Tuesday, November 26, 2013

70



70
October 1, 2013

                           Yes, this is it, I am 70 year Old today. It is not sinking in yet, in my mind I am still in the fifties!   OK, I admit, I am not in top shape to walk around, but this is because health wise I just finish my worst year ever. After all, last year on my birthday I managed to roll a Golf cart down the hill and my head landed on the concrete of the cart path. I ended up with 17 metal clamps in my head.  Two weeks later I had a stroke and  in January I picked up Pneumonia. Just months later on May fourth, I had a dumb accident and broke my left ankle. After 2 operations and 10 weeks of therapy I started walking again without crutches just about 4 weeks before my Switzerland vacation. 
     You see, after all this, I am especially happy making it to be 70! 

                             This morning Andrea and Toni had to go to work and Donna and I went to a supermarket to get some chocolate we could not find the day before.

This is how a produce section in a supermarket should look like!

Switzerland is known for there Cheese and it shows here, It is a great display in front and behind Donna.
In the background you see the display of beautiful cuts of venison. 

The meat department was over 150 feet long with a butcher shop on the end for custom cuts! 
All the meat is vacuum packed.


                           In the afternoon I received my birthday gift from Andrea and Toni

 Raclette oven for two,  500 gram of raclette cheese and 
a nice bottle of Epesses

Even on a busy day Andre and Toni always find time for farming
and now they got Donna and me involved in that great but time consuming Game.


                                 Just before 5 pm we all got ready for dinner and my birthday party at the Restaurant "Zum Wilden Mann".
                                  Now let me tell you, since I live over 3000 miles away I only see my family every 2 to 3 or sometimes 5 Years and even it was not a surprise any more because somebody spilled the beans yesterday, it was still phenomenal having everybody of our family together after a long, long time.
                                 Thank you Toni and Andrea to organize this fantastic event. You know since we are getting older you never know when it is the last time!

Here are pictures  of our happy  party

On the way down to the Restaurant
Donna, Brigit and Andrea

Posing for my picture

Nice private gathering

My brother Heinz

Lilian and Heinz

Andrea and Toni getting their seats

Benne, Brigit, Lilian Heinz and me

Good brotherly conversation, I think he is a little jealous of me
 still having my hair. Ha

Maria is not sure what this is all about

Livia with her father Fabian
(Fabian is Heinz and Lilian's son)

Fabian, Livia and Lilian

Andrea, Toni, Mark and Corine
(Corine is Heinz and Lilian's Daughter)

Fabia, Maria and Livia
(Fabia is Fabians wife and Livia and Maria their children)

Toni, Mark and Corine
(Mark is Corine's Spouse)

Waiting for our entree

Benne, Brigit, Donna and me

Heinz, Lilian, Benne and Brigit

Toni, Mark, Corine, Fabia and Maria

Fabia and Fabian with Maria

Toni, Mark and Corine

Heinz is telling us a story


Benne and Brigit
(It's a long story, but Brigit is best friend of the family and lives with Benne)

Donna is observing this crazy Ackermann brothers

Just received a box of "Badener Stein" chocolate from Fabian,
my wonderful God Son

It is late and Daddy has to take care of Maria
In the Background my thirsty brother Heinz

We all had a great time

Andrea explaining some facts of life.

I wish I know what they talk about?
It must be hilarious.

I think it is time to go home.

It looks like Donna is ready to stay a bit longer.

                              It was a great Party and we all made it home safe. Again a thank you to Andrea and Toni who made this possible. I hope we don't wait for a gathering like that until I'm 80!!









Monday, November 25, 2013

GRINDELWALD 2013 Departure time



                         Saturday Sept, 28.  Our last day before departure back to Neerach. Of course we had one more day, but lots of plans. Our first priority was going to Interlaken and visit Andrea's mother, Rosli. She is 84 year old and in excellent spirit and shape. She lives in the middle of town in a forth floor condo. and as always we found her right away. It is always good to talk to her and see how happy she is.

