Birthdays - sometimes you're just lucky

Sometimes, you're just lucky. I didn't really make plans for my birthday this year but somehow it all worked out nicely. I ran into Eva on the train having only met her once before. Ok, I'll change the story, Eva identified me on the train and had to remind me where we had met.... yeah, I'm bad that way.

Anyway, I mentioned my birthday and she mentioned dinner and so the plans were in motion.

First I worked in the lab making buffers. Good times. Then it was on a train to Geneve and the long trip into Meyrin where Frank is staying. I didn't bring my nice camera but took pictures with my fancy new cell phone.

For example this church. In Frank's directions he mentions he lives right before a church. However, he forgets to mention that first you pass by an additional two churches before you come to the church he lives before. Details details. If you are going to Frank's (in the next week or so), he lives after this church.

When I told his house mate it was my birthday (in French I might add) he pulled out a bottle of champagne. Who has champagne sitting around!?? Anyway, the four of us polished off the bottle.

The opening of this bottle of champagne was considerably less dramatic than the bottle in the lab. Maybe the roommate has more experience since he also has bottles of champagne on hand.

And then Frank and I went to France. I really need to learn that when Frank says it will take 45 minutes to get there, he means 45 min of solid hoofing it. I gots the long legs and all, but not long enough. We were heading to France to meet Eva for dinner and we were late...

However, check out this fantastic cake that she bought!! It was so shiny you could see your reflection on the frosting!

Frank is pointing out the chef.

And we sat around drinking wine, eating lasagna and enjoying cake and all in all having a fantastic dinner. Thanks so much Eva! You barely know me and you fed me a fantastic birthday dinner. I even blew out a candle. However, she had a violin and I had to play happy birthday to myself on it...

Sadly at the end of the evening I had to dine and dash as it was a long trip back to Lausanne. First Frank and I had to walk back from France because there were no more buses. Then we caught a bus at CERN, aka the LHC (large hardon collider). Then the trolley to the train station and then the train to Lausanne. I made all my connections but the buses had stopped running in Lausanne and I would have had to walk home. However, I was chatting with my labmate using google chat (new phone = awesome) and he came and picked me up at the train station!

So yup, it was a good birthday this year because there were so many generous people. Thanks!