An Exhausting Day

Friday March 28

One of the reasons I said I came here was that I am not getting any younger, and today I really felt this, and was positively bone tired at day's end, with the capper of having to stand during the 35 minute train ride from Basel to Freiburg because the 5 p.m. train was packed. So I really do believe I made this trip not a moment (or body weight) too soon!

The day started similar to those before, with an ample breakfast at the InterCity Hotel. I arrived at the fair and set up at the media center and infused a nice cappuccino into my system and proceeded to write and transcribe. I visited with a few vendors today, including Enicar, Eternamatic, and Doxa.

I was singularly unimpressed with the folks at Doxa, who directed me to their website for information on their heritage, despite a beautiful display of vintage pieces at their pavilion. Enicar and Eternamatic were slightly better, presenting me with media kits (on memory sticks) and beautiful hardcover books. I also visited Ernest Borel (I seem to have an "E" theme going here) and spoke with a fellow by the name of Nicolas who had no recollection of my recent article in the NAWCC Watch & Clock Bulletin. Further, and the media contact I used for the story is no longer with the company, so this is indeed a fickle and capricious business to say the least. As for me, one moment I'm feeling like my name carries a little cache, and the next I'm Mr. Nobody. It's perfectly OK, though. I was good enough to get a media pass to Baselworld with some very nice perks, including admission, superb Wi-Fi (lacking at my hotel in Freiburg by the way), and snacks and caffeinated beverages (the latter surely worth $30/daily at the prices I've seen in the cafes for the paying customers. I bottle of Coke is euro 5, for example, or just shy of $7 U.S.)

Speaking of food/drink perks, the soup du jour for the media was a delicious Asian shrimp dumpling in a savory broth with noodles and shredded vegetables.

Later in the day I ran into Bert and Marcy Kalisher, who run Chronos magazine, which recently published an article of mine on Tavannes. Now in his mid 80s, Bert is kind of the last man standing among the old school watch people of an era before the industry became so hyper-marketed. He claims he's ready for more stories, whenever I'm ready. Yeah, OK, Bert, whenever you're ready to break out the checkbook and pay me something. (Which for the last 30 years has been never! My last article on Tavannes was sponsored in full by the watch company itself).

Arriving back at the hotel tired and sweaty, I changed into more casual clothes and headed into the old city for dinner, all the while talking to Dawn on her cell phone as I walked (I finally got through) and got caught up on the Aunt Pat saga. My dining destination tonight was Kleiner Meyerhof, where I promptly downed a glass of Riegeler pilsner, brewed in Donaueschingen, and promptly ordered another, allowing the alcohol to work its magic. I ordered a platter of kalberwurst (veal sausage made on premises), boiled potatoes, and sauerkraut. A bread basket arrived ahead of time with some braunschweiger for spread. Total with tip came to euro 20.30, which is about $28 U.S., a modest meal by Europe prices, and certainly less than the splurge last night!

The walk back to the hotel proved to be my Waterloo, and after a coffee and the last of my Camille Bloch "Ragussa" chocolates (my gift from Edox) I poured myself into bed.

Bruce