Well, Im glad my buddies Bernie and Transpac know that the only real/non-mystery meat comes from the Pampas... as to the photos, keep dreamin'.... I made a point of not giving away evidence of my regional food eating faux-pas... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

In any event, staying on the topic of regional food delicacies, I will say that there's a place for everything. For me, the USA is the place for real burgers, and I would leave Wurst-affairs to the old-world.

------------------
Gaucho100K


[This message has been edited by Gaucho100K (edited 11-13-2000).]

aaagggg !!!!!! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/eek.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/eek.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/eek.gif

Mizu, have mercy !!!! Do you want me to lose my citizenship ??!!!!

How did you guys get that photo...?

OK, so, how much is it going to cost me to get that off the web...??? Bernie, you need to get involved here. I mean, if my Argentine passport gets revoked, I will have no choice but to get a German passport... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif


[This message has been edited by Gaucho100K (edited 11-13-2000).]

Joe and I must also add our huge Thank You to Bernie for his most generous sharing of his beautiful garden apartment in the middle of Dusseldorf for the party Saturday afternoon. Also, huge thanks to the adorable Mizu and the ever redoubtable Rudi for their efforts to enhance our pleasure on this most wonderful of weekends.

For those of you who have never experienced opening day of carnival in Dusseldorf, let me tell you it is a very amazing party. We began at 11:11 a.m. in the square in front of City Hall (people passing beer through the cowded streets) and continued on until somewhere in the neighborhood of the next morning in the lobby of the Nikko hotel. I am happy to report that all were able to leave under their own power, however, must admit that there were perhaps one or two who required navigation assistance. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

I am totally impressed with with the friendly, party atmosphere of Dusseldorf and am quite anxious to return, perhaps someday to enjoy the whole 5th season, which starts 11/11 each year and continues on through Ash Wednesday. Now that is a serious Madi Gras celebration! The most fun part for me was that all of this partying seemed to be carried out in great part by people as old as I, which, of course, made me feel very young.

Every time I attend a major FlyerTalk event, it reinforces how much I would hate to miss the next one. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Sounds like it was fun!!! Wish I went!!!

I could not believe it but I bumped into miletex today on his way back to Texas! I can safely report that he was in good shape after all I heard about what went on late those nights!

I heard him talking about sitting next to an Australian and the baht run and I thought it must be ozstamps he was talking about. So I asked him and indeed it was!!! My first encounter with a fellow flyertalker and he told me about the weekend! Miletex, nice to have met you! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

What I want to know is what happened on the return flight yesterday with the flight attendants who joined the party?

Gaucho I don't think that there is any faux-pas big enough to loose your citizenship, but if so ... we just adopted the greencard (without lottery, of course) and you'd perectly fit. I'll proudly witness that you are familiar with almost any german tradtion, capable of fluently speaking german (if not too many Alt before)and enjoy german food from currywurst to Frikadelle to Gänsebraten

BTW I loooved the pic of you eating frikadellen. Myabe sometime it could be of any use for me http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

Punki if you'll get back here for the "three mad days" there will be a lot more people celebrating muuuuch older than we are. This would take us back to childhood http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Well, my 15,000 miles of right thru flights returning from the wonderful DUS Altbier/Goosenfest Doozie on the weekend have come badly unstuck, as UA have stranded me in SFO for 24 hours as the ORD-SFO connection arrived an hour after the one daily SYD flight had gone. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

Flew back from DUSSELDORF to ORD with AnnaS and Miletex all up front in Business Class on United. WHAT a flight!!! We each received an elaborate UA card signed with personal messages by all staff from the Captain down, and all copped a wrapped bottle of French booze, and had them smuggle us Dom Perignon from First thru the flight as well. (I suspect Miletex and I drank both flights Transatlantic more value in Dom than our coach tickets cost us!) The staff all sang "Happy Birthday" to AnnaS mid flight as well, and gave her a bunch of flowers. Wonderful bunch of FA's and I for one have sent off a personal letter of thanks to UA brass, with names of staff, about the amazing service offered both ways to DUS by UA. Nice to read comments above from cesgog and auh20 who seemed to receive the same superb in-flight service from those crew on the first flight, that we invited to dinner

Anyway, being a new 1K on United makes a huge difference. The delay getting to SFO was caused by ATC, clearly not a United problem. They really needed offer no accomodation, but sprung for two nights at the new Radisson here, with cab and meal vouchers etc. The walk up rate is $235 a night as SFO is heavily oversold right now.

