening the senses to Pay Attention? I was flat out scared as I navigated the narrow roads to the castle. And when I returned our quiet little bay had filled with people and was bustling with activity. I think I picked the right time to come if this is what summertime is like. Overtourism (over population) is ruining the world. Tomorrow, I'll make a fairly early departure for Switzerland and a nostalgic visit to the small town of Collex-Bosey where we lived in the 80's. United confirmed my upgrade to business class for the 9 and a half hour flight from Geneva to Dulles, Life is sweet!

Back in Paradise

Today, I played the tourist. I'm a pretty good traveler, but I'm not much of a tourist. The nice thing about travelling is that it opens all the senses; routines tend to shut them down. There's no need to pay attention when you do the things demanded of you while you're following a day-to-day routine, but get yourself out on strange roads with strange surroundings and strange people, and immediately all the senses awaken and bid you Pay Attention. Tourism, on the other hand, requires putting up with long lines, long dissertations on the site, and loud chatter and pushing of those around you. I guess it's patience that I lack. I took the lake road to Annecy (for some reason, the GPS brought me to Talloires on the long, windy mountain road) and fell in love with the city again, only to be turned in the opposite direction when I became a tourist. I bought a ticket for a boat tour of the lake. Immediately, I was rushed to eat lunch, I waited 15 minutes in line for the boat to load (obviously, not in Switzerland any more) and endured a crowded boat, tired and screaming kids, and a guide speaking loudly into a distorted microphone. It's hard to destroy this beautiful, peaceful place, but the boat managed to do it. Now I'm back in paradise and happy I chose Talloires over Annecy. It's my retreat, and I'm at peace.

Paradise

Travel agents know that on every fourth day of a demanding trip one should take it easy. I adhered to that idea completely today. I had booked a massage for 10 a.m. What a way to start the day! After that, I had no desire to actually do anything. It was cloudy and rained off and on during the day. Like yesterday, I was lucky to have some clear spots to take walks. First, I walked up into the village which is on the mountian behind The Cottage where I am staying. It's the large building in the photo. It is beautifully located on the lake, and it might've been a hard walk up the hill except there's so much more oxygen here than I'm used to. Not much going on in the village; in fact, not much going on anywhere in Talloires. The tourists are all just strolling around enjoying the view. I had lunch and returned to my room for a nap. It had cleared again when I awoke, so I was outside for a walk along the lake shores. My hotel is located next to the well-known Auberge de Pere Bise. It has a 3-star Michelin restaurant. I checked out the posted menu which touted an 8-course menu degustation for 280 Euros. Maybe next time. This must be one of the most beautiful spots in the world! I'm told that Winston Churchill said that it was, so I believe it. It's cool, but I enjoyed a refreshing walk until a returning returning drizzle drove me back inside. My French is holding up, although I'm not able to sustain it for long. I talked to a couple from Amiens on the quai and did pretty well until I started focusing on their accents and my brain shut down. Oh well, that's what I'm here for -- to let my brain shut down. So now, I have a relaxing evening ahead, starting with writing this blog post, a hot bath in my huge soaker tub, and a pain au chocolate that I bought at a patisserie for dinner. I can't handle all these heavy meals. It's a hard life travelling, especiallly when you have to spend a day in paradise.

Rain Cleans Things Out

Twelve hours!! I woke up after twelve hours of sleep at 8 a.m. local time. Perfect. The skies were cloudy and a steady drizzle was falling. I went downstairs for petit dejeuner and enjoyed my coffee, pain au chocolate and cold muesli (where else would I even consider eating a cold muesli?). I packed my bags, took the hotel shuttle back to the airport, and rented a car. The real journey was about to begin. I had intended to visit the village where we had lived in the 1980's, but it was raining so hard when I left the airport, I decided to save that visit for my return and go directly to Annecy which was at the head of the Lake D'Annecy. My final destination was Talloires on the shore of the Lake south of Anncy. It was a short drive, about 40 minutes. The border I remember, which separated Switzerland from France, was wide open...no passport or customs control. Way to go European Union.

