I had heard much about Geneva from Swiss friends and all those who had traveled to this city of prosperity and elegance. I was most impressed with the old part of the city, where time (as precise as it was) seemed to stand still. Amidst the cobbled streets only the placid sounds of water flowing from a fountain could be heard, mixing with the occasional ring of a church bell. The air was crisp as I spent many hours walking around the lake, gazing at the mountains beyond the grand industrialization looming in all directions. One afternoon I took the street car to Carouge, the Mediterranean style village in the middle of Geneva. I was lost in tranquility. At least for a moment.