Wow! From the description of that bar, I thought they were talking about the Fishermen's Pub in Nyon! 

By the way, that was another 'Rina' who didn't want to give her name? 

I have been to Baroque, and I concur with "Der Herr Doktor Speigels" findings...

Soleille Rouge however???? Poor choice of afterwork bar IMHO.... Yvette de Marseille or D'Atilier des Cocktails would have been a better to spot such luminaries as ... (cough)

Yes Rich, I thought about it too but decided it's not me

I agree! Go to three bars, interview 10 people there and write an article about the town.

A quick and dirty google translation:

They work for a few years at Procter & Gamble, the United Nations or of a private bank. You have plenty of money - and spend it like to prefer for celebrations. Welcome to Geneva, Europe's meeting place for the Nobel guest workers: a Disneyland for young adults.

Who is beautiful and rich in Geneva (in women beautiful enough), meets at Le Baroque. The shimmering purple plush armchairs, large rivets holding the leather wallpaper on the wall, the light is dim. Rear is eaten, drunk again. On a podium above the bar JR ST Rose, DJ plays in black suit, electropop.


The guests are the best of many worlds. The women wear long hair, little dresses and high heels, the men of the upper class after work uniform: shirt without a tie, opened the top two buttons, tamed with hair gel, big clock. No one looks as if it would ever work hard anything. It smells truffles.

A girl jumping on the counter, begins to dance, turns on one leg between the glasses. It clings to a golden stucco lead and bends his body. The audience chew slowly.

The music plays louder. Sparks fly now to the left of the bar, at the same time seems a bottle of expensive wine at waist level to float. Stomping and laughing wide wobbles a midget determined through the restaurant. In one hand he holds wine in the other table in the mouth and sparking fireworks. Before he leads the customer on a regular chorea. Guests hoot, one he jumps on his shoulders, wild hops on there and bares his teeth. For everyone who ordered a very expensive bottle, she gets served by Bassette - including dance performance, often in colorful costume. The Jester has a lot to do this evening.

The luxury guest workers keep to themselves

Among the guests is Rina, 36, German and manager at a major international corporations in Geneva; her real name she does not want to see printed. She is wearing a short blue dress and drinking champagne, their outputs to a Dutch asset manager at the bar. She flirts a little, it is not impressed. You could also pay for itself the evening.

Geneva, Switzerland is at the southwestern end of the city, previously did not even know of some who live here now that it's there. According to State Statistics Nevertheless, nearly half of all foreigners here. Because the city ensnared multinational companies and bring their international employees. Among the estimated 193,000 inhabitants are about 68,000 expatriates ("expats"): Luxury guest workers who are sent abroad by their company or an international organization for limited time. In addition to the European headquarters of Procter & Gamble and Ralph Lauren 25 international organizations have settled in the tranquil Geneva, such as the United Nations (UN), the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

"We are probably the city with the highest density of the expat world, half of which comes from Europe," says Roman Graf, a researcher at the University of Geneva on the modern work environment. The expats wear life in the city, they also bring money. And non-binding. They work hard, the rest of the time they want to have fun. Because they know that you have not come to stay. Geneva is a station of their CV. From the Swiss picturesque place on the lake make a transit town, a huge stepping stone, a melting pot. Whether this is good or bad, everyone decides for himself.

Carlina Johnson, 30, American, sitting with Lorena Jaramillo, 38, from Ecuador with shredded at the Brasserie des Halles de L'Ile. On a side table sizzles under a heat lamp raclette cheese and exudes the flavor. The two waving their hands before his face: "Uhh" The smell draws in hair and clothing. Carlina works for the market research firm Nielsen, she moved two years ago from New York to Geneva, despite many warnings. "Okay, here it is small, but definitely not boring," she says. "I love the environment. Skiing in winter, swimming in summer in the lake, sailing, hiking, and anything outside the front door."

Love, a big word

Contacts tied Carlina quickly about the company, but also over the network, where almost all the expats meet here: Glocals.com. Founded by two Geneva expats, it will integrate the internationals - global and local makes "glocal". You can arrange-looking or a French course to the "crime scene", in forums is discussed whether the Swiss or the French entrance to the airport is faster, the Info section explains how to open a salary account in Switzerland.

As a UN employee Lorena attended a photography course at glocals, she met another amateur photographers know. The Geneva and liked his life there, not particularly, Geneva and Lorena loves her life, then somehow the two loved each other - although, love, a big word, Lorena shrugs. Financially they live carefree, she receives a salary to cost of living compensation. And because Geneva to Oslo, Zurich and Tokyo, is the fourth most expensive city in the world, about 80 percent are on top.

"Expatriates in multinational companies earn the same qualifications or about 15 percent more than workers in nationally active," said researcher Roman Graf "you get a bonus that they can not live at home, many will also pay a flat charge. " And so the foreign employees raise the already tense rental market in Geneva completely off its hinges. About 2500 francs (2050 euros) for a compact three-room apartment in the middle range and with massive footfall, which is considered normal - if you get the apartment because.

