UEFA 025 - Dracula

On one weekend I cycle to the rear entrance to Leica, that is from Widnau. There was a train level crossing with barrier.

On other weekend I used to walk up the hills in front of Leica factory. It was a satisfying walk, as I found out now, what I used to wonder about, each time when I passed by the main road in front of the factory. It was indeed a small castle.

I came very close to the house that looks like Dracula’s castle and its vineyards. The trainees used to say that it was the house of Mr Henry Wild, the founder and owner of Wild Heerbrugg Ag. I was not able to confirm that during my walk, as I could not find the access to the house, and also I was worried if the owner would accuse me of trespassing or peeping.

During this training trip, there were 2 other technicians from Singapore who were also doing training at Leica Factory in Switzerland, same time as me. One of them was Dave from Leica factory in Teban GardenSingapore. Dave who came later to do binocular training, also stayed in Hotel Heerbruggerhof.

Together with Dave, I went again to Lindau. I became like his guide. We were amazed at this "giant chess competition" in Bregenz

The other was Ron, who was already there for four months doing training on microscopy instruments. Ron stayed in the Leica Apartment just next to the factory. It was a very quiet place out there.

I had a chance to visit it when visiting Ron. It was a nice apartment but too quiet at night. And it was frightening to walk in and out of the apartment from the main road. Perhaps that was the reason for the telephone bills of that apartment became very high. Mr Aerni used to make some unfavorable remarks about its telephone bill.

Dave, Ron and I were at different training places. Therefore, we only met after the training. We went out together on a couple of nights and weekends.

I remembered a night when Ron brought us for a raw oyster dinner at one Italian restaurant. Ron was slurping the raw oysters like scooping touw-huey. I also slurped 3 or four of them, but, frankly speaking, I did not really enjoy it. It was more for the sake of experimenting on new things. Dave was like me, brave to discover new things.

Dave was a very nice young guy. Before, coming for this training he did consulted me on the products that he was to be trained. It was the military binocular. You know..…Leica lenses are the best in the world. You must see thru one of the binocular if you ever have a chance.

I had been doing the repair and service of those binoculars, but, with new commitment in the motorized theodolites, it became almost impossible for me to cope.

438 words

Drafted on 07.04.2007

Edited on 03.05.2007 at 0034hrs

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