In 1991, I graduated from high school and spent the summer working as a counselor at Camp Luz, in Orrville, Ohio. Two brothers from France, Luc and Yves, also worked there for a few weeks. We exchanged letters around Christmas and then we lost touch. But I thought of them as I was leaving for Europe, found that letter and jotted down the return address. When I was arranging my visit with Kevin in Granada, he mentioned that he had visited Luc and Yves in Basel years before. (Kevin also worked at Luz that summer).

"But...they live in France," I said.
"Yeah, but just outside Basel. Right over the border."

I checked the address: St. Louis. Then I checked Google, and, sure enough, St. Louis is essentially a French suburb of Basel. I had no idea if they still lived there, but a search of the French phone directory showed that someone with the same last name was living there, so before I left for Spain I mailed a postcard with my phone number.

When I was in Granada I received a voice mail from their mother. She had received my post card and left a message that Yves is living in New Caledonia (That's near New Zealand) and that Luc is teaching near Paris, but that he would be in St. Louis for holidays in a few weeks. On Oct. 31, I met Luc at the Rathaus in Basel and we spent the day with his family. I had not seen him in over 17 years--half of my lifetime. We drove to St. Louis for lunch with his parents and sister, who was home for a few months before she returns to Cambodia where she works.

After dinner, Luc and Paul, his father, and I, did some sightseeing. They took me to the Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg in the Alsace. This is a castle that has changed hands many times. It was abandoned after being looted and burned by the Swedes during the Thirty Year's War. The present castle was reconstructed by the German emperor Wilhelm II in 1908. After World War I, the castle again passed into French hands. It was a rainy day and the fog covered the valley below. It lent a nice "Lord of the Rings"-esque atmosphere to the place. From there we visited Kaysersberg, a beautiful little medieval village, and birthplace of Albert Schweitzer. Then back to St. Louis for supper.

It was fun to see someone I hadn't seen in such a long time. Although it had been 17 years, we still had plenty to talk about. Luc had some old photographs that brought back a lot of memories. The next day. I took the train to the capital of Switzerland, Bern, to visit another Mennonite community. More on that later.

Photos:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=10913&l=3e404&id=1036732070

Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ch%C3%A2teau_du_Haut-K%C5%93nigsbourg

Kaysersberg:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaysersberg

My sabbatical is drawing to a close. I will be in Anchorage Thursday night after about 26 hours of travelling, and I'll be preaching once more on Sunday. I have two days left here at Bienenberg and I'm still about four weeks behind on my travelogue.

Oct. 25: After returning from Spain, I spent one night in Basel before riding four different trains into the Jura mountains. It was dark when I arrived in the village of Tramelan. I was visiting Margrit and Michel, who is one of the pastors of Evangelische Mennonitegemeinde Sonnenberg. No, not the Sonnenberg Mennonite Church in Ohio, the REAL one. Sonnenberg actually has four meeting places. Two are German-speaking and two are French-speaking. Every Sunday, there is a service at one of the French locations and one of the German locations. The Jura is a French region, but many of the Mennonites living there still prefer German, although that is changing.

Sunday morning, we attended the French service. I was invited to share a few words, translated by Michel, and bring greetings from Prince of Peace. Sonnenberg is the largest Mennonite church in Switzerland with over 300 members, but since they are spread out over multiple meeting places, there were about 50 people in attendance that morning. The meeting room was not large and had windows that looked out onto the mountains. In that respect, it reminded me of POPMC. They meet in a building with two floors of apartments above.

After lunch, Margrit drove me to two places of historical Anabaptist significance. The Geisskirchlein (Chapel of the Goats) and the Pont des Anabaptistes (Bridge of the Anabaptists). For nearly two centuries, Anabaptists were persecuted in Switzerland and throughout Europe. They were arrested, tortured, and executed. Or they could have their property and lands confiscated and themselves exiled. So it was necessary to meet in secret for prayer, worship and study of the scriptures. The Chapel of the Goats is a small cave where Anabaptists used to meet. It took Margrit and me about 30 minutes to hike back to it. It's not so hidden now, with a nearby trail and signs pointing the way. There is now a plaque in the rear of the cave and some benches installed at the entrance. Every other summer, the Sonnenberg church has a church service here, alternating with a service at the Bridge.

After hiking back to the car, we drove to the Anabaptist Bridge. This was another meeting place for my spiritual ancestors. The Mennonite met in the ravine below the bridge, probably at night, to avoid discovery by the authorities. The bridge is gone now. Only some stones on either end of the ravine are still visible. It encourages me to think that these Christians had the faith to persevere despite persecution. The church even grew despite the threat of death and torture. In all, it's estimated that some 6,000 Anabaptists were martyred in the 16th-17th centuries in Europe. Hans Landis was the last Anabaptist to be executed. He was beheaded in Zurich in 1614. Their stories (with many illustrations of their grisly deaths) were printed in The Martyr's Mirror, first published in Dutch in 1660. There's a joke in Mennonite circles: "You know you're a Mennonite when you think that a 1300-page book detailing 6000 grisly executions would make a nice wedding gift."

