Fastnacht Activities (2/20-21/1983)

Sunday, February 20, 1983

Ruth D had decided at the last minute to take us to the Basler Morgestraich, and then we heard from the Chinese guys that they would take us! Ach! I had to explain I had found another way, and actually Jong-Soon didn’t want to go anymore. We felt really bad.

At 15:15, Barbara S picked up Marsha C and me to go to Ruth D’s apartment. Ruth made up Marsha’s face with a dark foundation, gold and white marking across her cheeks, and stars across her forehead, as she transformed into Helen of Troy. She put on a head band and her hair was frizzed up.

Ruth works on the hair of Helen of Troy

Marsha as Helen of Troy

At 16:00, Barb left to pick up the costumes she and Ruth had rented. Ruth made up my face with rouged cheeks, black eyeliner, glitter on my eyelids, and two little teardrop “diamond” above each cheekbone to turn me into a gypsy.

Teardrop "diamonds"

Tamiko as a gypsy

Ruth made up herself, but not as boldly. She had glitter eyeshadow and a black dot on her forehead, as she was to be a harem girl.

Ruth as a harem girl

When Barb returned, she was given a mustache, as she was to be a male gypsy.

Barb as a gypsy

Ruth made dinner and we ate at 18:00 when Ruth’s friend Urs arrived. We started with little chocolate cups filled with chocolate and covered with crushed nuts with a felt violet stuck in. We had a pasta with a cream sauce with ham and mushrooms, and cucumber slices with yogurt dressing. For dessert, Barb made brownies. Barb only had a cup of yogurt.

Urs was made up similarly to Marsha and then he left. We put on our respective costumes, and at 19:30 we drove in Barb’s car to the Kongresshaus/Convention Center in Biel. We showed our 12.50 CHF/$6/25 tickets and had our right hands stamped with a black light mark. We hung up our coats and looked of our seats at rows of tables at either side of the lobby. Ours were in the far corner. In the middle, a rock band was playing.

Kongresshall Fastnachtfest

Ruth, Urs, Barb, Marsha, Urs' girlfriend

We ordered drinks (I had bitter lemon) and later Urs arrived with his girlfriend. At the table next to us was a nurse’s aide from the hospital, and later we saw a kitchen aide. At intervals a Güggeli/clique bands came through and people stood up, or stood on the chairs to clap and stomp. Then people started dancing to the rock band music. We all got up to dance as a group. Every time a Güggeli came in, we returned to our seats. Sometimes two bands would alternate songs as they stood on the two sets of stairs. We walked up to a mid-level to listen to another Güggeli and I walked right past another mother of a kid I work with. She didn’t recognize me with my mask! Back at the table during a sway song, I ended up next to a sort of cute Italian guy. The next thing I know is that his knee is touching mine; it had to stray pretty far, or else he is very, very bowlegged! I went to the restroom, and had to go back to retrieve my gloves. dance a lot more. Marsha taught me a swing step, but once when I twirled I slid in all the confetti on the floor. Later I took off my shoes because my feet were sore. At midnight a couple Güggelis played together continuously for about 20 minutes as the crowd clapped and stomped. The Italian came back to clap my hands and he tried to clap my rear end. He asked if I would dance “après” and I said, “OK, après.” Fortunately I never saw him again! I tried dancing more with the shoes on, but gave up. Another guy asked me to dance, and I told him no, because my feet hurt. Later I danced anyway, without shoes! I saw another mother on the dance floor, and parents of one of the group kids were there, although not in costume. We also saw a couple of the medical interns just standing around. A couple times we joined a snake dance that wound upstairs into the theater hall where another band was playing for more tables of people. Towards the end of the party, someone gave me a slip of paper saying I passed the face test and could display my face within three feet of myself, or some such nonsense. “You have just barely passed the Face Inspection and may in the area of 3 meters temporarily safely flaunt. The Sweaty-footed.”

I passed the test...

Monday, February 21, 1983

The party ended at 2:00. Marsha C and I (in bare feet!), ran to Barbara S’s car to get our things, then went to the restroom to change. We met up with Urs who had taken his girlfriend home, and he, Ruth D, Marsha and I went out to Ruth’s car that mysteriously appeared (Urs?). We crowded in, and Urs drove us to Basel. The highway was empty until we neared Basel, then we joined the line of cars inching into the city. We arrived in time to park and joined the crowds hurrying into the old town, down St Alban Anlage to Aeschenvorstadt and onto Freiestrasse.