So, anyone in SFO who is about during today Tuesday, and wishes to catch up somewhere, please give me a call direct at the hotel. My flight to SYD does not leave til 11.30pm Tues 14th, so even dinner will fit in fine. Radisson Airport @ Sierra Point 415 467 4400, room 732, Glen Stephens.

United have said they will likely offer me a sleeper seat in First on the 14 hour flight SYD-SFO (off a coach ticket!) due to the hassle, so that will be nice if it comes off. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

bagold .. what a small world that you ended up sitting next to Miletex on his ORD-Dallas flight. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif We both changed our original onward flights from the RCC, so you almost missed the chance it seems. Hope he managed to schmooze some Dom for you on THAT flight ... sitting next to Richard on long flights is a big travelling plus, I am here to tell you!

MIZU ... great photos! You'll need to come up some captions with names, so we can all print out a set! That will be a neat site when they are all up. Thanks for your help and Bernies in being the local guides there, and to you for finding us the cyber cafe.

------------------
~ Glen ~

[This message has been edited by ozstamps (edited 11-14-2000).]

Belle, Don't believe whoever it was. That person is telling a story!!!! This was my 3rd and they were all very exciting.

A personal and heartfelt "Thank You" to Bernie, Mizu, Rudi and any others that helped plan this special event. I have had a better time meeting FTers than touring any city by myself. Thanks to all who attended.

As for what flight Darlene and I took, Bernie would be proud. We are DL and OneWorld fliers but today we were fortunate to travel on *A for the first time. Since we hadn't booked a return flight home yet, I called DL and inquired as to what the price would be out of DUS and AMS for JAN- HNL - JAN - BUD. Since departing from DUS was only $50 more expensive, we opted to spend a few more hours in bed and leave from DUS.

Apparently DL has an "interline?" agreement with LH and booked us with LH from DUS - FRA and then DL onward to home (JAN). Upgraded all the way too.

Upon arriving the DUS airport with only 45 minutes to spare, the LH agent said DL had set the reservation up incorrectly. Since it was very close to our flight time, we just purchased a o/w biz flight on LH in hopes DL would refund the money.

The LH flight was fine. We even got a miniature car and a chocolate steering wheel of the Audi TT. (The car both Bernie and I would like to have).

Once at FRA, we spoke to the DL ticketing agent and she said everything looked fine in our reservation and wondered why LH did not issue the ticket. She said that since we would be flying through FRA in two weeks time that she would go with us to LH and see about getting us a refund on our return.

Another problem was that all of our upgrades were now gone. Fortunately everything was available again except for the HNL - JAN portion this weekend. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/mad.gif

Then she said the system wide upgrade was only good to the first stopover. That's funny, last month on the AMS - JAN - HNL - JAN - AMS trip two systemwides covered the entire trip. Now she was saying I would need three (four if HNL- JAN were avalable). Whatever. She had been very helpful and nice so far so I decided to deal with it when I get home.

The flight FRA - ATL was fine except for the purser. She told me to get my tray table out if I wanted lunch and at the end of the flight she moved my girlfriend's seat to landing position and stowed her inseat video WHILE SHE WAS PLAYING A VIDEO GAME. We both thought we had just missed the announcement but 10 minutes later the announcement to stow the video units and raise seatbacks came on.

I thought it to be very rude and complained to a concierge I knew when I got off of the plane. I hope she actually does something about it. One other time no notes were made in my account and no reply from DL was ever received.

The other FA's were very nice and everything else was fine (except for the food.....bland and either overcooked or cold...which isn't my experience typically).

Let's all go back for a few days.....3 mad days for example.

Chris Moss


[This message has been edited by ChrisMoss7 (edited 11-14-2000).]

yeah, chris, let us roll the time back to last weekend....
am soooo having one BIG case of after the party blues here in atlanta.... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

A belated vielen danke to Rudi, Bernie and Mizu for their gemutlichkeit in putting together the Dusseldorf party! It was worth the eleven hour flight from Paris to participate!

CocoaNut

I'm sooooo sorry for the bad flt. home you had http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif
Bad food http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif bad purser http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

xtra wide seats ... xtra wide armrests ... caviar xtra .... bogner sweat xtra .... 200% xtra miles http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif see .... !

