Swiss Pioneers (9/30/1983)

Friday, September 30, 1983
After work, Marsha Cotter drove me downtown. There was the Nidaugassefest with the various clubs of Biel having a booth and/or performing. The stores had show windows where these clubs were featured. The Swiss Pioneers Drum and Bugle Corps set up a Festwirtschaft/food tent, selling bratwurst and cervelat with bread, French fries, and drinks. They had picnic tables set up and an information stand. At about 18:00 the club members, including Marsha, left to get dressed for their performance. I was left to man the stand. Fortunately only one person stopped by asking if he could have a sticker. Yes, for 2 CHF/$1. He decided not to get one.

Swiss Pioneers info page 1

Swiss Pioneers info page 2

The Swiss Pioneers came to stand at the corner and out to do their thing, with Marsha playing the quad tenor drums.

Marsha and the Swiss Pioneers

When they were finished and returned to the stand, I had dinner of a bratwurst with a slice of bread and a dab of mustard, and French fries. Also a Sinalco/orange soda, all for 7.20 CHF/$3.50. I just left 8 CHF. Marsha just had a Pepsi because she had a stomach virus, and probably shouldn’t have gone home after work! I went home and then got a call from Jan asking if I wanted to go to a movie with Kirby (why wasn’t he calling?). Kirby picked me up and we drove to the Rex Cinema to see Superman III at 20:15.

Superman III movie ticket

Grosse Scheidegg (9/25/1983)

Sunday, September 25, 1983

I went down to Jan & Kirby’s by 8:55 and we soon left, driving to Grindelwald. The fog was lifting and it looked like another great day. We arrived in Grindelwald at 10:45, parked and ran up to the train station. There we saw Hans Rüdi with the kids (6-yr old Mathieu, 7-yr old Michael, and 8-yr old Barbara) and Brigitte following close behind. Hans Rüdi thought a bus left at 11:00, so we hurried over to the bus stop, but one didn’t leave until 11:30. So everyone except me ate their lunches because they were so hungry! Hans Rüdi went to buy tickets, and ended up buying them for everyone. So I don’t know if my half-price pass would have been valid, maybe not. The one-way ticket to Grosse Scheidegg (the Great Divide!) cost 10.40 CHF/$5.

Grindelwald to Grosse Scheidegg bus ticket

The S family and I boarded the bus and Barbara asked me to sit with her. We found that our seats reclined, but would only stay that way if you put on a “brake.” It was a fairly old bus and the aisle was only about 8 inches wide. The driver sat on the right side. The windows curved over the roof line. The bus left a little late and headed up through Grindelwald. Once outside of town, we came to a glacier that flowed down to nearly our level. It looked like pale blue Styrofoam! We left the public road and started up a zigzagging one-lane limited access road (for farmers and park rangers?). Zig and zag, up and up past the tree line with varying views of the glacier and the cliff with a glacier on top, and high thin waterfalls. I think this tremendous cliff was the Wetterhorn mountain. The mountain tops were still covered with clouds. We passed lots of hitchhikers and cows, with a barn here and there. We were dropped off at a collection of wooden buildings, where it was windy and cool. We put on our jackets and started hiking towards First.

View NE from Grosse Scheidegg

Zoom view NE from Grosse Scheidegg

Wellhorn and glacier

We were moving laterally along a mountainside, but still had the ups and downs of hills. It was wonderful being right in the mountains, and it reminded me of Gran Paradiso National Park in Italy. But there we didn’t see any other hikers, and here there were loads of hikers! Mathieu was pushed along in his buggy.

Barbara, Hans Rüdi, Brigitte with Mathieu, and Kirby

We discussed why the glacier was blue. The Swiss thought it was the Föhn/down slope wind. Well, yeah, in that the warm wind melts the snow/ice, which later refreezes/recrystallizes and in its new form it refracts the light differently. After about an hour, Michael decided we should stop and picnic. He was urged to continue a bit farther, but eventually he just sat down. We had finally come out into the sun, so we stopped for lunch. I had crackers and tuna fish with a boiled egg. Kirby found a hair in the tuna fish. Not again! How embarrassing!

Jan, Barbara

Back: Michael; Middle: Barbara, Hans Rüdi, Mathieu, Brigitte;
Front: Jan and Kirby

Then Jan & Kirby decided it was time to start hiking again. So onward.

Glacier

We passed a community of closed wooden buildings with several water troughs.

Michael, Barbara, Brigitte with Mathieu

Looking back at community of closed buildings

Wetterhorn

The views were unbelievable! After a while we came to a crossroads saying it was an hour up to the First station of the chairlift, and about 2 hours down to Grindelwald. The vote was for walking down. The clouds had left the mountaintops and it was really warm in the sun.

Mountain stream

Lesser mountains to the NW

Barbara at a cow barrier

Grindelwald Glacier

Summer barns

Seeing more of Grindelwald Glacier

I saw two yellow PTT buses way off in the distance winding their way down from Grosse Scheidegg.