Fastnacht revelers

We passed a group of costumed people, the Bebbi (meaning Basler) Club of New York! They had lanterns on their heads, wore wild handmade costumes, and dragged a large lantern on a cart. At 4:00, all the lights in Basel suddenly went out. Fifes and drums were played as the first bands started slowly marching by. We had made it to the Basler Morgestraich, the morning lantern parade that opens the Basel Fastnacht festivities! We stood in the dark as group after group went by, each playing their own tunes and beating their own rhythms. Most groups had a large lantern, about 3-5 m/5-16’ tall and a meter/3’ squared., made with a wooden frame with cloth stretched over it, often lit within by candles. The cloth covering was covered with various motifs, either the logo of the sponsor or cartoons of local events. Some of the designs were amateurish, and others were professional, and/or clever. Many of the groups had each individual with a 6” square lantern on his head, or carried lanterns on long poles. Some groups had flashlight lanterns, lampshades, light bulbs, Christmas strings of lights, or those glow sticks that you bend and shake until you get a green glowing tube. Some groups were large, and some as small as two or three people. And they moved randomly, so that as the line of groups passed you, one might then turn left, and the next turn right, while a group may come from the opposite direction and groups would cross. We continued to Barfüsserplatz that was really crowded, but by jumping up I could see the effect of rivers of lanterns flowing in all directions, and all that time there was fife and drum music; somehow the cacaphony of different groups was harmonious.

Lantern cart and lanterns

We returned to Freiestrasse to watch even more groups go by. The crowd lessened and it was quite cold. My toes were beginning to freeze. We returned to Barfüsserplatz to sit in a café. We were lucky to get seats when a large group left. The cafés were crowded because of the crowds of people and also the bands were taking breaks. Ruth and I had Ovomaltines and Urs and Marsha had coffee. Urs also had a Zibelewaie/onion pie. At 6:30 we left to watch more bands as we wandered to Marktplatz, then Münsterplatz. It was getting light and the Münster clock struck 7:00. The bands were thinning out and we headed back to the car. You could still hear the fife and drum music. We had brought along bread and cheese for breakfast as Urs driove us to his house in Bözingen to drop off his things. But then he drove us to the Personalhaus/staff residence. We arrived just before 9:00, cleaned off our makeup, showered, and went to work! I took a nap at lunch time and afterwards I was fine.

Tuesday, February 22, 1983

At 20:30, Jong-Soon wanted to go for a walk to complain about fast women and Swiss souvenirs. I don’t know what happened to her going with the Chinese guys for Basler Morgestraich. We walked through the old town, and over to the carnival rides on Marktplatz. We went to her bank, but the bancomat was not working, so we tried the bank at Zentralplatz. It was cold.

Thursday, February 24, 1983

After work I met Jan & Kirby in the Personal/staff restaurant, and we got our 3 CHF/$1.50 meal of boiled potatoes and our choice of cheeses (slice your own). Also an old salad. We ate and talked and discussed and argued/debated until about 20:00.

Pre-Fastnacht Activities (2/14-19/1983)

Monday, February 14, 1983

Happy Valentine’s Day!

After work I started setting the table, making heart-shaped place mats and putting some activities (like how many words can you make from the letters of Valentine’s Day, etc.) on the back of them. Marsha C was cooking when Jan arrived at 18:45, and Kirby arrived later. We started with an antipasto of artichoke hearts marinated in herbal butter and mixed vegetables in mayonnaise. The second course was a heaping bowl full of spaghetti. Then came the veal parmigiana and sautéed peppers. After a respite came coffee and chocolate chip cookies.

Tuesday, February 15, 1983

I went to the bank at 10:00, then to an appointment with Dr Jurg Steinegger, the new dentist in Biel. He seemed very nice and was thorough. He checked all my teeth and took x-rays, then gave me another appointment. Apparently my cavity will last three more weeks! Returned to work.

