Part 2 Firenze/Florence Trip for Business and Fun (6/29-30/1982)

Tuesday, June 29, 1982

View from Hotel Balestri towards Piazza della Signoria

The bells in Florence would ring at 5 minutes and 10 minutes after the hour, so their time is a bit different than Biel time! We were ready to leave and I went to the bathroom without the room key, and Jan pulled the locked room door behind her thinking I had the key. We had to get a bell boy to unlock the door so we could retrieve the key. Then we made a wrong turn and walked an extra block to the Ospedale degli Innocenti. It was 8:05, but only the Dutch girls were waiting. The Drs. Milani-Comparetti and Gidoni arrived and again had to get someone to unlock the door. We were actually in the Ludoteca, which translates to game room. Ludoteca sounds more studious!

We were supposed to start at 8:00, but it was 8:30 before we did. We got out at 13:30 and Jan and I headed straight for the other side of the Arno River. We looked at menus at a few recommended places like Mamma Gina’s and Angiolino’s. Decided to find a pizza place on the way to the church Jan wanted to see, S Maria del Carmine (1268), and ended up at the church which was closed until 15:30. So we returned to Angiolino’s for lunch. The place had the requisite dusty wine bottles, but was not a touristy place. Jan started with the minestrone (vegetables and rice) and I ordered the panzanella, even though I had no idea what that was! It was a bread salad with chunks of bread soaked in oil, tomatoes and onions. Pretty good! For the second course we wanted to share a meat and a vegetable dish, but weren’t sure if that was allowed. The waiter proclaimed in Italian that he recommended the musculo stufato, which I was thinking was stewed mussels, and the zucchine ripieno/stuffed zucchini, and he would divide them in half so we each could taste both dishes. Well! That works! However, musculo means muscle and was beef stewed with potatoes. The beef was very good, but the stuffing in the zucchini was like sawdust. Jan left her stuffing and potatoes, and I had a coughing fit, so I am sure the waiter thought we hated our meal. I had cherries and Jan had another macedonia. I figured up the bill, and we were undercharged 400 ITL/30 cents, the bill coming to 17,500 ITL/$12.50. We made it back to S Maria del Carmine by 15:20 and sat to write postcards. The church didn’t open until 16:00. We went straight to the Brancacci Chapel (begun 1425) to see the frescoes by Masaccio; they were half covered by scaffolding. In the sacristy we looked at postcards to see what was hidden. Next we headed to Palazzo Pitti, getting 700 ITL/50 cent lemon ice cream cups along the way. Our goal was actually the Giardino di Boboli/Garden behind the palace to see a sculpture of a fat nude man on a turtle. All the Palazzo Pitti museums were closed, but we could enter the courtyard with an ugly grotto fountain with a few statues, and coins in the water. There was an open door to the grounds and we had to climb up to the garden, only to find ourselves still at the bottom of the hill!

We climbed halfway up, then decided to head to the right to the bulk of the park. We still had to climb, but reached a crossroads at the top of the hill. Continued straight down the other side through an arbor of Holm oaks pruned to arch over the path.

Holm oak arbor

We saw a friendly-enough looking fellow who turned out to be American, who was sitting on a bench and sketching, whom we asked about this sculpture. He pulled out his guidebook but it didn’t have the info we needed. Something on Jan’s map was called Bobolino, so we headed there. Passed a large fountain with a statue in the center of an isolotta/islet and statues all around its surrounding fence.

Isolotta/Islet

We ended up coming out through Porta Romana/Roman Gate. Turned in the other direction past the Istituto d'arte Porta Romana/Art Museum, climbing a winding road to a small circle with a fountain filled with carp and backed by plants. I think the Bobolino was just a smaller section of the Boboli. We continued up this Viale Machiavelli, hoping to find a back way to Piazzale Michelangelo. We turned up Via di San Leonardo, a long curving street with tall walls on both sides. I jumped up to see what was on the other side of the wall and saw gentle hills with olive trees! An occasional car would toot to let us know it was coming, but once we heard someone leaning on his horn and turned back to see a car careening towards us. We flattened ourselves against the wall with breaths held!

