Christmas Bazaar and Genève Redux (11/26-27/1982)

Friday, November 26, 1982

After work, Marsha C, Jong-Soon and I walked down Schützengasse and the wrong way to the Rudolf Steiner Schule. We had to walk down some stairs to the lower level and over to Bulova to finally find the school. We went to their Christmas bazaar.

Christmas Bazaar brochure 1 of 2

Christmas Bazaar brochure 2 of 2

In the entry was a farmer’s produce stand and kids were selling heisse marroni/roasted chestnuts. Downstairs they had dried flower arrangements, and up past the Kaffeestübli/coffee pub to the other two floors with all kinds of handmade items: cards, batik, pottery, knitted items, teas, jams, breads, Christmas decorations, toys, as well as books and stamps. Marsha bought a really cute pair of knitted baby booties. We went up to the Raclettestübli to have a serving of melted raclette cheese with boiled potato, onions and pickles. I had tea, and Marsha and Jong-Soon had bubbly apple cider. We watched candle-dipping in beeswax. The Glücksfischerei/lucky fishing hole (NB I think it had corks floating on water, and you paid to fish one out and match its number for a prize) was empty by that time. Returned to the Personalhaus/staff residence for hot chocolate.

Saturday, November 27, 1982

Train day pass

Marsha and I caught the 8:04 train to Genève/Genf, arriving about 9:50. We went out the back of the station to catch a bus to Palais des Nations, but everything was a mess due to construction. We went back through the station and to the concourse to purchase a 5.50 CHF/$2.75 ticket for 6 rides on local transportation. In Place de Cornavin, we caught the E bus to the Palais des Nations. At the visitors entrance we bought the 3.50 CHF/$1.75 tickets and hurried to join the English tour group that had already begun.

Palais des Nations tour pin

We started in a conference room in the new building, then headed to the old building after seeing a board showing all the inter-relating parts of the United Nations. We went past the library to the central lobby and into a huge assembly hall behind it. The walls were lined with simple tapestries making it look like patched walls. Down to the Spanish room after viewing the US and USSR gifts of the zodiac sphere and space needle out on the grounds. After the tour we were allowed to explore the grounds. At the main entrance, we caught the F bus back to the train station. There we changed to the #5 bus and went to the shopping district. We bought celery and American bread at Grand Passages, as well as sticky little toy octopi that tumbled down walls and mirrors for 5 CHF/$2.50 each. I also bought a pair of legwarmers for Grandma for only 4 CHF/$2 at a Ramex hosiery shop. We had lunch at Wendy’s at 14:00. We used the pay toilets at the train station before catching the 15:26 train to Biel. Changed in Lausanne and arrived in Biel at 17:20. We readied to go out again, and went to the train station to meet Jong-Soon at track 6 at 19:00. She had wanted to go dancing in Bern, but she never showed up! Instead, Marsha and I went to Rex Cinema to see the hilarious film “Porky’s.

Movie ticket