After work, Marsha C and I went home with Ruth D, who lives in Aegerten beyond Brügg in a farmhouse converted to apartments. She was on the top floor and had a fairly large and really cute apartment. We first had supper of several fruit tarts: plum, cherry and apricot, and cheese pies, with coffee (I had tea). Later we went to try on costumes. Ruth is as skinny as a stick, yet some of her costumes were baggy enough for us large Americans. Marsha ended up in a toga-like affair and will be Helen of Troy. I will wear the gypsy costume. We would be wearing the costumes for the Fastnacht/Carnival/Mardi Gras events in Biel. Ruth went to make alterations and Barbara S arrived at 22:20. I was trying to keep alive by not breathing, with all the cigarette smoke. Barb took Marsha and me home, but the fresh air was too late. I had a headache, sore throat, congested nose, itchy eyes, and felt nauseous! Yuck!

Thursday, February 17, 1983

After dinner, about 21:30, Jong-Soon took me down to Chinese restaurant in the Burg. Younger brother came over to greet us and sit us at a corner table. I ordered hot chocolate and Jong-Soon had tea. Jong-Soon asked to see the chef, pointing her finger at me, saying I had to talk to him. Younger brother went to get older brother, who soon came out. Jong-Soon pointed at me, so I had to ask the question she wanted to ask! I tried to do it conversationally, asking if he knew about the Basler Morgestraich, the first event of the Basel Carnival season, and whether he had ever been to it. No. I asked if he was interested in going and he replied he had heard it was the biggest and best, and we talked about several different Fastnacht/Carnival fests. Although embarrassed, I finally got around to saying that if he went to the Basler Morgenstraich, we would also like to go. He did have the Monday off, so it was a possibility, but he was concerned about the weather (and we knew they had a car!). Younger brother came to sit with us, and the two brothers had a discussion in Chinese. They agreed to call us on Sunday once they saw what the weather was like. We continued talking about America, crime, and even got into religion. We finally left at 23:30, after paying 3.20 CHF/$1.60 for our drinks.

Friday, February 18, 1983

After work, Marsha C and I went downtown to the Popularis travel agency to put a down payment on the Côte d'Azur trip. Then to the train station to pick up the Paris trip particulars. After shopping in Migros near the train station, we stopped at the Urania Tea Room. Modern on the outside, comfortable within, with lots of plants, signs on burned paper, sketches of old farmhouses, and leatherette benches along one wall. The tables had small cases to display the strange-looking cookies and pastries they offered. For dinner I ordered Eglifilet Müllerinerart/Perch Filet à la Miller’s Wife, delicious little fishes in a buttery sauce and mayonnaise, with boiled potatoes and a garnish of a tomato wedge and parsley. Marsha ordered Geschnetzeltes, with Rösti and the garnish. She started out with soup and we both had green salad. We drank apple juice. Marsha’s bill came to 17 CHF, and mine to 18 CHF/$9.

Saturday, February 19, 1983

Marsha C and I went to go shopping after lunch, then about 14:30 we headed to the usual parade route to see the children’s Fastnacht/Mardi Gras parade. No one seemed to be lining up along the street, but we saw crowds of people at the Convention Center. There we found the children’s parade going around a couple blocks.

Fastnacht Children's Parade

We searched the crowds of kids for one of Marsha’s patients, but never saw him. We saw most of the groups twice, since they circled the parade route twice. There were a few organized groups (kindergartens) and parts of clique bands (adult bands but accompanied by children) and teen-aged groups. Every kid was in a costume, some weird, and some very clever. It was better than Halloween! There was a rigged bucket of confetti that was dumped on unsuspecting spectators, and several wagons (one covered wagon from Wildermeth’s kindergarten), but no floats. Two women from the hospital laundry ended up standing next to us, and they yelled at the girl from the sewing room (whom we didn’t recognize behind her mask!). Afterwards, we did some more shopping until the stores closed, then went to the carnival rides to buy some French fries and wander around. Ran into one of my patients! We decided to go to the Tea Room on Marktgasse between two department stores. I had apple juice and Marsha had coffee, and we tried the Butterringli/butter rings pastries. We hung out until they closed at 17:00, then headed down Nidaugasse until I heard my name called. It was Ruth D, who was also headed to the Monsterkonzert/Monster Concert that was to begin at 17:20. We walked along Zentralstrasse and back to Marktgasse and Marktplatz, but saw no sign of a concert at 17:20, or 17:30. The three of us went to the Sporting Restaurant for drinks; I had apple juice, and Marsha and Ruth had coffee. At 18:30 we broke up to head home. I had made a chicken curry stew, and Sibylle B ate with us.

