Greenacres

Greenacres is the place to be… Farm living is the life for me…

Geneva can sometimes be a strange city. It is well known of course for the obvious things like banking, luxury watches and obviously rich people, but it can also have a sometimes charmingly rustic side too.

In the mornings, when everyone is getting their coffee, one often sees Armani clad bankers on their way to impressive offices driving Mercedes or BMW’s. But it is also not unusual to see farmer Pierre atop his tractor phutt-phutt-phutting next to him through the main streets of Genève on the way from ploughing his own fields to perhaps pop over to the other side of town to plough a field for a mate.

You see, they have what is called here ‘la ceinture verte’ or in English ‘The Green belt’. It is a very jealously guarded ring of small farms, vineyards and orchards that surround the city and keep a relatively high amount of well, greenery, within the city limits keeping the place very liveable.

Apart from the obvious aesthetic benefits, the other more aromatic side-effect is that during spring time and occasionally in the winter, one’s nasal passages are often heartily embraced by the colourful odour of the cow sheds being mucked out and the fields being fertilised with Mother Nature’s own ‘Gro-Fast’. Opening the office window would put hairs on your chest!

Apart from the obvious visual benefits, I also think a little bit of agricultural reality helps stop the city from becoming too …‘pompous’ from all those bankers. You soon get used to it and I think it is very charming. Each time I see it I can’t help but think of Eva Gabor and Eddie Albert. It’s a hoot.

‘Land spreading out, so far and wide.. Keep Manhattan, just give me that countryside..'

Aaaa-tchoo!

Life in the Chocolate factory - Trouble in Paradise

Switzerland has an image of tranquillity, cleanliness, efficiency, etc., etc. But once you work here and see the day to day news you see that there are one or two 'issues' bubbling away.

I was watching a documentary last night on TSR (TV Swiss Romande) and it was talking about the battle between the cantons (like states) and Communes (like counties). It seems that they do not have a standard federal tax rate here and that each canton and commune is free to fix their own rates as they see fit.

O.K. So what's wrong with that you might say - perfectly reasonable idea. However, the devil, like most things, is in the detail.

It seems that there are certain cantons and communes that are considered 'prettier' than others (although the whole place is generally very attractive), and they set themselves up as a 'tax oasis' with degressive, not progressive taxation. I.E. The more money you have the less you pay!?

Needless to say the rich flock to these places like bees to honey, but it creates a lot of animosity as some of the 'oases' are micro-cities with few facilities that are next to normal large cities that have standard tax levels. In one case cited last night, thousands of people drive over the hills each day from their luxury retreats in nearby tiny Canton 'X' to larger Canton 'Y' to work but also to benefit from all the infrastructure, subsidised hospitals, subsidised arts, multiple govt. departments etc paid for by the less well heeled and it causes a lot of animosity as the rich are seen as getting a free ride on the working mans back. It doesn't help that one Canton is Swiss-German and the other is Swiss-Romande (French) and so you get a little bit of the 'Zurich (the eastern regional capital) is screwing us (Geneva - the western capital) over again' feeling.

If there is one thing that the Swiss take seriously it is money. As one resident put it last night, 'It's like someone coming into your house every week, eating all your food, drinking all your booze, monopolising all the women, maing a mess of the place and then leaving without paying or bringing anything.

The one side (the rich), say it is a healthy competition between Cantons and they are just making the most of the law as it is. The other side (the working Joes), say you should contribute your fair share to what you are obviously using.

The capital in Bern is still to rule on the whole 'flexible taxation' thing.

In the meantime, there are a lot of unhappy campers!

Fete d'Escalade!

This is a description of one of the annual celebrations that happened here recently. The youngest and oldest staff member smashed our chocolate marmite. Chocolates and mulled wine was had by all!

On December 11 and December 12, 1602, the forces of the Duke of Savoy, launched an attack on the city-state of Geneva. The troops marched along the Arve River just outside the walls of Geneva, at 2 o'clock in the morning.

The original plan was to send commandos to open the gate and let the troops in. The Geneva citizens defeated them by preventing them from scaling the wall (climb in French is escalade). The night guard Jacques Mercier raised the alarm, church bells were rung, and the Genevois people were alerted and fought alongside their town militia. The 2000-plus mercenaries were beaten.

According to legend, Catherine Cheynel, originally from Lyons and the wife of Pierre Royaume, ("Mère Royaume"), a mother of 14 children, seized a large cauldron of hot soup and poured it on the attackers from where she lived just above the town gate. The heavy cauldron landed on the head of a Savoyard attacker, killing him. The commotion helped to rouse the townsfolk to defend the city. After the defeat, Duke of Savoy was obliged to accept a lasting peace.

Celebrations and other commemorative activities are usually held on December 11 or the closest weekend. A large marmite (cauldron) made of chocolate filled with marzipan vegetables and candies wrapped in the Geneva colors of red and gold. It's customary for the eldest and youngest in the room to smash the marmite, while reciting, "Ainsi périssent les ennemis de la République! " (Thus perish the enemies of the Republic).

Other traditions include mulled wine, a large serving of soup, and children dressing up and singing for money.

Since 1978 there has been another element to the celebration of the Escalade, with a road running event being held the weekend preceding the night of the 11th. The run traditionally starts in the parc des Bastions and goes through the Old City of Geneva, before finishing near the start again.