I was going to ask for 10000000 1K systemwides and a couple of confirmed north-american upgrades, but the Argentinian ambassador made a counter-offer... So, is there any reason for you changing locations other than the new job? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

OK, maybe if next time you actually get up and talk to the gal you're looking at all night, I will simply post the pictures of the two of you... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

Also want to post my thanks to Bernie, Mizu and Rudi for a great time in DUS. What a great time and great lot of people. Can't wait for the next one http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Muchos Gracias! Bernie, Mizu & Rudi your extraordinary preparation and planning for this weekend, my first FT event, ensures that it will not be the last. It was a pleasure meeting the participants and I am sorry that the short time made it almost impossible to meet and talk with everyone.
Bernie if SFO is one of your "westcoast cities" on your rtw I would be more than pleased to see you again.

Jim

Thank you for being great hosts. It was a time to remember. Many great people there.

Chris, what happened to you and Darlene at breakfast on Sunday? Celebrating a birthday perhaps?

Well, even with smoozing the FA's at the goose dinner, Scott the flyer and I were not able to get upgraded. Too many full fares ahead of us. But you should have seen the eyes looking at us in coach when the First Class steward came back and served us Dom Perignon in crystal glasses and left the bottle. We felt very important indeed.

Thanks again to all the FT'rs who made it a great weekend.

Baze

Magic ... my rtw will indeed brimg me to SFO. I'll be there around 12/26. Mizu will be in town, too. We are almost decided on meeting for dinner. We'll let you know.

Baze & Scott even schmoozing with UA people doesn't work. At least they weren't that drunk the night the night before, that they recognized you and you got your champagne.

btw Chris did tell me at 10pm on sunday, that it was Darlene's birthday (and AnnaS's birthday the NEXT day), but we kind of got a small improvised birthday bash at "my" pub ... the guys there even managed some "confetti".

[This message has been edited by bernie (edited 11-15-2000).]

Sorry - fly to Tampa early morning of 12/26 and return 12/31

Around 12 / 26 around Magic, could be the 24th or 25th as well.

For the benefit of those who were not there (we were down to about a dozen DUS survivors by then!) the "confetti" tossed at the witching hour of midnight on Anna's birthday consisted of a large wad of 4" diameter thin drink coasters. Like a blizzard in Antarctica http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Funniest thing I even saw. What a mess to clean up later. Great pub Bernie .. couldn't help but notice it was 50 yards from your place, so bet they know you well! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

------------------
~ Glen ~



[This message has been edited by ozstamps (edited 11-15-2000).]

Well I for one would like to thank Bernie, mizu and Rudi for the exceptionally good time that I had. It was an absolute blast and I can't wait for the Weekend at Bernie's Deux http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif. Well we may not have gotten our upgrades but the bottle of 1992 Dom and two premium bottles of wine before landing were much appreciated.I now have a new love and it's name is Alt, even the waiter said "Thank you for coming, hurry back the Alt is waiting" geez I think that's a compliment http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif. Premex keep an eye out in your mail for a special friend that was the center of attention at the Altbier. We had to rescue your sweetie from that notorious Kokonuts but she only has eyes for you. For all that didn't make it I am truely sorry as it was the party of the century. ( alt alt alt !! ) http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/cool.gif



------------------
Cheers Scott

I was so hoping Daisy was going to make it to Southern California. While she is from Florida, I think in her heart she is a California girl. Too bad she did not get there until after the Rams moved to St. Louis.

Mizu-- I dont get up and talk to the girls, I already told you Im the shy type... I just sit there and admire their beauty...

------------------
Gaucho100K


[This message has been edited by Gaucho100K (edited 11-17-2000).]

Gaze shyly at the girls, or the sheep? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/confused.gif

Glad to read the postings as each of us fanned out across the planet, returning safely home from this delightful weekend of comeraderie and good cheer. After a few days in Berlin -- and many pints more of the local pilsen -- I have finally arrived home myself, and for the first time in a week, signed on to FlyerTalk. Thanks for all those memories.

