Plainpalais

This is my last weekend in Geneva, and it's weirdly unsettling. I woke up this morning with an ambitious plan to visit all of my favorite spots in the city. I started out the day with a delicious cafe au lait and amazing book at my local tea room. After about an hour of reading my book, I began to wander over to Plainpalais, where there is a flea market that runs every Saturday in Plainpalais. Today is one of those magical days, where the sky is filled with clouds, and the sun breaks free to peek down now and then. I took the long route to the market, walking on the Mont Blanc bridge, which offers this great view of the Jet d'eau and the river.
I finally reached Plainpalais and the market. It's one of my favorite places in Geneva; a great jumble of material thrown together, junk rubbing elbows with the treasures. There's this one guy who sells only army materials, and so I've seen a rifle for the first time, as well as loads of camouflage and helmets. He even has this helmet that looks like it belonged to Napoleon's soldiers, with feathers sticking out of it like a mohawk! The market is also one of the few places in Geneva where different ethnicities interact with each other. It's not uncommon to see a bunch of people sitting around an antique table, sipping vin chaud and playing cards. All of Geneva shows up to this market, with kids on skateboards even leaping off of ramps placed on the edges of the market. I find it a colorful spot in a relatively sedate city.
So now I'm in this tiny cafe right off of the market, which also has the most beautiful chocolate. Although the place is relaxing (after all, how can one not be happy looking at miles of chocolate?) I've been feeling antsy all day. This is my last weekend in Geneva! I can't believe Ill be going back to the states, back to my boring life as a med student. Soon, I'll be waking up at 5 every morning to suck up to an attending who will grade me depending on his mood. My life will once again be limited to the four blocks that consist of my apt, the hospital, and the library. It's frustrating to leave the people I work with, especially my boss, who has managed live several lives in his one life. But, I'm still happy that Ive had this unforgettable opportunity. Oh well, time to meet some New Yorkers and head out to a Wild Wild West party (dont ask).