Merry Xmas!

3 weeks ... gone to fast

Wow, that was quick....

Here we are, sitting in Patra, trying to kill time... After two Ouzo and one beer I needed a break (our boat is only leaving in 5 hours, and more booze now would probably make sure I enter the boat to anywhere but not to Venice)....

So why not update this poor blog a little bit...

First problem: how to change settings of the browser from greek hieroglyphics to latin letters? Many thanks to my office colleagues who changed the settings on my office pc so many times everytime I forgot to lock it that I`m now a semi-professional in changing it back (special thank to Aprkus - the builder - he will fix it if he can or wants). Second problem: whz is y and z mixed up on this bloody keyboard #%$( - whatever... thanks to bloukous for teaching me that lesson! A third "thanks" to didionre for the "whatever"..
But I guess as usual I'm loosing the point here...

In fact I need to say thank you to a few others first:

Thanks to SAC for driving me down and across the Peloponnes so savely! (I love you!)
Thanks to my father for the car!
Thanks to Lambros mother for the appartement (I'll need to pay you a new mosquito-protection shutter, sorry! But at least I was the laugh of Zacharo when I "ran" out to the balcony with the mosquito net still closed...)
Thanks to Lambros for his tips and friendship!
Thanks to Kaliroi, Kia Maria, Giorgia and Tassia for the unbeatable hospitality!
Thanks to my team @ ubs for holding the shop together and letting me go for 3 weeks!
Thanks to the "poor other half" for emptying our letter box (I'm looking forward to see you dressed up as Frank n'Further !)
Thanks to the intern for holding "welcome drinks" a second time as soon as I'm back!
Zakynthos - Zacharo - Pylos - Mani - Monemvasia - Nafplio - Diakopo ... All of it was worth it! Excellent weather, great food (but why the hell do they have to serve those horrible fries all the time?), beautiful views, nice hikes, friendly people. There were many highlights (more of them probably later with pics) and I can recommend our trip to everybody.
I can recommend as well to take a three week break! I know a little bit what happened in the financial world the last few weeks, but more or less I managed to "switch off". I can't even remember my office passwords anymore... nice!

End yes: we let our bycicles at home and I'm still a smoker.... :-( but hopefully only for a few more hours! I'll give it another try (attempt 137)!

I'm looking forward to see you soon (not so much to have my 99th month-end starting on monday...) !!!

correlation

Due to the current situation in the markets the planned electrical power outage will not take place on 20 September 2008.
We will inform you in good time of the new date.

Porta Alpina - let us be brave!

At the beginning I thought that's just another stupid idea: the tallest building of the world in the middle of the alps...
But end of june my father convinced me to go for a hike in the mountains over the weekend and to have a look at the construction site of the worlds longest tunnel Gotthard in Sedrun. (http://www.alptransit.ch/pages/e/). After an introduction at the visitor centre (http://www.basistunnel.ch/) we all got our helmets and orange jackets as well as a radio and went by train into the tunnel where they are digging the biggest hole into the mountains ever.

My father waiting for the train into the mountain

The construction site was impressive but what stayed more prominent in my memories was the discussion we had with our guide about the "Porta Alpina" (http://www.visiun-porta-alpina.ch).
To build the 153km of tunnel in a reasonable time, they "attack" the mountain from different construction sites. About in the middle of the tunnel is Sedrun, where a tunnel first goes 990m horizontal into the mountain and afterwards elevators bring the workers 800m down. The idea of some people is to make a train stop in the middle of the tunnel and build in proper elevators for visitors and tourists. This investment would cost about chf 50millions (compared to chf 10billions of the tunnel) and the elevators would become the tallest building of the world:

People complain about the costs of those elevators and they think not enough tourists would use the train to visit the alps to run the porta alpina cost-effective.

For me trains are the future. And visions important. Let's be brave. For once!

This person is responsible for your security

Tell me why I don't like Mondays

What a day....

Within the last 6month 3 out of the top 5 US Investment banks went "bust".

And I'm feeling sick as well....

The bleeding (green white) heart

What a said sunday....