Glen-- [see edited post above] http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif


------------------
Gaucho100K

Many, many thanks to Bernie, Rudi & Mizu from me & Mrs 'toad for a wonderful time in DUS. The goose dinner alone was worth the flight in BA steerage (well, maybe not http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif). Mrs 'toad was especially pleased that she could order alkaholfriebier and thus pretend that she was drinking with me/us. I haven't yet had the courage to try the herb liquor that Bernie thoughtfully provide; but the aspirin (mit Vitamin C!) was very welcome on one or two occasions.

Cheers!

'toad

Thanks to everyone who made this FT gathering such a fun-tastic experience. The event was so well organized, it shows you what German engineering is capable of!
Great job to my new German friends- Bernie, Mizu and Rudi. A website! Wow, I was not expecting that.

I just got married 2 weeks ago and this was the closest thing I had to a bachelor party- replete with beer, cigars and even an inflatable sheep!

I will remember my new found taste for Alt bier and how Rudi made sure our glasses were never empty, BlondeBomber and Alt! Alt! Alt! However, if you fly Delta you would then be chanting ATL! ATL! ATL! Mizu, sorry I missed the pancake lunch Sunday. Cologne awaited and was well worth squeezing in. Sorry I missed Tropical Flyer and a few others heading that way on Sunday.

To those who flew on UA from Germany, hope you were "First" to leave, including auh2o. Hope you didn't get "goosed" either after inviting the FAs to dinner before. And to all, thanks for the fun times and memories and the warm welcome to a newbie to the discussion board and group. When are we meeting up next? I will be in Dallas and San Francisco over Thanksgiving and that weekend. Also, come and meet up for the DDDC- December dinner in DC.

I would also like to add my thanks and kudos to our wonderful hosts Bernie and Mizu along with Rudi!! I can only imagine all of the hard work that went into making the get-together come off so effortlessly. It was also great to meet so many new FTers along with seeing the familiar faces again. Thank you all very much for making my first trip abroad so memorable!! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

------------------
Regards,
- Anna

Hey Rudi, congratulations !!!!! Im so happy you decided to get a real passport...

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

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Gaucho100K


[This message has been edited by Gaucho100K (edited 11-20-2000).]

... you know gaucho100k, since a swiss is heading 'your' german bank, now even worldbankers are allowed to be a little bit confused about where my Confoederatio Helvetica belongs to ...

Rudi-- ... touche !!! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

Great webpage! Looks like a great event -sorry I had to cancel. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

Still suffering the effects of jet lag, so was listening to the CBC's overnight radio service which provides selections of programming from various public radio networks around the world. German Radio just finished a 20-minute feature on the Japanese in Dusseldorff, explaining how this community came into being and how they established an infrastructure in the city to serve their needs.

Also, each year in Tokyo, a group of those who had lived in DUS hold a special evening to celebrate the feast of St. Martin's where they eat goose and quaff specially imported Altbier!

Managed to find cans of Diebels on sale at the liquor store around the corner from my place in YYZ, so my withdrawl has been gentler in the past week!

[This message has been edited by Shareholder (edited 11-26-2000).]

can't get real Düsseldorfer Altbier here, just the local imitations which aren't so bad. anyway I'll be at DUS from 12-3pm on 12/24 and 12/31 doing my last-minute mileage runs for UA if anyone's interested.

Mizu ... did Gaucho ever get his photos to you? He seemd to be taking quite a lot. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/eek.gif

------------------
~ Glen ~

No yet - he's a busy person, you know http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif In the meantime, we could have a caption contest for the existing pictures...

Thanks MIZU .. well Gaucho must get a move on. Stop sipping DOM and send some emails. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

So you CAN do captions on the photos?! In the meantine, this might exercise some imaginations. A rather fragile/seedy looking auh20 the morning after the Goosenfest either forgot to shower or something. Only Jean will know!


http://pcwi200.uni-muenster.de/flyertalk/P1010034.jpg

------------------
~ Glen ~

[This message has been edited by ozstamps (edited 12-02-2000).]

Some more pics in our happier times--sorry if things are slow (@home is upgrading the servers and all our home pages are intolerably slow--Dec 5):

http://members.home.net/deercroft/altbier1.html

AND IT WAS A FUN TIME!

[This message has been edited by BlondeBomber (edited 12-06-2000).]

it was indeed... thank BB! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Great Photos, thanks BB! 160 clicks you call speeding? Come by next time and we'll rent an SLK or a Boxster http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

Mizu

Mizu... do you confess to speeding..??? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif