UN

The same way not many people can say they have the privilege of, only a week after visiting the New York Guggenheim Museum, be able to visit the Bilbao one (like mentioned in here) not much can say that only a couple of weeks after being in the United Nations building in New York they can visit the Genève one neither. But I do. And this time around I didn’t miss the opportunity to go inside, like I missed in New York. Well, to be completely true, is not that I missed my opportunity in New York is that I couldn’t because they were having some important meetings and any tour was allowed during my time in the city. 

But in Genève everything went smoothly. It wasn’t the easiest thing in the world, they ask you for a lot of documentation before letting you in, but I finally got in. And got my own badge! How cool is that?! I already have one from the European Parliament, that I got in 2010 when during my interrail I visit my friend Gisela in Brussels and she took me to the Parliament to lunch. And now I have a new one from the UN to add to my collection! 

It was my friend Connie, that lived in Genève and is a huge huge fan of the city, who recommended me the visit and I have to thank her, it was very interesting and I learned a lot. For instance, did you know that the area where the UN Palace was build was a property of the Revilliod de la Rive and when they offer that piece of land to the city of Genève they impose three conditions: first, that the patriarch from the family could be buried there; second, that the park would be open so the people from the city could visit it whenever they wanted and third, that their peacocks could still live there. And so it was... When the UN moved their headquarters there they kept the peacocks that, as you can see by one of the Pictures bellow, still walk freely around the park. 

Another thing that really interested me (and surprised me) was the quantity of Spanish artists involved in the decoration of the meeting’ rooms. To be more precise, of Catalan artists. In one of the rooms Josep María Sert was the responsible for the beautiful paintings on the walls and ceiling. As you can see by the pictures bellow, that might look tremendously familiar, he was also the responsible for the decoration of the lobby of the Rockefeller Center in New York (which you saw already in here). And in other room Miquel Barceló created beautiful and colorful stalactites. Two Catalans, two works of art in the heart of the United Nations. Well done! 

For these reasons and many more (all the visits are guided and the groups are always small so you can place all the questions you want and take all your doubts about the UN labor and departments) when in Genève you shouldn’t miss the opportunity to visit the United Nations. Even if you leave it for the very last minute, like I did… And that was all from Genève. 

And from Switzerland. 

 

Writings on the wall

I love love love graffitis. Always had! (In the past I even had one in my bedroom, my very own pink flamingo!) So it doesn't come as a shock to anyone that one of the biggest posts so far in this blog (at least the most illustrated) is exactly about graffitis. There you go some of the street art I found in New York:

1- This post-its were left on the wall of the The Times Square Museum & Visitor Center and some of the messages were real pieces of art (pure literature). Plus, the idea and the effect they all create is also really cool!

2 - This is not actually street art, is a mural inside the lobby of the Rockefeller Building, but I think that it fits pretty well in here...

3 - A graffiti spotted last saturday in Williamsburg (in Brooklyn). A little bit spooky but very interesting as well. 

4 - Kids writing on the black wall at the market in Meatpacking. 

5 - When walls are not enough we always have vans!!!

6 - Graffitis are not always for fun, they can also work perfectly as ads.

7 - This one, in 21st St. (between 10th & 9th Ave.) is from Os Gemeos.

8 - Four streets up north (between 10th & 11th Ave.) is this mural from Kobra that features different subjects but all with New York City as a scenario. 

9 - This was in Houston St. Beautiful and an ode to love, in all its forms!

10 - Color blocks. And the proof that simplicity and perfection go hand by hand!

11 - A perfect way to cover a construction site on The Bowery. They call it the Bowery Arts District for a reason!

12 - While looking for a Banksy graffiti in Allen St. (between Canal & Division, in Chinatown) I found this hopeful message. 

13 - And what about this second-hand shop in Spring St.?! Doesn't it look great and modern?!

14 - When I saw this lovely Japanese (or was it Corean?! :S) restaurant in 10th Ave. I not only felt in love by the drawings but also by the open stairwell that, as this book I bought (I Feel Relatively Neutral About New York) says, although "they are an efficient way for businesses to load and unload goods from trucks in the streets", they're also "an efficient way to fall into a huge effing hole right in the middle of the damn sidewalk". But, I don't care... Despite all the rational arguments against them, I love them and they picture beautifully. 

15 - Another graffiti from Os Gemeos, this time in Stillwell Ave. in Coney Island.

16 - And to finish New York graffiti tour some details from the Coney Island Aquarium wall. At a certain point of the sidewalk that goes all the way from Coney Island to Brigthon Beach (or should I say Russian Beach?!) is this wall that "tells" us a little bit more about the Coney Island fun parks and the Aquarium, as well as some always-nice-to-know-more information about life under the sea...