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Go Backpacking > Destinations > Europe > Switzerland > The UN, Red Cross, And A Photo Safari

The UN, Red Cross, And A Photo Safari

January 21, 2009 By Dave

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Outside the United Nations' Headquarters in Europe

 

Geneva, home to luxury watch companies, the Red Cross, and the headquarters of the United Nations in Europe. I chose the latter two for exploration my first afternoon. A short walk from Calen's apartment, they were across the street from each other, making my life as a tourist a little easier.

 

Believe it or not, the UN org chart is as exciting as the tour gets

 

The one hour guided tour of the UN buildings gave me some additional insight into the structure of the organization, though the actual tour simply involved walking from one conference room to the next. Some of the rooms were quite grand, but at the end of the day, a conference room is only so exciting. The visitor photo ID's made for a nice souvenir.

 

Entrance to Red Cross museum

 

Across the street from the UN's visitors entrance, perched upon a hill, was the Red Cross. I made quick work of the basement level museum, and returned to Calen's apartment to continue making effective use of his new laptop and fast internet connection while he was still at work. His previous laptop, along with his entire backpack, had been stolen while he was traveling in Europe himself. Literally stolen from right beside him when he wasn't looking. I appreciated his trustful nature.

 

I briefly considered a caviar tasting

Tight squeeze

 

My second day in Geneva was dedicated to wandering around the city center before catching an evening flight to Bordeaux. I meandered through the backstreets, buying chocolates, walking through a big church, looking for interesting scenes to photograph, and settling into a fancy French meal Le Perron.

 

These placemats were a pleasant surprise at Le Perron

Risotto with red wine, salad, and bone marrow on the side

 

The risotto with red wine, cheese, and salad caught my attention on the menu, but when I inquired about the ingredients listed on the French-only menu, I was told it included meat, which sounded odd to me. The dish arrived, and I saw by meat, the waiter meant bone marrow, a rich surprise. Bread and butter, water, and espresso finished me off. The lunch was indulgent, over the top. I was ready for a nap.

 

The lone ice skater

 

Instead, I picked up my backpack and took the train to the airport. The Egyptian bacteria which had invaded my body was back in full force, making for an unpleasant pre-flight experience. The Easyjet flight was luxuriously quick, just 60 minutes, and cheaper than taking the train.

 

Catching up on sleep at the Geneva airport

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Filed Under: Food, Switzerland Tagged With: geneva, Switzerland

About Dave

Dave is the Founder and Editor in Chief of Go Backpacking and Feastio. He's been to 65 countries and lived in Colombia and Peru. Originally from New York, Dave now calls Austin, TX home. Find him on Instagram and Twitter.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. fm says

    January 22, 2009 at 3:18 am

    amazing photos – loved the AUDI one

    some car with parking style like for a Bike is kinda funny

  2. fm says

    January 22, 2009 at 8:18 am

    amazing photos – loved the AUDI one

    some car with parking style like for a Bike is kinda funny

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