New Year's Eve [Day] (12/31/1981)

Tuesday, December 31, 1981

Postal van at Kinderspital

Train day pass

After working the morning, I left to catch the 11:04 train to Geneva. At Lausanne a young pretty black girl with big dark liquid eyes was put on the train alone. She was about 7-8 years old. At one stop she went to the restroom and the nun sitting next to me was worried she had gotten off without her suitcase. But the girl returned to her seat. In Geneva there were plenty of old ladies willing to help the girl, and to wait with her until she was picked up.

In Geneva, today is supposed to be the day of the Fête de l'Escalade/Festival of the Escalade (scaling a defensive wall). It commemorates the defeat of the surprise attack in 1602 by the Duke of Savoy’s troops. At the time Geneva was an independent state at the center of the Protestant Reformation with John Calvin playing a leading role. The Duke of Savoy wanted Geneva as part of his territory and to crush Protestantism. As it turned out, I was here on the wrong day. This Fête is celebrated around December 12th. Today is when they commemorate the departure of Napoleon's troops from the city in 1813 and on December 31st, Geneva announced their official proclamation of independence. Cannons are fired (three cannons 23 times) in the morning, so I missed that.

I had lunch at McDonald’s getting a Hamburger Royal (quarter-pounder). An Arab employee directed me to a seat. He was doing a great job policing the upstairs seating area. He even took a cigarette right out of a girl’s hand, admonishing, “No smoking!”

Wandered down Rue du Mont Blanc with its Christmas trees decorated with household bulb lights, and turned onto Quai des Bergues.

Rue du Mont Blanc Christmas tree

Crossed the Pont de la Machine/Machine Bridge in front of the Electric, Gas & Water Exposition building. Continued along Rue du Rhône, through a galerie/arcade to Rue de la Confédération. I went into winding side streets to head uphill, ending up on Rue Jean Calvin which had steps leading up to Cathédrale Saint-Pierre/St Peter’s Cathedral (12C and adopted home church of Calvin).

Cathédrale Saint-Pierre/St Peter’s Cathedral

On Rue du Puits St Pierre I found an alcove with cannons and mosaics at Place de la Taconnerie. It was l’Ancien Arsenal/Old Arsenal with five 17C and 18C cannons and mosaics showing events in Geneva's history (Julius Caesar coming to Geneva, a fair in the Middle Ages, and religious refugees).

l’Ancien Arsenal/Old Arsenal

On to the 15C Hôtel-de-Ville/City Hall, behind which is a plaque commemorating the XXXI Decembre/December 31 with flags and wreaths.

XXXI Decembre/December 31 plaque

There was confetti strewn on the streets here. From the back of City Hall you can look over the walls down on a large park. Followed a road down to a main intersection with the Grand Théâtre/Grand Theater (1876),

Grand Théâtre/Grand Theater

and then into the park along Promenade des Bastions to the Monument international de la Réformation/International Reformation Monument or Reformation Wall (1909, winning design by four Swiss architects: Charles Dubois, Alphonse Laverrière, Eugène Monod, and Jean Taillens).

Reformation Wall

There are four statues of William Farel, John Calvin, Theodore Beza, and John Knox (all were French, except Knox who was Scottish).

Protestant leaders

Quotations by these Protestant leaders were inscribed in their native languages, including Knox’s version of The Lord’s Prayer.

As it began to rain, I returned up the hill past City Hall and St Peter’s Cathedral, then down towards the waterfront.

Cathédrale Saint-Pierre/St Peter’s Cathedral

Walked through the empty Jardin Anglais/English Garden and crossed Pont du Mont Blanc. At the train station I caught the 15:19 train to Lausanne. This time a priest sat next to me. In Lausanne I changed to the 16:00 train to Biel.

It rained all night and into the New Year. I could hear occasional firecrackers, and at 23:45 the town bells started ringing, continuing until midnight. Then the town clocks tolled the hour. The Personlhaus/staff residence was very quiet; I assume everyone was out or at work.

Happy New Year!