That evening, Michel took me to the Swiss Mennonite Archives. They have several old Bibles and copies of The Martyr's Mirror as well as official proclamations denouncing the Anabaptists. 2007 was officially proclaimed the Täuferjahr (Anabaptist Year) in Switzerland. During the year, there were many significant acts of remembrance and reconciliation. The Reformed Church apologized for the centuries of persecution and asked forgiveness. Many plaques and historical markers were erected (such as at the Geisskirchlein) and there were public events and exhibitions

I also visited a small cheese factory owned by the family of Margrit's sister. They were pleased to hear that Gruyère is available (and eaten by me) in Alaska. I also sat in on my second birthday party in Europe. Michel's teenaged son had a birthday and we celebrated with a "Chinese" fondue. Thin slices of meat are cooked in a fondue pot with boiling broth. Still no cheese fondue, but I did have a standing invitation.

On Monday morning, I walked to the nearby train station and took the first train that came by. These were regional trains that stop at every village, so travel is not very fast. Eventually I found myself in Biel (home of Swatch) and spent a few hours walking around before travelling back to Bienenberg. Stay tuned for the next episode where I meet an old friend in France, visit another castle and tour the capital of Switzerland.

Photo Gallery
Martyr's Mirror Encyclopedia Entry
Martyr's Mirror Illustrations
Täuferjahr

Gaudí Photos from Barcelona: As promised, below are links to yet more photos from Barcelona.

Casa Milà:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=10268&l=c736c&id=1036732070
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Pedrera

Casa Batlló:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=10270&l=6fd92&id=1036732070
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casa_Batll%C3%B3

Park Güell:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=10271&l=ecfe2&id=1036732070
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Park_Guell

Antoni Gaudí : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antoni_Gaud%C3%AD

Barcelona: I'm rushing to get up to date with my field reports, but I'm still
three weeks behind. I arrived in Barcelona, Spain on 20 October after
a 12-hour train ride from Granada. It was a pleasant ride and the
scenery, especially in southern Spain was pretty. I even saw windmills
of the Don Quixote style on the hilltops. I arrived in Barcelona at 9
pm, had a much easier time finding the Metro and headed north. I
emerged about 30 minutes later, walked past the breakdancing youth,
walked past them again because I had gone the wrong way, eventually
walked past the sculpture of giant matches and to the Mennonite
guesthouse where I would stay for the next three nights. It used to be
a Mennonite nursing home, but now it houses students and international
visitors such as myself. I wasn't in Barcelona for the weekend, so I
wasn't able to attend a worship service, but I did meet Juan Luis, the
pastor. He lives just across the street. Even with my rusty Spanish we
were able to converse.
The first language of Barcelona, though is Catalan. Since the death of
Franco, it is coming into more common use. Most of the signs I saw
were in Spanish, Catalan and English. I enjoyed Barcelona. It is a
beautiful and very "cosmopolitan" city. I especially enjoyed
discovering the architecture and design of Antoni Gaudi. I won't waste
and space with a biography. Use Google for that. I'll just say that I
spent a lot of time, and a surprising amount of Euros, in buildings of
his design: the Sagrada Famila, La Pedreta, Casa Batllo, and Parc
Guell.
The Sagrada Familia is a cathedral that has been under construction
for over 100 years and is still not completed. I had to pay to get in
and then pay another fee and stand in line for an hour to take the
lift up the bell tower, but it was worth it. I took many photos which
you can see below. Gratis. I spent a couple hours there, then I walked
to La Pedreta, a building renovated by Gaudi. Again I spent a couple
hours there. Then I hustled over to Casa Batllo. When I saw the
admission price there, I was hesitant, especially as it would close in
little more than an hour. But...when will I be in Barcelona again? I
don't have any photos of these places uploaded yet. I'll let you know
when I do. I enjoy the fanciful and fun architecture: the geometric
forms and catenary arches. They create spaces that are fun to live in.
I'd love to live in the attic of La Pedreda. Or any of these
buildings. They are the kind of spaces that inspire creativity.
The next day I visited a park designed by Gaui: Parc Guell. Again,
very cool. Then I hit las Ramblas, the main drag, as it were, and the
old city. By 5 PM, I was tired so headed back to the guesthouse for my
last night in Spain.
The next morning I awoke early, took the Metro to the train station
and boarded a train to Montpelier, France. The Mediterranean was
visible for part of the trip. And at some point along the way we
crossed over into France. I bought a croissant in Montpelier and
rushed to the next train, which would take me to Geneve. At one point,
about a dozen immigration cops came through the train car to look at
the papers of anyone who looked African. They didn't ask for mine, or
speak to the Asian man sitting across from me. They were in
plainclothes with only armbands and pistols on their hips to identify
themselves as police. But some of them looked for all the world like
the stereotypical undercover cop, with leather jackets, long
sideburns, ridiculous-looking gold chains and earrings, chewing gum.
They were trying so hard to NOT look like the Fuzz that it was
impossible to look at them and not think "cop."
I arrived in Geneve and spent another night with Martin and Cindy.
This time we enjoyed some delicious raclette. Raclette is melted
cheese served with potatos, mushrooms, onions, or whatever you prefer.
You put the cheese, onions and mushrooms in a little pan and then put
it under a heaing element to melt.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raclette) The next morning Martin drove
me around to some old churches in the area and then put me on the
train to Lausanne. I didn't spend much time in Lausanne because I was
really on my way to visit a castle they had recommended.
A real castle! When I was a boy I had a severe infatuation with
knights, castles, swords, etc. I read and re-read the Chronicles of
Narnia and The Lord of the Rings. I took fencing lessons. I put a hole
in my bedroom wall swinging a wooden "sword." (It was actually The
Paddle, but I don't think it was applied in this case as it had
already done enough damage.) So, I was excited to visit Chateau
Chillon. It is a very well preserved castle and I spent about three
hours wandering around. No, I didn't pretend I was defending it from a
horde of orcs. I am a LITTLE more grown up now. I did, however, take a
ton of photos. Which I have yet to upload. It's not easy uploading a
hundred photos five photos at a time. From Chateau Chillon, I headed
back to Bienenberg for one night before taking off the next day for a
weekend in the Jura visiting the Sonnenberg Mennonite Church. (Not the
one in Ohio). More on that later. Tonight I head to Germany for four
days, so we'll see what I can get done before then. Today I plan to
visit some Roman ruins and the history museum, although it is still
very foggy....
I trust you are all doing well. I have two weeks left in Europe. So
some of you I will see soon.
Photos of the Sagrada Familia:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=10233&l=488ac&id=1036732070
More Photos of the Sagrada Familia + some others:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=10235&l=e54b5&id=1036732070
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sagrada_familia

