Lunch with Heinz and The Rothenbühler Blues: Monday, September 30th!

Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. -Elie Wiesel, writer, Nobel laureate (30 Sep 1928-2016) 

Dear Corinne and Pat I am glad to hear from Eveline and Heinz that you arrived well in Bern and that you are able to stay with Fiona! It is too bad it didn’t work you with your stay in Ittigen in this situation. 

Sabine, the kids and I have arrived well in Mürren yesterday, where we stay in Sabine’s family apartment here. As we are used now for a few weeks we are all sleeping in the same room with plenty of mattresses and Sabine’s brother on the couch for a few days. It’s a big adventure, mostly for the kids :-) We had an exceptionally warm and friendly day up here, with temps still around 10° tomorrow and then dropping on Wednesday with some rain. On Thursday it is forecasted to become sunny again. I don’t know if you have visited the Lauterbrunnen valley before. In my opinion the most scenic place around Bern, somewhat similar to Yosemite valley and 1h 54 min by train from Bern. If you consider to come up here we would be most delighted to show you the village!

As you might know, we returned from Copenhagen end of August and had a few hectic weeks with housing search in Basel. We have settled now for a rented apartment and will move there on November 1st - very much looking forward to it. I am still working on the research projects until end of November with a few trips to Copenhagen in the meantime (I will also fly up on the 7th til 11th of October). 
 

My idea with a autumn trip to Italy didn’t work out, as is is just too much for the kids and we depend on friends and infrastructure, e.g. playgrounds right now to keep everybody happy (and daddy able to work).

So this is a brief update. Apart from Lia, who was down with an angina tonsillaris for a few days now everybody is doing fine. We are especially delighted to see Nils with 8 months moving around and busy in exploring the surroundings and toys. With best wishes from all of us, Nils, Max, Lia, Sabine and Simon 

Greetings to Famiglia Bernese! Trust everyone is well. After spending Saturday night in Zurich we caught the train to Bern yesterday to stay with Fiona, a former "host daughter", as many of you might know. She and her boyfriend, Severin, are off to Italy tomorrow, for a week, so we have her spacious apartment all to ourselves until next Saturday. We feel very fortunate indeed.

Over the course of this coming week we hope to arrange a "bash" for as many of the other former students, (and their parents), who have lived and/or visited with us starting more than thirty years ago, and are now in Bern, or nearbye. We are free every evening, except today, so we would be delighted to "entertain" any or all who are free on a given evening. Let us know which night, (or even during the day if that is more convenient), or nights might work and we'll plan accordingly.

We are staying at Neubrückstrasse 43 and the name is under Fiona Leu. If you buzz we think we can let you in! If the door doesn't open immediately, be patient, as I'll have to run down 68 stairs, (Fiona lives on the third floor, no elavator, so wear your hiking boots and Lederhosen!], to let you in manually.

We were just on the phone, last night, with Fiona's uncle, Heinz, father of two former ESL students, to arrange to have lunch together today. He happens to be leaving for Ticino so last chance to see him here. Fiona's apartment is extremely well-located so we can stroll into the "old" centre of Bern in little more than ten or fifteen minutes. Also right next to the train station so that makes our "nomadic" life much easier. Cheers to one and all and hope to see everyone who can make it soon! Patrizzio!

PS: I know some of you are not available but I've included you anyway! Nicole please invite your parents if they are available, as well as Corinna as I don't have their email addresses. Nadienka, please stop by on your way home from Oslo! Simon please forward to Nikolevitch as he is always welcome as long as he brings Single Malt!

Dear friends That sounds like an interesting and intense week in Bern. Annemarie and I would like to invite you on Thursday evening for a dinner with us. We pick you up and bring you back to Bern. But if you like, we could meet on Thursday afternoon and do something together before having dinner. We tried Lymann’s to achieve (without success, maybe they are in the holidays). Anyway, they would be invited too. See you soon. Rudy and Annemarie Hello Anna Maria Tremonte and Rudolphino!

Thank you so much for your more than lovely invitation. Of course, we are more than delighted to accept your wonderfully generous offer. Feel rather badly, however, since we were the ones who wanted to invite you to our students' attic to serve box wine and pig's knuckles! That being said, since we have not yet finalized plans for next few days, in terms of seeing friends, I think, if this is not being too, too presumptuous, we should arrange for the Ortschwaben Chauffeur to collect us, whenever convenient, (around 3:00-4:00 pm, perhaps?), so that we might have much of the earlier part of Thursday to meet with any people not free in the evening, this week. Again, thank you for your exceptional hospitality. Let us know what you think and we'll plan accordingly. Fondestos from Lady Dar to you both. Cheers, Patrizzio! 

