Geneva; Saturday, 08 May, 2004

With the alarm going off at an ungodly time and the first part of the journey to the airport conducted on a night bus in the rain this wasn't the most glamorous of starts to a holiday.

Despite another plane having "technical difficulties" and closing Gatwick's runway for 30 minutes the flight landed in Geneva on time less than 5 hours after boarding the night bus, but into the same rain! After a quick exit through the airport and a spot of late breakfast/early lunch we headed into the city on the trolley bus to drop luggage off at the Central Station (as the hotel wouldn't check us in until 3pm)

With the weather deciding to tone down to just a mild drizzle/mist we had a wander round the lake side and the old town taking in the Floral clock and Jet d'Eau - a fountain that shoots a single jet of water some 140m into the sky before it falls back into the lake (or onto unsuspecting tourists) - the town hall, with the building where the Geneva Convention was signed, and the wall of the reformation before stopping for a late lunch (yes I know with the breakfast at Gatwick, snacks on the plane, the Brunch at Geneva airport and toast before we had even left for the night bus that brings the running total to about 5 meals before 3pm but there was a lot of walking and we had been up since 4!)

After lunch we popped back to the Central station to pick up luggage and then checked into the hotel before setting back out again to visit the Cathedral.

We caught the tram back into the old town and then walked up the hill past the Russian church and the museum (diving under the cover of trees as a particularly spectacular cloud burst decided to soak Geneva) before reaching the Cathedral.

The area underneath the cathedral has been excavated and how houses an archaeological museum which gives an in-depth audio guide to the developments of the site over the last 1600 years. After visiting the archaeological museum we went into the cathedral which is a strange mixture of architectural styles with no one part matching any other part. Inside it is quite small and dark but with some very bright stained glass and the option to climb one of the towers.

After the cathedral we headed back into town to find a restaurant (I know that makes meal 6!) and the local speciality fondue. Then it was back to the hotel to rest our aching feet (and distended stomachs.)