New posts for August (updated November 7)

The posts appear dated back to the actual days of the excursions. The posts for September, October and November are coming soon!

Visiting Szeged in Hungary (newest), Another visit to Ferney-Voltaire, Vespa tour around Lac Léman (just scroll down), The Mont Blanc seen from Geneva, Visiting Annemasse and Gaillard in France, Walking through Carouge and the centre of Geneva, Edible Vespa - found in Geneva, A day off in Geneva, And yet another visit to Annecy, Vespas everywhere - walking through the centre of Geneva, Final destination of the day: Annecy, Vespa excursion around Lac d'Annecy (oldest)

Visiting Szeged in Hungary

My Vespa stayed in Geneva for this trip, but I was delighted to discover that Vespas are popular in this town as well. Aren´t they just everywhere? The main purpose of this visit was to watch the 2011 Kayak-Canoe World Championships.

One of the brigdes in the centre of Szeged

The first Vespa I spotted in Szeged and a Simson Schwalbe

Blue sky and green houses

The Italian team has arrived at the hotel

Fully engaged supporters ...

... and more relaxed ones at the lake

The competition has started

Accidents happen

Architecture in Szeged

Could this be Italy? It is Szeged!

Here comes the real owner of that Vespa

Other proud Vespa owners in Szeged

Ready?

Attention... Go!

Another visit to Ferney-Voltaire

On the way to Ferney-Voltaire: a stop in Grand Saconnex

Mirror games in Ferney

The Patriarch of Ferney: Voltaire

Windows in the centre of town

Voltaire's Château in Ferney

A quite unusual curtain at the Château

Playing with the curtain

Monsieur de Voltaire bought the estate of Ferney (then called Fernex) in France near the Swiss border in 1759, after having lived in Geneva for a short while. Theatre was forbidden in Calvinist Geneva, so he became the enlightened "patriarch" of the little village, setting up theatres, but also potteries and watchmaking industry. People came here from Genva to watch his plays and the population of the village increased. Voltaire spent his last 20 years in Ferney before returning to Paris, where he died in 1778.

Vespa tour around Lac Léman

So far I made it with the Vespa all the way to Montreux on ´rive droite´ and to Saint-Gingolph (France) on ´rive gauche´ starting from Geneva. There was just a short part missing between Montreux and Saint-Gingolph. Today I closed the circle. 

First stop in Nyon - a somewhat foggy view of the Mont Blanc

Two different parking spots in Lausanne-Ouchy, always in good company

The floral clock in Ouchy

Hotels and cafés at the port of Lausanne

On the way to Vevey

The flora and ´fauna´ in the town of Charlie Chaplin

The lake promenade of Vevey

The Château de Chillon just outside Montreux

On the way to the Château de Chillon

A more and a less romantic view of the Château ...

... with Montreux in the background

Still in Switzerland - Noville ...

 ... a charming village in Canton Vaud

Only 30 kilometers to go to Evian-les-Bains

The Rhône River flowing from Canton Vallais into Lac Léman

It takes 11.5 years for the river to go through the lake until Geneva

The town divided between Switzerland and France: Saint-Gingolph

We are in France now

One more stop before Geneva: Thonon-les-Bains (still in France)

Route of the day from and to Geneva