We came across Forte Belvedere (1590-95) and entered by way of a stairway that had two “ramps” worn into the steps. From here we had a wonderful view over the city of Florence.

View from Forte Belvedere

We heard a roar, like in a stadium when a goal is made. The fort itself looked unusual, like it could have been a church.

Forte Belvedere

We ran into Judy, Francie, and Shirley from the seminar, and we were all surprised when the bells rang 18:00; it was still so bright and sunny and warm. We continued our way past orchard groves, along a city wall, and then uphill to the Piazzale Michelangelo. Stopped at a small bar on a terrace for drinks; Jan asked for freshly squeezed lemon juice with water and I had a Sprite. We paid for the view, or the shade, or the chairs, or something when the bill came to 4000 ITL/nearly $3. But it was worth it. Climbed farther towards San Miniato (begun 1013) and when we looked up we saw a vision of a white church with gold-flecked mosaic against a blue sky.

San Miniato

Inside the wood beam ceiling was intricately painted and behind the altar was a sunken chapel. Two men were talking in the pews and Jan noted one was a monk. Returned to the Piazzale that has a copy of the statue of David. Kids were zooming around with Italian flags and banners, shouting “Forza Italia!” We guessed Italy had just won a match in the World Soccer championships, and, indeed, they went on to win the World Cup.

We descended the zig zag street to the river, noting the blooming oleanders and Quercus ilex/Holm Oak or Holly Oak tree that was related to the Quercus agrifolia/Coast or California live oak tree. Walked along this side of the river, seeing the hotel across the way. Jan bought a bottle of water for only 600 ITL/40 cents at a local grocery store. We stopped at Gailli and I had the usual crema/cream, mousse, and limone/lemon ice cream for 1000 ITL/70 cents. Returned to the hotel at 21:00.

During our walks in Florence, we have not been hassled much; there are just the men who won’t get out of the way and manage to bump shoulders with you. One man was tapping his thigh with his rolled up newspaper and managed to swat me on the rear when he passed.

Wednesday, June 30, 1982

Slept fairly well despite “Italia” chants late into the night.

We arrived at the Ospedale at the appointed time of 8:10 and again only the Dutch girls were there. The seminar got started at 8:30. Dr. Milani-Comparetti spoke English slowly, but well-modulated and had good command of the language. Today Dr. Poccianti, the orthopedic surgeon, spoke and he made me homesick! He sounded like all our first-generation Italian neighbors in Suffern, NY. In fact, he had practiced a little in New Jersey.

We got out at 13:30 and Jan and I returned to the hotel via a shop where Jan bought 11 lipstick cases with silk covers in prints of old paintings. Also shared a slice of pizza and had Mangiabevi/eat-drinks which are macedonias in their own fruit juice that you drink, and eat!  Stopped for ice cream and this time I got stracciatella/ice cream with tiny chocolate chips blended in, stracciatelle di caffe/coffee, and melone/melon. After a rest and writing session at the hotel, we went out at 16:30. We went to a couple shops on Ponte Vecchio, one selling modern gift items from around the world, including paperweights that looked like eggs, a life-size wooden lamb with real wool, a clock in clear acrylic case with the hands on the bottom and the second hand was a mobile that clicked around in a circle, and a Noah’s Ark with simplistic carved pairs of animals. One shop had loads of stationery of cream paper with the characteristic Florentine intricate flower designs. We borrowed a guide book at a kiosk to learn the fat man in Boboli Gardens was to the left of the main entrance. We entered through the courtyard and turned left heading downhill and soon felt like we were leaving the gardens. We asked a young man filling containers with water for directions to the grotto, and he directed us to three of them. Who knew! We continued left and found ourselves at an entrance to the left of the main one, and there was our statue of the fat man on a turtle (Fontana del Bacchino/Fountain of Bacchus, 1560 by Valerio Cioli of the figure of the obese dwarf Morgante)!

