Geneva: A city we could live in

Our friends Stephanie and Morgan live in the center of Geneva in a one bedroom apartment on the second ( but what they call the first) floor with their dog Tao; an expat pooch from West Virginia. Since they knew we were driving around Europe, they invited us to come see their home in Geneva while we were traveling. We knew that we loved Switzerland, having already visited the Italian and German regions, so we went visit them for some climbing in the French Alps.

We arrived on Friday evening, which happens to be Aperitune night. Morgan created this get together on Friday nights, where a couple of friends head over to his house and have drinks and share music. The catch is that the music that they share must be a song that no one else has heard before. It is their way of discovering new music together. Another couple came by and we all hung out, had drinks and food and listened to music. It was a delightful way to spend the evening; it felt more like being back in SF, except for the fact that everyone was speaking French most of the time. Later that night, we headed to a concert a couple blocks away from the house. The opening band played old gypsy tunes and classic Russian, Romanian and other eastern bloc music.

Though we went to the show to see the main band, by 1am, they still hadn’t come on and we were pretty exhausted (Steve was actually getting sick AGAIN) and needed to crash. We headed back to the apt, where Steph and Morgan had moved their loft bed to the floor due to my “condition”, making getting in and out a little easier. So thoughtful! We were incredibly comfortable and I was truly thankful that I didn’t need to make a ladder descent in the dark…

We were hoping to go climbing the next day but like many other days we have experienced here, it was going to rain, so instead, Steph and Morgan showed us around Geneva. Since it was Saturday, the city was bustling with activity. We took the metro and headed toward the lake, the central attraction in Geneva, for lunch. We ate right on the lake with a view if the Jet d’Eau Fountain, a 140 meter geyser that shoots out of the middle of the lake. You can tell that during the summer the area is packed, there are beaches, separate swimming areas with diving boards, boating areas and the like. It reminds me of Lake Tahoe in California, but perhaps a bit smaller.

On our way back to the house, we bumped into some friends of theirs who told us about some bike comp taking place in town. We had nothing else to do, so we decided to go and check it out. In the center of town, there is a large open space, where they host a variety of activities. It is next to the skate park that the city just built. The bike comp was a type of freestyle, bmx biking on different obstacle courses. These guys were pretty incredible to watch…

Later that eve, we headed over to a small Ethiopian restaurant. A food that we missed dearly. We often forget how much the bay area has to offer, especially the food; it is so easy to eat well in the bay area and boy, do we miss it! The restaurant was an everyday apartment converted into a restaurant. Morgan explained that these types of small businesses, just like their climbing gym (more on that later), are considered non-profit or small-profit, so do not fall under the same laws as normal businesses. These small businesses can operate without being taxed and are encouraged. Tt is a way for small businesses to make enough money to cover their expenses. These businesses are not looking to become bigger and more profitable, they want to remain small and cover what they need and nothing more. Dinner was absolutely delicious but of course the price tag was very different than in SF. The dinner that we ordered included a meat dish, so it probably would have cost $50 for the four of us, but alas, in Geneva it cost $68. Switzerland is quite expensive but as Morgan explained to us another day, people make more money, so in the end, it is all relative…

The next morning we headed to Chamonix to climb. What an amazing place! After taking the train to the top with a beautiful view of la mer de glace, we hiked a little ways down to do some bouldering.

F*** alpine, we’re going bouldering

Morgan and some of his friends had already discovered and cleaned off a new cluster of boulders in the canyon, that included a very special compression problem that Morgan was dead set on conquering. Steve was excited to climb on the granite boulders; since most of the problems that they cleaned off were tall, 6b or above with sketchy landings, I was in charge of taking pics and watching from the sidelines. I need to be careful with little Crankenstein now, no more falling, so only easy climbing for me. With their efforts combined the boys managed to send the new compression line, an instant classic. While Steve grabbed the first ascent, it was a team effort for the beta and all the boys sent. Morgan later named the problem Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds with a mutual agreement on 7b+/7c grade. Nice work guys!

Morgan setting up to clean the new compression line

Cleaning…

The beta hunt begins

Lots of chalk is showing up

..and the ascent.