Granada: After three days in Madrid, I woke up early, slipped out of the
apartment and took the local train to the Atocha train station. I had
a 7:40 train to Granada. Getting on board the trains in Spain and
France was more like boarding a plane. I needed seat reservations for
all the trains (also requiring a separate fee on top of what I already
paid for the ticket). So before getting on board, we had to present
our boarding pass and X-ray our luggage before proceeding to the track
platform. In Switzerland, at least on the domestic lines, the train
stops at the station and you hop on. A conductor comes through the car
later and you show your pass or ticket.

The trip to Granada took about 4 hours and I was met at the station by
my friend Kevin Mayer. He and I worked at Camp Luz together back in
the 90s. We also lived across the hall from one another for one
semester at Goshen College, when he roomed with Phil Christano, whom I
visited in Washington, DC on the first leg of this trip. This wasn't
the last Camp Luz connection to be made on this trip, but more on that
later.

Kevin and his wife Wendy and their two children have been living in
Granada for almost a year and a half. I hadn't met his children yet,
although I had been following their progress through the family blog.
I enjoyed hanging out with them for six day. We feasted on Wendy's
paella, countless tapas, and schawarmas at a tea shop owned by a
Lebanese friend of Kevin. Tapas are usually finger foods served in
bars and restaurants. Order a drink and you will also get a small
plate with, perhaps, some olives, a date rolled in bacon (surprisingly
good), a croquette, or some fried anchovies (or sardines, I can't
remember).

The largest meal of the day is served at 2:00 and dinner isn't until
9:00. By 2 o'clock, the children are home from school for the day.
While the kids were in school, Kevin showed me around Granada. We
visited the Albaicín, the old Moorish neighborhood, in which some
houses are built into caves in the hillside. We also visited the
Cathedral, the Royal Chapel containing the tombs of Ferdinand and
Isabela, and of course, the Alhambra. The Alhambra was a Moorish
palace built on the hill overlooking Granada. It was the last Moorish
place to fall during the Spanish reconquest of southern Spain. It then
became the palace of Ferdinand and Isabela and the site of Columbus'
famous proposition. It's a beautiful site and a very popular tourist
destination. The complex is quite large. You can view my photos below
and read some of the history on Wikipedia.

