7/31-8/1 Geneva Switzerland

I had planned a couple days in Geneva as id been there before and enjoyed it. We had city type errands to run as well - Tammy needed a new raincoat while wanted a new hat. Our box from home sent many thanks by my friend Tom was at the hotel with our fleece jackets and our mountain boots among other things. With the box that came to us, we planned to return it with our shoes unneeded clothes etc. We asked about a mountain shop and received directions to a department store which didn't have what we needed. We walked to the main shopping shopping street to came to a world sport shop where we found a quality rain shell. They told us about a mountain shop called Cactus- tram line 12 Armess exit. We went and I can highly recommend it - the staff quite helpful and some sale items well priced. But Geneva is no bargain and the shop is no less pricey. Still - a good find for us- everything done we had a small salad lunch with cold drinks and more sticker shock. We headed back in considerable heat for the rest part of our rest day. An evening stroll at the waterfront featured perfect evening light with Mt Blanc clearly seen. We went to an Indian restaurant near the hotel for a fine meal. The next day we planned to ship the box back and tour the town. Problems right away! Turns out Aug 1 is a national holiday and everything is closed- post office, CERN , the UN - all the stuff we wanted! Over breakfast I concocted a plan - take to team to France - Annemasse where it wasn't a holiday and post office is open. It worked and we trammed to the border - crossed past the border security with the large sealed box without so much as a glance - then bussed to the post office - 20 minutes later back on the bus and then the tram ,- line 12. Back in town the heat was building so we stopped at Starbucks - I guess we were a little homesick- it was comforting. Then to the train station where I wanted train tickets for the next day. Heading back I saw an open city info trailer. I asked again about CERN - I was indeed open today! despite what the hotel desk clerk had said. So we had a quick Thai lunch then jumped on the tram and made it to CERN by 15:20 - hardly enough time before 17:00 closing to do it justice- but still it was memorable and awe inspiring! We returned to town for a rest and ended up staying in and eating some munchies we'd packed. A big thunder storm early followed by heavy rain late. I regret not seeing the fireworks over the lake which we heard from our room.