Both Morgan and Stephanie had to teach on Monday, so we just hung around the house attempting to figure out insurance and other admin that we needed to accomplish prior to our return home. That night we all headed to their gym. Yes, they are part owners. It is a co-op, one of these small businesses that makes enough money to upkeep and slowly make it better and better as the years progress. It is a true training gym, not quite like Moritz’s gym in Nürenberg, but it is purely for those training to get better. Steph coaches the climbing team there on Monday evenings, others coach on other nights. Monday is Morgan’s night to feed everyone who is working there that night, so we all headed over there and he cooked a feast, which included huge globs of melted cheese cooked in what looked like a grill cheese sandwich maker. The idea is that you melt the cheese then drip it onto potatoes. It is somewhat similar to fondue, called raclette. Not the healthiest meal but he did include fixins for salad on the side that he had picked on his friends farm outside of Geneva. We continued to hang out there for several hours, drinking beer (of course, there is a bar) and fraternizing while people climbed and congregated throughout the night. This gym is a pretty special place; it is more like a club, they even host bands several times a year and special events that include climbing hard boulder problems as part of the activity. Everyone there drinks, smokes and enjoys, without the interference of cops or authorities. We wish there could have a place like that in SF, but it would have to be underground and in the end, would probably be busted or shut down anyway…

The world’s tallest campus board

Though it rained almost everyday we were there, we attempted to get out of the house. On Tuesday, we headed to CERN, the European organization for nuclear research; it houses the largest Hadron collider. We walked through the two exhibits, read, listened and attempted to absorb as much info as we could. This is where the créme de la créme of the intellectual elites do their research. Even the internet was invented here…

Corinne and the Atom Smasher

The first WWW web server

Since Stephanie and Morgan are both math teachers, I hoped that this would be an opportunity to watch teaching in another country. Though I had planned on doing this in several places while traveling, I had yet to do so, as we were never really in places long enough for me to inquire (except for SA, where I just wanted to climb more than work). On Thursday, Stephanie set it up so that I could go and watch a class that was actually taught in English. The kids in these classes were year four, seniors, and were the best of the best, when it came to mathematics; not only were they in a top level class, a mix of Calculus and vector analysis, they were also willing to learn in English, which was NOT their native language; for most, English was their second language but for some, English was their third. The class was run as a normal lecture class, much like a college class, where they attempted to absorb as much as possible. It was a two hour class with a ten minute break in the middle. They had class four times a week. Though the teacher may have had a plan for hw, all of that changed when the students were asked how to prove that the smallest set of vectors that had certain characteristics was the null set. They guessed that the answer was null set, but when their teacher asked them to prove it, they were baffled. So, that became their homework, to prove that the null set was the smallest set. No grumbling, no arguments, they just accepted that they were to attempt to prove it. It was a pleasure to sit in on a class where kids actually enjoyed being challenged and actually, yearned for it. I realize that not all classes are as special as this one, but it does inspire me for the future.

Due to the rain, we were only able to do one more day of climbing in Geneva. On Thursday, we headed to another spot that Morgan and his friends had discovered. It was an old granite mining area, that unfortunately was too hard for me but proved to be a pretty good afternoon for Steve and Morgan…

The view from the boulders

Morgan and Steve preparing for a climb

Stephanie and Morgan were the most amazing hosts; we couldn’t have asked for more. Though we were vacationing in Geneva, we also needed to complete a lot of admin…insurance, tickets back home, decisions as to where to have the baby (east coast vs. west coast), plans for shipping the van back, etc. Though we would rather not admit it, it was all a bit stressful and having a home in which to broach these decisions, made our lives so much easier. These two made it very relaxed and we can’t wait until we get to see them again. In fact, we should be seeing them very soon, as they are planning on meeting us in Fontainebleau in late October. It will be great to climb with them once again…we are anxiously looking forward to their arrival.

Of course, we hope that we can return the favor when they come to climb in the states. 😉

-C

Fighting the Rain

We are back in sandstone paradise, but as before, paradise is a little soggy. I anticipated that there might be some rain (turned out to be a LOT) when we were back in Fontainebleau, so we devised a plan for making camping a little more comfortable. While still in Fixin we stopped by the Brico Depot, France’s Home Depot, and for a little over $13 we built an awning for the Goose. Using some two meter PVC piping, 45 degree joints, some basic hardware, a few bungees, a cheap tarp and some magnets, we constructed a quick setup/breakdown system that utilizes the jack stand points on the van.

The PVC pipes fit into the jack points and attach to the tarp with wing nuts. The end of the tarp “attached” to the van has ducted taped neodymium iron boron magnets every 30 centimeters. Then we use the two remaining rivets to run bungees to random points on the top of van and two guide lines borrowed from our tent and stake them into the ground.