Expats can spend hours telling stories of tens of applications, of corrupt brokers and gratitude to live in an overpriced hole at the end. It's not about a city like London or New York, but a world village, officially less than Lübeck. But what the heck, the decision is not for eternity, if the home is somewhere in the world and you yourself just to visit, just to make compromises.

How long are you staying? And what agreement you have?

Half the town is coming from walking or just in between. First rule of survival: recognize what stage the Opposite is before you invest too much time and emotion. Whom I let get to me, even to the heart? How far I will go, if it can get hot in two weeks: "Unknown warped"? I'm careful - or let's just why I really crack?

Geneva is: See you later in life usually only once. The first questions are always: Where are you from? How long have you been here, how long will you stay? And especially: What contract do you have?

"I am isolated," is the king answer. Which means as much as: I am employed locally at the company, will have a Swiss contract, paid in Swiss francs. I'm serious with Geneva - and can decide how long I remain myself. Classic expats keep their national contracts and abroad are limited, so the company can get them back quickly. In the transfer market of interpersonal relationships they will rank in the B league.

"If there is one thing that you teach Geneva, then to say goodbye," says René Staebe, 35 The German bioengineers developed almost eight years diapers for Procter & Gamble in Frankfurt until he moved to the Geneva headquarters two years ago. Henceforth, he was the oldest in the office, surrounded by 22-year-old bachelor graduates from Poland and Russia, who talked about favorite lipstick. Yet she grew close to him. One morning, the first in front of him: "It's time to go."

Crisis? Not here

"I've had days like that as fellow-lovesickness. Suddenly someone is there with whom you spend the whole day just gone," says René. Meanwhile, he has seen 10 to 14 people rotate through his office and overcomes the grief faster: "It blunts to protect themselves." Still, he enjoys his life: "I would wear a t-shirt immediately with the inscription, I love Geneva '." Tattooing? Would not he. "Geneva is like Disneyland for adults -. An imaginary perfect world, all are young, all want to have fun, look good, the scenery is gorgeous, and money does not matter," says René. "Hey, there's a crisis? Not here!"

Disneyland always feels good, but can never be home, neither Germany nor for René of Lorraine from Ecuador or Carlina from New York. The noble guest workers keep to themselves, the original Geneva as well, they have a close network, linked since school days. Why let someone who's already gone soon?

Peter comes from Zurich and has lived in Geneva since the nineties. He stands with a group of internationals to Soleil Rouge, a rustic wine bar in the center of Geneva. Peter likes to mix with the crowd, being curious and open, forgets a face. Nevertheless, he says: "I have friends, I do not know much more what people tell me, I'm in here." He points to his left ear, "and get out here," right ear.

Peter (his name is changed) was itself long in a hybrid role for the German Swiss French-speaking Geneva is a bit foreign in their own country. The German manager Rina hits from Peter and when going out, and now in the wine bar. Early on, he had explained a major Geneva-rule: If you want to host a dinner for 20 people and inviting them two weeks earlier, to tell you 18. 10 will come. Of the rest, you hear either nothing, or they cancel on the day of the event.

"A normal life, there is not here"

Rina disturb the permanent obligation of the city, the non-set-wool - perhaps there's a better option. Nobody has to behave, all are on the go, constantly coming supply of people. This is especially true for friendships, for casual dating. A man in the diplomatic service of Egypt, led Rina months out, they were a couple, he promised her love. Then he was ordered back to Egypt. And never came back. The next noted after a quarter of relationship that he's only with Rina sleep for four months - and that the very troubled him.


"A normal life, there is not here," says Rina. She likes fun, yes, but it would be worth ready for a serious relationship. And that, she believes after nearly three years in Geneva, here is probably not possible.

But now she does at Le Baroque, the best of it. A strawberry floating in champagne, it does not count the glasses and laughs to the donor, but also from. When she tries to break up long after midnight, handing her the Dutch Mr. Moët his iPhone. She gives her a name and a number. He points at the screen, it will ring in her pocket, he gives her a kiss. She goes.

Before Le Baroque is Bassette, the court jester, smoking. Otherwise, the road is empty, no cars or people. Rina runs past Louis Vuitton expenses. The lake is black and silent, on the corner lit two taxis. You can be in a fall: "It's time to go."

Just rich, unfortunately.

" Rear is eaten, drunk again."

"The next noted after a quarter of relationship that he's only with Rina sleep for four months - and that the very troubled him."

You can't argue with that.  I love the way that Google Translate makes everything sound like it was dictated by someone who has had a lot of cocaine.

Somewhat exaggerated, somewhat true..

"Geneva: Disneyland for adults."

Maybe I should hang out more often at 'Le Baroque'?

Only if you want to meet Mickey Mouse and Goofy

Le Baroque and Le Soleil Rouge!? Have no new bars opened in Geneva in the last 10 years?