I'm sitting here in my living room, alone... my love far away. Ok, in fact she is 'only' 36.73 km away - I could be there in less than an hour. And after one week of working and not coming home in the evenings she'll be back on monday. I miss her and I'm looking forward to see, smell, feel her again in about 25hours.
But on Sundays there's always as well another love. A love which is gone by one league for at least one year: "My" soccer team FCSG (http://www.fcsg.ch).
On a rainy sunday like today I have to watch now ACB vs. YB on tv - who play in the top league infront of a few hundreds supporters, while "my" glorious team (the oldest in Switzerland) manages to fill its brand new wonderful stadion every time at least with 10-12'000 fans.
But unfortunately not in front of tv-cameras.
I thank my brother that he helps me to more or less overcome those sad moments. He's commenting all FCSG-games for his show 'Adrenalin' on the radio station Toxic.fm (http://www.toxic.fm/) together with his colleague Jaan Schaller and thanks to them I know now at least that it is half-time against Thun and that we are playing crap but leading 1:2... yehaa!
And soon, soon they play again at home and I'll be there, in the stadion, with my love, my other love.

"my" new, second home (http://www.afg-arena.ch)

Sand in Sand we stand

I'm not a photographer (as you all can see) but just travelling by bicycle, tram, bus or on my feet (sometimes a boat or very seldom a plane comes in handy as well). And sometimes I pass sceneries were I'm happy I have my little camera with me. Like end of August 2008 in Rorschach where we 'accidentally' passed the Sand-sculptures festival (http://www.sandskulpturen.ch/) :

For BlouKous & the fisherman

Enjoy your weekend in the Water!

Im gone fishing
I got me a line
Nothing I do is gonna make the difference
So Im taking the time

And you aint never gonna be happy
Anyhow, anyway
So Im gone fishing
And Im going today

Im gone fishing
Sounds crazy I know
I know nothing about fishing
But just watch me go

And when the time has come
I will look back and see Peace on the shoreline
That could have been me

You can waste a whole lifetime
Trying to be
What you think is expected of you
But youll never be free

May as well go fishing

(by Chris Rea)

46° 28' 33'' ; 7° 39' 54''

Switzerland is full of secrets... and you will see them as soon as you open your eyes (don't really know if that's really the idea of a secret).
Up till recently it was only us Swiss talking about our own secrets but now it looks that also our neighbours seem to become interested. And on the 26th of August the german magazin "spiegel" revealed the location of the war-bunker of our government (http://www.spiegel.de/politik/ausland/0,1518,570501,00.html).
Two days before this article I passed quite a funny building on my one-week bicycle tour following the river Rein from it's source to the Rheinfall - not that this building is in any way related to a Swiss army bunker - I guess they would throw me into jail imediately if I would say so... :-)




If you are interested into Swiss Army Fortifications (many of those old ones are not in use anymore and can be visited) look at the following pages, I'm sure you'll find a 'hole' close to your place:
http://www.schweizer-festungen.ch/links.htm#Museumsfestungen
http://www.bunker-suisse.ch/
http://www.festung-schweiz.ch/
http://www.fort.ch/flashsite.html

The Last Supper

After two wonderful days in Vals (ok, if fact it was only one, as we needed one day to cycle there) the time came for our last dinner... ("per Carlo"):

My girlfriend started with "Fetamousse mit Guacamole und Grissini"

Whilst I enjoyed "Carpaccio vom geräuchten Bisonfilet mit pikanter Erdnusssauce"

We than got the soup (which were in fact 2 soups each) "Creme und Essenz von Rüebli und Pfälzerkarrotte" followed by our own salads from the big salad bar.

As a warm starter we ordered "Spaghetti mit Pesto"

Followed by "Duo vom Freilandlamm mit Schalottenconfit und Rotwein-Reduktion"

Speaking about "Rotwein", we decided to go with something more 'exclusive' that evening and ordered a "Schwarz Rot 2002" which is probably one of the best - if not the best Zweigelt Wine(s). Produced by Johann „Hans“ Schwarz, Fleischhauer aus Andau im Seewinkel with friendly help of Mr. K (which stands forAlois Kracher (quality) and Manfred Krankl (know-how)). I did not regret this choice!

And last, but not least, we finished with a "Apfel-Strudelteiggebäck in der Tasse serviert mit Vanilleschaum und Glace".

If you want to do you a favour, go to the Therme Vals, enjoy the nature, the beautiful spa and don't forget to try Urs Dietrichs kitchen!
yummy....

Love me like there's no tomorrow

So LHC will be switched on tomorrow... and the Higgs Boson will be found... never? I personally think no evil dragon will jump out in Geneva and no black hole will swallow us. But the french nuclear power plants will just melt down as soon as they move the LHC-Start-up-Switch from "Hoff" to "On". And than we will be "doomed" (quote by snowman) anyway....

Therefore: Let's have a drink or two tonight and enjoy life!

And the bill we can send to Otto Rössler...

And if the lights don't start to dim tomorrow at 4pm... let's go for another drink and celebrate.


