A Conference and Ice Hockey Match (10/30-31/1982)

Saturday, October 30, 1982

Marsha C and I left at 6:45 to walk down to the train station, passing through Burgplatz where they were setting up the market. We arrived at the Bahnhof/train station at 7:10 where we were to meet Hetty D at 7:15. She arrived about 5 minutes late, picking us up in the taxi loop. We zoomed off to Lyss to pick up Elisabeth J at 7:30. It was really foggy when we headed towards Bern to get on the Autobahn to go to Zürich. We had meant to arrive in Zürich in plenty of time to find the place, park, check in, etc. before the 9:00 start of the conference. But now it looked like we might make it to Zürich by 9:00. But Hetty drove at 120 kph/72 mph and we circled into Zürich at 8:50. We were trying to reach the Uetlihof conference center and were unable to make a planned left turn. I was trying to follow our route on a map, and found it just as Hetty pulled off the road. The car behind us pulled off as well, and the driver came to Hetty’s window. It turned out to be an acquaintance of Hetty’s who was also lost. We then quickly found our way to the center and ended up parking on the sidewalk in front. It was a few minutes after 9:00 when we entered with other groups of latecomers.

Conference name tag

Marsha and I paid 40 CHF/$20 as non-members of the Swiss CP Association and entered a modern theater-like conference room. The conference was on Assessment and Treatment of Severe CP and Overall Management for Cerebral Palsy. Joan Mohr and Renee Leimgruber, both well-known American NDT therapists, demonstrated with two kids, speaking in English. A lady was to translate, but she did a poor job and gave up after the first half. I then tried to translate for Elisabeth. Many of the Swiss therapists walked out, because they couldn’t understand? There was a half-hour orange juice break. The conference was done at 13:00 and Hetty drove us into the city and dropped me and Marsha off. We walked up Bahnhofstrasse to the Mövenpick restaurant for lunch. I had a salad plate with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and croutons with a “French sauce,” as well as curried rice, three bean salad, potato salad, carrots, green beans, and cauliflower. Marsha had Geschnetzeltes Kalbfleisch Züricher style/veal in a mushroom cream sauce with Rösti/Swiss poatato pancake. Our waitress spoke English and had pinkish purplish tints in her hair! We continued up Bahnhofstrasse/Train Station Street, past Iranians protesting the Khomeini, people selling honey to collect money for hungry children, crowds of shoppers and tourists, etc. But we did not pass the main Sprüngli confiserie! We went in to be overwhelmed by the candy and chocolate selections. Went to the Heimatwerk/local crafts shop and out to the flea market, full of interesting items and people. A fellow in a black hat and overcoat with white shoes and gloves, and a cane. All kinds of fashion styles from punk to elegant. Kids on drugs, hippies, leather jackets, cowboys, etc. We walked back down Bahnhofstrasse, taking a right towards Lindenhof/Linden Court with its piles of leaves and chess players. At the train station we purchased 100 g/3.5 ounces of Sprüngli truffles (dark chocolate) for 5.20 CHF/$2.60 and our half-price tickets for Biel at 12.50 CHF/$6.25. We took the 16:04 train, arriving in Biel at 17:30.

That evening, we went to the hospital lobby at 19:00 to meet the receptionist, Barbara S and her friend Ilise. We hopped in Barbara’s car for a careening ride down to the Eisstadion/ice arena. Barbara had gotten us 10 CHF/$5 Stehplatz/standing room only tickets.

Ice hockey match program cover

Ice hockey match program line-ups

We joined the crowds entering and found not much standing room left. We took places on the second tier of concrete next to the entrance, yet more people crowded in. At the start of the match, there was a literal crush of people. Some big fellows barged through and some people were knocked down. Not down, but off their feet and they were held upright by the press of people. I was having trouble breathing! But it eased up and the ice hockey match of Biel vs. Arosa began at 20:00. Biel scored a couple quick ones, and the large contingent of Arosa fans were upset. Arosa responded with a goal, but the match ended 7-1 in favor of Biel. At the between periods time and near the end of the match, there were more crushes of people. People drank beer from plastic bottles and the smoke in the air was heavy. After the match, we had a hamburger (sausage patty) and French fries. Then we drove around the old town looking for a place to park and go for a drink, ending up near the library. We walked over to the “English Pub” that looked like an English pub, but there were no seats left. We returned to the car and drove to Legnau to stop at a Stübli/pub which was full of Arosa fans. Barbara and Marsha had large beers, Ilise a white wine, and I had a Café HAG/decaffeinated coffee. An acquaintance, Doris, came to sit with us. Later an older man joined our table and ordered a round of drinks for everyone, including a Café HAG for me. Ugh! I just sipped at it. Then he ordered another, but Ilise ended up drinking that one. We left to walk up the hill to a Bar-Dancing place. We used the restrooms before entering. A band was playing German songs and popular tunes. Several couples were ballroom dancing. We had drinks, Ilise a Pepsi, Barbara and I had lemon sodas, and Marsha had a beer. Petza and Paul were playing music and making dirty comments to us sitting at the table next to them. Marsha asked for a song in English, and something disco. We drank our expensive drinks (6 CHF/$3 each) and listened.

Sunday, October 31, 1982

Finally left the Bar-Dancing place at 2:00 to get home at 2:30. I was too hyper to go to sleep right away!