I have to second everybody that this was a very special funweekend in DUS.
A special thanks to the hosts!

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Viele Grüße

Oliver

That last group of us are just finishing off the Konig Pilsner over at Bernie's and preparing to head off for one last dinner on the town. So much hospitality from our new friends here -- Bernie, Rudi and Mizu -- and a fine weekend introduction to Alt and Dusseldorff itself. Will post more when I am settled on the other side of the Atlantic, as will the almost 40 of us who made it over for one or more of the days.

Closing now with thanks to all who made it, and those who arranged it.

bernie, Mizu & Rudi - Thank you very, very much for planning and hosting this wonderful event. I had a fantastic time. It was a pleasure to meet all of the FlyerTalkers in person. Well done.

Gee, I can remember a time when I was the only cigar smoking, sheep loving guy on FlyerTalk.

Do you think I started a trend?

(from the Sheraton NY)

Bernie... no offense to your currywust making friends in DUS, (I did enjoy my German-junkfood), but the best curry/brat/other wurste are only available in the great city of Wien....

Lets plan ahead to your next trip to North America, and we'll meet either in NYC or in MEX and I will treat you a real Argentine Macho meal (i.e. 2 lbs. steaks).

Thanks again for your hospitality,


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Gaucho100K

Mizu-- a question to the Chef-techniker of the FT gathering. I will be downloading the pictures I took in DUS later this week (once I buy a USB cable for my digital camera). Where should I send you the jpegs..???

PS: you have to promise not to implement any of the digital editing pranks suggested by our friend Rudi...

To Gaucho and anyone taking pictures: If you would like your digital images to be put on the website, send them to [email protected] - I will put web-sized pictures up on the web-page and the full-size pictures will be available for download.

Just got home to London - and my head is beginning to clear - await news of today's UA return flight saga and looking forward to the photos. Thanks for a great weekend !

Graeme

While it's nice to finally be home after a 10 segment week, I DO wish I had spent more time in DUS.

Bernie: Thank you so much for your hospitality and generosity. Inviting 40 "strangers" to your home was above and beyond!

Mizu: Thank you for the constant lessons and Alt-drinking enocuragement!

To the planning committee including Rudi: You've again shown why Flyertalkers are the best folks on the planet!!!!


BTW, what is that brown liquid in the gift bag? Just want to know what I'm drinkin'!!!!

THANKS AGAIN!!!

Oh, one more thing: if you DO publish those photos of me and daisy, please do be sure to blur out the very wost parts. This is, after all, a family board .

And to Rudi: Aaaaaah, Brigette, I hardly knew ye...my "lady in Orange"

Kokodog posts: I would also like to quote Koko from this thread back in June:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum.../000386-3.html

Seems Mr. Wald "hardly" knows a lot of ladies out there. Perhaps we should start interpreting "hardly" in the density sense of the word?

Acting Commander Capcop PremEx, who has a very looooong....memory.


[This message has been edited by PremEx (edited 11-12-2000).]

Reporting live from Bernie's at 2:30 am...

The last FT's (ChrissMoss7, Darlene, Essxjay) just left my place, where they connected to the net to find out how to get back home in the next few hours.

Before we had Speckpfannekuchen and then went to my favorite hangout to celebrate Darlene's birthday (which was yesterday) and to start the new day celebrating AnnaS's birthday (which is today). Thanks to some very helpful people in both the restaurant and the pub we had just one more fun night.

It was a pleasure meeting all of you in person and it was even more a pleasure that I was allowed to be your host here at my hometown.

Thank you for all your compliments. Hope you enjoyed as much as I did and hope you had -or will have a safe trip back home. I'm glad I made new friends and proud to be a part of Flyertalk.






[This message has been edited by bernie (edited 11-12-2000).]

Before I forget to mention: Some of you may possibly see me again earlier they could ever imagine ... being those guys within the reach of my next rtw routing

YYZ, NYC and westcoast cities this would be. So get your excuses ready

BTW ... the "liquid" in the welcome gift bag is Kräuterschnaps (herbs that is). Made at the house directly across from the Uerige

I am now safely back in Calgary. Had four seats across (full flat bed!) on an A340. Got a few hours of shuteye and got more work done in 3 hours that I usually get done in 3 days (don't know if it was the lack of phone interruptions or the fresh air, Alt and great company--but I suspect the latter).

I FEEL GREAT.

After a couple of days birdwatching on the Dutch/German border (tens of thousands of geese and lapwings--no not lapdancers ), good food and company how else could we feel. The weather was even good (NO RAIN!). Didn't get any chance to do shopping though (all closed at 4 PM on Saturday) and there did look to be some good things from my window shopping on the way to Bernie's. Looking forward to the pictures.

Great seeing both new and old FT friends. AFAIK, we didn't start any flame wars and no one got punched out. While there were a few bleary eyes, everyone seemed to be smiling. Thanks again Bernie and Mizu and Rudi (I just had to try a cigar again after 30 years).

I walked back from Altstadt to my hotel (?3 km--25 mins, so put on about 12-14 km walking yesterday at least). I actually made it back to the station near my hotel at about the same time as the tram. Good way to work of the Alt and Schnapps. That Alt is good high octane fuel--have to try it in the car sometime. I think it's cheaper than German gasoline when you buy in bulk Still lots of people passing me when I was doing 190 on the Autobahn!

Only saw one accident though (on the Autobahn). Different story in town where a truck unloading mattresses had to move to get out of the way of our tram and when he pulled out "hooked" the front fender of a parked Citroen and ripped it off! Polizei were fast as they were on scene within a minute!

Stopped in at Cologne and the impressive cathedral on the way back to Frankfurt, also did some more birdwatching in the forest.

Went to the Senator lounge at FRA (new one above gate B41, not in the round area), but it was still somewhat crowded and smoky (I know after the cigar last night why should I care)--but has showers too. Got some snacks and went over to the RCC. Not that long a walk from B41 (AC gate) and it was not busy and not smoky. They had a free internet computer but the computer keyboard was like pressing on erasers--totally frustrating. Nice to be on the home board. Fast and comfortable. Gotta stay up so I get back on the right time zone.

how do i thank thee? mizu, bernie,rudi and emailman... and special double heartful thanks to rudi for a memorable afternoon in zurich!

that was the most wonderful weekend i had spent with almost 50 people i have never met, (not that i go often to a foreign city to gather with strangers on a last minute notice... ) but someone (the name shall remain confidential)told me that one always feels like this for his-her very FIRST time, and it goes down hill from here... i sure hope not....

it is indeed my utmost pleasure to have met each and everyone of the FTers in DUS, and i would try to participate in more of the future FT fun meetings such as this....

if ever any of you happen to be in atlanta, please do email me....

bisous ŕ tous
hugs and kisses to ALL,
belle,

at a free Compaq terminal on my way to gate 75 to catch DL 67 back to Atlanta