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I was just as happy to ditch ‘Corporate Christy’ back in Holland. Time to just ‘be’...as the ‘real’ me! A week to get back to nature, out of the city chaos, away from light pollution obscuring the stars, where the air is fresh and the sound of cowbells chimes through the fields. And hey – you can always use a little more cowbells!
La Source runs its weeks from Sunday to Sunday. Not wanting to miss an opportunity to check out a new city, I flew to Geneva on Friday night and stayed through to Sunday mid-day. Friday night wasn’t much. I flew in, took the 10min train journey into town and headed straight for the hotel. A little research ahead of time with Google-Street-View paid off since I didn’t want to look like I didn’t know where I was going when I was arriving late in the evening and was walking with all of my bags the 300m to the hotel. Of course, a little research ahead of time might also have tipped me off that the view from my room to the street would provide a unique vantage point to watch all of the prostitutes at work.
I wandered around town all day Saturday in the warm sun. I packed for my trip on a grey day in the Netherlands and regretted not packing lighter clothes! Geneva is a beautiful little city. The lake and the Jet d’Eau feature prominently in the city. Runners, cyclists and beach-goers all took advantage of the sunny day that I was there. I made sure to check out St. Peter’s Cathedral in the middle of the old town and was impressed with the views from the top of the bell tower. That was a climb worth doing!Sunday I hopped on the train to check out the Red Cross Museum. I got off at the Nations stop and saw the front of the UN headquarters. I walked along Avenue de la Paix and into the museum. It was quite an interesting find. I was interested to know how it started and what projects it is involved in now. The room with all of the orphans from Rwanda absolutely broke my heart though.
At 3PM on the Sunday, I met Chris and Duncan at the Jazz Cafe at the airport. Veronica joined us and we were off to La Source in Samoens, France. The car ride only took an hour and I got to know the 3 of them a little better before meeting Chrissie and Julian plus Harmon, Glen and Saskia and the kids once I got there. Initially I thought I would have to share my room but there were only 4 of us guests there that week so I got a room to myself. Yippee.
The town of Samoens is absolutely adorable. It kind of reminds me of Canmore since it’s a ski town in the winter and a climbing/hiking town in the summer. Being there the first full week of September meant that most things were closed though. While some things are open another couple of weeks, it was quickly going into hibernation mode until the start of the ski season mid-December.
The meals at La Source were amazing! They serve organic and vegetarian meals, often with ingredients from their own garden. Debbie the chef made some delicious meals and it felt like we were at a 5 star resort. I took some notes and am inspired to try a few when I get home, particularly the butternut squash risotto. Lekker!
Activity-wise, I had expected to do more than I did. Initially I was going to go canyoning, biking, hiking, etc. I was still really active but I kept it more simple. I did yoga 5 days in a row with Saskia and crew. I was mildly reluctant as a non-yoga-gal but the classes were nice, especially the first which we had down at Lac Bleue after a hike down the hill. The other classes were in the chalet. I’m not sure how much I’ll keep it up but was pleased to have discovered some new stretches to help me with my flexibility. I also picked up some interesting balance and breathing exercises.
I went walking, hiking and running too. The running I did from town where it was flat. I was just getting over a nasty head-cold and I live in Holland where it’s flat, so what can I say?! I wasn’t up for running from the chalet up in the hills! Hiking around in the hills was okay because I went slow and steady! I did a couple of walks on my own which was good for me and helped me clear my mind while keeping my quiet. I also went with Veronica, Chrissie and Julian up to a back-country hut in an Alpine meadow. It was stunning! And the stars! One of the kids who was up there with us told her dad she’d seen the Milk Street...love it!
The one adventure I did sign up for was the ‘Acro-branche’ or ropes course up in the trees. It was so fun. I was strapped in with a harness and two ropes, like with a via-ferrata, so I never felt that I wasn’t safe. Still, there were times where bravery was called for. Jumping from some platforms to others, going on the zip-wire across the lake or inching along a horizontal pole was tough but doable. I had to do the ‘walk of shame’ from one of the ‘jeux’ though. I think I thought about it for too long and couldn’t jump across the platform to the net on the other side. Ah well!
It was a successful week in terms of putting certain things into perspective. Saskia, Chrissie and Julian proved to be great role models and sounding boards. One thing I was reminded of was that I am a country-kid at heart. I live in the city now because I am on my own but I really belong in a rural setting. I think there’s a hippie in me trying to get out but my corporate self seems to be the boss right now. A change is in order and soon. I need to implement simplicity. I need to simplify my current life so that I can live on less. I need more balance. I’m getting caught up in an artificial lifestyle and I’m not sure sustaining it wouldn’t be at the expense of my happiness. Lots to think about...
