Art fair schmart fair

I went to Geneva's annual art- and book fair yesterday. I went there last year, so I knew roughly what to expect. Last year I went there because of the art fair, and saw the book fair as an added bonus but nothing I would've bothered going there for alone. This year it was the other way around. What I learned last year was that this art fair, which has been given the humble name "Europart", has very little to do with the European art scene in general and is called so only to fool people into believing that it is bigger than it is. The thing is that Europart takes up only a little corner of Palexpo whereas the book fair is actually the main event.
I was vastly disappointed when I visited it last year, not only by the size, but also by the quality of the art. Europart is not a place where you will find the latest trends or hottest names in art right now, its quality lies more in the fact that it is democratic. Although democracy does not necessarily have to be a positive thing if you pay 12 francs to go and see good art. Democracy in this case means that anyone can rent a corner of the fair; and they do as well. And this is the reason why I this year dedicated about 30 minutes to look at art but 2h to stroll around the book fair, even though there was only one English book shop represented in the entire place, and I am far too bad at French to be able to read a whole book in this language.
What actually drove me to go there at all this year was the massive book sale that the English book shop had there last year. Not only did they have very low prices, but then 50% off on top of that! Last year I went home with bags too heavy to carry, after having spent very little money. The same thing happened this year. And this is what made it all worth it. Because the art fair was as crappy this year as it was last. Some good things, but mostly tacky stuff. Qualitywise it is light years away from Art Basel, which completely blew me away last year. So, even though I didn't see any art that really blew me away at Palexpo yesterday, I returned home with a fat book full of pictures by David Hockney which had cost me only 10 francs!

Jogging as a supernatural adventure

I had a freaky experience today on my normal jogging round; I was jogging behind this woman who was obviously one of these people who "exercise walk". She wasn't just going for a walk, no, she was wearing tiny little shorts and a sleeveless top, as though she was expecting to sweat a lot. She was also swaying her arms back and forth like serious walkers do. Anyway, I overtook her in the beginning of my round, and as I got to to the railway bridge perhaps a kilometer further on, I saw the very same woman, walking in a steady pace with her arms still swaying, about 50 m in front of me on the bridge! How she got there is a miracle, since I would've noticed if she overtook me and she certainly didn't walk fast enough to get there before me anyway. The only solutions I can come up with is that she must either know of a really good short cut, she has supernatural powers or she's a ghost. A very healthy ghost that is.
I overtook her again, and as I turned around the corner to the cemetery I got struck by a sudden and irrational fear.... What if as I rounded the corner, I would see her in front of me again, walking in the same steady speed?! Now, that would really freak me out. Obviously, that was not the case since this is real life and not some psychological thriller or poltergheist film. I did pass her one more time though, but on the way back.

I still can't get over how warm it's suddenly become, and how it suddenly seems more like summer than spring! I'm still waiting for an unannounced snow storm or something to come and sweep away the summer feeling... That's how April usually is. But then again, we've nearly made it through the entire month and once May is here I will dare to believe that the season is actually here to stay... Well, at least until it's time for it to fade away.

a thing of beauty is a joy forever...

I picked lilacs yesterday. There are few things that make me happier than the smell of lilacs; it evokes memories of summer, freedom and happiness like nothing else. Lilacs smell of school graduation and of summer holiday. That's because in Sweden they blossom in the beginning of June, which is when Swedish schools close for the summer.
I couldn't believe my eyes when I first saw a budding lilac tree about two weeks ago, and that they're now - in the second half of April - in full bloom seems like a minor miracle! I'm trying to make the most of it by bringing them into the apartment so that I can smell them as soon as I get up in the morning. It's strange how powerful smells can be sometimes, how they can fill you with instant happiness even if your life sucks at the moment and you have no actual reason to be happy.

One of the things that I really appreciate about living in Geneva is the early spring. When I came back from my little easter break in Provence, the entire area had suddenly turned green, just in a couple of days! And this was in mid April! I'm not used to this. I'm used to having to keep hoping and longing for the days of green trees and apple blossoms for at least another month. There are many things about my life here that I find difficult, but the beauty of spring, the smell of it, makes it all easier to stand.