Jan with Morgante

The grotto here was artificially made out of stone, even the moss and drippings. A cat was sitting up on one of the moss outcroppings. We saw another fountain pool on our way out the Porte Romana/Roman Gate where we were to meet the seminar group at 18:30. We were divided up into cars; Jan got to sit next to Dr. Milani-Comparetti! I was in a car with Julie from Canada and Francie, with Dr. M Luisa Fantini, another doctor from the Centro. We followed Dr. Milani-Comparetti out into the countryside of Tuscany hills where the roads became narrower and turned into dirt. A half hour later we arrived at Dr. Milani-Comparetti’s old brick house surrounded by olive groves!

Seminar group at Dr Milani-Comparetti's house

Tuscany hills

We were introduced to Signora Milani who spoke perfect British-English and looked the part of a perfect hostess. Some of us were taken to the bathroom, past the jumbled kitchen, up book-lined stairs, past the daughter’s bedroom with an antique bed, to very modern facilities. Later we sat on the patio and adjacent lawn with wine and crostini di fegato/toasted bread with a liver paté. There was a little excitement when the two Milani dogs weren’t sure how to welcome the German dog, and Monika ended up putting her dog in the car.

We went to the buffet table to get plates of panzarella/bread salad, a very typical Florentine dish! There were slices of breads, cold cuts, a green salad, and a salad of rice, beans and zucchini. Later desserts of macedonia, zuppa inglese/layer cake of lady fingers dipped in a liqueur with mousse, and twelve flavors of ice cream! Also biscottini, little hard cookies with almonds to be dipped in a white Chianti wine. Some people started singing “My Darling Clementine.”

There was a big to-do at 22:30 when the three drivers wanted to stay and others wanted to get back to the city. Finally Adriana took Jan and me, Jeanie and Francie and dropped us off by Ponte Vecchio. Jan and I stopped for another ice cream; I had mousse and limone/lemon.

Part 1 Firenze/Florence Trip for Business and Fun (6/27-28/1982)

Sunday, June 27, 1982

At 10:00 I locked up and went to the hospital to drop off my room key, then waited for Jan & Kirby. They arrived at 10:20, on foot! Their car had died, so they had called a taxi which got Jan and me to the train station in time for the 10:34 train to Bern, arriving at 11:00. Jan went to the restroom and when the train to Milano came in, people rushed for seats. I picked up all our things and boarded to find a compartment. I had to knock on the window to let Jan know where I was! We shared the compartment with three American girls. Jan and I were going to attend the Milani-Comparetti Seminar in Florence, Italy.

We left Bern at 11:21. It was still cloudy, but after crossing into the Brig valley, it was nice and sunny. Italian customs came through when we were going through the Simplon Tunnel. The scenery was beautiful in Italy, and soon we were traveling along the lower end of Lago Maggiore. There were occasional islands and Isola Bella had a castle with terraced gardens. Across the lake I spotted a castle I had visited in 1979. As we crossed the lower tip of the lake, we had a picture postcard view of the lake with the Alps in the background and big puffy white clouds in the sky.

Arrived in Milano at 16:00 and went to board the train to Florence. It was already full, and we walked the full length of the 15-car train looking for seats. Whole families had already settled in the compartments, and there seemed to be too many people. Turned out half of them left just before the train left! We found a fold-down seat in the vestibule, and Jan claimed that while I went to look for empty seats, even in First Class. Nothing. I sat with Jan and leaned against the door, when someone opened it, I recovered before falling out. During the trip the conductress used this door several times. The train left 10 minutes late at 17:05 and we had two male companions in the vestibule, a short dark man with Bell’s Palsy and a younger guy with curly hair. Of course we were subjected to close questioning, like, they got so close we were nose to nose. Jan was writing a letter to her parents and they marveled at how she could write while riding on a train, and at how long she could keep writing. They thought she was writing to her “ragazzo/guy.” In response to their questions, Jan volunteered my name as “Giuliana,” and when we were slow to answer about Jan’s name, they asked “Francesca?” So we agreed to that name. They asked about marital status and jobs, and what we do after work, “fare amore/make love?” I said, “Basta/That’s enough,” to end the conversation and they tried to apologize. They then changed their professions from a truck driver and a bus driver to the military and police so we “wouldn’t worry.” They kept poking and tapping us because we weren’t responding to our new names. Jan wanted me to tell them off, but I hadn’t learned that kind of vocabulary in Italian! Every time we were joined by a new passenger, the curly-haired guy would tell them about us. Plus they all smoked and we were next to the restroom. Not a very pleasant trip.

