Unfortunately our time in Geneva went by really quickly. We had five major company visits there in three days: the WTO, Givaudan, P&G, LPK and Nestle. Yesterday, our last day, was the only chance we had to see the city and surrounding area. The two hour bus ride to Nestle was breathtaking. We traveled around Lake Geneva and the Alps. The mountains towered over the still blue water and seemed to go on forever. It was one of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen.
That evening, we had some free time to see the downtown city. Geneva offers impressive shopping districts and relaxing parks. I was impressed with the quantity amd beauty of the city's fountains. One of Geneva's landmarks is actually a huge fountain that shoots water straight up in the air in the middle of the lake. There is a narrow wall that you can walk on that goes past the fountain and through its spray to a small lighthouse. The area reminds me of a place on the New England coast.
I'm sad to leave Geneva so soon; it seems like a city I would like to explore. But it is better for my wallet that I go... Coffee cost the equivalent of $4. Plus, Venice and a Mediterranean cruise await :)
Monday, June 14, 2010
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Amsterdam
The last day in Munich provided a few interesting experiences. We visited Bogner Fashion House - a leader in the European luxury sportswear industry. It was fascinating to get a glimpse of how the company works. The highlight of my whole trip (at least so far) occurred on this same day; I ate dinner at Wursthaus in der Au. This was a restaurant I ate at during my last stay in Munich, and I have been waiting two years to go back. It has, easily, the best German food I have ever had. So I dragged a few friends there and we sat and ate until they became equally enamored with the place.
Early Thursday we left for Amsterdam. It is reputed to be a party city and, from what I witnessed, it lived up to its reputation. The multitude of bars and... other establishments... as well as a generally unkempt appearance remind me of an exaggerated Clifton. While there were several worthwhile things to do, overall I was not impressed.
On Friday, we took an intermission from the Amsterdam experience and went to Brussels. It is a beautiful city! We visited Deloitte Belgium while we were there, where we learned about how they have worked to change the image of their company within Belgium. I found their work fascinating. For example, to attract college grads, they threw a car into the employment package - a blue Mini with the greet Deloitte dot on both rear view mirrors.
Over the weekend, back in Amsterdam, we didn't have any company visits, so we spent a lot of time visiting museums. The Rijksmuseum was very expensive and under construction, so very few pieces were being shown. The Van Gogh museum was actually really interesting. It not only presented the artwork, but showcased Van Gogh's life and his impact on the art community. The Anne Frank museum was similarly enlightening and was incredibly powerful and moving. In addition to visiting museums, I stopped to eat and had the best pancake in the world. It was about 18 inches in diameter and was covered in powdered sugar, fresh peaches, and cinnamon ice cream. Yum!
Monday morning we visited the most beautiful factory in the world - the flower auction. I took some great photos. The whole industry is actually pretty fascinating. After, we left to go to Geneva, more on that later :)
Early Thursday we left for Amsterdam. It is reputed to be a party city and, from what I witnessed, it lived up to its reputation. The multitude of bars and... other establishments... as well as a generally unkempt appearance remind me of an exaggerated Clifton. While there were several worthwhile things to do, overall I was not impressed.
On Friday, we took an intermission from the Amsterdam experience and went to Brussels. It is a beautiful city! We visited Deloitte Belgium while we were there, where we learned about how they have worked to change the image of their company within Belgium. I found their work fascinating. For example, to attract college grads, they threw a car into the employment package - a blue Mini with the greet Deloitte dot on both rear view mirrors.
Over the weekend, back in Amsterdam, we didn't have any company visits, so we spent a lot of time visiting museums. The Rijksmuseum was very expensive and under construction, so very few pieces were being shown. The Van Gogh museum was actually really interesting. It not only presented the artwork, but showcased Van Gogh's life and his impact on the art community. The Anne Frank museum was similarly enlightening and was incredibly powerful and moving. In addition to visiting museums, I stopped to eat and had the best pancake in the world. It was about 18 inches in diameter and was covered in powdered sugar, fresh peaches, and cinnamon ice cream. Yum!
Monday morning we visited the most beautiful factory in the world - the flower auction. I took some great photos. The whole industry is actually pretty fascinating. After, we left to go to Geneva, more on that later :)
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Munich (and Nantes follow-up)
Finally, I'm in Munich! The weather is absolutely awful - about 50 degrees and rainy - but it is fantastic to be here I'm trying to convince my classmates to visit some of my favorite places and restaurants, but the weather and our busy schedule are not cooperating. Our company visits here are outstanding though. Yesterday we were welcomed to the city by one of Munich's mayors and many members of the City Council. We learned about the economic condition of the city while sitting in one of the two council rooms at the Neue Rathaus (new government building). We then went to lunch at the Ratskeller (in the basement of the Rathaus) and had a delicious and HUGE lunch. I was at a table with a woman who works for the american consulate. As someone who never stays in the same country for more than three years, she had some interesting perspectives on living internationally. After lunch, we took a tour of the Rathaus and even got to step out on the front balcony - a rare treat. In the afternoon, we received a tour of Allianz Arena, the stadium where both of Munich's soccer teams play as well as where many World Cup games were held in 2006. We walked through the back rooms and stepped out onto the field. The arena is quite large; it hold more fans than any of Cincinnati's stadiums.
Today we visited BMW and stopped at the museum afterwards (which was great!). We also visited Munich Re. I think it is interesting how much emphasis the Germans have placed on history in each of these presentations. In other countries, history was touched upon but current structure and initiatives were emphasized. Here, we have had a timeline outlined for us with every important event.
As much as I enjoyed my time there, I was ready to leave Nantes last week. I loved living with a host family and wish we could live with one in every country. It really helped me witness cultural aspects that I wouldn't have noticed otherwise. For example, the French have so much free time! Every day, we would eat dinner at eight then do nothing else all night. The children would go to their rooms and the mother would sit out in the garden and drink tea or read. I wasn't sure what to do with myself. Time is so relaxed! Laundry takes three days to do, and no one notices. When you walk through a park, you must sit down and take time to enjoy every aspect. The first day or two, this atmosphere was relaxing, and when - was sick it was perfect. By the end of our stay, I felt like I was going insane. Munich is sleeping right now because of the weather, but there is so much more to do here. The pressure to be productive is something I really missed while in France!
Today we visited BMW and stopped at the museum afterwards (which was great!). We also visited Munich Re. I think it is interesting how much emphasis the Germans have placed on history in each of these presentations. In other countries, history was touched upon but current structure and initiatives were emphasized. Here, we have had a timeline outlined for us with every important event.
As much as I enjoyed my time there, I was ready to leave Nantes last week. I loved living with a host family and wish we could live with one in every country. It really helped me witness cultural aspects that I wouldn't have noticed otherwise. For example, the French have so much free time! Every day, we would eat dinner at eight then do nothing else all night. The children would go to their rooms and the mother would sit out in the garden and drink tea or read. I wasn't sure what to do with myself. Time is so relaxed! Laundry takes three days to do, and no one notices. When you walk through a park, you must sit down and take time to enjoy every aspect. The first day or two, this atmosphere was relaxing, and when - was sick it was perfect. By the end of our stay, I felt like I was going insane. Munich is sleeping right now because of the weather, but there is so much more to do here. The pressure to be productive is something I really missed while in France!
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