On A Grand Tour

Being able to walk out my front door never felt so good. What a tease, to move to a fabulous new place just to have to stay inside for the first two weeks! The only thing that got us through was the incredible view of Mont Blanc and the French Alps out our windows. In fact, in our list of things we did each day, there are solid blocks of time devoted to “staring at the clouds moving across the sky waiting for them to move out of the way of the mountains.” Such is life in quarantine I guess. I will say, there was never a moment in which Kurt and I wanted to kill each other, despite being together 24 hours per day in a 450 sq. ft. studio apartment. I am quite impressed with us.

But now it’s over and we get to go outside, breathe fresh air, and explore Geneva. In true Kurt-and-Alyssa fashion, our first day out of quarantine we walked the entire city. Or at least 20 miles of it, which I think counts as “the entire city.” After 10 days of confinement, this meant that we were quite literally limping home, with blistered feet, sore legs, and huge grins. Our new home is quite something, I must say. Everything, from the crystal waters of Lac Leman, to the architecture, to the flower-boxed windows, to the cobblestoned streets and winding alleys of the Vielle Ville, was enchanting.

We first made our way straight to the lake by way of the UN. Despite Jet-D’eau being simply a giant jet of water being shot into the air, for some reason you can’t take your eyes off it. We walked along the promenade and marveled at the architecture of the lakeside mansions as well as the estates that dot the hillsides on the other side of the lake. We scouted our future stomping grounds for picnics on the lake and beach days. We may have to get used to jumping into a chilly lake as our new version of “going to the beach.”  We stood at the foot of Jet-D’eau and felt the spray of cold water carried by the breeze. We sat on a bench on the lake and people-watched to our hearts’ content.

Next to immerse ourselves in the Medieval side of Geneva in its Vielle Ville (Old Town). The winding cobblestone alleys, gorgeous old buildings, and church bells ringing were quite magical. I cannot wait to get lost in these beautiful streets, sample all of the restaurants, shop in all the boutique stores, and never get used to the beauty.  I may have to pinch myself a few times to remind myself that this is actually where I live!

Of course, no day would be complete without a trip to a boulangerie for sandwiches at lunch, an open-air café for dinner, and gelato. According to Kurt, we will be eating a lot of “baguettes with something yummy in the middle” over the next couple of years. I’m not opposed to that!

Our first day out of quarantine only served to rejuvenate and amplify our excitement for this new adventure. Tomorrow we get to worry about things like grocery shopping, laundry, etc, but today we got to immerse ourselves in this beautiful place. What a day!