We actually arrived in Firenze/Florence 10 minutes early at 21:00. We were each carrying a back pack, purse and a plastic bag, and had a handle of my duffel bag as we walked to the hotel. We headed toward the Duomo/Cathedral, then took a right towards the Ponte Vecchio/Old Bridge and turned left before the bridge to Piazza Mentana to the Hotel Balestri. It had a nice lobby with plush chairs, a TV room in one corner and a restaurant in the other. We checked and were given Room #32 for 40,500 ITL/$30/night. The room had three beds, a desk, a wardrobe and a sink. We had a key to our own shower and toilet next to the elevator. We opened the windows in the stuffy room and went out again.

We walked to Ponte Vecchio and stopped at Gailli Gelateria for the 1000 ITL/70 cent average-size ice cream with three scoops. I had chocolate, hazelnut and coffee. We wandered across the bridge where all the stalls were now closed up with fancy wood shutters. The usual murky waters of the Arno River looked pleasant reflecting the city lights. Returned back over the bridge and went to Piazza della Signoria. Tried peeking over the shoulders of a crowd as they watched a mime. Found a Calamai shop with stationery, party goods, and Snoopy items. On the way back to the hotel, Jan pointed out a plaque 10’ up on a wall noting the flood level of 4 November 1966. At the hotel desk, the clerk told Jan someone had called for her, “had called twice for McClellan, not Bragg, ha, ha get the joke?, but he’ll call back.” We were confused as to whether someone had called or not! And how would the clerk know Civil War generals? We got to the room at 23:00 and a few minutes later Kirby called.

Monday, June 28, 1982

It was difficult sleeping since it was hot, and there were mosquitoes and traffic noise. If you closed the shutters to block the noise, it got too stuffy.

This morning we went to Piazza della Signoria to buy postcards, then window shopped at the Calamai store we found the night before. We stood in a long line at the post office to get stamps, where Jan was overcharged 1000 ITL. By the time she added up all her stamps, the postal clerk had forgotten how much he charged. Several philatelists were licking their giant stamps to put on special envelopes, and tourists were licking their stamps for postcards.

We found another Calamai branch with even more Snoopy items, plus toys and kitchen gadgets. it had a basement level, that smelled like it had been flooded, that was filled with kitchen items. We headed towards Piazza San Marco and passed yet another Calamai store! At Piazza San Marco we had just missed the 11:24 #7 bus. Bought four bus tickets for 300 ITL/20 cents each and boarded the next bus that left at 11:32. We were supposed to punch the tickets in a machine that we could not get to through the standing-room only crowd. We had to hold on as the bus careened its way through the city and then up a hill. After two sharp curves we saw a sign for Via di Camerati and for a hospital, so we rang the bell. Got off with another lady. We thought we were on the Via di Camerati and continued up hill, but the house numbers were too high. I asked the lady if she knew the “Anna Torrigiani Centro di Educazione Motoria at Via di Camerati 8.” She pointed to the hospital and said she knew nothing.

So we headed downhill to where we saw the sign, and found a side street marked with that name. We crossed the main street and headed down the side street, but the numbers were too high. We re-crossed the main street (very dangerous on a hairpin curve!) and found the street where the sign was. Followed the narrow lane between high pink walls and tall trees. There appeared to be villas of the wealthy behind these walls. Came to a row of nice houses and found the Centro building to go to the door marked ‘8.’ But that was the entrance to the Red Cross. A sign directed us around to the driveway at #10. Entered, followed a sign to the receptionist, and once a lady standing at the desk noticed us, she asked if we were here for the course. Of course! She was Dr. E Anna Gidoni, one of the major members of the Milani-Comparetti team, and she explained there had been a change of plans, and instead of having lunch at the Centro, we were going into the city! So we had arrived in time at 12:00, only to turn around and go back down that hill, this time in a taxi. We were accompanied by one of the physical therapists, Jean D who is from the U.S. Another therapist is Judy G who is from England. We arrived at Piazza Mercato Centrale and were dropped off at Trattoria ZaZa, a very colorful local spot. We sat at one of two reserved tables and admired the rows and rows of dusty empty Chianti bottles. We were joined by two very tan ladies who were from Holland and then a busload of therapists who were on a tour of Italy of which the Mialni-Comparetti Seminar was a part, organized by Eileen Richter’s company. They were accompanied by Dr. Adriano Milani-Comparetti himself. He is the developer of the Milani-Comparetti Motor Development Screening Test, which pediatric therapists have been using for years.

Bottles of water and carafes of wine were set out on the tables and we were given a choice of a first course. I had the minestrone di verdure, a soup thick with vegetables, Second course, a breaded chicken breast and a salad where I re-discovered the prevalent taste of olive oil. Dr. Gidoni was a lively story teller. After lunch we were led as a group the couple blocks to Piazza dell’Annunziata to the Ospedale degli Innocenti/hospital of the Innocents, the first foundling home in Florence and the oldest in Europe, known to me for the tondi/roundels by Andrea della Robbia depicting a swaddled infant. We entered the biblioteca/library after finding someone to unlock the door, and passed through a series of rooms filled with book, audio-visual equipment, and bathtubs! Arrived at a room of desks and chairs with pen and paper, and we were ready to begin the seminar. At a break, some of us went out to the Bar dell’Annunziata and I had a limone/lemon ice cream and got a can of Sprite. Back in the seminar, I put the can of Sprite on the desk and it slid into my lap. It splashed on my leg, but I didn’t realize it got the seat wet as well, so even while my pant leg dried, my bottom was still wet! When we headed back to the hotel at 18:30, Jan assured me my pants looked fine. Actually they didn’t but at least I wasn’t self-conscious walking in the streets! We stopped at the Calamai store for Jan to get Kirby a T-shirt. Back at the hotel I changed and washed the pants. We went to a wine bar in Palazzo Antinori (on Via Tornabuoni) that was quietly elegant with a vaulted ceiling, balcony, and a row of wine bottles behind the bar. There was a relief picture of an old wine wagon. Jan had cream of asparagus soup and I had gnocchi; excellent with a slight greenish tinge from spinach and no tomato sauce!  We shared a small bottle of acqua minerale senza gas/mineral water without gas. Afterwards Jan had a liquored Macedonia/fruit cup, and I had an espresso that was not made by machine. Jan discovered it was 22:00 when she was to call Kirby, so we hurried back to the hotel, stopping to buy a large bottle of water. While Jan called Kirby, I had a conversation with the joker desk clerk and a guest who had a son with a handicap.

Clovers, Shopping, Movie, and Dinners (6/18-26/1982)

Friday, June 18, 1982

Found a funny 5-leaf clover.

Funny 5-leaf clover

Today I went to the bank to take out all my money and change it to seven different currencies!

Jong-Soon came for her weekly English lesson.

Saturday, June 19, 1982

I went downtown to buy my train tickets for Florence and London. I tried to get a seat reservation for the train to London, but I can’t do that in Switzerland. I did some book shopping, and noticed an unshaven man was following me down Bahnhofstrasse. I stopped, he would stop. I went into a grocery store and he followed me in, but I turned right around and left and he looked surprised. I hurried to the train station to lose myself in the crowd. Caught the 12:23 train to Zürich, arriving at 13:50. I did more book shopping and bought some Sprüngli truffles as a hospitality gift. I was to try and meet an acquaintance of Kathy C in Zug. Took the 15:00 train to Zug, arriving at 15:25, and tried calling this guy, Lewis M. No answer. I bought a Kirschtorte for Jan & Kirby and did more book shopping. Tried calling again at 16:15, still no answer. Well, I made the attempt in the time frame requested, but no luck. So I caught the 16:24 train to Zürich, changing to the 17:04 to Biel.

