Saturday, January 30, 1982
Met Jan & Kirby at their car at 8:30 and was given the front seat. We
were disappointed in the rainy weather, but it was a great view from the front
seat! Stopped at the bank and gas station before heading around Lake Biel
towards Geneva. Passed the vineyards where the vines were being pruned back. It
stopped raining past Neuchâtel, and when we reached Lac Léman, we could see
bits of blue sky. We entered Geneva on Rue Lausanne where one of our Japanese
restaurant choices was located. We found the Kyoto Restaurant, but it was
closed. Jan asked at a nearby gas station, and apparently they have closed
permanently. When we passed the train station we heard a public address system
announce “Mimosa Day,” and a flower painted yellow car went by announcing the
same thing. We drove to the pedestrian shopping district and found a parking
space around the block from Rue de Chantepoulet where another of the
restaurants was located at No. 6. The Azma was closed for lunch, but would be
open for dinner. Another restaurant was located around the corner at Rue Berne
No. 1, but it turned out to be the same restaurant! Back at the car, we drove
across the Mont Blanc bridge to the commercial district to get a metered
parking spot. These meters are timed, and they also measure how long you stay
past your paid time! We perused English books at the bookstore on Rue de Rive,
then stopped at a kitchenware shop and a stationery store. Long explanations
were needed to find graph paper. Jan used her French to help an Englishman get
plain brown wrapping paper. After putting more money in the meter, we explored
Rue du Rhône, with all its
boutiques of furniture and tableware. We had lunch at a crowded McDonald’s
where we had to “reserve” seats by leaving our jackets at a table that just
emptied. I had my usual Big Mac, fries and a chocolate shake. Jan and Kirby
shared a Big Mac, two fish sandwiches, fries, a chocolate shake, a Coke and a
Sprite, followed by a coffee and hot chocolate!
We put more money
in the meter and went window shopping. We kept hearing and seeing the
public-address cars announcing “Mimosa Day!” We started seeing people selling
or wearing little bunches of pink Mimosa flowers, in their lapels, in their
hair, or just carrying them. Jan asked a vendor what this was all about, and
learned they were raising money to sponsor the French inner city children who
come to Switzerland for a summer holiday. We went into Grand Passage, a large
department store, where men with portable public address systems announced
sales or demonstrated products like frying pans or French fry slicers. In the
food section, they were giving samples, including a watery cheese that tasted
like cream cheese. They had many imported foods for sale, and many fruits we
could not identify at the fruit stand. We found a Baskin-Robbins counter where
I had a scoop of Rocky Road. The last bite held the only nut. Outside we
listened to an organ grinder being “grinded” by a kid. People-watching was
interesting with one of the more outstanding weirdos being seen in McDonald’s
who talked to everyone in line to order and whooped at the cooks. Many Asians.
We stopped in a
shoe museum, with shoes from mostly the 1920s and 30s. Button-up boots,
spiraled heels, fish-shaped, flowered, etc. Then the Weber toy store, before
going to put more money in the meter! Kirby and I jaywalked, or jay-ran across
a square to the lakeside, while Jan legally walked around three sides of the
square to reach the same bench to sit and people-watch. A black man’s first
time on roller skates, men wearing wigs, women in high heels with pronated
ankles. Jan pointed out the landmarks.
We returned to the car and this time drove off to find a gallery offering a Picasso exhibit.
We patiently waited for a fellow to pull out of his parking place, when a woman
cut right in front of Kirby trying to claim the spot. She would not back down,
but Kirby stuck it out and she finally backed away. We were near the
Reformation Monument and had to walk uphill to the old town. We walked up Grand
Rue, past all the boutiques and antique shops. Peeked into the tiny Greenwich
Village type galleries. We found the Galerie Arta which was on the first (i.e.,
second floor). To get there we had to walk from the street through old wooden
doors into a simple modern foyer. Out into a tiny courtyard and up some steps.
