Visual Entertainment from Near and Far
This superb building is that in which Parliament is housed. On the right, the Victoria Tower, and on the left, Big Ben.
August 1956
Hi you lucky people. Having a wonderful time. Happy to get all the letters which were here on our arrival. London is sunny and warm. Shows, TV, etc. are very good. All these tall buildings are too much for local yokels like me. Will sail the night of the 23rd, can hardly wait – we need the rest. Will write more later.
Love and stuff, the Hewitts
June 1979
The place hasn’t changed a bit – neither has the food and its weight building capacity! Actually there’s not that much excitement but it’s just good to be here. I’ll call you when I get back to Calif. at the beginning of July. I got a job which starts July 9th. Whoopie.
Love, Angela
March 1994
We have been enjoying Vienna but it is cool and rainy. We went to Schoenbrunn and today we went to the Spanish Riding School. Otherwise just been walking around a lot and taking it easy. Went to a wine cellar last night. Will leave tomorrow for Graz.
Love, Kathy
Schoenbrunn Palace, Equestrian Room with the Marshals Table
January 1973
We are in Genoa waiting for the train to take us on our way to St Raphael, France. This is such an interesting city – walked down to the docks yesterday aft. and saw the huge ships coming and going. Just great! Everybody seems to be getting along fine – so far!! Steve even told Va. he was glad he had come!!!! We hated to leave Switzerland – it is so beautiful.. but every new thing we see is great!! Food is good. The kids have lived on spaghetti!! They love it!
Love, Jean
July 1985
Dear Jean,
So glad to hear it all went ok. I’ve got things in good order – washed sweaters in machine and they are fine! K’s wife called yesterday – doesn’t know what to do about him and his “exploits”. Now I have to talk to him. Ugh. No sun today but is quite nice anyway. I get homesick when I see your coat – I’ll try to get it to you somehow. Hope you get slots of sleep and rest now – and do some fund things before work begins.
Love, Va
S. Apollinare Nuovo, mosaic 6th century
Christ separating the sheep from the goats
S. Vitale, mosaic 6th century
The sacrifice of Abel and Melchisedec
G. Chiatonne, 1891
Museum fur Gestaltung Zurich
June 1985
Good to talk to you. If you work at 7:30, do you get off early? (4:30?). Also Friday afternoon? I have been cleaning – vacuuming, dusting – ugh! It is chilly and raining – even thunder and lightening this noon. I found another shirt like the rose one you got. I’m also working on the skirt – don’t know if my changes will work or not. Have some good photos of our trip to Het Loo, etc. Kangs are taking us to Chinese cafe downtown Sunday nite.
Love, Va
Martin Kers, Landscape Photography, Reiderwolder polder zomer
Freitag Shop, Zurich
Summer 2011
In 2011 I visited my brother who was living just outside Zurich, Switzerland. One of our activities was to take a trip to the recycling center. We gathered up all the (cloth) shopping bags we could find and loaded them with the glass, plastic, paper, and aluminum that had been collecting in the kitchen and headed out to the shopping center. At one end of the parking garage were large bins labeled for all the different types of items. We managed to get rid of everything although some of the pictures were a little confusing.
According to the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs:
The Swiss are champion recyclers. In 2003, 47% of all urban waste was recycled – a new Swiss record. They recycled 70% of paper, 95% of glass, 71% of plastic bottles, 85-90% of aluminum cans and 75% of tin cans.
So recycling has become a Swiss way of life.
We discovered a company called Freitag that produced purses, messenger bags, tote bags, wallets, backpacks and even iPhone sleeves all made from recycled goods. They use old truck tarpaulins, used bicycle tires, seatbelts. Every bag is hand made. Even their shop is made out of old semi containers.
The bags are a common sight across Switzerland.
Purse and wallet
Messenger bag
July 1981
It is a nice sunny morning (at 7 AM!). Hope it stays nice. We will go downtown at noon today – Jean and Tom haven’t walked around there yet. It is so nice to have them here – we have visited a lot – played a lot of “spite and malice”. I will be lonesome when they leave.
Love, Dede
The Palace of Justice, The Hague
Postcard Buzz 