So far the system has held up well in three storms; the magnets detaching only once in a very windy storm. In that case we made the guide lines a little less taught and the magnets stayed for the remainder of the winds. While the whole side of the van is not covered, the area by the sliding door stays dry and makes life on rainy days much more enjoyable. It also sure as hell beats buying a $1000 Fiama awning….

-S

PS – We are going Tarantino nonlinear for this post. We stopped in Geneva before returning to France, stay tuned.

Cooking my 31st birthday meal under our new creation

Madrid Climbing

Here you are in the biggest city in Spain and in less than an hours drive, you can be climbing on some granite boulders or limestone routes. Spain has some of the best climbing in the world but even if you don’t hit the best areas (Albarracin, Rodellar, Marguelif, etc), you can still find decent spots with terrific problems.

Erin toured us around some of her favorite spots near Madrid. Though she hadn’t been climbing much of late, as soccer was more of the current priority, she took us to the spots that she enjoyed close to home. Our first stop was Zarzalejo, a granite bouldering area north of Madrid. We first picked up Juan, one of her bouldering buddies from the local gym. He toured us around the area. The rock was sharp but many of the holds were conglomerate pieces that were “cemented” into the rock. We started at an easier area where we could all climb and then moved on to a more difficult area where Steve and Juan could really get down to business. After a few hours some of Juan’s other climbing friends joined us. We continued to climb for a couple more hours and then headed to El Escorial de San Lorenzo for dinner.

Five days later, we headed to Patones, yet another European limestone rock band, also north of Madrid. The rock was smooth but not completely featureless, as we were able to read the line prior to making movement. We arrived later than originally planned, but we still were able to do four or five routes. This was my first time using my full body harness, thanks to Stephanie. Not the most comfortable harness but no pressure on the belly, which is exactly what I need right now.

The next day, we headed back to El Escorial de San Lorenzo, which actually also had some Granite bouldering. Both Steve and Erin enjoyed the bouldering here. Unfortunately, much of the bouldering was just a little too hard for me at this point.

Bullfight

Spending the last week in Madrid we have gotten a taste for the food, culture and art that the city has to offer. We decided it for time for some entertainment that was distinctly Spanish. What better than a bullfight?

I don’t think we have seen something on this trip that was more exhilarating, impressive, and barbaric. The stadium is all granite and concrete and we had second row seats in the giant circled shaped coliseum. There would be six bullfights in total with three matadors trading off turns. To begin the show all the participates enters the stadium in a paseíllo accompanied by music. The show begins with the matador and banderilleros using a magenta and gold cape to tire the bull out and learn it’s quirks and behavior. Next a picador enters on horseback and uses a vara to stab the bull on the back of neck, which weakens and agitates the bull. To further injure and tire the bull the tercio de banderillas enter the ring and stab the bull with banderillas. These small stakes stay imbedded in the bull. Finally the matadors takes stage again and begins his dance with the bull, this time using the red cape. The final performance with the bull can last some time before the matador goes in for the kill. He feeds off the crowd and determines the best moment to drive home his sword.

The first five fights went smoothly with the third matador being the most impressive performer. Each bull was killed, some more easily than the others and each matador escaped unscathed. For the sixth and final fight the third matador entered the ring for the second time. He played the role of each banderillero, tiring the bull and even stabbing it with the banderillas. After he succeeded with the first set the crowd went wild. He grabbed two more banderilla and broke them in half. Now instead the length of a sword they were barely the length of a small dagger. He went in to stab the bull again, but due to their length he got too close to the bull and it tossed him to the side. The matador rolled to the side before getting trampled and escaped uninjured. He continued the show, dancing and dodging the bull. The time came to make the kill. The matador grabbed his sword and prepared to make a single thrust kill as he had with the last bull. He danced to the side and made a thrust. The sword drove in about half way, but it was the clear the bull was not finished. Eventually the sword fell out and the matador retrieved it. He tried again and failed. Again he tried. Another failure. This process continued until finally the matador again got too close in his impatience to make the kill. This time the bull gored him in the leg, but the matador slipped away.  He continued the show, but now with a heavy limp. Again he went in for the kill, but with the limp he was too slow to dodge the bull. It caught him and flipped him in the air like a rag doll. The matador went down hard after a full backward flip on to his head. He sprang back to his feet, but stumbled back and fell over; he was finished. The matador was rushed out of the ring. Eventually the only the bull remained, breathing hard and gushing blood, but still standing. After a few minutes, a side gate opened and a small herd of bulls entered the ring. They ran around the injured bull for about ten minutes then returned to their pen. We later learned this was an attempt to save the bull. If it had returned to the pen with the herd, it would have been saved and treated like king and used for breeding for the rest of it’s days. Since it did not return, it was determined it was too badly injured and the bull was killed by a banderillero. The final tally was matadors 5, bulls 1. Something that rarely happens.