Marsha, Sibylle, and I put on thick stockings and skirts, and headed back to the old town. We could hear music and a speech being given in Ringplatz to officially open Fastnacht in Biel, and hurried to see several costumed Güggeli/Gugga/clique bands (club or amateur percussion/brass and drum bands who perform at festivals and in parades) that had gathered, coming in from every direction. They then left in every direction, as they would be going from restaurant to restaurant throughout the town. We met Ruth at the Stadttheater/City Theater and got a central table in the lobby for the Kukoball (whatever that means!), a sort of ball as in gala or party.

Kukoball ticket?

Ruth got our drinks, Sinalco (orange soda) for me, a Bier for Marsha, and a Henniez for herself. Sibylle did not want anything. At 21:00, a Güggeli band came banging in and loudly played a couple numbers. They had someone go around to collect donations. These people played their hearts out! Then a Schnitzelbank/short humorous verse or song group arrived, singing verse that parodized events of the year. Another Güggeli, another Schnitzelbank, and one more Güggeli. At about  22:00, a Jazz band set up on the stage to play several numbers. A couple more Schnitzelbanks, more jazz numbers, and another Schnitzelbank. Everything was in dialect, so I didn’t understand totally. We were waiting for another Güggeli, but none came after 22:00. I saw a  mother of a kid I work with. Sibylle left at 23:00, and I was anxious to go as well because the smoke was irritating my throat and eyes. Didn’t get home until 24:00.

A couple of the verses were: "They put up so  many traffic lights on a certain street, that if it were steeper, they could have a slalom ski race."

Or, "the ice hockey team is doing so much better because they get energy eating candy bars (their sponsor this year) instead of getting lazy reading the newspaper (their sponsor last year)."

Schnitzelbank verse

Schnitzelbank verse

Schnitzelbank verse

Local Evening Entertainment (2/12/1983)

Saturday, February 12, 1983

Just before 18:00, Barbara S arrived to take Marsha C and me to her apartment in Vingelz. We waited while she showered, and the doorbell rang. Marsha answered and it was Barbara’s friend Stefan. He went into the bathroom to kiss Barbara hello! He came back out to speak to us in Oxford English. They were supposed to explain a play to us, but didn’t get past page one. I read page two of the play in dialect: “Morge früeh wenn d’Sunne lacht/early morning when the sun laughs” I could understand some of it. We left at 19:00, me with Barbara and Marsha with Stefan, going through Biel and Nidau, then St Niklaus towards Aarberg, arriving in Walperswil, a tiny Swiss farming community with its “fresh” air! We entered a large building with a restaurant on the ground floor. We went up stone stairs (no railing!) to pay 8 CHF/$4 to get a red wristband and enter a large room with a makeshift stage and rows of rickety wooden chairs. The ceiling was painted but now flaking and electrical wiring was exposed on the surfaces of the walls and ceilings. There was a pot-bellied stove. Most of the seats were reserved, but we were very early to be sure to get some of the unreserved seats. The place began filling up with lots of old people!

Unterhaltungs Program

At 20:30, the Unterhaltungsabend/evening entertainment program began with the local farmers’ wives choir singing some local songs. Sometimes sour notes, rarely smiling, and reading from music sheets. A lady came out to thank the choir, to welcome everyone, to announce the play, to let us know what came afterwards, and to wish everyone a safe trip home! The play Morge früeh wenn d’Sunne lacht began. It was supposed to be daybreak, but the set remained dark through the whole first act. It was a so-called mixed-up play, and we were here because Ruth D, the hospital secretary, had a part. Afterwards Barbara let Ruth know we would be back, and we hurried to another restaurant in town. We were a distraction for all the farmers drinking beers. Barb and Marsha had coffee, I had Schweppes, and Stefan had an Ovomaltine/Ovaltine and sausage ‘n’ cheese with pickles. We seemed to stay a long time while Barb chatted with the proprietor. Marsha and Stefan decided to go to a disco (Frisbee in Neuchâtel), and Barb and I returned to the entertainment evening. The cast of the play were at a table on the stage behind a duo playing accordion and clarinet. Now there were rows of tables and chairs, with an area cleared for dancing. Most people were sitting and eating. Barb went to talk to her new love, Eric, the stage manager, and I talked with Ruth. The crazy actor and one of the actresses started a chain dance, and ever after that, people stayed out on the dance floor. The “dance of the duck” was played, and by watching others I learned the crazy dance steps.