I was also able to meet several of their friends. We attended a
birthday party for a friend's child and attending a football (i.e.,
soccer) game on Sunday afternoon. Unfortunately, the Granada side
isn't having a very good season. There was no score for 80 minutes and
few shots on goal. With ten minutes left to play, a Granada player was
ejected and the other team scored a goal off the penalty kick. So
basically, nothing happened for 80 minutes and then everyone was in a
bad mood. And they wonder why the sport doesn't catch on in the U.S.
Still, it was fun to attend a soccer match in Spain. American football
didn't let us down though, as Kevin and I were able to watch (live
over the internet) the Ohio State Buckeyes thrash Michigan State,
45-7.

On Sunday morning we visited a gathering of small house churches in
Granada. It was a multi-lingual service, with a lot of people from
North America, other European countries and Southeast Asia. Initially,
I had trouble making the switch from German to Spanish, which is a
language I actually sort-of know. At least, by the end of my visit, I
was able to converse with some people. I couldn't understand
full-speed Spanish, and some people gave me trouble with their
Andalucian accents, but I definitely improved just in two weeks. A lot
of the Spanish that has laid dormant for a decade came back when
needed. It was an interesting experience to see an object and then
have the Spanish word for it simply pop into my head, seemingly from
nowhere.

I enjoyed Granada more than Madrid. I liked the more relaxed pace, the
old buildings and neighborhoods, and spending time with old friends.
Spanish culture is different than Swiss or American culture. The
personal space is much smaller. Northern Europeans don't like to touch
strangers so much. If you are sitting next to someone on the bus and
it goes around a corner and you slide over practically on top of the
person next to you, the American will sheepishly apologize and scoot
back over as far as possible. The Spaniard won't move and won't even
seem to notice that your legs are now touching. I also kissed more
women in two weeks than I have in the last, oh, 20 years? All on the
cheek of course. The Swiss also kiss--three times on the cheek
compared to the Spaniard's two times, but not someone they have just
met. I enjoyed going out in the evening. People are in the street
making their paseo, walking and meeting friends, instead of driving
everywhere. It's like the old cruising tradition in the U.S. but
without cars so you can actually, well, meet people and speak with
them.

But at the end of the week, it was time to say adios to Granada. So
with the music of Walt Disney's Robin Hood reverberating through my
skull (Did I mention that Kevin's daughter is four and really, really
likes that movie?) Kevin took me back to the train station and I
began my 12-hour train trip to Barcelona. More on that next time. I
took a lot of photos there, so it will take some time to upload them.
Photos of Granada and the Alhambra are below.


Granada Photos:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=9704&l=cbd0e&id=1036732070

More Photos of the Alhambra:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=9706&l=58b7b&id=1036732070

Links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schwarma
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croquette
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tapa_(food)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albaicin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alhambra

