If you had to describe 2011 in three pictures...

...what would those be?

That was the exercise with which I challenged myself last year here on the blog, and I thought it would be fun to repeat it now that 2011 is nearing the end. I carefully sifted through this year's photo collection for inspiration, and, like the last time around, picked the images that are not necessarily technically the best, but most illustrating.

From 1950s

2011 was a good year for me, the best in a while by far. What made it so great were friends, old and new. When I came to Geneva last summer I had one friend living here and one acquaintance who was about to move to another country. With a little bit of luck and quite a bit of enthusiasm, I managed to meet a whole bunch of smart and interesting people very quickly. With the passage of time and a little bit more of salt eaten together, as we would say back home, some of those new relationships evolved into really strong friendships, making this a wonderful year. I hope 2012 will be the year of friendships as much as or more than 2011 has been.



One of the best things about living in Geneva--if not the best--is its proximity to beautiful nature. You can just hop on the bike and in twenty minutes you are riding on country roads, through forests and picturesque villages, in a completely different world. 2011 was the year of many a great bike ride and beginning to explore the Jura with its amazing potential for walks, hikes and, of course, skiing.


2011 was also, in many ways, the year of the esprit du sud. It all began with that long awaited visit to Lisbon, the city that forever mesmerized me and planted a seed of longing for the south. The stay in Portugal was brief, but the torch passed to fado, salsa and tango so that the sourthern sun could continue to shine, warming even the grayest winter days. "Te quiero, Sur"...