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This weekend is chock full events to enjoy. I am sure there is something for everyone.

Swiss Special Olympics

Thursday, May 24 through Sunday May 27

This is an event I can get excited about. My best friend’s brother was a Special Olympian in the 1980’s. In fact his picture made it on USA Today’s Sports Page. Here in Geneva, 1,600 athletes will compete in 13 disciplines over the course of four days. Events will take place at Plainpalais, Port Noir, Les Vernets, Queue d’Avre, Bout-du-Monde, Stade de Geneve and Golf Club de Genève. By the looks of the stage being set up in the Parc des Bastions, the Opening Ceremony Thursday night will be fantastic.

Bildergebnis für special olympics suisse

The program for the weekend’s events can be found here.

As a side note, I will be volunteering two mornings at the information center but the organizers need many more volunteers.  If you would like to get involved, go to their website here. At the bottom of the page which explains their needs, follow the link to Swiss Volunteers who gathers info about the language(s) you speak, times available and areas of interest. They will get back to as quick as they can with your job, time and location.

Fête des Voisines

Friday, May 25

The nationally recognized Fête des Voisines, or Neighborhood Party, is the perfect opportunity to get to know your neighbors. Created in 1999 in Paris, the objective is to get neighbors to take time out of their busy schedules to get to know each other.

La Fête des voisins

In order to facilitate the ease in which one can organize such a party, the canton has downloadable invitations in 7 languages here as well as tips like: remember to consider easy access for elderly neighbors; and, it’s OK to ask neighbors to bring food or drinks. You could also be a bit flexible. Our neighborhood party is a week later since our organizers are also involved with the Special Olympics!

Caves Ouvertes

Saturday, May 26

Every year our blog writes about the Caves Ouvertes, or Geneva’s wine tasting day. The only difference on this 31st year is that rather than purchasing your CHF 10 wine tasting glass, you will purchase a CHF 10 Caves Ouvertes Pass (at any of the wineries). The pass, designed by comic book author Pierre Wazam, allows you access to a wine tasting glass. If you would like more information about the history check out last years blog here.

Transport: The safest way to visit the wineries is by the free buses (navettes) put in place by the TPG from 10:00 until 17:30.  For information about the routes and frequency click here. NOTE: Even though the shuttle buses are free, you will still need a valid ticket to travel by regular bus, train, or tram to the starting point of the navette route.

Nuits des Musées -Voyage

Saturday, May 26 at 17:00, 18:00 and 21:30

It’s called the Night of the Museums but other organizations will be opening their doors to the public, too: University of Geneva, Bodmer Foundation, Maison Tavel, Botanical Conservatory, Ville de Geneve, the archaeological sight at St. Pierre’s Cathedral and more.  While the theme is Voyage, the exhibits and presentations are based on Through the Ages, Africa, Language, On the Path of Exile, In the Footsteps of Famous Explorers, Tourism and Internal Exploration.

I must warn you I have never participated in this evening but from what I gather, you must:

fluidbook

  1. Purchase your Passport for CHF 10 (list of shop here).
  2. Immediately check out the organized routes which include a transfer bus. Some routes have limited the number of people so you have to reserve your place.
  3. Be hungry because food trucks and in-house restaurants will be serving late into the night.
  4. And lastly, your passport includes entry into the after-hours party at the Parfumerie.

While most presentations are in French, there are some English speaking and sign-language presentations. For a peek into the program, click here.

Fête de la Nature

Friday, May 25 through Sunday May 27

The Fête de la Nature is a Swiss-wide event focused on teaching the public about Switzerland’s nature and what we are doing to preserve and help our endangered species. Here in the canton of Geneva there are 25 different events focused on birds and their songs, wild tortoises, the blue butterfly, the turquoise dragonfly, wild orchids, creatures of the night, the bird rescue center, reptiles and more. All the tours are in French. To sign up for a tour, go to the website here.

Banque Eric Sturdza Geneva Open 2018 (Tennis)

Saturday, May 19 through Saturday, May 26

Many of our members are great tennis players and huge fans of watching the game. I, on the other had, am not. So I turned to a friend close to the organization. She informed me about the exciting news that Stan Wawrinka has accepted a wild card invitation along with Italian Fognini and Spanish David Ferrer.

The tournament is held at the Tennis Club de Genève, Parc des Eaux-Vives, the oldest and largest tennis club in Switzerland. Tickets can be purchased on the day at the box office or in advance at Ticket Master. There are two main singles matches per day plus doubles.  The matches are scheduled to start at 12:00 and at 18:00.  The “village” is open to the public for refreshments and dining and a few interesting distractions, like boutiques. Parking by the lake will be impossible and the Genève Plage Parking probably full so it’s best to go by Bus 2, 6, G or E, getting off at Park or Bus 1, 9, 33 or A at Cuisine.  While you’re there, don’t forget to take advantage of the beautiful Parc des Eaux-Vives now in full bloom overlooking the lake.

We are a group of international women living in Geneva, Switzerland. If you would like to learn more about our activities and excursions, visit our website at www. aiwcgeneva.org.