Culture

We did culture today.

Science museum

We started with a walk along Lake Geneva, which is a stone’s throw from the hotel, till we got to the science museum. We played with the things outside, but were scuppered by all the ones needing the sun to be out because it was overcast. My favourite things were the pair of parabolic mirrors (extra 1) and the Magdeburg hemispheres (extra 2).

Satellite dishes are a familiar example of parabolic mirrors. The pair at the museum were placed opposite each other and quite far away. One person talks into one mirror and the other listens. It’s like you’re standing near them because science.

The Magdeburg hemispheres show the power of air pressure. Two separate hollow hemispheres are held together while the air in the middle is pumped out. When the air pressure on the inside is low enough, you can let go of the hemispheres, and they’ll stay joined no matter how hard you try to separate them. Open the valve to let the air back in again, and the hemispheres fall apart.

We went inside and learnt about lots of things. I discovered that I’m actually an inch taller than I thought I was. I wondered if the ancient measuring device had it wrong, but Mr Pandammonium’s height was spot on. I must measure my height when I get back home.

By the time we came out again, the sun was out, so we could check the time and date according to the sun were correct (bearing in mind daylight savings time).

United Nations

Geneva is home to all sorts of United-Nations-related things, like the United Nations building. No matter how hard we looked, we couldn’t find the Union Jack. I assume it’s there somewhere.

We also saw the Broken Chair (extra 3).

We had a sit down on a bench in the plaza, where a bee landed on Mr Pandammonium’s leg (extra 4) and stayed there for quite some time. It didn’t try and sting him or anything. It just sat there, maybe having a rest, then it flew away. Quite strange.

Opposites

Switzerland is a strange place. On the one hand, there’s the Swiss army with its famous knives; on the other, they take cannons and tie knots in the barrels as a symbol of peace (extra 5).

And their light switches aren’t switches; they’re buttons. How do you tell whether it’s on or off if the bulb goes?

Smurfs

After that, we wandered around, getting a picnic from a handy Co-op, which we ate in a park. A woman loitered as we ate, then she asked Mr Pandammonium for help: she had no credit on her phone, but she needed to make a phone call. Smelling a scam, Mr Pandammonium declined to assist.

We played on the exercise equipment, then with a water feature like something off The Crystal Maze. The water, as with all the other random fountains knocking about the area, was drinking water.

We wandered around some more, going into areas that I thought were maybe a bit dodgy, although the Smurfs buildings [Google Maps] (extra 6) are supposed to be a draw for tourists; I was underwhelmed.