The door to the Galerie was wider than usual, and hinged both at the width of a
regular door and the wider one. But this door wasn’t opening at all, even
though the indicated hours said it should. We continued up Grand Rue and Kirby
saw a Chagall inside another gallery. There were also a lot of paintings by a Jacques
Deperthes. I really liked his spidery, million-branched trees, but other items
in his pictures almost had a childish perspective. Jan asked the price of the
Chagall: 1800 CHF/$900 or 1600 CHF/$800 without the frame. The man explained
that this was a serigraph, where Chagall made the original stencils in 1959,
and in 1979 he made an agreement to have the stencils used to make 700 limited
prints. This print was Les Amoureux de la
Tour Eiffel/Lovers of the Eiffel Tower. The shop clerk showed us other Marc
Chagall items including a portrait done by another artist over a sketch done by
Chagall, with a mirror image of his signature. She also showed us an unframed
serigraph of the Lovers that seemed somehow brighter and with cleaner lines.
She said that the artworks would soon double in price, since Chagall is in his
90s and when he passes his paintings will become more valuable. (NB. Marc
Chagall died in 1985.)
We went to the Musée d'Art et d'Histoire/Art and
History Museum and even though it was to close soon, we went ahead and entered
through the heavy wrought-iron doors. I went to an exhibit of young peoples’
photographs with some strange but interesting items. Soon we were ushered out.
We returned to the gallery with the Chagall, and learned that the signature was
serigraphed as well. Continued back along Grand Rue, detoured to the L'ancien arsenal/Old Arsenal to see the
mosaics guarded by cannons. We saw an unusual sunset with bright colors through
bulky grey clouds.
We returned to
the car and drove back across the Mont Blanc bridge to be closer to the
restaurant. We thought about going to see the movie “Ragtime,” but it was being
shown in French. We were the first customers at the Azma Restaurant, and were
given our choice of table by the window. While Kirby sipped his Kirin beer (Jan
and I had water), and we looked at the menu, an Asian couple came in, ate, and
left! We started with gyoza/pan fried
dumplings dipped in a ginger sauce. They were so good we ordered a second
helping so that we had four each! Next yakitori/skewered
grilled chicken with soy sauce (a couple pieces each). Sashimi/thin slices of raw meat or fish (we asked for tuna and had
to pay a surcharge) to be dipped in a mustard sauce. Dark red with a delicate
taste; no Charlie tuna here! Again a couple slices each. The entrees came with
a coffee cup size bowl of rice. We shared a grilled salmon which was the size
of a deck of cards and we had a couple dainty bites each, along with slices of
pickled ginger. We each received two finger-sized strips of chicken teriyaki,
and then we shared a tempura plate. There we got a giant shrimp, a bite of
eggplant, a bite of red pepper, and a bite of white fish tempura. Other Asian
groups came and went. We were left with the waiters waiting on us, so to speak.
We decided to eat dessert elsewhere and got the bill for 98.80 CHF/$50. An
expensive meal for about 20 bites and rice and drinks! Since I had never had
raw fish, I was glad for the experience and it wasn’t bad at all; in fact,
quite good!
 |
| Japanese restaurant l'addition/bill |
Kirby has been to Japan and so is familiar with the Japanese dishes. Now I am jealous of him!
We went to a
Mövenpick Restaurant, sort of the Howard Johnson’s of Switzerland, known for
their ice cream. You had to order a meal if you sat at a table, and the
counter-service tables were all filled. Waited 30 minutes for a spot and then
learned you had to go to the cashier to order and pay, and then go pick up your
order at the window. So Kirby went to get his Swiss Chocolate Doodle (three
scoops of chocolate ice cream, meringue, a cookie, and whipped cream), and we
all had Café HAG/decaffeinated coffee. We started for home at 20:30. Kirby drove to Geneva in just
under 2 hours, and Jan made good time on the way back. A really nice day,
because of the company!
