Send Me Things!

My new address is:

Chelsea Roderick
Calle Juan Alvarez Mendizabal 95, 5A
Madrid, Spain 28008

If you send packages it is very important to put that it is "used" stuff or "old." Otherwise, it's a really big hassle and is stored in a hangar at the airport, etc. Ugh.

Also, my Spanish number is:

+34 615 749 914

But I am more available still on Whatsapp :-)

Miss everyone!

Swiss Cheese, Swiss Chocolate and Swiss Alps!

We had a break off from when our Spanish classes ended and when school started, so we decided to go on a trip! We checked skyscanner and one of the cheapest places to go was Geneva! Two of my roommates, Crystal and Erin, and I decided to plan a trip! We bought the tickets for 40 Euro and started booking hostels. Geneva is also relatively close to Zermatt, home of the Matterhorn, and we really wanted to get out and see the Alps. We decided to spend a couple days there and a couple in Geneva! :-)

Our first look at the Alps!

When we landed in Geneva we bought a train ticket to Zermatt, about 4 hours away and hopped on! The rumors are true, their trains are extremely prompt!

Zermatt is so cute! Very small town, with not much to do but hike, ski, and eat! There are only around 6,000 residents with several times as many tourists at any time.

The main street in Zermatt! They don't have any cars in town, just those little motorized tuk-tuk looking guys. It was kinda nice!

Directions to different hiking trails 

Day 1 and we are off to the Matterhorn! It was pretty chilly, getting into the 30s and of course I was not prepared...

Our first view of the Matterhorn!!! So exciting!

Gotta do my jumping pic!

We started by hiking to a nearby village, Furi, and taking a Gondola up the mountain next to the Matterhorn. It was such a beautiful day. The day before, it had rained and people couldn't even see it from up close! We were super lucky.

Made it to Furi and gaining altitude fast!

Taking the gondola up the mountain!

Up close and personal with the Matterhorn! I looked everywhere for the abominable snowman but couldn't find him anywhere :-/

So pretty.

We made it to the top and we are at almost 13,000 feet! I was definitely feeling it. 

It was freezing. Literally.

Heeeeey!

My NorthFace was not cutting it up there, but it was definitely worth it!

The gals!

Artsy Fartsy

At the top of the mountain we were able to go through a glacier! It was so crazy and cold.

Taking a gondola back down!

This is a grave for climbers lost on the mountains 

The next day we hiked to the Gorner Gorge. The walkways were all along the mountains and it was absolutely beautiful.  

Loving that Matterhorn!

We took a little educational trip to the Matterhorn Museum and learned about the dramatic history that made Zermatt famous. This is the actual rope that was used in the first ascent of the Matterhorn on July 14, 1865. There were seven guys who made it to the top and when they were on their way down, four of them died! There was controversy because they say that one of the guys slipped pulling the other three with him and that the surviving three cut them loose to save themselves. Scandal! But they were later acquitted. Edward Whymper, the most famous of the survivors, has a bunch of stuff named after him around Zermatt. He's basically the celebrity of the bunch. After all the controversy and publicity from the trials, people rushed to Zermatt and the mountains and helped with the Zermatt economy, which is now based on tourism. Interesting eh?

The infamous seven!

Here we are, ascending the Matterhorn together!

We took the train back to Geneva and spent a couple days there and it was awesome! It's a busy town with tons of important looking people in it but it's also got a small town feel, which was nice. It was walkable but Switzerland is super nice and knows that it's very expensive so it gives everyone a free pass on public transportation! Isn't that super nice?? I thought it was. We were able to ride the metro, busses and tram everywhere for the next three days for free! Unlimited. I still can't get over it.

There was a crazy amount of swans in Lake Geneva...?

The Jet d'Eau! (Water spraying really high in the air)

CERN!!!! Where the internet was invented! And a whole bunch of other stuff. Unfortunately we couldn't get a tour and they are booked solid until like November 2046. So get your tickets now, folks.

Super important people only.

This was a fondue place that Bill and Hillary always go to when they come to Geneva! Yes, THAT Bill and Hillary. 

THE UN!!!!

I was super excited for this day! Yay for politics!

First, we stopped by the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum! Did you know that the Red Cross was started in Geneva in 1919 after World War I? Me neither. 

The First Geneva Convention, for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded in Armies in the Field, is one of four treaties. It was signed in Geneva in 1864 by 13 major European powers. Pretty cool.

This is the oldest Red Cross flag, used on an ambulance from 1870-1871!

We had to try the local foods so we treated ourselves to a nice fondue dinner on our last night! We had the famous Swiss cheese, Gruyere, and it was DELICIOUS. Mom, you would have hated it.

Pano of Lake Geneva and it's beautiful buildings!

UN DAY!! They have screens everywhere showing the different meetings and stuff going on for that day. It's pretty crazy, the Prime Minister of Gambia is having a meeting in Hall B, while the PM of Portugal will be in Hall G. Like, what??? I was pretty excited. 

"Exclusively Reserved for Diplomatic Missions" -love it

YAY!

We went into the biggest meeting hall and got to sit at the desks and I even put on the listening ear piece! When they have meetings, they speak Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish. So, people put the ear piece on and there are people constantly translating for what language is needed. Cray.

The original League of Nations building! 

On the doors in the original building you can still see the symbol for the League of Nations!

OG League of Nations meeting hall!

Mom, I got this for you :-)

The World Health Organization!

Included in our public transport pass were water taxis across the lake! Of course we took it back and forth for funzies! It was so pretty.

Water taxi!

Swiss flag and Geneva flag!

Sailboats on Lake Geneva!

Loving Switzerland!

President Woodrow Wilson's building! This is the current headquarters of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and was also the headquarters for the League of Nations from 1920-1936. It is named after our Prez because he was super instrumental in the foundation of the League of Nations. Go Woodrow!

Au Revoir Switzerland! We had so much fun exploring Switzerland and hearing so much German and French! It was very confusing after only Spanish that we still responded in Spanish, which was confusing for all. We had great weather and it was nice to be chilly after the heat of Madrid! We knew it would be expensive but still felt that sticker shock when going to buy things. I think that was the only downside! Until we meet again Switzerland!

"Friendship is the only cement that will ever hold the world together." - President Woodrow Wilson