Geneva in the summer heat

As you know only too well, dear reader, central Europe is in the throes of a bit of a heatwave. This is not one of those deadly ones so far, but it can sure make life unpleasant, especially in cities not designed for extreme heat. Geneva is saved by being on  the shores of a lake and a river, benefitting from whatever cooling they can provide; nevertheless it is humid and hotter than strictly enjoyable.

This has not deterred intrepid old me from moving hither and thither in order to pursue my goals, such as they are - seeing my relatives and friends and enjoying my short stay as much as possible. Sticking my little hat on at a jaunty angle I hit the streets whatever the weather, eat my croissants al fresco - no, I'm not telling you where I get them, thank you - and even wander seemingly endlessly between obligations. It's no good for cooling down, though, as the sweltering heat follows me everywhere, even making sleeping unpleasant.

The heat is not all bad, though, as the people thronging the bathing hot spots will tell you in between swims, or the thriving outdoor life of a city that lives most of the time indoors will show you. The parks are full of young people sitting on the grass, talking and laughing, and outdoor seating in bars and restaurants is as full as can be, while lake or river-side places are suddenly in the highest demand. True, this would have been happening even with less extreme heat, but the effects are currently more exaggerated.

Geneva is a beautiful, expensive, relatively small and quiet city, not normally famed for its liveliness, but the street food festival in the English Garden turned that on its head, a throbbing crowd of mainly young people and families noisily wandering around the many food and drink stalls, some dancing - such a contrast to the buttoned-up Geneva of the colder months!

My lovely Swiss friends the As even took me for a short boat ride around a small part of the lake - we were short of time - on one of the more modern boats that ply their trade year round, and I was able to appreciate the summer life of Geneva even more. We saw beautiful lakeside houses, yachts sailing by, even had our route briefly blocked by an errant pedalo as we returned to harbour; I must say I gained a better appreciation of this lovely city and the surrounding areas.

Most importantly, I received the strong message that life goes on, whether it came from the scantily clad young ladies (much appreciated by this old dog) or the lushness of nature. Maybe these will all help mend my broken heart, allowing me not to forget those no longer here but to view their passing as another chapter, recapture some joy in the life they lived and what they gave me and the world, and go on.

To life!