Sunday, February 13, 1983

Ruth D wanted to leave “early,” so we left at 1:30. Her car was blocked in, so I scraped the frost off the windows while she went to get help. Two guys came out to “bounce” a car out of the way! Ruth drove me home, arriving at 2:00.

Marsha C knocked on my door at 9:15, even though she had come in at 5:15 and had only slept an hour, she was ready to travel! But we ended up talking over breakfast before finally leaving and walking down to Progin for some cookies.

We bought half-price tickets at the train station for 6 CHF/$3 for Neuchâtel, catching the 12:04 train and arriving at 12:25. We walked more or less straight downhill to Faubourg de l'Hôpital and turned right. We went to the front gardens of the l'Hôtel du Peyrou/du Peyrou House (1765-1771) to see the statue of La Baigneuse/the Bather (1948 by André Ramseyer) covered with ice from the fountain.

Ice-covered statue

We continued to the lakefront where it was bitter cold. The Art & History Museum was closed. We walked across the large Place du Post to see the discotheque Frisbee. Over to Place des Halles (1569) to see the  Maison des Halles with the turret and newly painted coats of arms. Next up to the Château, passing two newly-painted fountains. Entered the La Collégiale/Collegiate church (1270-1280), which seemed smaller than it looked. All the pews faced the pulpit, and where the choir should be, there was a cenotaph/funerary monument to the glory of Count Louis de Neuchâtel, with several large statues of knights and nobility representing his family. We went out through the cloister, passed the Château, and headed back downhill.

Château carved windows and detail

At Place Pury we bought 80 Rappen/40 cent tickets to catch the #6 bus to the train station.

Neuchâtel bus ticket

We caught the 14:00 train to Biel, as Marsha was understandably tired, and cold.

The Glacier Express (2/5/1983)

Saturday, February 5, 1983

This morning there was an amazing magenta pink sun rising above the mountains through the fog.

Train day pass

Marsha C and I went to the train station. The sidewalks at the hospital were icy, but they were clear in town. We caught the 8:34 train to Bern, arriving late at 9:10, changing to the 9:21 train to Brig. There was also the 9:16 train, but both promised to be crowded with all the people on their ski vacations. Our train left at 9:30 or so, and Marsha and I had to find separate seats. As we approached the Alps, the tops were covered with clouds. There was snow everywhere. We passed a farmer and his cows, with one cow chasing a dark brown deer around the paddock! A couple of the snow-covered fields were darkened by a layer of manure. I was sitting with a couple on their way to a week in Zermatt. Their son and his three friends were across the aisle. We arrived 20 minutes late at 11:20 in Brig, and joined the crush of people towards the ticket windows. Bought our half-price one-way tickets to Disentis. For some reason the man gave us one round trip and one one-way, but charged only for two one-way tickets, a total of 14 CHF/$7.

Brig to Disentis train ticket

We waited in the cold for the 11:44 Glacier Express with lots of skiers. We were at the wrong end of the train when it pulled in and hurried to the other end to get seats in a car reserved for a school. Suddenly the train pulled out of the station in the opposite direction than I expected! It apparently went around Brig before heading east. We began steadily climbing. Marsha and I had aisle seats and could not see the scenery that well. Even with window seats, it would have been difficult, since it was snowing outside. So we missed the Rhône stream cleft and the large isolated Baroque chapel of Hohen Fluhen. A buffet service cart came through the train, and the two ladies next to us ordered coffee. The man handed me and one lady a small packet. I pointed to the other lady to indicate she was getting the second coffee, but the man also handed Marsha and the other lady the same packets. Turned out to be a free sample of an herbal bonbon. It seemed to also have a slight chocolate taste, and it felt good to me as I had a scratchy throat. The man then handed out plastic cups to everyone, then poured in a third cupful of a caramel-colored soda, like cream soda. A little extra on the Glacier Express!

