Bonjour, Genève

We arrived in Geneva, Switzerland early on Sunday, August 13 and hit the ground running, exploring the waterfront. Geneva, the second most populous Swiss city after Zurich, lies on the southern tip of Lake Geneva, also known as Lac Leman, and is surrounded by views of the Alps, including Mont Blanc, the highest point in Europe.

Expensive, international and compact, this multi-faceted, eclectic city nevertheless exudes the vibe of being big and spacious thanks to the opening toward Lake Geneva. Headquarters for the Red Cross, the United Nations and the World Health Organization, the city is a global hub for diplomacy, banking and, of course, chocolate.

French is the predominant language in Geneva, and the city is situated on the largest lake in Switzerland (the headwaters of the Rhone River). The "jet d'eau" (below), which pumps over 130 gallons of water per second nearly 500 feet into the air, commands attention from all points and serves as the key landmark in Geneva.

As luck would have it, we caught the end of the "Fetes De Genève," a highlight of the summer. The festival draws over two million visitors, who boogie for 10 days along the shores of Lake Geneva with carnival rides, concerts, food booths, variety shows and parades. The grand finale is a sensational fireworks display over the lake. C'est bon!