Canada Slim and the Last Walk of Robert Walser

Landschlacht, Switzerland, Christmas Day 2017 As my wife works – she is a doctor – I wonder what I am going to do with my days off. Weather is rather grey for walking and I am not particularly motivated to accomplish much housecleaning despite the need to do so. Of course, I could drag out… Continue reading Canada Slim and the Last Walk of Robert Walser

Canada Slim and the Dance Macabre

Landschlacht, Switzerland, 24 December 2017 Tomorrow is Christmas and I have yet to feel that Yuletide spirit. Part of the problem is that I never seem to see the oft-promised peace on Earth and good will towards man. Trump and his cronies have passed a tax bill that will hurt the most vulnerable members of American… Continue reading Canada Slim and the Dance Macabre

Canada Slim and the Royal Peculiar

Landschlacht, Switzerland, 22 December 2017 This week I returned back to work after being absent at home for the past two weeks. It was a warm welcome with hugs and expressions of delight. So much so that one witnessing customer commented: “I want to work here!”  Back home after work: First World problems. Ah, the… Continue reading Canada Slim and the Royal Peculiar

Canada Slim and the Battle for Switzerland´s Soul

Landschlacht, Switzerland, 18 December 2017 Battlefields can be deceptive when viewed long after the battles have been fought. Take the example of Waterloo. Above: The Battle of Waterloo, Belgium, 18 June 1815 Once the tourist gets beyond the huge pyramid and the facilities set up to view and visit it he/she finds him/her self in quiet… Continue reading Canada Slim and the Battle for Switzerland´s Soul

Canada Slim and the Company Town

Landschlacht, Switzerland, 17 December 2017 Soon I will attempt to go back to work. I have spent the last two weeks suffering from an extremely durable and nasty viral infection, aka the Man Cold, but finally I believe my return back to work on Monday will be successful. I have remained indoors, have plied my body with… Continue reading Canada Slim and the Company Town

Canada Slim and the Queen´s Horsemen

Landschlacht, Switzerland, 13 December 2017 There are moments in life – and isn´t travel truly a microcosm of life? – when a person realizes that his internal indecisiveness on certain issues will always remain. “Do I contradict myself?  Very well, then I contradict myself.  I am large.  I contain multitudes.” Walt Whitman, “Song of Myself”, Leaves… Continue reading Canada Slim and the Queen´s Horsemen

Canada Slim and the Vienna Waltz

Landschlacht, Switzerland, 9 December 2017 There are moments when one has to accept one´s limitations. For example, the wife and I were asked to attend her employer´s Christmas Party yesterday evening, but neither one of us was healthy (or motivated) enough to attend. I have been home all week when I would have rather been working, but… Continue reading Canada Slim and the Vienna Waltz

Canada Slim and the City of the Thousand

Landschlacht, Switzerland, 7 December 2017 First impressions are lasting. And one rarely gets a second chance to make a “first” impression. Today, despite my desire to remain abed at home and nurse my damnably durable cold – with all its joyless aspects of stuffed nose, scratchy throat, hoarse voice, congested chest, sinus headaches and resulting… Continue reading Canada Slim and the City of the Thousand

Canada Slim and the Right Man

Landschlacht, Switzerland, 6 December 2017 Is there such a thing as an indispensable man? This is a question I have often asked myself when considering both my life and the lives of the famous. I ask myself this question recently as I am, once again, forced to remain at home in bed with, yet another cold… Continue reading Canada Slim and the Right Man

Canada Slim and the Basel Butterfly Effect

Landschlacht, Switzerland, 3 December 2017 I want to run away. As work increases and pressure mounts to accomplish as much as possible in this last month of the calendar year…. I want to run away. And though employers try to distract us through Christmas parties from the pressure they themselves create, I find myself nostalgic, almost homesick,… Continue reading Canada Slim and the Basel Butterfly Effect