Two tiny yellow dots just above
the trees are the PTT buses

Wetterhorn

We passed cows and goats (one being very pregnant and sway-backed). We passed tumbling streams, and made a stop for the S family to rest on a rock.

Barbara, Hans Rüdi, Brigitte, Michael

We heard a thundering sound and Hans Rüdi said it was an avalanche, or snow falling from the glacier. When we were sitting, we heard rumbling that reminded me of Meiringen where I heard the echoing reverberations of shots at a shooting stand. No, no, the Ss said. There is shooting only on Sunday mornings. It was rather repetitive, to be so many avalanches! Oh, well. But later as we came into view of Grindelwald, we saw a shooting stand way below us with the targets being raised and lowered. Doch! It was the shooting! But there were also a couple avalanches because the Ss had actually seen some falling snow.
Kirby had stepped into a hole and twisted his ankle. He managed to march on ahead and we lost sight of him. We arrived in Grindelwald and walked along the upper part of town, then down to the main street at the Firstbahn station. There were a couple hang gliders above us.

Hang glider

Grindelwald Glacier

Monch and Jungfrau from Grindelwald

The Ss wanted to stop for a drink, but we had to find Kirby first, at the parking lot near the train station. Kirby didn’t want to go for a drink because he had bought himself a can of Pepsi. The rest of us went to the restaurant at the Sportzentrum/sport center. I had a Pepita and left 2.50 CHF/$1.25 and then Jan and I used the restroom and went to the parking lot. We drove towards home, and it got dark fast. Past Interlaken, the traffic had stopped already. There was a police car sitting on the overpass above us. Kirby decided to make a U-turn and cross the overpass to get to the other side of the lake. As we came on to the overpass, the police stepped out of the car! They stopped us and asked for the driver’s license and car documents. They let us know they weren’t happy with the move we made. We drove along the other side of the lake, and halfway along we ran into stopped traffic again. We inched our way to Thun, then past Thun we kept moving, but slowly. Nearing Biel, we had a vote, which had us get off at the Brugg exit and go into Aegerten to the Trattoria Zia Carmela. I had gnocchi casalinga (ground meat sauce) and a Henniez for about 11 CHF/$5. Kirby had the Vulcana Pizza, hotter than the last time, and a green salad. Jan had a salad and the spaghetti carbonara which was her best ever. We left by 21:00 and drove to Jan & Kirby’s and I walked home.

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!

Rebenweg/Vineyard Trail (9/18/1983)

Saturday, September 17, 1983

Woke up with the same terrific headache I went to bed with. Marsha C came to pick me up at 11:40 and drove down to park near the Kongresshaus/convention center. We walked to Christens Hairdressers on Güterstrasse, to have our hair washed and cut. Jean-Claude trimmed Marsha’s hair and assistants dried it and curled it. Jean-Claude returned to brush and style her hair. I had Brigitte who showed me a picture, but I wanted my hair to be short. So she cut my hair at basically none length and let it curl back on its own. Despite not wanting a blow-dry, I got it with a curl brush to train my curls! So it turned out to be a puff with semi-bangs. Marsha thought it looked wonderful, but wait until my curls rebel! The cost was 56 CHF/$28. I am normally too cheap to spend that much on my hair!

New haircut

Sunday, September 18, 1983

It looked like a great day. I got a lot of chores done, and by 14:30 I was at the hospital to wait for Marsha C. We drove to Tüscherz and parked right at the train station. The mountains had disappeared behind a hill, but as we climbed up through the town, the appeared clear against the blue sky. Wispy clouds floated above. We hiked along the Rebenweg/Vineyard Path, as were many other people.

St Petersinsel in the Bielersee/Lake Biel

The sun was very warm and there were thick clusters of grapes on every vine. Dark purple/bluish ones, green ones, light purple/reddish ones. There were vines on poles and vines on wire lattice-work, and a few arbors.

White grapes

And always the Alps beyond the lake with its sailboats.

The Alps 

Bird nets

Rebenweg/Grape Path/Vineyard Trail

Bielersee/Lake Biel

Purple grapes

Grape clusters

Marsha in the vinetard

Grape vine

We passed a small town below us, then the larger town of Twann.

Twann

Looking back at Twann

We took a little detour in the Twannbachschlucht/gorge costing 50 Rappen/25 cents, where we were suddenly plunged into the dark cool woods to see a stream tumbling over lots of picturesque little falls, and down long wide and smooth sluices (made by nature).

Twannbachschlucht/gorge ticket

Twannbachschlucht

Near the beginning was a pool in a cave. The gorge had sheer walls, but they weren’t so high and the little valley was green trees and undergrowth, with moss on the rocks in the stream. We saw little numbered posts of a Waldspfad/forest trail, which we assumed were markers for a nature guide of some sort. We hiked upwards a ways, then it began to level off, so we returned to the Rebenweg. Along the Rebenweg were informational signs explaining the types of grapes, the work needed, the types of harmful diseases and insects, etc. We could see St Petersinsel/island in the Bielersee/Lake Biel below us.

The Alp, St Peterinsel, and Bielersee/Lake Biel

We headed downhill to the church in Ligerz that had a lovely garden and a terrace with a view.