Anncey is a delightful little town. My Google Maps had no idea where we were and went silent the moment we left the autoroute. Happily, the signage in Annecy was good and I was able take the right exits from the many roundabouts that dot the city (Duranagatangs would never be able to cope with all the roundabouts) and end up in a Vieux Village parking lot by following the many blue P parking signs that point to city parking in most European cities. One wonders why the Durango City Council is so opposed to a city parking lot! I parked the car and wandered around the old city and shopping areas for awhile. Luckily the steady rain had turned in a drip/drop affair. Teh ild town is charming. A few tourists, but not too many. Lots of Brits and Japanese. It's the end of the season. After a couple of hours walking I decided to continue on to my final destination. A steady rain began to fall again. Happily, the rental car had a GPS which actually knew the way to Talloires, where I arrived after half an hour of twists and turns, narrow mountain roads, and sometimes heavy traffic. It occured to me that there are probably not many 77-year-old women driving around a foreign country alone. I finally arrived at my destination, The Cottage le Bise in Talloires. It's perfect. Nice room, beautiful grounds, friendly staff. I made a reservation for dinner in the fine dining room since the rain continued and it seemed like a good time for a welcome dinner. It was, and I went to bed tired and happy.

Time is of the Essence

Let's face it, the only thing wrong with traelling is travelling. Human beings were not meant to cross 6 or 8 times zones within a 24-hour period. I left Durango at 7:00 a.m. on a Tuesday morning and after almost 12 hours in an airplane, I arrived in Geneva at 7:00 a.m. the next day. Happly, the Holiday Inn at the Geneva Airport let me occupy my room at that early hour. They even offered the morning breakfast buffet, so I was able to consume a pain au chocolate and collapse in my room for a short nap. It was noon when I awoke and, although still tired, I decided to visit the town. The Geneva Tourist authority provides free passes for local transport to all tourists, so I walked the 2 blocks to a trolly stop and took a clean, speedy trolly to the old town. Geneva has both changed a lot and stayed the same. The population looks much more diverse, and like most places now, it is overcrowded. But, it is orderly, the people are polite, and it is clean. When we lived in Geneva (actually, we lived in a small town called Collex-Bosey on the outskirts of Genveva), we didn't spend much, if any, time in the Old Town. Perhaps we would go there for a dinner or so, but like most residents of a town, we didn't participate much in the tourist areas. We were too busy working, socializing with friends, and driving into the mountains for recreation. I stopped awhile to admire the jet d'eau (water jet) and the expensive shops on the quay and then made my way up the hill. The Old Town is nice, but lots of cobble stones, stairs, and a jumble of small streets. I walked about 3 hours, long enough to make me very tired, which was my main object. Then I headed home to my hotel, had a very light dinner, and succeeded in staying awake until 8:00 p.m., at which point I collapsed. And so to bed! ba

Change in Latitude--Change in Attitude

Sunset over Perins Peak bids me farewell

It's been since before COVID shut everything down that I've taken a trip by airplane.  It's time.  Tomorrow, I depart for France for a week of self-care.  It's going to be a true vacation, meaning I plan to vacate what has become a miserable attitude and replace it with a sunny, optimistic approach to what is left of my life.  Oh well, it's worth a try. 

My destination is Talloires, a small village in the Haute-Savoie region of France.  It borders on Lac Annecy, a beautiful little lake surrounded by green mountains and picturesque villages.  At an altitude of only ca. 1500 feet, it should provide enough oxygen for my complete regeneration and transformation. 😊 I just checked the weather and can expect cool days with rain.  Perfect...perfect for reading, reflecting, writing and regenerating! My hotel even has a spa and the massage is booked.

But first I'll land in Geneva, a city where Dwight and I (and Sam) lived for 3 years during the 80's.  I'll have an opportunity to revisit old haunts and reminisce on times spent in that glorious city and country.  It's where I first learned to fall in love with mountains, skiing and Gruyere (not to mention wine). 

The Beautiful City of Geneva

Geneva is on the southern border of Lake Geneva, a large lake which collects the waters of the River Rhone and then sends them south.  The southern shore of the lake is French, while the Jura Mountains lie to the east and Lausanne and Montreux are to the North. It is a true international city, home to many United Nations agencies such as WHO and ILO.  In fact, I once worked at WHO for a summer replacing one of the administrative assistants who was on leave.  

The old town is noted for its walls where the city's troops successfully defended Geneva from the troops of the Duke of Savoy in 1602.  Immediately afterwards, Calvin ruled the city during the Reformation. Dwight once ran a marathon there in under 4 hours.  The route encompassed the famous quay which provides splendid walks around the lake with views of Mont Blanc. It's a beautiful city, and if it's not on your bucket list, it should be. 

My flight leaves at 7 a.m. tomorrow morning, travelling to Denver and Newark, and finally arriving at Geneva at 7 a.m. the next morning.  My bags are packed; I'm READY TO GO!