Geneve and Madrid: It's been a long time since my last update, but I won't be able to fit
four weeks into one email, so ... installment number one:
On the ninth of October (I know, it's been a while), I hopped the
train to Geneva, or, as the locals prefer, Geneve. It is a
French-speaking city, so even my rudimentary German wasn't much use. I
walked from the train station to Lake Geneva and spent most of the
afternoon sitting or walking by the lake or reading a book. In the
evening, I took a short train ride to the town of Coppet to stay the
night with a Mennonite-Your-Way couple, Martin and Cindy.
Mennonite-Your-Way is a hospitality network of people who offer to
hosts guests who are travelling. Most hosts are Mennos, but many, such
as Martin and Cindy, are not. When I arrived Martin immediately
informed me that at first he was reluctant to reply favorably to my
email as they had a lot happening that week, but then he read my
stories from the trip so far (via the link in the email signature). He
liked them and found them interesting and well-written. "That's the
only reason you're here," he said. I don't think he was kidding. I
arrived in time for dinner and Cindy, who is an American expat,
prepared a good Swiss dinner. Martin had picked up some specialties as
well: an assortment of Swiss and French cheeses and pate. All the
cheeses were very good, especially the Rocquefort.
The next morning, I returned to Geneve and visited a few sites: the
Wall of the Reformers, the Reformation Museum and the Cathedral. The
most interesting part was underneath the cathedral. There have been
many chapels and churches on this site, dating back to the Romans.
Under the church is an archeaological site that is open to visitors. I
like castles, caves, catacombs and crypts better than cathedrals, so I
enjoyed seeing these old foundations underground.
Geneve Photos:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=9702&l=a8064&id=1036732070
I had a long wait in the train station that night for my 11 o'clock
train to Madrid. I took the night train from Geneve to Barcelona. I
didn't have a couchette, just a reclining seat. I arrived in Barcelona
with about two hours to change trains. Barcelona has one station for
international trains and another for domestic trains, so I had to get
across town for my train to Madrid. Step one was to get some Euros.
Step two: find the Metro station. Step three: Take the Metro to the
Sanz station. I walked in the direction of the nearest Metro station
as indicated on my (outdated) map. Both the Metro station and an ATM
were difficult to find. I found that streets and amenities such as
restrooms, ATMs, and public transportation are not as well marked in
Spain as they are in Switzerland, where there are signs everywhere.
But I did draw some Euros from an ATM and find the entrance to the
Metro. Unfortunately, the ticket machine did not accept twenties and
the man running the nearby newstand would not sell me some Mentos.
Again, Spain was not showing up favorably against Switzerland, where
ATMs don't hand out anything smaller than a hundred and merchants are
accustomed to accepting large bills. Finally, a Metro employee took
pity on me and just gave me a ticket to Sanz.
The trip to Madrid took three hours on the new high-speed train. We
topped out at 300 km/h, or about 180 mph. I was struck by how much
Spain looked like the American southwest, dry and relatively empty.
People would later tell me that Spaniards don't like to live in
isolation. They would rather pile into a large city like Madrid than
live the country life. Even farmers tend to live in small villages and
commute to their fields.
My sister Lynnette and her friend Pam were also in Madrid. Pam has
family in the city, so the two spent about 10 days in Spain. We met at
a cafe near the home of Pam's aunt for a cafe con leche and to plan
the day. After we dropped off the sum total of all my European
belongings at their apartment, we took a walking tour of Madrid. I
spent that night with another Mennonite-Your-Way family, Bruce and
Merly. They are Americans who have been living in Spain for 20 years
working with a couple of Brethren in Christ churches there. On Sunday,
I accompanied them to two church services, one in the morning and one
later in the afternoon. Both churches have many immigrants from Latin
America, and in many ways, Madrid felt more like a Latin American city
than a European city. I could have been back in Santo Domingo if it
was a little warmer.
On Monday, Lynnette, Pam and I took a short train ride to Toledo. No,
not Ohio, although we did find a Toledo, Ohio Street. It's a small
city on a hill and still looks like a medieval city. The streets were
narrow and winding, there were knives and swords for sale in every
other window, and the city is so small that, if you miss a turning,
you'll be on the other edge of the city before you know it. It was
hard to get used to the scale of the map. A centimeter on an Alaskan
map is a mile. Here it was the width of a building. Fortunately, the
small size makes it easy to correct any mistakes and we eventually
found everything we wanted to see, even the art museum which was
clevely hidden down a small, narrow alley. Even when we found it, we
weren't initially sure if it was the main entrance or the service
entrance. Although it is small, there is much to see, and we spent the
day walking around the city of Cervantes and Don Quixote before
heading back to Madrid for the night. Our way back to the train
station was hampered by the imminent arrival of the Spanish king, so
we had to take the long way around. It was like living in Washington,
DC when the roads would be blocked off for the President's entourage.
At the train station in Madrid, I said Adios to Lynnette and Pam. They
still had a week in Madrid, but the next morning I took the train to
Granada to spend a week with my friend Kevin Mayer and his family.
More on Granada next time.
Madrid and Toledo Photos:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=9703&l=f6003&id=1036732070

The Alps: On my second Sunday in Europe, I attended the Mennonite church closest
to Bienenberg, Mennonitengemeinde Schänzli. The service was attended
by about 150 people and it was similar to many Mennonite services I
have attended in North America. During the announcements time, the
worship leader introduced me as the Mennonite pastor from Alaska and
told the congregation that they were welcome to invite me to their
homes for fondue or raclette or any other Swiss culinary delight. Yes,
I had gotten to her before the service. She also introduced Adrian,
who was sitting next to me. He is from British Columbia and is a new
student at Bienenberg. A new program started this week so the number
of students on campus has doubled and I no longer have the men's
bathroom all to myself.

As soon as the service was over, I was greeted by an enthusiastic man
wearing an 'Alaska' T-shirt. Thomas has been to Alaska twice and
already has his third trip planned even though it is four to five
years away. He also speaks English and said that they weren't having
fondue, but if grilled wild boar was acceptable I could have lunch
with them. So I spent the rest of the day with Thomas and Rebecca and
their three daughters. After lunch, the girls went out to play and the
adults went for a short drive and a hike. We couldn't see the Alps,
but it was a very nice hike. With cows. Hiking is popular in
Switzerland and there were many other people out walking. We stopped
in at the farmer's on the way down. Many farmhouses double as
restaurants, so it was crowded with local people enjoying the weekend.
Go for a hike and then order a meal or dessert at any farm you pass.

After we reached the car, we drove about 40 minutes through the
countryside to reach another farmhouse/restaurant that had, Thomas
insisted, very good coffee. We sat outside and ordered coffee and
vermicelles, a Swiss seasonal dessert made from sweetened and puréed
chestnuts. It was unique, good and rich. We were glad we only ordered
two.