Sunday, June 20, 1982

Trying to wrap things up before my two-month leave of absence. Went to sit in the sun while doing paperwork.

Found a 4-leaf clover.

4-leeaf clover

Monday, June 21, 1982

Stir-fry of beef and zucchini with Jong-Soon and Christel with a conversation about Jesus and men.

Tuesday, June 22, 1982

Met Kirby after work to see the movie “Absence Without Malice.”

Movie ticket

Afterwards we had pizza and salad at Pinocchio’s.

Wednesday, June 23, 1982

Hans-Rüdi picked me up as usual. Saw that the kids eat American-type breakfast cereal for dinner, and they were sent to bed. Tonight I made dinner with chicken curry on rice, with cucumbers marinated in vinegar and sugar. Dessert was watermelon.

Friday, June 25, 1982

Elisabeth and I left work at 16:00 to go toy shopping. We admired the window of the old town toy shop, but did not go in. We went to Schoeni to buy a Velcro game, and to Franz Carl Weber to buy a frog bubble blower. Since we still had time before our dinner date with the J family, we had iced tea at the Bielstübe. We caught the 17:40 funicular to Leubringen, but discovered we had left the Velcro game at the lower station. So we had to go back down, then return back up to Leubringen, missing the 18:00 “Funi" (a travel agency) bus to Orvin (ticket 1.40 CHF/70 cents). Fortunately, Frau J was also late in meeting us and was there to meet the 18:20 bus with Phillipe. She took us to the house they built themselves where Herr Jeanneret and Marcel were waiting. While the kids opened their toys, Herr J lit a fire in the “Franklin stove.” (Why in the middle of the summer?!) We had dinner, starting with a green salad and tomato slices, and then Herr J went to that stove to make raclette! They offered the option of sprinkling rye seed, paprika, and/or herbs on the cheese to eat it with the boiled potato, tomato wedges, gherkins, and pickled onions. Then it was time for music with Frau J playing piano while Herr J and Phillipe sang. Marcel, who is in our therapy group, sat in the background. After the kids were put to bed, it was decided the adults would go for a walk. We were gone for an hour, leaving the kids alone! We walked through fields and woods, and a nature preserve where horses are pastured. It was 22:15 when we returned to the house for dessert of strawberries, apricots, and peaches as a storm came up. At 23:00, they locked the kids in and drove me to the hospital and Elisabeth to the Biel train station!

Saturday, June 26, 1982

Day of the Braderie Fest, kind of a city-wide street market with carnival rides, a parade, music, and food stalls. I needed to buy a few things and ended up in the crowds downtown where it seemed every shop had a tent with sale items. Because of the tents, the rain did not stop the shopping and eating of sausages, French fries, hamburgers, etc.

I had to make sure my room was clean and all my stuff stored away.

Ausflug/Outing (6/17/1982)

Thursday, June 17, 1982

Ausflug Day! Once a year, the CP Station staff gets to go on an outing. The weather had been rainy, and it poured last night. However, this morning the sun was shining!
We met in a parking lot behind the Biel old town and I found a 4-leaf clover on the way. There were the two Ergotherapeutinen/occupational therapists, Rita and Vré who rode with Sylvia from Kindergarten, Liliane with Ruth and Elisabeth in another car, and Bernadette with Sylviane and Sybille. I rode with Jan & Kirby. One of the girls had directions to the secret destination and we followed her along the Bielersee/Lake Biel and the BTI route. You could hear the Swiss Air Force jets, but not see them.
At Ins, we stopped until everyone had caught up, then turned towards Murten. On the other side of town we parked in a lot at a beach and Sylviane handed over 180 CHF/$90 to the cashier at the beach entrance. Wow, a lot of money! We entered an area with restrooms, changing areas, and swimming pools, and were told to change into bathing suits and that we were not yet at our destination. I had my bathing suit under my clothes, but we were told not to wear pants, so everyone was self-conscious about bare legs.
We were led to the docks where rowboats were tied up. Aha, we had to row to our destination! Kirby, Jan, Rita and Vré were the first to set off, followed by Silvia, Sybille, Bernadette, and Liliane. Finally our boat with the leader Sylviane, Ruth, Elisabeth, and myself.