10:49 didionre the end of the world http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/end
10:52 fuhrigma with the exception that china seems to have a Japanese Flag, it's quite cool ... 10:59 wettstro http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/features/article1630897.ece
10:59 wettstro in case some needs a well based and founded explanation of tomorrows event 11:02 fuhrigma The best thing on this page is the comments
11:02 fuhrigma posted by: pmoffatt
11:02 fuhrigma WOW... well what I have to say?! let's start: NICKY the WORLD is going to be over...finished...kaput...
11:02 fuhrigma posted by: SunshiningTC
11:02 fuhrigma could someone arrange for one the black holes to swallow up my ex girlfriend before it disappears? t...
11:03 fuhrigma Posted by: joseatpolodotorg
11:03 fuhrigma ...any chance I can get my mother-in-law ringside seats?
11:04 fuhrigma Posted by: MackemEd
11:04 fuhrigma Our Labour government is a black hole that eats away at our quality of life.
11:04 fuhrigma Posted by: strewth
11:04 fuhrigma September 10th! Sod that! I don't get paid till the 15th! If you people think I'm doing all these hours just for you bunch of mad scientists to kill me off before I can spend it, you got another think coming! I'll coming over there and slap you myself!
11:05 fuhrigma Posted by: kutje
11:05 fuhrigma great news, wont have to pay the leccy/gas bills
11:06 weiterin Posted by: calliedosh
11:06 weiterin Oh bother, we've just bought a 37" tv,If I'd known the world was going to end I'd've bought a 50"tv
11:06 fuhrigma Posted by: peres123
11:06 fuhrigma Could they change it to Friday when my credit card is due? 11:06 fuhrigma Posted by: Stockley
11:06 fuhrigma Awesome, I'll make the most of my last days and do an Amy Winehouse, a George Bush and a Russian.
11:07 fuhrigma Posted by: toontart
11:07 fuhrigma Typical! The world is gonna end in nine days and my period has just started, shame I cant cram the rest of my lifetimes enjoyment into the next 9 days! 11:08 fuhrigma Posted by: Rinkystink
11:08 fuhrigma Hmm, I'm actually quite relieved that the world will end, as my life is practically over on the 9th anyway - I turn 30!
11:09 fuhrigma Posted by: Lord_Nelson
11:09 fuhrigma Hi all, i am posting from the future, just wanted to say don't worry, it all works out fine - Gordon Brown is the only person to vanish into a black hole, but turns out no one cared. Chavs no longer exist, beer is 10p a pint and the streets are now safe to walk on, no matter what the time of day or night is.
11:14 weiterin official anti-website: http://lhc-concern.info/
11:24 fuhrigma now I am terrified

Good night & Good Luck!

Run to the hills

What do you expect 1'850m above sea level? Wonderful mountains? A great view? A beautiful green-blue lake? A massive dam? All that was there when we got out of the "Postauto" at the Lake Zervreila above Vals. As expected. What surprised me was the restaurant next to the lake (http://www.zervreila.ch/) - in fact not really the restaurant itself, but it's wine menue. Here's an extract out of it:

Weisswein
Löwengang, 2000 Südtiroler Chardonnay - Aus Magreid, Italien. Produziert und abgefüllt von Alois Lageder. 13Vol% - 75cl - Fr. 60.00
Piesporter Goldtröpfchen, St. Urbanshof 2004 - Die beste Lage heisst Goldtröpfchen und ist als Spitzenlage natürlich in der Klasse 1 eingestuft. Mit sanfter honigsüsser, zauberhafter Duftigkeit und Rasse. 8 Vol% - 75cl - Fr. 69.00
Grüner Veltliner, Ried Kreutles 2005 - Qualitätswein aus Oesterreich. Emmerich Knoll, Unter-Loiben. Weltbekanntes Weingut. Die Inlandnachfrage nach diesem Wein ist so gross, dass wir in der Schweiz um jede Flasche betteln müssen. 13 Vol% - 75cl - Fr. 55.00

Rotwein
Raritäten: Ornellaia 2000, Fr. 150.00 - Guidalberto 2002, Fr. 150.00 - Chàteau Cheval Blanc 1981, Chàteau Mouton Rothschild 1981/95, Chàteau Lafite Rothschild 1977. Preis auf Anfrage