This restaurant was in the French-speaking part of Switzerland.
Switzerland has four official languages, German, French, Italian and
Romansh, which is spoken by a tiny percentage of people who are
descendants of Roman colonists. The fifth unofficial language is
English, which most people have studied in school. If a Swiss person
from the north meets a Swiss from the south, they are (I'm told) as
likely to speak to one another in English as in French or German.

After dinner back at home, Thomas drove me back to Bienenberg, but not
before making plans to see the Alps the next day. The students were
beginning their two-week fall holidays and Thomas was also taking the
week off. Swiss workers get a minimum of four weeks vacation a year.
Oh, and the drinking age for beer and wine is 16--18 for liquor. Just
thought I'd throw that in. Also, there are very few drinking fountains
anywhere; they prefer their drinking water fizzy; and they never serve
drinks with ice.

The next morning, Thomas, one of his daughters, the aforementioned
Adrian and I began the three hour drive south to the Eggishorn. We
drove over the Grimsel Pass, which looked much like Alaska, except
that we do not have hotels and power lines at the top of our mountain
passes. Also, I kept expecting to see berries on those slopes, but
found only grass. I did, however, catch a glimpse of what looked a
great deal like fireweed as we were zipping down the other side of the
pass.

The switchbacks coming down from Grimsel Pass are intense. They look
like shoelaces keeping the mountain in place. You can see for yourself
here: http://tinyurl.com/grimsel Scroll left to see the top of the
pass where my photos were taken. Once safely on the southern side of
that range, we drove to Fiesch (http://tinyurl.com/fiesch). To reach
the top of the Eggishorn, you ride a gondola, or cable car, first to
Fiescheralp (http://tinyurl.com/fiescheralp), which is the ski resort
halfway up the mountain. Then you get onto another gondola to take you
all the way to the top of Eggishorn (http://tinyurl.com/eggishorn).

>From the Eggishorn, you have a panoramic view of 40 mountain peaks and
the Aletsch Glacier, the largest glacier in the Alps. It was a warm
sunny day, even at 9600 feet and the view was impressive. We could see
Mont Blanc, the Matterhorn, and, well, about 38 other peaks. There was
also a little restaurant at the top that offered some of the best
outdoor seating I've experienced. The meal came with our ticket and
the dish offered (there was only one) was Rösti with pork and gravy!
Rösti is another dish from north Switzerland. It is grated and fried
potatoes, rather like a huge hash brown. So I was able to check off
two dishes from my culinary checklist in two days. After spending
several hours on the mountain, including appel streudel and coffee
back down in Fiescheralp, we began the drive home.

We elected to take another pass on the way home. If you look at the
switchbacks again and follow the road to the east, you will come to
the Furkapass. It was dark by the time we reached this, and when we
reached the top, it was very foggy as well. We began descending this
pass in the dark, with visibility limited to about 30 feet, back and
forth on the edge of a mountain, with only darkness visible to the
right. Hopefully this is as close to death as I come on this trip.
After we reached flat land, the trip back was uneventful although we
drove through miles and miles of tunnels. The Swiss have been doing
some serious digging in the last century.

As a sidenote, Thomas' SUV ran on natural gas, which is much cheaper
than gasoline. Not every station has natural gas, but he knows where
they are. You fill up much like you do with unleaded gas: pull up to
the pump, stick the nozzle in the car and squeeze the handle. While
natural gas is used to power fleet vehicles, it would be nice to see
this available for consumers, especially in Alaska where we have
abundant natural gas and no way (yet) to get it to markets in the
Lower 48. Why don't we just use it ourselves? And stop paying for the
most expensive gasoline in the country?

But I digress. The trip was a lot of fun, the mountains are beautiful
and Thomas and Rebekah were very gracious hosts. Tomorrow I leave for
a couple days in Geneva and then I am off to Spain for two weeks. I
also had a good day trip to Zürich which I will relate later. I hope
you are all well. You can check out the photos below. They will
describe the Alps better than I can. Tchüß!

Photos:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=8287&l=bf6bf&id=1036732070

Links
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vermicelles
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosti
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aletsch_Glacier
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eggishorn

Basel und Bienenberg: I have been at the Bienenberg for about two and a half weeks now. There were
only about seven students on campus the first two weeks I was here: 6 women
and one man. I didn't meet the man for the first week since his wife had
just given birth to a baby and they were in sleepless seclusion. I don't
think I spoke to a man for at least the first 6 days. The people here have
been friendly and most people speak some German and the teachers and staff
here speak excellent English. The students have been patiently speaking
clearly and...very...slowly. But mostly I sat around and listened to a
mixture of German and Swiss German. Have I mentioned that I don't speak
German? I have been studying in the mornings, but not too diligently. I AM
on sabbatical. I have managed to understand more just by listening to others
speak. That's the value of immersion.

