Le Landeron (9/24/1983)

Monday, September 19, 1983

Crisis Day! Almost lost some dear friends. (N.B. I don’t remember what this was about.)

After aerobics, Marsha C drove me to Aegerten and Jan & Kirby followed in their car. We went to the Trattoria Zia Carmela for dinner. I had Pizza della Mamma with mushrooms, green peppers and an egg, plus a Henniez for about 13 CHF/$6. Marsha had a Vulcana Pizza as did Kirby, and Jan had spaghetti al pesto. They all had salads, too. Afterwards we went to Marsha’s for milk and chocolate chip cookies. We watched an acid rain special on TV and left at 21:30.

Thursday, September 22, 1983

After work, Marsha drove me downtown and dropped me off at the post office. We later met at McDonald’s where I had a Royal (Quarter Pounder), fries, and a chocolate shake. We went shopping and there were crowds of people. A few stands were set up, selling grilled chickens, soliciting petition signers, etc. We saw the Swiss Pioneers exhibit in a men’s fashion store on the corner of Mühlebrücke. Also saw a baton twirling group do an amateurish routine. We later ran into Rita I, who was made up normally for her; loud makeup and bright clothes with a sparkling scarf across her forehead and entwined in her hair. Funky! We also saw Barbara S and Bruno. We went to the train station where I laughed my way through a display of a dozen photos. Downtown was still full of people as we headed home at 21:00.

Friday, September 23, 1983

Went home with Mathieu S on the schoolbus. Had dinner that was like ratatouille with ground beef, and salad. Watched TV with the kids while Brigitte went to pick up Hans Rüdi. The kids were put to bed, then we talked until 21:30 before starting the French lesson. Never really did an English lesson. Had a yummy pear fruit tart. When Hans Rüdi drove me home, we saw a large whitish rat in the road along the river.

Saturday, September 24, 1983

Cross country ski track machine in downtown Biel

Did shopping this morning and after lunch Rita I telephoned. She wanted to do something with me before I left Switzerland. I am suddenly popular! We decided to meet at the train station for the 13:51 train towards Neuchâtel. On my way to the train station I passed a group of “cowboys” who were carrying musical instruments. I bought a half-price round-trip ticket to Le Landeron for 4 CHF/$2.

Rita arrived at 13:45 and we caught the train, sitting in smoking. Yuck! We arrived in Le Landeron 20 minutes later and got off the train with a crowd for the Freiluft-Flohmarkt/open-air flea market, the largest in Switzerland. We headed towards the old town, passing a couple flea market stands. The closer to the center of town, the streets became lined with stands selling mostly antique junk of a wide variety, but also with a stand of new ceramics here and a stand of toys there. We decided to concentrate on the right side of the street, going through an arch to see more food stands, stands for knitted wear, candles, buttons, etc. Came to a square full of antique stands. We went through a gate and arrived at the central square of olld Le Landeron, with its shuttered buildings. The square was crowded with antique stands, food tents, and trees!

Ville/old town square

There were fountains with a painted statue at each end of the square. Again we stuck to the right side and went out the gate on the other side. There were still more stands, but we felt like we were out in the country! We wandered past the items of not well-kept furniture, pieces of this and that, unmatched china, old clothes, vinyl records, old apparati of all sorts, etc., etc. We went back into the central square, going along the other side (still to our right). We stopped for a drink, sitting at a picnic bench to people watch. Then we left the square backtracking the way we had come.

Ville/old town gate

There was an antique carousel going round and round (but the horses did not go up and down) playing La Traviata. We returned to the train station to wait for the 16:42 train to Biel. Saw the EEG technician from the hospital. Earlier Rita had seen one of her patients. We could see the Alps across the Bielersee/Lake Biel. Back in Biel, I walked home and fell asleep after eating dinner. I managed to get myself up at 20:00, and found two notes on my door, one to call the Ss and one to call Kirby-urgent! So I called Kirby and it turned out the Ss wanted me for the same reason. We would be going on an excursion tomorrow. I went back upstairs to pack myself a picnic lunch for the next day, then read until midnight. It was time to turn the clock back one hour!