Closing Out Geneva

I've now been back in Vienna for 3 days, and I'm still staring at a mostly packed suitcase, so I figured before things get even crazier than they are now I should probably write a bit about my last week in Geneva or else that may all just seem like some bizarre dream.  

First off, we'd been having pretty weird weather in Geneva.  Cold and rainy a lot of the time, but we also started getting rainbows multiple times a day...including this awesome completely full rainbow.  Then, Thursday morning the sun came out just in time for Philipp to come visit and jam in 4 full days of touristy activities in picture perfect weather. 

I wish I could say this is very staged, but it isn't.  We're very serious about tourist activities...or not...but we did see a lot!

Lots of time for strolling along the lake

And if the super popular burger place has no seats left...you can easily make your own outdoor seating with an even better view!

The super awesome botanical gardens.  I definitely recommend this if you're ever in Geneva.

Plus they have various animals...flamingos...and lots of ducks...

Walking back along the lake looking at the Saleve 

And finally I got some Swiss fondue! This restaurant sticks out into the lake on the pier where we swim in the summer, but from September to April they serve fondue there (and pretty much only fondue) and it is crazy delicious.

Watching the boats pass at the end of the pier after dinner

Since the weather was still gorgeous on Saturday we decided to take the boat to Yvoire, France

Coming up towards Yvoire, a medieval city along the lake on the French side 

The castle from the gardens

They also have very cool gardens here...between this and the botanical gardens we are now well versed on all things plants...especially in French.

The boat arriving to take us back to Geneva.  These steam ships are historical landmarks themselves.

The lit up stone tiles along the square at Molard in Geneva which I think are so pretty at night all sprinkled in through the cobblestones.  They say various things in several languages (English, French, Spanish, Russian and Chinese...oddly not German)

And finally one more trip up to the top of the cathedral to get this panoramic view

I still cannot believe the summer went by as quickly as it did.  I knew it wasn't going to be that long of a time, and that it would surely fly by, but it does sort of already feel like another world ago.  My internship was wonderful.  I worked with amazingly talented people and was given projects that were challenging and I was allowed to see through to their completion, which was really great.  I'm hoping to see some of these colleagues again in November at a conference, we're still working out some of the details, but it would be an amazing experience and a great chance to continue some of this work.

Monday morning I took the train back through all of Switzerland and Austria, still definitely my preferred way to travel when time is really no issue.

And now it's back up to Kahlenberg!  I don't start classes for another week or so, but I've been up there helping with orientation and picking up reading materials, and I have a few meetings with professors and things before the semester officially starts.  

It is wonderful to be home and run around and see everyone again as they all return as well.  I do still have some work to do before I get completely settled in and ready to start my last semester of classes!