Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2004 to all of you!
William & Ursula Bosshard
32, Route de St. Maurice
CH-1814 La Tour-de-Peilz
La Tour, December 3, 2003
Dear friends,
Our Seasons’ Greetings this year again come from Thailand. As 2003 comes to an end, we look back to a year of exiting trips and a long and hot summer at home in La Tour. In mid February, we flew from a short 2 months stay in Nevis to Buenos Aires and Ushuaia,, where we boarded the MS BREMEN, a small 160 passenger Hapag Lloyd exploration ship for a 2 weeks tour of the Antarctic Peninsula, and the Falkland Islands. We steamed first to Cape Horn and then through an unusually calm Drake Passage. There were only about 130 passengers so the facilities were not as crowded as if full. That was especially beneficial for the many landings on the numerous islands we visited by large Zodiac rubber boats. It would go too far to make a full description of the beauties of each spot, the many kinds of penguins and sea birds spotted even whales and orcas, sea lions, sea leopards, fur seals and walruses. On the reverse side, I have included a number of shots, and those with access to a computer & the Internet can go to http://www.bosshard.net/main/admin/story.php?mode=edit&sid=20040412134613322 and read my full report, and see more pictures.
Willi made his usual trip in May to Japan, visiting friends, antique dealers and attending two days of Sumo. Uschi went to get her mother and stayed with her in our home in La Tour, and again in July when Willi made a trip to Philadelphia, Miami, Naples and a quick side trip to Nevis which he found definitely cooler than Switzerland. There had been another eruption of the volcano on Montserrat which left very fine powder on everything on Nevis, 50 km away. By the time I arrived, all was cleaned away – only the pool was empty and the grass brown.
During summer, we stayed 10 days in cool Zermatt and the rest in the sweltering heat in La Tour where we welcomed numerous visitors from near and afar. The investment in 1994 into an air conditioning system came in very handy this year – also the pergola proved a most wonderful retreat as there was always a breeze there and the temperature cooler than on the terrace. We enjoyed wonderful barbecues, even had Kobe beef which Willi brought back in early June. Our son Nic with wife Alexandra and baby Leonie visited twice, the last time in August and we had a very happy time despite the heat. There are also some pictures of our grandchild at the back, more on http://www.bosshard.net/main/index.php?topic=Leonie.
In early November we once again travelled to Thailand, Chiang Mai for some wellness and rest programs, some sightseeing in the region. Then, a short flight to Phuket to stay at a new Resort north of that island, right now with our friend Max with whom we are enjoy sailing. Our return to the Old Continent will be on December 16 to celebrate the Festive Seasons with our kids and friends.
We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a most wonderful, successful and healthy New Year of the Monkey 2004.
Willi & Uschi