Friday morning students heard from Jean Louis Arcand, a professor at the Graduate Institute whose research centers on the microeconomics of development, particularly in West Africa and the Maghreb. His two morning lectures were entitled “Trade, Economic Growth and Development” and “How Development at the WTO Has Been Taken Into Account and What Has Been Left Out.” The students enjoyed his talk, his perspectives and his engagement with the class. People milled about afterwards not quite ready to leave when the lecture finished.
On the telepherique going up to Mt. Saleve
Top of Mt. Saleve!
We're in the French mountains!
In the afternoon with glorious blue skies, a group of us headed off to Mt. Saleve, a mountain that is one of the backdrops of the Geneva skyline and very close to the city. We took the Geneva public bus to the border, walked into France (no guards), then took the telepherique up to the top — well, almost the top. We walked about 20 minutes up to get to the very top and enjoyed views of Lake Geneva and the Jura mountains to one side (Swiss side) and the French Alps to the other side. We were so excited to be on the mountain that we started jumping. We just couldn’t help ourselves. Later that evening we met for wine and cheese by the lake to talk about the week’s classes and events, with many alternating between snacks and a dip in the water to cool off. It is now quite warm in Geneva!
post-mountain climbing
Train to Montreux
Views from the train
Taylor and Jessica having a coffee by the lake in Montreux
Saturday we took an hour-long train ride to the town of Montreux, which is situated on the Swiss side of Lake Geneva and almost at the end of the lake. The setting is dramatic. The water is turquoise, and the mountains almost enclose the city. Looking across the lake, you see the snow-topped French Alps meeting the water, and behind Montreux you have the foothills of the Swiss Alps. Aside from the scenery, the big attraction now is the world famous Montreux Jazz Festival. It opened this weekend, so we caught lots of free shows, ate good food, and soaked up the atmosphere.
Akoto, Prof. Singh, Mohammed, and Tiantian inside the min auditorium at jazz fest
Montreux Jazz Festival
[...] 11, 2010 by laurenburgoon I missed the group’s hike up Mont Saleve, but I didn’t want to leave Geneva without a trip up the telepherique to see the panoramic [...]