I'm up early, since breakfast is served at 7 am. Breakfast for students is
bread and coffee. But good bread and coffee. Bienenberg, in addition to
being a Bible School, is also a hotel, conference center and restaurant. The
food is very good. OK, lunch, being the main meal of the day, is very
good--much better than I am used to. I generally eat on my own for supper:
bread, cheese, fruit and chocolate. All the major Swiss food groups.

On the first two Saturdays, I took the train into Basel and walked around
the old town. There are five walks mapped out, all beginning from the
Markplatz, the central market, which still is a market, at least on
Saturday. The weather was perfect both days and the streets were full of
people enjoying the day.

On the first Sunday, I woke up early and drove 3 hours into Germany with
Heiki and Bernhard, two teachers, for a conference of the Mennonite churches
in Southern Germany. It was a good opportunity to meet lots of European
Mennonites at one time, încluding several Canadian expatriates.

This is a short post, but if I write anything longer, it will never get set.
I'll write next time about my trips to the Alps and Zürich. Until then, you
can view my photos here:
http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=7757&l=b9710&id=1036732070

Washington and Virginia: I had an uneventful flight to Washington, DC, where my friend Phil picked me
up at National Airport. I stayed with Phil and Rita just around the corner
from where I lived in 1995-97. Mennonite Central Committee sold the old
voluntary service house and moved to another part of the city, but I enjoyed
walking around Mt. Pleasant, through Adams Morgan and to Dupont Circle. I
stopped in at my old office and spent several hours at the zoo, which is a
short walk from Phil's apartment. The neighborhood hasn't changed too much.
I was still able to buy pupusas, a Salvadoran food. Columbia Heights, on the
other hand, has changed dramatically since a Metro stop was built there
about 8 years ago. As expected, retail stores, restaurants and condos moved
into what was a poor neighborhood. Still it was very convenient to have a
Metro stop so close. When I was there, we had to take Bus 42 a mile and a
half to Dupont Circle to catch the Metro.
On Sunday, we went to Hyattsville Mennonite Church and went out for
Ethiopean food for lunch. The Ethiopean restaurant was a very small place.
The only person who seemed to be working there was an older woman who didn't
speak a word the entire time we were there. I also thought it odd that she
had loud Ethiopean music playing and bass fishing on the TV. But the food
was good. I stayed with Phil and Rita for two nights. On Tuesday morning, I
took an hour-long bus ride to Dulles Airport and rented a car to drive down
to Harrisonburg, Virginia.

In Virginia, we had a Prince of Peace Mennonite reunion. Dwight and Susan
Huyard, Russ and Cheryl Buckwalter, and Bruce Buckwalter all lived in
Anchorage before moving to Virginia. Joe and Sera Buckwalter, who currently
attend POPMC, were also in town, so, including all the children, 17 of us
got together for dinner at the Huyard's new home in the country.

On Thursday, some of the grown-ups met for lunch at the Blue Nile in
Harrisonburg. Yes, more Ethiopean food. It was Ethiopean New Years so the
owner and his family were there celebrating. He is a friend of the
Buckwalter clan, so we got a tour of this recently re-opened restaurant.
It's a nice place, so if you are living in Virginia and looking for some
good injera and wat, try the Blue Nile. I spent the first two nights with
Bruce. Then I moved south about 30 minutes to visit the Huyards.

While with the Huyard 6 I got to read some stories to Ben and Luke, listen
to a story read by Isaac, watch hummingbirds at the feeder, eat some oatmeal
pancakes, and awaken to the sound of roosters crowing. At 6 am. The Huyards
live out in the country and have two miniature horses, 4 cows, two dogs, and
a dozen chickens. While I was there, they added some goats. On Sunday, we
worshipped at Springdale Mennonite Church and then went for a walk at some
local wetlands. Then it was time to drive back to the airport. I enjoyed
seeing Dwight and Susan and the kids, who, curiously enough, have grown in
the past year. The visit went by very quickly.

My trip to the airport went very well. I didn't have any trouble returning
the car; I breezed right through check-in and security and had plenty of
time to wait for my 6.5 hour flight to London. I flew on British Airways and
I was impressed. The seats were comfortable enough to sleep well and they
even fed us supper and breakfast! When we got to Heathrow, I had to switch
terminals and go through security. I received a warm welcome to England when
I was patted down and felt up by a security guard. I almost felt guilty for
not buying him dinner.

I had four hours to while away in Teminal 4. Fortunately, they offered an
abundance of duty-free shopping. Unfortunately, I have no interest in
liquor, cigarettes or perfume. You know you've left the U.S. when women in
evening dress are handing out free samples of vodka. It's the ultimate
Mennonite dilemma: free alcohol. All the cartons of cigarettes were
emblazoned with warnings that read: "Smoking causes serious harm to you and
those around you." and "Smokers die." Judging from the stock on hand, few
people care. Tax-free smokes!