Chàteau Citran, Bordeaux, Appelation Haut-Médoc, 2001 - Cru Burgeois, Mis en Bouteille en Château. Ein sensationeller Wein lobt der Schweizer Weinpabst René Gabriel den Citran. Wert heisst im Fall von Ch. Citran, viel Bordeaux für wenig Geld. 13 Vol% - 75cl - Fr. 47.00
Nuits Saint Georges, 2000 - Clos de L'Arlot, 1er Cru, Domaine de l'arlot. 13 Vol% - 75cl - Fr. 66.00
Mercurey, a.c. Château de Chamirey, 1999 - Sattes Kirschrot, verführerisch, modern, anhaltendes Finale. 13 Vol% - 75cl - Fr. 48.00

Zweigelt, Paul Achs, Burgenland 2004 - "Langer Acker" wächst an alten Reben in Gols am Neusiedlersee. Ernte am 9.9.02. Flaschenfüllung am 7.8.03. Ausbau in 40% neuen Barriques. Fruchtig, kräftig mit samtem Tanin. 13.5 Vol% - 75cl- Fr. 49.00
Zweigelt, Heidi Schröck 2004 - "Kräftn" Heidi Schröck hat mit 7.5 ha ein kleines Weingut in Rust am Neusiedlersee-Hinterland aufgebaut. Im Oesterreichischen Fachmagazin Falstaff wurde sie zur Winzerin des Jahres erkoren. 14 Vol% - 75cl - Fr. 48.00

Cordillera, Chile 2000 - Von Miguel Torres. 13.5 Vol% - 75cl - Fr. 55.00

Albada, Garnacha, Calatayud DO, Spanien, Tinto 2003 - Calatayud liegt zwischen Zaragoza und Madrid. Die Weine sind vom Typus her mit denen des Priorat vergleichbar. Feurig. Spanisch. 14.5 Vol% - 75cl - Fr. 34.00

Löwengang, Cabernet, Alois Lageder, Margeid. 13 Vol% - 75cl - Fr. 75.00

Chaminé, Alentejo 2005 - Der Däne Hans Christian Jörgensen besitzt das Weingut südöstlich von Lissabon. Der Wine Spectator wählte sie zum Leader der Region. Die jungen Rebstöcke sind Aragonez und Shyrah. 13.5 Vol% - 75cl - Fr. 38.20

Barol0, Dardi Le Rose Bussia 1997 - Die Traubensorte heisst Nebbiolo. 13.5 Vol% - 75cl - Fr. 72.00
Barolo, Prunotto Bussia 2003 - Ein typischer, gefälliger und in Italien sehr begehrter Wein. 14 Vol% - 75cl - Fr. 95.00
Barolo, Elio Altare, 1998 - Elio Altare gilt als eigentlicher Meister des Barolo. Seine Art der Weinproduktion ist Vorbild für eine ganze Barolo Winzergeneration. 14 Vol% - 75cl - Fr. 193.00
Dolcetto D'Alba, 2005 - Due Nebbiolo Traube bringt hier unvergleichliche Weine hervor. Dieser Wein wird von Elvio Cogno produziert. Kraft und Finesse sind die Schlagwörter zu diesem besonderen Tropfen. 13 Vol% - 75cl - Fr. 45.00

Magari, Gaja Toscana-Maremma, Livorno 2000 - Ca'Marcanda, Magari. So heisst der neue Wein von Gaja. Es wird wohl so sein wie bei allen Weinen von Gaja: man muss Freunde haben um an sie zu kommen. 14 Vol% - 75cl - Fr 95.00
Tignanello, Antinori 1998 - Nach langen Versuchen gelangte Antinori zu Überzeugung, dass die Mischung von 80% Sangiovese und 20% Cabernet zu aussergewöhnlichen Ergebnissen führt. Der Ausbau erfolgt in neuen 225 Lt. Barriquen. Dort reift der Wein 24 Monate. Nach der Abfüllung ruht der Wein mind. ein weiteres Jahr in der Flasche bevor er die Antinori Kellerei verlassen darf. Tignanello ist reich an Aroma, trocken, körperreich und samtig. Ein Wein von grosser Eleganz und Würde. 13.5 Vol% - 75cl - Fr. 120.00
Sassicaia, Tenuta San Guido 1998 + 2000 - A star was born! Als Marchese Mario Incisa della Roccetta 1943 die ersten Cabernet-Sauvignon und Cabernet-Franc-Setzlinge auf der Tenuta San Guido in Bolgheri pflanzte, hätte er sich wohl den fulminanten Erfolg seines Sassicaias nicht träumen lassen. Jetzt ist er sogar auf der Raumstation ISS. 13 Vol% - 75cl - Fr. 180.00
Chianti Classico, Castello di Ama 2003 - Unser Favorit! Dieser Chianti stammt aus dem Herzen des Chianti-Classico Gebietes und wird im klassischen Mix aus 85% Sangiovese und 15% Malvasia nera gekeltert. Heraus kommt ein exklusiver Klassewein, von dem nur kleine Mengen produziert werden. 13.5 Vol% - 75cl - Fr. 69.00

