So Bern. I have been through Bern once or twice via train connections, and driven by my friend Rod Hess. With that being said, I was clearly missing out. I had about two hours after breakfast to take in the sights -
There is clearly a lot more to be seen, so next year this is definitely slated for a full day's stay.
And then I got a reminder about just exactly how large and (I gotta' be honest) not consistently logically laid-out a train station Bern is. If you've never started a journey in an SBB station without a ticket (and you do not have a pay account tied to your SBB app) you must do a few things before you get in the carriage:
- Identify the ticket machine - curious to relate? It is not always where you expect it to be.
- Make sure your payment method is going to work.
- Make sure you have sufficient Swiss Francs and (if necessary) Euro to make your purchase (see above).
- Clearly understand just how far the platform is from the main hub.
So let's examine that last bullet item in a bit more detail. Ordinarily, it is a fairly brief walk from the central hub to any given platform. The one previous experience I've had is the walk "across the border" when arriving into Basel via Mulhouse (France). With that said, I was not prepared for the (literally) 1 + kilometer walk I had to make - and that is FROM the tunnel marked "Biel/Bienne"!
Long story short? I had to sprint at the end to make the train, and truly just made it!
With that said, it was a beautiful day and the ride to Biel/Bienne was smooth, with a quick transfer to La Chaux-de-Fonds -
And I got to check out the settimana junior -
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| Courtesy of ochs und junior |
And in an odd sort of way? This was really coming full-circle for me. Back in 2010 I had walked away from DOXA, realizing that it had become a bit of a dead-end, and I was not going to advance or go any further. I had started writing Tempus Fugit (which is today known as Henki Time), and I stumbled upon ochs und junior via a magazine article that had been forwarded to me. I then connected with Beat Weinmann and got a behind the scenes look at the nascent brand. Fast forward nearly 10 years to the day later, and I was back behind the scenes and got to know the owner Kornelia, the inspiration for the settimana junior - Flori, and got to see how things were moving forward since ochs und junior moved to La Chaux-de-Fonds. So really oj does bookend my start in consulting and media and as I said, it feels as if I've come full circle ; )
After a lovely lunch and a walk around the neighborhood, I was off to Zurich -
I got checked in, found dinner at my favorite Chinese take-out in the old town, got a good night's sleep. The next morning I availed myself of the Ruby Mimi's breakfast - highly recommended by the way, and struck out for a personal errand...a visit to Jenni Uhren, the work address of one Marc Jenni (among others).
After a few wrong turns and a short stroll along a river / canal, I found myself in the right place. I had my eye on two different pieces -
This particualr one I quite like - it's quirky and definitely "of an era", not unlike yours truly ; )
But I had also been admiring this little time machine -
And that is what I ended up with.
And a few words about Marc. The watch business can be a cynical world. As a member of the press, you all too often realize that your relationships with brands and watchmakers can be transactional. I sometimes call them "Weather Vane" friendships, meaning that whether or not some folks have time for you depends upon which way the wind is blowing ; )
But Marc Jenni is something altogether different. I will never forget getting a much coveted invitation to the AHCI dinner during BaselWorld several years back. I have never considered myself an "A List" level invitee, so I reached out to Marc and asked if there had possibly been a mistake, did they really mean to invite me. Marc immediately responded saying that I was absolutely meant to be invited, and that he looked forward to seeing me there! And he could not have been more inviting, more friendly, and more engaging. And I can honestly say after several years of knowing him that he is exactly that nice! For those of you have have the opportunity, he is a friend well met.
Then back to the hotel, packed everything up (including watches this time and double checked), and headed to the station -
And off to the airport, and some "self-care" which my friend Armand Billard reminds me is important not to neglect ; )
As I write this, it is Sunday morning, nearly one month since I got back. A lot has happened. A family member has been diagnosed with a serious medical condition, my job will likely be over by the end of June owing to the political machinations endemic to the city of Lawrence, and in many ways while it feels like the end of some things, it also seems like the start of yet another series of wonderful opportunities, and I am reminded once again that true friendship is something that endures.
Life is fickle and short, embrace it.
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