The flight to Basel was little more than an hour. The test of my
international travel skills would soon begin. EuroAirport is actually in
France and is a bi-national airport, so the first challenge is to go to the
right country. That was easy: just follow the sign that says "Schweiz." A
man in a glass booth glanced at my passport and waved me past and I was in
Switzerland. I didn't check a bag, so now I just need to have my train pass
validated. The Swiss Railway office right past customs should be able to do
that. I hand it over to the woman at the desk and she fills it out without
any input from me. So far so good.

I'm supposed to take a bus to the Basel Bahnhof (train station). Maybe it's
the same bus that everyone else is waiting for. Yep. Before I have even
forged through the cloud of cigarette smoke, a bus pulls up. The sign says
"Basel SBB Bahnhof". I crowd on with everyone else. An older woman in front
of me is struggling to get her luggage into the bus without the doors
closing on her. I hand up her second suitcase and she says, "Danke schön." I
say, "Bitte schön." My first conversation in German!

The bus ride takes about 15 minutes. Then the bus stops. The driver turns
off the engine and everyone gets off. We must be at the Bahnhof, and I'll
bet it's this big building with all the train schedules on the wall. These
make it easy to find a train to Liestal. I see that there is a train going
to Liestal and several other towns. It is on Gleis 8 and it leaves in 15
minutes. Finding platform Acht is easy and there is a train that says
"Liestal" so I get on it and have a seat. After a short wait, it begins
moving and announcements in German, French and English proclaim Liestal to
be the first stop. Ten minutes later, the train rolls to a stop and I get
off. I have a train pass, but no one asked to see it. This is all very easy
so far, but now I have to find the Bienenberg campus.

They had told me that I could call for a ride if I arrived before 8pm, and
it was 6:30, but I took one look at the payphones and decided to walk. I
didn't have any Swiss Francs and I didn't mind a little exercise. I had
found walking directions from the same place I got the public transportation
directions: Google Maps. Try it; just go to Google maps and ask for
directions from EuroAirport to Bienenberg. Then select public
transportation. Amazing.

"Bienenberg" means "Bee Mountain." I didn't see any bees but I did walk
uphill for about 30 minutes, past some cows (with cowbells), and to the
seminary/restaurant/conference center/hotel. I was glad that I packed light.
As if the directions weren't enough, there were signs pointing me to
Bienenberg at every turning. The reception area was closed, but there was a
note, a map and a room key waiting for me. Sorry it couldn't have been more
exciting. I'm usually a little anxious before a big trip, but this was
actually very simple. I'm settling down into life here at Bienenberg. More
on that later...

After seven years of pastoring, I embark tomorrow on my nearly-three-month sabbatical. I will arrive in Washington, DC Saturday night and spend a few days in my old voluntary service stomping grounds. In fact I'll be staying just around the corner from where I lived in 1995-97. After a few days, I drive down to Harrisonburg and Staunton, Virginia to visit more friends.

On the 14th I'll get back on a plane and head to Basel, Switzerland, where I'll spend most of the next 10 weeks. I'll be staying at the Bienenberg Mennonite seminary located in Liestal, just outside of Basel. In addition to my sabbatical rest and rejuvenation, I plan to study German and visit Mennonite churches in Switzerland (there are 14). I'll also be riding trains around the country to visit historical sites from the Radical Reformation. In October I'll take about 2 weeks to visit friends in Granada, Spain and meet up with my sister in Madrid. I return to Anchorage on November 27--Thanksgiving.

I hope to be able to update the folks back home on my travels. If you receive this--lucky you! You are on my list. I don't know if I will have regular internet access, so I may try to leave updates by telephone. If you are interested in hearing these reports from the field, check out http://drop.io/thacker. That's where you will find the recorded audio as well as these postings. There are options on the right for receiving updates via email or rss. If you want to reach me, email is your best bet. Against my better judgment and long-standing reluctance, I bought a mobile phone to use in Switzerland. I'll have a Swiss number which I will send later.

I'm looking forward to the next few months although it still seems like there is a lot to do tomorrow. Usually, when I go on a trip, I pack up a few items and take them with me. This time, I am packing up everything I own and taking only the few items that are left. Everything else goes into storage. Thanks to Prince of Peace Mennonite Church for this opportunity. I hope it is as refreshing for the congregation as it will, hopefully, be for me. Preaching and administrative duties are being taken on by several people in the congregation and we will have some guest speakers in the pulpit. Have a good fall, everyone. Sarah Palin and I aren't on speaking terms so stop asking me about her, and keep the country in good working order until I get back.