Jeûne Genevois

So, one of the adjustments we need to make here is when and where to celebrate holidays, if at all.

Thanksgiving:  Not so much.
Fourth of July?  Who fought the British?  When?  Stand in line, people.  
Columbus Day?  Right.    It might be celebrated where Columbus was born in Genoa Italy, just down the road from us, but definitely not here.

So, we have a new holiday calendar to adhere to.  This week?  Jeune Genevois, or "Fasting Geneva" as the locals call it.  Basically, the holiday goes back to the days when the Protestants were persecuted in France for doing their thing in the sixteenth century.  The Suisse, bless their neutral hearts, decided to fast on one day to show solidarity to the people getting the wrong end of the stick across the border.

Now, centuries later, Genevans still cling to fasting day, though most of the country does not. The locals celebrate it by taking a day off and eating plum cake.

The irony is not lost on us either.  But, the non-discerning vacationists we are, we've booked our first European excursion:  Mallorca (pronounced May Or Ka), Spain!  It is an island off the coast of Spain and has miles and miles of beach, lots of sun, and reportedly, an African Safari Zoo.  There might be something for all of us there.  We are excited for our first, big European adventure out of country!

We'll post when we get there, but in the meantime check the island out: on the east coast of Spain, on the Mediterranean and Balearic Seas.  If plum cake is the plat du jour for Jeune Genevois, we believe that sangria and tapas are fair game too and we plan on having many of each in celebration of our new found holiday.

A la prochaine (until next time),

The gang