Ligerz church

The church itself was closed for a concert. We stood at the door to listen a bit. We continued into the town of Ligerz, passing under the funicular. We went past the Weinmuseum/Wine Museum and along a really quaint little street to the train station. It was 17:15 and there was no train until 18:03. We checked the boat schedule, and no boat until 18:10. We stopped at the Seegarten for drinks and to split a banana split. We bought our half-price tickets for 70 Rappen/35 cents from a machine and took the 18:03 train to Tüscherz. Marsha drove to her apartment and we hit a traffic jam in Biel. Ruth and Urs were busy preparing their income tax, so I sort of helped Marsha prepare dinner of pork chops with Pepperidge Farm stuffing, and beans and mushrooms in a cream sauce (no Durkee crispy onions on top!). After dinner, Ruth and Urs ran errands and Marsha and I watched some TV. We saw a Bolshoi Ballet performance in Wien/Vienna. They did highlight dances from Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet, and Spartacus. Ruth brought us dessert of meringue with marrone vermicelli/chestnut “noodles” topped with whipped cream. Marsha drove me home at 22:00.

Vienna Boys' Choir (9/16/1983)

Friday, September 16, 1983

Marsha C and I left work at 17:00 today and went to the Personalhaus/staff residence to change into dressy clothes. We hurried to Jan & Kirby’s by 17:30, but Kirby was busy on the phone. The three of us left at 17:50 as Marsha drove us to Bern. It was clearing up after a rainy day and we could see the mountains. We found a parking spot in front of Mövenpick and walked over to Wendy’s for dinner. I haven’t had any appetite lately. The digestive system is at one extreme or the other with lots of cramping since the trip to Italy.

We walked over near the Kornhaus/granary to the oldest church in Bern, the Französiche Kirche/French Church (1269), a reformed church that was the center for Huguenot exiles. We arrived at 19:30 and a few minutes later Jan arrived with their landlady, Madame Villoz. We purchased tickets for 24 CHF/$12 each and I got a program for 2 CHF/$1.

Vienna Boys' Choir ticket

Program cover pages 4 & 1

Program cover pages 2 & 3

We were in the third row on the left and right in the center was a grand piano with two narrow platforms on either side. The program began a little after 20:15; the Wiener Sängerknaben/Vienna Boys’ Choir! The dozen boys in white sailor shirts, navy pants, and shiny patent leather shoes came clumping out to stand on both sides of the piano. They looked like brats but sang like angels! A tie-ed and tailed director came out. He played the piano and conducted, and at times stood to direct, giving very specific directions with hand and body movements including pulling on his jaw and tapping his stomach. He even motioned when they should bow so that everything was in unison. When they sang, they turned slightly toward the center, then they would turn forward to accept the applause and bow. Of the program, they sang the Heinrich Schütz piece, O der Grossen Wundertaten/Oh, the Great Miracle, and then half of the Sanctus-Benedictus/Holy Blessing by Jacobus Kerle. One boy did a solo by Felix Mendelssohn. The choir sang Um Mitternacht/At Midnight by Anton Bruckner and three pieces by Petr Eben, all in Czech.

The choir left for a break and Jan & Kirby insisted we all switch seats, as if any one was better than the other! Soon the boys clumped back out and sang one right after the other, a series of carols by Benjamin Britten. It was difficult to determine what language they were singing! Latin, Olde English?! A combination? They really showed the extent of their repertoire, with a couple very quick-paced songs. Partway through the final song, there was a pause and some of the audience began clapping, so that they couldn’t finish properly. They left for another break, and this one was longer. When they returned they sang Das Dörfchen/The Village by Franz Schubert, then a trio of boys did an operetta-like Die Advokaten/The Attorneys, also by Schubert, which included the kling, kling, kling of coins and a little dramatics. In quick succession, they sang three songs in English by Hanns Eisler, with four soloists. Next were German and Austrian folk songs, followed by a polka and the Kaiserwaltz by Johann Strauss. The choir departed, but returned for an encore of another Strauss polka. It was wonderful and the variety of their repertoire was amazing. Since I find it nerve-wracking to watch the facial mannerisms of the singers, I am looking forward to hearing (rather than seeing) them sing a Mass in Vienna. However, it was great watching the director, since you expect body language from him. Otherwise, my own face got tired from arching the eyebrows, darting eyes, cocking the head, and nodding, etc. The director, Michael Gormley, looked American to me somehow. (N.B. He was born in Canada.)

Afterwards we went to Mövenpick, where I had pistachio ice cream, Madam Villoz had tea, Jan had Kaffee HAG and chocolate and coffee ice cream, Marsha had a coffee, and Kirby had a coffee and a banana split. We went to leave in the same cars we arrived in, and Jan with Madame Villoz led Marsha out of Bern. While waiting for Jan to come around, we saw a man trying to crawl across a street and he was blocking a taxi. No one came to help, until finally a man came to stand the guy up and walk him across the street. (We were a block away.) Marsha got off at the Brugg exit, and Kirby and I changed to Jan’s car. Home by 23:30.