Rosli and Donna

She is always so happy

                          We had some good laughs and stayed for a couple of hours before she accompanied us down to the main street and directed us to the right store. I had to get my Swatch repaired, the one I just bought 7 days ago. You think Swiss workmanship should last a little longer than 7 days.  The Swatch store owner was very accommodating and replaced the broken part.
                            After a last look at some great stores in Interlaken we headed back to Grindelwald to our home but not before a quick visit to the restaurant Grund for some Ice Beers and a Plumli and we took a pizza with us.
                              Donna started to clean the upstairs and had two loads of laundry going while I went back to the store for some Nussli salad and Epesses. We really enjoyed our last night up here with a good dinner, Epesses and a great evening scenery.

Donna on the way to do some laundry in the basement

Last evening on the balcony

The Wetterhorn (12000 feet)

A close up

The front of the house, a new addition.

The Eiger Nordwand from the back window of the house

                            Sunday, Sept 29.  After a good night sleep and a breakfast of leftovers we cleaned the rest of the house, stored the balcony furniture and closed the heavy shutters.  We left the house at 11:30 in direction of Bern.
                              We had an appointment to meet Heinz and Margaret at Grauholz, a Restaurant in Schonebuhl about 10 miles outside Bern on the highway to Zurich.
                              Heinz is a great friend of mine for the past 50 years. In 1961 we did our cook apprenticeship together in Montricher, a small village in the french part of Switzerland, and later we worked together in Switzerland, England and Acapulco Mexico.

We met Margaret and Heinz at Restaurant Grauholz

Heinz had some health problems lately and has a difficult time walking 

but he has adjusted well to his slower lifestyle and seems to be very happy


                             We had a great time reminiscing about our younger years and our professional accomplishments, leaving about 3:30 pm. 
                             Back on the road to Neerach we approached Turgi, the village where I was born and grew up. We decided  to stop and eat something in one of my favorite Restaurant. We veered off the highway and went to my old stomping grounds. It was Sunday evening  and I was looking forward to visit  a Restaurant I used to work on weekends when I was still in school. But we got surprised how everything changed just in the last 3 years.
                              The Restaurant Limmattal was under renovation, next the Restaurant Landhus was closed for vacation for 3 weeks, next the Restaurant Krone was replaced by a high rise building. Next the Restaurant Traube, once a gourmet Restaurant is now a refuge for immigrants. Needless to say, we are getting a little bit hungry. Of course I know more restaurants on the way to Neerach and we got lucky by the next attempt.  On top of the Hertenstein, a small mountain, we found the Restaurant Jagerhuus. It was open and we got served the best Cervelat salad of our vacation.

Finally something to eat!

Delicious, it cant get any better.


                            From here we had only 30 miles to go and arrived at Neerach at 6 pm. Toni and Andrea where surprised of our arrival, expecting us arriving on Monday.There just cooked some Zurich style Geschnetzeltes with rice and where afraid there was not enough for all of us. After a lengthy explanation that we just had a great dinner, they still made me eat a plate of there Geschnetzeltes !  I finally did and it was delicious.
                             Monday is Shopping Center Spreitenbach on our agenda. 
                             

                            

                             Monday, Sept 30. We drove to Spreitenbach to check out the Giant shopping Center we always  visit on our Swiss vacation. Surprise, surprise, the outside and the first floor was under construction and one huge mess! The rest was nice but changed, and I am afraid not for the better. Different stores and restaurants. 

You could spend hours  in here

Decision, decision, where to go first

                               Surprisingly we could not find a great chocolate store in here and we decided to go to Baden where I know some stores we will find some chocolate to bring with us to St Louis, like chocolate you will not find in the US.
                                We where walking on the main Street in a fairly big town (over 100000 habitats) and  Lilian, the wife of my older brother Heinz, surprised me by knocking on my shoulder. What are the chances?  She also let me know that she will see me tomorrow. 
                                Now I knew! Tomorrow is my birthday and Toni, Andrea, Donna and I planed on a nice dinner together. Obviously they invited the whole Family for the occasion and I think it supposed to be a surprise for me!! O well, it will be sensational to see everybody on my birthday party.
                                On the way home we stopped at Neerach's local restaurant "Zum Wilden Mann" for a few beers. 
The famous Stall bar, I celebrated my birthday in here 2010

Great tasting beer!

That night,  Toni and I walked down a steep hill  and back up, a accomplishment for me and my still healing ankle, to buy some rotisserie chicken from a street vendor for our dinner accompanied by Nussli salad of course. As always delicious!!

We had a great day and tomorrow is my birthday.