Hi Pat Sorry that i didn’t get back to you sooner. Are you enjoying your time in my beloved homecountry so far? 😊 We are free Wednesday evening and would love to take you out for dinner. Would that fit into your plans? Hope to see you soon Nicole Hi Pat If ok with you, we (Mario, Roland, myself, maybe Michèle and Renate) would take you out on Wednesday. Drinks at my place (5 minutes away from where I guess you are staying) and then dinner in the city. If anyone else wants to joint, please let me know by tonight. Looking forward to seeing you very soon Nicole 

Hello Nicolina! We are more than delighted to accept your wonderfully generous offer. Since you mention that we are staying relatively close to where you live please send us the address and we'll scope out the route before Wednesday. As well, if you have time and inclination, along with anyone else, you could pop over on Tuesday evening for a drink and a pre-visit visit as well. I know people lead busy lives but I mention it as a possibility. Furthermore, I know from Anna Maria Tremonte and Rudi Rudenheimer that they tried to contact your parents to join us for dinner at their place but were unable to reach them. 
 

Perhaps you could extend the invitation. Much appreciated. Let us know what you think about all of the above and we'll plan accordingly. Fondestos from Lady Dar to you and Mario and Famiglia Lymann. We both look forward to seeing everyone and I know that Michele and Wayne were terribly disappointed not to have been able to visit Bern as well and asked us to bring best wishes to everyone on their behalf. Cheers, Patrizzio! Länggassstrasse 28, 3012 Bern <https://goo.gl/maps/STs6ZW2WjeHopf1J6> Dear Patrick That's a good idea. We pick you up on Thursday at Neubrückstrasse 43 between 3.00 and 4.00 pm. Annemarie makes a fine dinner for the evening. By the way, eventually we'll see each other already on Wednesday night (see Nicole) and we can then discuss details. see you Rudy  
 

Hi again, Rudy! Thanks for speedy reply and for picking us up, of course. Very pleased to learn that we will see you on Wednesday as well! As you mention, we can discuss details of timing for Thursday on Wednesday evening. Fond regards to you both from Lady Dar. Thanks again. See you soon. Tomorrow we plan to walk to the Rose Garden to enjoy the view of the old town. Afterwards, Imelda will "dump" me as she wants to wander the boutiques! Cheers, Patrizzio! Dear Patrick I hope you are all well and enjoying Switzerland in this beautiful fall weather. I would love to meet you two to hear how you are doing. I am working currently at ETH Zurich from Monday to Wednesday, but could make it to Bern for a visit on either Wednesday or Thursday evening from 7:30 pm on. If you do not have already plans, let me know what suits you! Looking forward! Sincerly, Nikolevitch You can reach me anytime under this number, in case I am busy I will call you back in short time. 

 

Hello Nikolevitch and Nicolina! How wonderful to hear from you! We had lunch with Heinz today and he told us a bit about your new artistic career but it will be even more fascinating to learn more from you in person! Nicole has very kindly arranged to have a gathering at her place, [Länggassstrasse 28, which is only about ten minutes from Fiona's apartment, [Neubrückstrasse 43, where we are staying.], and then out to dinner afterwards. [Nicole, you will see Nicolevitch's cell number, in message below, so perhaps you could give him a shout, at some point, to fill him in on more details as timing may well be an issue for him coming by train, etc., depending on which evening he will make the journey from Zurich.] Fiona left for Italy this morning and her roommate is still on holidays so you could sleep here, overnight, Mighty Nicos if you are not returning to Zurich and need a place to stay.
 

Furthermore, Anna Maria Tremonte and Rudi Rudenheimer, [Nadienka's, (aka Nadia), parents. Apparently she is stranded in a fjord somewhere near Bergen!], have kindly invited people to their place on Thursday evening. As already arranged they will be picking us up between 3:00 - 4:00 pm that afternoon as they live in Ortschwaben. This being the case ,Wednesday may well be more convenient for you, given your own time constraints. Anyway, you decide whatever works for you and let us know so that we can all plan accordingly.

Nicolina, thank you for sending your address and map. I also understand, from a message from AMT/RR that they will also be coming to your place on Wednesday. I will suggest that Flamin' and Sarge fly over to join the bash!
Thank you both for making such generous efforts to make our visit so enjoyble. Fondestos from Lady Darjeeling to you both. Will chat soon. All the best. Cheers, Patrizzio!

Dear Patrick and Corinne Thank you for your news from Bern! Monica and I spend wonderful days in Corsica until oct 8th. We enjoy the island with its food, wine, friendly people and nice walks along the sea! Too bad we cannot meet you at home at least for a nice bottle of red wine! Hope to see you Folks some time later. Cheers Max & Monica

Hi Carole, et al! I'm happy to volunteer on October 16th if someone is still needed. Cheers from Bern to all at The Dream! Patrizzio!

Hi all, Is anyone interested in leading a hike this coming Thursday? Let me know and I will send out the weekly blurb. Cheers, Jim Second call……anyone able to lead a hike on Thursday this week? Please let me know soon. Cheers, Jim