Sybille, Bernadette, Liliane and Vre, Kirby, Rita

Jan, Vre, Kirby, and Rita

We were supposed to look for a beach that would take 45 minutes to reach. Soon our boat was in the lead and after we passed a little peninsula, we stopped to check a couple beaches. This allowed the others to catch up. Kirby’s boat tied up to a buoy and they began eating their lunch! Meanwhile, Sylviane and Elisabeth were checking out the private beaches of shuttered villas that were unoccupied at this time of year, while Ruth and I rowed the boat through reeds to keep up with them. Sylviane picked a beach, but Elisabeth found a nicer one. Sylvia’s boat joined us as we settled on the beach and built a fire from dried grass, reeds, and driftwood. Kirby’s boat left their buoy to join us. It had taken us 1-1/2 hours to get here, arriving at noon.

We broke off branches from bushes to roast cervelas/Cervelat/sausages, considered the national sausage of Switzerland. We waded in the water that had freezing and warm spots, and was shallow for quite a distance. Sylviane and Sylvia, then Liliane and I played badminton.
At 15:30 we left to row back. Our boat pulled ahead, but waited at the peninsula for the others to catch up. There were some water fights with Sylvia’s boat. We pulled ahead again and decided to look for the beach we were supposed to have used! We got out of the boat to explore and found the water was shallower and the beach was dirtier. We were glad we had found our private beach to use! Saw a fisherman catch a 6” fish.
We then caught up with the others at the Murten beach and we all arrived about 17:00. We went to change clothes, have drinks, then window shop in Murten. We bought a Nidelkuchen/a cream cake, a specialty of Murten, for Fr. Dr. B, as we were going to her home for dinner. We left at 17:45 to head to Bern. We lost one car immediately, and we turned off too soon, but got back on track, meeting two of the cars at Fr. Dr. B’s modern apartment complex.
A woman and a girl came out to ask if we were looking for Fr. Dr. B and led us to her gorgeous apartment (they were her sister-in-law and daughter, Andrea), passing her son, Peter, at play. Sat on the balcony for drinks and Fr. Dr. B arrived home when we started a treasure hunt. We had to find 3 clocks, 4 animals, 6 plants, and 2 herbs. I thought we just had to know where they were, but we had to name them, and I couldn’t name the herbs. Kirby won the prize of a potted zinnia, presented by the kids.

Dinner was roast beef with a variety of salads (potato, tomato, carrot, green bean, and lettuce) and bread fashioned to look like a cluster of grapes (each person took a “grape”). Dessert was currants and ice cream, followed by coffee and cookies. We left at 22:30.

Despite blisters and a sunburn, I had a great time. And we were very lucky with the weather, because it rained again the next day!

Sunning, Clovers, Greek Food, and a Movie (5/31-6/15/1982)

Monday, May 31, 1982

Pfingstmontag/Pentecost Monday/Whit Monday, a holiday.

I went to the lakefront, passing rhododendron bushes Kirby had pointed out a week ago. I chose a spot at the edge of a grassy bowl beyond the boat rental place and started working on my tan at 11:00. Three Italians and their Swiss girlfriends were next to me and they sometimes played badminton or nerfball tennis over me! I turned over at 12:00 and was getting hot at 14:00. Sat up until 15:00. I was hot and thirsty, and the warm water in my water bottle wasn’t helping. I filled up with cooler water at the Schützengasse fountain on my way home. Halfway up the short-cut stairs, I had to stop and sit for a rest. At the top of the stairs I had to sit again because I felt faint. I sat right on the sidewalk and felt better, so started up the hill. The world got hazy, so I sat down again. Every time I tried to stand up, I felt faint, yet when I was sitting my head was perfectly clear. I stayed sitting for 10-15 minutes before trying again and managed to reach the hospital before needing to sit on a bench at the entrance. After 5-10 minutes I managed the final climb to the Personalhaus/staff residence and my room. Drank lots of water and laid down. I was able to take a shower, but was a little woozy after that.