We were glad to see a bullfight, but agreed that one time was enough. The event was a bit too gruesome for multiple viewings. On the flip side it was a impressive spectacle and a unique part of Spanish culture.
Madrid climbing next!
-Esteban

The matadors enter the ring

One of their opponents

Banderillero tiring out the bull

This results in…

serious wounds

More tiring

The banderillo drives in banderilla

The Matador stands ready

Faceoff

The dance begins

Each matador has his own style

and super hot outfit

Gnarly

Going in for the kill

Eventually the bull goes down

The corpse is dragged off

Cape Town to Madrid

We flew out of CPT international on September 5th after staying the night with the infamous Justin Hawkins. Of all visits with Justin this was the most mellow. We arrived, hung out for a little, went out to a casual dinner at a wonderfully delicious Thai restaurant, and fell asleep watching the paraolympics. Which by the way were amazing if you did not get a chance to watch them. Watching a one-half armed man beat everyone in the 100 meter freestyle was badass.

Unfortunately this trip was not on business class, like our flight to CPT. Since we had to purchase one of the flights, as we did not have enough frequent flyer miles to pay for them all, we flew on Turkish airlines with an 8-hour layover in Istanbul. We had hoped to be able to check out Istanbul during our layover but after our hellish hot and uncomfortable flight, all we could do was sleep on the benches in the halls of the airport. Though Turkish airlines has free tours of Istanbul if you have a long layover, the tours do not start until 9am and end at 3pm. We arrived in Istanbul at 6am and left at 2pm. 😦

Though the temperature on the flight to Madrid was cooler, there were no private monitors for movie watching. They were showing Snow White and the Huntsman, which we both really wanted to see, but we were seated directly below the monitor and could not see the movie at all….ipad to the rescue! We watched a few episodes of Forbrydelsen (The Killing), a show that Colin and Jen turned us onto.

We arrived in Madrid with no problems. We received a new visa upon entry and BOOM, we were admitted for three more months to the EU.  Two minutes after our exit, Erin and Matt arrived and off we went to navigate through the metros of Madrid to their amazing flat.

They live in the western portion of Madrid, between Arguelles, Moncloa and Islas Filipinas (three different metro stops). You can get to anywhere in Madrid pretty easily; it usually takes 10-20 minutes to any part of the city. We laid pretty low during our first few days there, as we were tired from traveling and climbing in SA. We then began to get back into our groove; however, as Erin noticed, my groove is getting slower and slower as I get more and more pregnant. I am not quite as motivated as I usually am. Though my energy level is supposed to be back to normal, carrying the extra weight and sleeping a bit more fitfully is definitely sapping my energy.

After a few days of rest, we began to actually see the sites of Madrid. We got our museum fix on; we visited the Prado twice, the Reina Sofia, the Thyssen for a special Hopper exhibit and the monastery in el Escorial de San Lorenzo.

Outside the monastery in El Escorial

Inside

The caskets for all the deceased Spanish kings

Checking out some surrealism

Of course food is a huge part of Spanish culture, with lunch being the most important meal of the day. Most of the days we cooked, well, most days Matt cooked, but we also went out for some meals. Matt is becoming quite the Spanish cook; his tortilla con patatas is amazing, as well as his preparation of sea bass and liver; we definitely enjoyed the food in Spain. Mid-way through our stay, we were invited to have dinner with Fernando, Erin and Matt’s landlord. Fernando is Claudia’s father, a good friend of Erin’s who I climbed with last time I visited Madrid with Frederique. Fernando is a professor in Barcelona but also has a couple of apartments in Madrid, which he still considers his home. He is also an amazing cook. He made us a chilled soup, similar to Gazpacho but a little tangier, a hake dish with baked egg on top, as well a black sausage with a tasty green sauce (can’t remember the ingredients). For dessert, we had whole cream and peaches. The evening’s conversation revolved around American politics, the election and the media that presents it.

Fernando’s handy work

Our time with Matt and Erin was relaxing and exciting. We did more than eat and visit museums however. Stay tuned!
-Corinne