Flags

I just saw an episode of "The Big Bang Theory" where Sheldon and Amy made a YouTube video (apparently the first of 52!) called Fun with Flags. Perhaps this is why I am posting these pictures!

There are lots of flags on display in and around Geneva, and here are some of the places where the Geneva canton flag, Swiss flag, and UN flags are on display. I find myself taking lots of photos with flags in them, actually.

Geneva canton and Swiss flags at Lac Leman, Geneva

This one was taken when the sun was setting one nice Saturday (the kind of weather where you just delight in having an icecream):

Swiss flag and Jet d'Eau, Geneva

 All around town, especially in Old Town, or Vieille Ville, you can see flags adorning the streets. This is one of the quiet streets where the flags demonstrate the street's narrow width.

Flags in Vieille Ville, Geneva

Flags at the UN

This was taken in nearby Yvoire, France:

My sister and mother

Here are some more from the back of boats:

The Swiss one...

...and the French one

And here is the Welsh flag on our couch cushions (thanks cousin Audra!), with Fred the model:

Les fleurs

I love taking pictures of flowers, whether I know what they are or not! Here are a few shots of some pictures I have taken.

In Grand Lancy, Switzerland, we found this nice spot while on our way to watch a football match:

This was on the way to Versoix:

All around Lac Leman:

I love this ivy-covered building!

On top of the Saleve:

I love this flower, but don't know the name of it:

Near the flower clock in Geneva:

Around Lake Leman, Geneva:

And, around Thonon-les-Bains, France:

Going to the market

We love going to the market on Saturday morning. The earlier in the morning the better, actually. It's so different than going to a supermarket, or a smaller grocery store. We get to practice our French with the vendors, and use our spare Euro change. More often than not, the vendors switch to English for us, but we still answer them in French!

We go to one in nearby France, just over the border. There are a couple of markets in Geneva, but we prefer to go to France, due to the choices and the lower cost (typically).  Ryan usually has his key food items to buy, and I have mine. The streets are closed off to traffic, but nearby parking is fine. There are plenty of places that offer samples of cheeses, meats, olives, or breads that usually drive us to buy away!

We always buy fresh bread, and one time we tried a local sweet pastry, filled with apple:

There's always an assortment of olives or dried fruits that we cannot resist, and we try to get new things whenever we go.

Ryan cannot pass by the saucisson stands (cured sausages) without buying something.

There are also clothes, shoes, bags and other stalls in the market, but we usually pass those by with not more than a glance, as we enjoy the food section much more.

This is what we bought on our latest trip to the market. We got an olive bread (pain d'olive), local cheese called Tomme de Jura, saucisson, a cake with a local liqueur, and olives with garlic and parsley:

 

Everything was very yummy!