Wednesday, June 2, 1982

Still finding 4-leaf clovers.

Three 4-leaf clovers

Friday, June 4, 1982

Today I renewed my work permit and visa. Since I have approval to take a two-month leave of absence, I will work at Kinderspital Wildermeth for one more year.

After work I heard my name being called and looked out to see Jan & Kirby. They hadn’t left for home yet, and since I was ready to go, I drove with them. Later we went to pick up Helen on the dot at 19:00 and headed to the halfway house Restaurant Schlüssel in Detligen. It is on the first Friday of the month when they serve Greek food, instead of pizza. Elisabeth and Michel met us there, where we sat at picnic tables and benches in the room with the inactive pizza oven and the oil lamps overhead. They were grilling souvlakis/skewers outside the back door. I had 1-1/2 lamb souvlakis, a Greek salad (lettuce, pepper, tomato, cucumber, and feta cheese in an oil dressing), corn on the cob, and half a baked eggplant (baked until mushy); also some tzatziki (cucumbers in a yogurt sauce). That was plenty for me, but the fellows kept ordering more souvlakis. I passed on the dessert of half a melon with a cognac whipped cream in the center. The waitress had us try Greek coffee that was thick and strong, and amazingly sweet. We headed home at 22:30 in a terrifying thunderstorm of pouring rain with lightning blinding us and the crackling thunder heard within milliseconds.

Saturday, June 5, 1982

Train day pass

Took the 9:34 train to Bern, mostly to purchase the panorama poster of Grindelwald-First. The print shop where this poster is available is only open on Saturday mornings. Took the 12:27 train to Interlaken West, and started browsing all the souvenir shops, looking for a cuckoo clock for Lynn B G, who wanted one for her in-laws for their anniversary. I reached the Interlaken Ost/East station and found I would reach Luzern after shopping hours. So I returned to Interlaken West and found a cuckoo clock near there. The store shipped to the U.S. and I could have Lynn pay the credit card bill. Shopping like this is fun, no money needed and no packages to carry!

Caught the 15:39 train to Bern and went to the telephone exchange to call Eileen Richter of Professional Development Programs in the U.S. I was able to confirm that the Milani-Comparetti Seminar to be held in Florence, Italy had not been cancelled. The phone bill was 18.10 CHF/$9. Took the 16:53 train to Biel. The rain stopped as soon as I reached home!

Sunday, June 6, 1982

Jan came by at 16:00 so we could check the train schedules I had picked up in Bern. Kirby wasn’t feeling great today, so just Jan and I went for a hike by first driving to the lakefront and parking near the boating school. We climbed some stairs up a cliff, which brought us to a vineyard path. We meandered through vineyards, woods of evergreens, and past homes with flowerful gardens. We had a fine view of Bielersee/Lake Biel with heavy boat traffic. We continued for about an hour until we reached Tüscherz, then turned around. It was hot, but cooler back down at “sea” level.
Found a 5-leaf clover.

Back at the Personalhaus/staff residence by 19:00.

5-leaf clover and 4-leaf clover

Monday, June 7, 1982

Another 4-leafer.

Tuesday, June 8, 1982

Three more 4-leaf clovers found during group therapy!

Three more 4-leafers

Saturday, June 12, 1982

Took the 10:33 train to Geneva and on the train I started reading the “Chancellor Manuscript” loaned by Jan & Kirby. I was in Geneva before I knew it! Arrived at 12:30 and went to bookstores to find books in English for my lessons with the Ss. Also shopped for items for my summer traveling. Returned to Biel on the 16:26 train. I was so absorbed in the book, I almost missed my stop!

Tuesday, June 15, 1982

Movie ticket

After work Jan and Kirby and I went to see the movie “Chariots of Fire,” as today was its last day. Due to poor reviews from our acquaintances, we weren’t expecting much, but we were pleasantly surprised! Really liked it a lot and such inspiring music!