(April 14, Geneva): Steak it for Me

I deliberated long and hard about how to best convey our trip abroad.  Past experience has proved that I tend to get a liiiiittle wordy and picture-crazed when it comes to time spent in foreign lands (see here, here, here... you get the point).  I thus determined that the most efficient way to document our travels was as it happened... one post per day (April 14th-April 28th). 

The pros of this methodology are that 1) you'll feel like you were there (perhaps a little bit too literally), 2) it will be more easily digestable, 3) it makes the task of paring down 700+ photos less daunting to yours truly and 4) it will give my awesome co-worker Becca lots of mental breaks.  So, without further ado, let's get on with McMartin Family Vacation 2012.  Here we go...

Our journey started out with a ride to the airport from my favorite chaffeur, Papa B.  (Thank you Dad!)  As you may recall, I spent the bulk of the ride trying to squeeze in one last blogpost.  For those of you familiar with my texting capabilities on my iPhone, you can imagine how much concentration I had to muster.  I attempted to document the air of anticipation through Ryan.

The excitement is palpable, isn't it?!  P.S. This is why my post was picture-less.  Sometimes you have a subject that is less than cooperative.

Thanks to Ryan having the foresight to download Bridesmaids and the first season of Mad Men, our journey to Geneva flew by (haaaaaaaa!  do you see what I did there?!).  On a semi tangent- how had I NOT seen Bridesmaids yet?!  So funny.  I kiiiind of want a mini-van full of puppies now.  Or for Wilson Phillips to sing at a birthday party.  Either would be acceptable.

We touched down in Geneva without incident... and without sleep.  Jonathan was kind enough to pick us up at the airport and to transport our comatose selves to Chateau McClain.  We arrived at the condo with only one roundabout close call which is the definition of Euro-driving success in my book. 

It was so wonderful to see Melanie, Jonathan and Jake- we definitely missed them!  Melanie welcomed us by spoiling us with a delicious breakfast of pancakes, eggs and fruit/yogurt.  We showed our gratitude by eating and immediately retiring to the guest room where we passed out for 4 hours.  Perhaps not the best manners.  I attribute this fact partially to our lack of sleep on the plane but primarily due to the amazingly cave-like effect their hurricane shutters create.  I suspect that hurricane shutters played a part in Rip Van Winkle's story.

Because I don't have many pictures from this day, I'll share with you a few I took of their fabulous pad.  If you, like me, watch a lot of House Hunter International, you'll be impressed by how spacious and modern it is.  My favorite part will be shown on a different day.  I have to have something to ensure you return, don't I?!  Please read all captions like this is Cribs: Geneva.

The living room.  In this room we learned that Americans are confused as to what season Christmas falls in, Ryan is a micro-manager, Jonathan has a general disregard for areas he considers not high-traffic and many more important lessons.

The dining room.  In this room Melanie fed us far better than we feed ourselves.

The kitchen.  This is where I watched in awe as Melanie created amazing meals.  And where we held dance parties.

View out on to their amazing balcony.  This also served as refrigerator surplus for Ryan & Jonathan's beer.

After Melanie finally woke our behinds up, we felt more like real humans and less like walkers from the Walking Dead.  Given that we had day trips planned for Sunday and Monday (which meant we'd get home after the stores closed both days) a grocery trip was in order.  Due to the lack of preservatives and less-than-Texas-sized fridges in Europe, grocery shopping is a near daily part of people's lives. Ryan & I were more than willing to get to partake to aid in our "assimilation".  Part of Ryan's assimilation plan included some stellar French usage, which you'll hear more about later.


There are a couple of walkable grocery stores, but they are smaller and more expensive.  Since we needed to goods to make meals for a few nights, we packed up the car to take a trip to the bigger grocery store just across the border in France.  This was not your typical trip to HEB.  First of all, you have to pay a deposit for a cart (buggy).   Second, the grocery store was essentially in a shopping mall.  We rode up an escalator with a cart.  Do you know how many elbows I'd have broken by now if I lived there full time?

Bring my groceries into Forever 21?  Don't mind if I do.

After we arrived home and put the groceries up, we all got spiffed up and headed out to dinner at a place that Melanie and Jonathan like called Le Relais de L'Entrecote.  The only item on the menu was steak and fries and the only decision required was how you wanted your steak cooked.  Ryan & I were in heaven from bite 1.  Ryan felt like he'd won the lottery when after his plate was cleaned it was immediately refreshed with a second plate.  It was absolutely delicious and the perfect meal after a long day of travel. 

Our fabulous hosts.

All in all, it was a wooooonderful first day and it's only just the beginning.  Up next: day trip to Annecy!