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AUGUST 22, 2003
Ubnfortunately, Switzerland is not a Euro country. They kept their Swiss franc currency, so we had to get some Swiss francs (CHF) at the ATM. We will be in Geneva only two nights before we get to Chamonix. France is on the euro, so we don't need many Swiss francs now, but we will be able to use any leftover francs when we come back to Switzerland after Chamonix. I've read that prices are higher in Switzerland than anywhere else in Western Europe.
Our hostel is very nice, and breakfast is included in the price of the room. Shari and I are in a 2-bed room tonight, and there is a kitchen where we can cook dinner. We have towels in our room (such a treat!) and our own bathroom (toilet), but the shower is down the hall. We checked in, then walked to the ATM, grocery store and then went back to take showers and do laundry.
Unfortunately, the self-catering kitchen isn't as good as the rest of the hostel. Only one burner was working on the cooktop, and there was hardly any cutlery or plates. We actually used our little Esbit stove to cook our hamburgers. It wasn't the best dinner, but it wasn't the worst either.
8/22: We had breakfast and then headed out to the airport (an 8-minute train ride from the Geneva train station stop to the Geneva airport stop) to meet Eva, MaryAnn, Jack and Jim. They all live in western Massachusetts and are here to spend a week's vacation with us, hiking in France. Eva and MaryAnn spent a week with us in Seattle last year before Shari and I did our Ranier climb, and Jack and Jim work with Eva's husband, Tom.
Their plane arrived on time and we were back at the hostel about 10:30AM, dropping off their luggage. The hostel closes between 10 and 2 for cleaning, so we had to leave and walk around the city until 2PM. It was a lovely day, so we walked over to the old city and wandered around a bit. We also climbed a church tower to get a view of the city.
It was a pretty low key afternoon. Some of us napped, some walked some more, and then Shari and I went to use the internet from 6-7. We decided on Thai food for dinner, thinking it wouldn't be too expensive. We got a recommendation from the man at the hostel reception desk, and walked up to the restaurant. It turned out to be a pretty upscale restaurant which was fairly expensive, but the food was good.
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