Amarone, Luigi Rigetti - Amarone della Valpolicella DOC Classico. Im Hinterland von Venedig wachsen in den Ausläufern der Alpen und hügeligem Gelände sehr gute Trauben. 15.5 Vol% - 75cl - Fr. 61.50

Sforzato, Lorenz Gredig, 2002 DOC - Körperreich, herb und kräftig. Für den Sforzato (Strohwein) werden die Trauben nach der Ernte auf Strohmatten getrocknet. Seit Generationen wird dieser tolle Wein aufwendig hergestellt. 15 Vol% - 75cl - Fr. 39.00

The Hess Collection, Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 - This cabernet sauvignon expresses the complex and intensely concentrated mountain character of grapes grown in our estate vineyards on the rugged slopes of mt. veeder, above the napa valles. 14.5 Vol% - 75cl - Fr. 59.00
Opus One, Robert Mondavi 2000 - Reserve of Reserves! Der Wein produziert Mondavi zusammen mit Philippe de Rothschild. Der bekannteste Wein von ganz Napa Valley, vielleicht von ganz USA. 14 Vol% - 75cl - Fr. 350.00
Shafer, Vineyards 2000 - John Shafer ist der Referenzpunkt für Kalifornien. Der Napa Valley Cabernet 2000 ist ein klassischer Napa-blend mit intensiver, schwarzbeeriger Frucht, gestützt von weichen Tanninen. 14.8 Vol% - 75cl - Fr. 89.00

Additionally there are beautiful wines from Southafrica, Australia, Graubünden, Tessin, Wallis, Waad, Neuenburg & Thurgau on the menue.

So many choices... at the end I took a beer. Prost.

Sunday, 24th of August - la principessa mangia

Yesterday I loaded my meal from the Therme Vals "per Carlo" onto this page. For completeness reasons I'll add today the pics of the three dishes - which were different to my menue - of my girlfriend, again 'per Carlo':

Kalte Vorspeise: Kartoffelterrine mit Safran-Aioli

Warme Vorspeise: Wan-tan mit Pilz-Gemüsefüllung und Pflaumensauce

Dessert: Sauerrahm-Joghurtmousse mit Nektarinen und süssem Pesto

Thanks for taking the pics, principessa!
(glad I didn't tell you that in the elevator)

Per Carlo

End of August it was: time for a break @ the Therme Vals (http://www.therme-vals.ch). I was not just looking forward to relax in the beautiful spa but as well to enjoy Urs Dietrichs kitchen with 14 GaultMillau points. When I mentioned my plans in the office Carlo, the Gourmet of our team, immediately requested pictures of every dish I have. Therefore...

Per Carlo:

Tartar vom Swiss Prime Beef mit flüssigem Eigelb und Paninitoast


Kressecrémesuppe mit gerösteten Pinien

Salat vom Büffet

Pojarski vom Kalbfleisch mit Kräuterrahm und Polenta

Brust und gebackener Flügel von der Poularde mit Kokos, Basmatireis und Thaicurry

Zwetschgen-Ciafouti mit geeistem Sangria

It was delicious!

Asiatinnen sollen Serben vor Aussterben retten

( http://www.20min.ch/news/kreuz_und_quer/story/15031568 )

11:37 didionre this world is a brilliantly f***ed-up place


nothing to add to that!

what a performance

SMI went up from 7000.50 to 7190.40 (about -2.7%)

Ha ha

-----Original Message-----
From: Stripey
Sent: 30 July 2008 13:30
To: bollhala
Subject: Out of Office AutoReply

I will be out of the office from July 21, 2008 to January 31, 2009. Ha ha.
If you need IMMEDIATE assistance, please contact bollhala or wettstro, otherwise I will respond to your mail on February 1, 2009.
Your mail has not been forwarded.

Fine Cane Rods

Looking for some fine bamboo fishing rods?

Visit Nick Hughes, Wädihoods best rod maker on
http://www.canesplitter.com/
!

Do it now!

Almost APRKUS

17:06 fuhrigma G
17:06 fuhrigma E
17:06 fuhrigma T
17:06 fuhrigma A
17:06 fuhrigma L
17:06 fuhrigma I
17:06 fuhrigma F
17:06 fuhrigma E