Vevey, Switzerland

Looking towards the canton de Valais from Vevey 8h30




Charlie Chaplin statue


Charlie Chaplin


Cute school kids out for a walk with their matching hats


Interior gardens of the castle Tour de Peilz






The wonderful Rotary Club of Vevey that I joined for lunch

PARIS!

Jardin de Luxembourg


Hôtel de Ville

Just two weeks before it was to begin, Duke University's Talent Identification Program (TIP) asked me to replace a TA who could not make it to their satellite program in Paris. I had been the TA the past two summers and--with my oral exam in the clear--was happy to join my amazing colleagues, Noah and Martha, for a third summer. I loved being the photographer, of course.


Eiffel Tower


Students spell out T-I-P below the Eiffel tower


Arc du Carousel

Our 18 students, bright high-schoolers from across the US, were a GREAT bunch. We all had an unforgettable 2 and half weeks in Paris, from cheering Lance Armstrong to his 7th Tour de France win, to watching and then participating in an entertaining rollerblader street performance, to the ad naseum splendour of Versailles, to practicing French conversation skills in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower, to leaping for the joys of great art at the Louvre, to waiting for one of those self-cleaning street bathrooms, to posing before the gothic masterpiece of Notre Dame, to discussing the Rights of Man and Citizen in the Jardin de Tuileries, to a run through the creepy catacombes....


Sacré Coeur


The staff: Ben, Martha, and Noah

Our final night was spent up in Montmartre, a steep hill on the outskirts of Paris crowned with Sacré Coeur. We had a photo shot by the steps, shared some final thoughts behind the Basilica and then headed back to FIAP to pack.

Swimming in Lac Léman

I moved out of my apartment in Veyrier just before I left for Paris. Upon my return to Geneva, I had no idea where I was going to stay. Well, I had a few ideas, but none of them worked out. After fretting and spending 4 nights at the Beutler's, I found a PERFECT place right on the lake, near downtown, and...on my campus!

The only downside is that I am no longer a skip away from the Saleve for great hiking, and miss the scenic countryside along the Arve in Veyrier, where I would often run. I now do my evening runs along the lakefront (complete with a sprint out through the refreshing mists of the jet d'eau).


Mt. Blanc and the Alps to the east of Geneva

But my new enormous pool with a great view more than makes up for my distance from Veyrier. I finally took a swim in Lac Léman this evening and LOVED it! The water is really clean and clear and the sight of Alps in the setting sun this evening was breath-taking. I found a nice route that keeps me just beyond the fisher's hooks on the one side, and away from the boats on the other. I'm also able to avoid the crowds that are further downtown (though someone on the silly tourist train spotted me and they all started waving!). I think I swam about a kilometer round-trip. And boy! was that a great workout! Hmm. Maybe if I keep it up I can compete in another triathlon this fall?

Parc des Eaux-Vives

Swiss Skies Illuminated

The jet d'eau is turned on and lit up by a tremendous volley for the finale or "bouquet" of the biggest fireworks spectacle in the world.

AquaParc

Late Thursday afternoon I went with some friends to AquaParc up on the northern end of Lac Léman, near Montreux. We went on all the rides and my favorite was Morgan's Thrill, although the lightless black tunnel one was a blast as well. At the top of the photo you can see the glass covering for part of the wave pool, were we amused ourselves for a while.



On later trips to the top of the tower, I was impressed by the sunset over the lake and mountains and ran to get my camera. I use the verb "impressed" expressly above, for the sunset's glare on the water reminded me of Monet's painting that helped to spark a new movement in art: "Impression: Sunrise".