Bonbon wrapper

All too soon we stopped at Mörel where you could see the Riederalp-Greicheralp ski lifts. Normally the train would not make any stops until Oberwald, but because of the ski season it would make several stops today. We passed through the substantial village of Bettmeralp with more ski lifts and cross country trails alongside the train tracks. The cloudy sky blended with the white of the mountain tops. It was like looking out at a blizzard with occasional glimpses of rocky mountainsides or stands of pine trees. We began seeing scattered raccards/small dark wood barns half covered with snow. The snow was too deep to see if the barns were set on posts or not. We could not see any gorges, passes, mountain peaks, etc. Just snow! We missed seeing the village of Mühlebach where Cardinal Matthäus Schiner was born. Cardinal Schiner was a pioneer of the confederacy who enjoyed the protection of the Popes, and is credited for the tradition of the Papal Swiss Guards. The Goms/Conches valley opened up before us and was fairly wide and flat with cross country ski routes and scattered raccards, as well as villages with dark blackish wood buildings. The train stopped in Reckingen and we could see the large Baroque Pfarrkirche Geburt Mariens/ Parish Church of the Nativity of Mary set among these old wooden buildings. We missed seeing the village of Münster with its church with the candle snuffer spire. At the Oberwald stop, we did not see the little church with the stone avalanche screen. From Oberwald, the train plunged into a long tunnel under the Furka Pass, built in 1982 with a length of 15.4 km/9.6 mi. We were on the narrow-gauge Furka-Oberalp-Bahn/railway (FOB). We arrived at Andermatt to let off most of the skiers. The train jerked about a bit as cars were removed and added. As we left Andermatt, we could see avalanche barriers galore above the town. It was still snowing as we zigzagged up a mountain. At one point we saw skiers coming out of a tunnel on a hillside! Then we saw the other end where they skied in! The train seemed to climb and climb. The snow was really deep, piled higher than the train itself at points, usually up to its windows. Our view was generally all-white anyway. We could see rooftops of buried buildings, and tips of poles along now impassable snow-covered roads. We seemed to be following a stream that could occasionally be glimpsed between snow-covered rocks. There was no sign of the lake that covers Oberalp Pass, nor of vertical silos for early harvested grain! Just snow-covered raccards, old wooden houses, and a few cross country skiers, some with dogs for company. We arrived in Disentis for more coupling of cars, making thee train double in length. Disentis had a nice station with carved wood and painted designs on the posts holding up the overhanging roof. As the train pulled out of Disentis, we saw the yellow-painted abbey, from which the town gets its Romansch name of Mustér. The Benedictine abbey dates from the 8C and the adjoining Baroque church had a painted facade and looked like those in Ticino. We strated down a narrow steep valley covered with snow-tipped evergreens. Every little village had its church, and we saw the bulbous belfry of Somvix. The train stopped in Trun, but of course we didn’t recognize the maple tree grown from a seedling of the great maple tree of Trun under which a pact was made. Nor did we see the large building Cuort Ligia Grischa with black and white shutters, the former residence of abbots. The next stop was Ilanz, the former capital of the Grisons/Gray League. All in all, I guess winter time is not the time to ride the Glacier Express for the views.

We were to arrive in Chur at 16:03, but arrived at 16:30. We thought we had missed the 16:24 to Zürich, but it was waiting for us! We had to stand in the vestibule with smokers, and I was glad when after a couple stops we were able to find seats in no-smoking. We arrived in Zürich 20 minutes late at 18:10, but the 18:04 train to Biel was waiting for us! Arrived in Biel at 19:45 and it was raining.

Sunday, February 6, 1983

Went to an organ concert at the Stadtkirche/City Church.

Thursday, February 10, 1983

Hans-Rüdi S picked me up at 20:20 and drove carefully through the snow to their house. They showed me their newly built hearth and then Brigitte and I started our French lesson. We had a Belgian ham sandwich. Then I helped Brigitte write a letter in English. Hans-Rüdi drove me home by 23:30.

