The Air France flight was noteworthy: managed to have two helpings of the breakfast, with Anita, sitting next to me, very politely setting the trend. And the other important aspect was to get hold of enough plastic glasses for our stay. Mission accomplished.
Outstanding weather in Geneva - blue skies, with a chilly breeze. The airport set the mood for the town. Quiet, and well organised. Immigration was a breeze- a quick look at our passports, the student visa of the UK and we were waved through. No stamping, no fuss.
Picked up our bags, and followed Howard Machin ( our course director) around the airport. Howard switched effortlessly into French - Geneve is entirely French speaking. Before long, we were on one the ( double decker) super efficient trains that the Swiss have in plenty- and were are Gare Cornavin ( Geneva's Central Train/ Bus station). Too quiet still. A little stroll along rue de Lausanne gets us to Hotel Royal - a nice, mainstream hotel for the"official" part of our stay.
A new thrill of Geneve is the Travel pass, which you get the moment you check into a hotel - it entitles you to all public transport in Geneva ( Tram, Train, Bus & Boat!)....so, if you feel cold, as we did one day - all you have to do is to hop into one of these and be in a nice comfortably heated environment without paying a penny!
To the ILO we went, suitably suited and booted- the cravats surfacing too. A tram from right opposite the hotel to "Nations" ( please, please...pronounce it right....it is Naa-cee-on) whizzed us to the UN. A hittle walk ( hike?) uphill got us to ILO. Passports deposited in return for entry passes, in we went....Impressive building but ever so empty! There was a coffee break scheduled, which had us salivating...no breakfast or lunch ( oh, you an't count two helpings of the plane food can you?)...
The Chair with the broken leg outside the UN offices - see the pix - must figure the whta and why of that!1
till the coffee break meant that we were directed to the paid cafeteria....pooh!! struggled with the French to get the much needed cups in place and fortified returned to the sessions.
The gentleman in the last session, very thoughtfully, I must add, re-located his meeting to a higher floor with windows: and from, one had the loveliest view of the lake, Geneva town - and looming in the distance Mont Blanc ( Maun Blaan, if you please -the highest peak in Europe). Cameras came out, and the shutters clicked. Attention was a bit low in this spell - blame it on the weather and the view. Check out the blue sky, and the view from the ILO office!
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