International Meals (1/27-2/3/1983)

Thursday, January 27, 1983

I was ready to make myself spaghetti when Jong-Soon invited me to dinner. She had a chicken cooking in a pot with a spicy sauce. She also had rice and a Chinese cabbage salad soaked in spicy oil that had fermented itself. A delicious spicy meal.

Friday, January 28, 1983

I was boiling water for spaghetti again, when Christel W (former nurse who lived next to Jong-Soon) came in looking for Jong-Soon, who wasn’t around. Christel invited me to go for a walk, so I turned off the stove, and we left. Walking through the old town, we saw Jong-Soon approaching ahead. We stepped in the doorway of the Stadttheater/City Theater to hide, and popped out when Jong-Soon passed. Christel literally dragged Jong-Soon along with us on our walk. We went Seevorstadt and along the Schusspromenade to the lake. The lakeshore was lighted here and there, and looked both eerie and romantic. The lake had white caps and the full moon was fogged over in prismatic colors. We returned to the Personalhaus/staff residence and I cooked my spaghetti noodles as Jong-Soon prepared a sauce, sautéing onions and carrots, adding water from the noodles, mayonnaise, oil and vinegar, and paprika galore. An unusual spicy spaghetti sauce. We ate sitting on the floor in Jong-Soon’s room, watching her mini-TV (the screen being 2 inches square if even that!).

Saturday, January 29, 1983

A rainy day, so I stayed home to take notes from “The Agony and the Ecstasy” and an Italian guidebook. Marsha C arrived about 18:30 from her vacation in Arosa with Fr Dr Jo D. After dumping off her things, she went over to the hospital for x-rays of her hand. The x-rays were not definitive, but she may have broken her first metacarpal/thumb from a fall when skiing!

Tuesday, February 1, 1983

After work I went down to the Popularis travel agency in the old town and booked an Easter weekend tour to the Côte d'Azur. The flat price for transportation, full pension, and a couple side trips was 545 CHF/$273 per person with no possibility of half-price reduction with our half-price train passes. I next went to the train station to book a weekend trip to Paris for me and Marsha C, and Sibylle B as well. The standard package for a double was 145 CHF/$73 per person, the train fare itself was 135 CHF! First I asked if we could get a three person room; yes, with a 10% discount for the third person. Then whether we could use our half-price train passes for the Swiss portion of the trip. Surprisingly, yes! It came to about 128 CHF/$64 for each of us. I was asked for a down payment of 50 CHF/$25 per person. As I was not expecting to have to deal with money now, I only had 100 CHF with me. That was accepted. The receipt was in the form of a gift certificate which I would use to pay the final bill when I picked up the tickets. On my way home I picked up the skis and paid only the 140 CHF/$70; nothing extra for adjustments, etc. The boots were in the bindings, otherwise it didn’t look like they did any other work. The edges were sharp enough, but it seemed like the skis needed wax. I carried the rather heavy skis and boots home, and could not manage an umbrella when it started to rain, so got soaked.

Thursday, February 3, 1983

After work I walked home with Jan for the purpose of taking notes on Paris from their “Let’s Go Europe” travel guide. Kirby invited me to stay for dinner, so I explained I was helping Sibylle B make us a spaghetti dinner. But Kirby had made an extra special dinner and I was convinced to stay. We had tonkatsu/pork cutlets, chopped lettuce with dressing, sautéed zucchini, and slices of orange. And quark/farmers’ cheese for dessert. I was stuffed, and at 19:30 I ran back to the Personalhaus/staff residence where I thought I would be late to help Sibylle, and I had the key to Marsha C’s room where all the herbs and spices were kept. But as I rushed up the stairs, Sibylle was just arriving herself! She began making her spaghetti sauce; a tomato sauce with onion, garlic, carrots, and pineapple chunks, along with every imaginable spice! The secret may be the pineapple. When Marsha came home from her German class at 20:20, we cooked the noodles and I fixed the salad. Marsha made the salad dressing, and Sylvia W came up to join us to eat. I managed to get away with taking only a few strands of noodles and picked at it slowly. The sauce was really tasty. Sylvia made coffee. We were all too stuffed to have popcorn.