Hans Bodmer
THE ELDERLY GENTLEMAN’S ULYSSEE
IN TWELVE DAYS ON FOOT FROM ZURICH TO GENEVA.
A brighter, slightly eccentric older gentleman goes on a hike from Zurich to Geneva. On hiking trails, whenever they exist. But the declared goal is to reach the destination, the Café de la Place in Meyrin, as soon as possible. The adventures and encounters are more unforeseen than expected. The experience brings smiles, laughter, and a sense of achievement. But also unpleasant, tooth grinding, and suffering. He has much time to explore his thoughts and to process what he has experienced. He inevitably ends up in complex, exuberant pipe dreams and bizarre, surreal spheres. Very often, he is sent into the virtual desert for his thoughts. This does not bother him.
He wanders, ponders, and continues to provoke, undeterred.
He meets different types of men, friendly and also disgusting ones.
Not only that, but he encounters many charming ladies and frequently risks falling in love.
«When someone goes on a trip, then he can tell something.» (Matthias Claudius)
This book is based on the 2022 in German published title 'Die Wanderung des älteren Herrn' by the same author.
This version, written in American English, was prompted by the author's conversation with his two sons and English-speaking friends.
Please note: English is not the author's native language.
The original version has been shortened and streamlined. End notes were added to make the text more accessible.
The book contains the actual description of the trip, socially critical provocations, challenging ideas, and daring personal theses.
Expressions like foreign words, reflections, ambiguity, irony, and provocative statements are kept between apostrophes to highlight their significance in the narrative. This stylistic choice adds depth and nuance to the text, inviting readers to engage with the ideas presented.
The services from Google and Wikipedia were much appreciated. The help from Grammarly, LanguageTool, and ProWritingAid was pertinent.
The author extends his heartfelt gratitude to his partner, Germaine, for her unwavering patience and attentive listening.
Text and cover:
Hans Bodmer
Publisher: Hans Bodmer
Copyrights.
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the author's prior written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, please get in touch with the author.
Tablel of contend.
Vision/Prologue. 6
Day 1: Zurich - ‘Grapingen’- Baldegg - Schinznach. 10
Day 2: Schinznach - Aarau - Schönenwerd - Olten. 20
Day 3: Olten - ‘Southwall’ - Kappel - Egerkingen. 30
Day 4: Egerkingen - Oensingen - Attisholz - Solothurn. 40
Day 5: Solothurn - Grenchen - ’Pub’ - Biel. 52
Day 6: Biel - ‘Swiss IT Valley’ - ‘Petri-Heil’ - ‘Snobingen.’ 63
Day 7: ‘Snobingen’ - Neuchâtel - Colombier - ‘Eden sur Lac’. 74
Day 8: ‘Eden sur Lac’ - Grandson - ‘Nobridge’ - Orbe. 86
Day 9: Orbe - ‘Poste’ – La Sarraz - ‘Massacre’ - Lavigny. 97
Day 10: Lavigny - Signal de Bougie - ‘Thunderstorm’ - Duillier. 108
Day 11: Duillier - ‘Queen’ - ‘Puzzle’ - Ferney-Voltaire. 118
Day 12: Ferney-Voltaire - ‘Davidoff’- Café de la Place. 131
People involved. 141
The Author, 143
Review I. 144
Review II. 146
Vision/Prologue.
At first, it was just a vague vision. This vision increasingly became a fixed idea that followed an inner compulsion. Would the idea become a reality?
Yes. The older gentleman hikes from Zurich-Affoltern to Meyrin, Geneva, in the shortest possible way, preferably on hiking trails. Which in and of itself is paradoxical.
He had done the Zurich-Geneva route so many times before. Also, of course, in the other direction.
• By train, mainly with the Intercity Express.
• By airplane: Douglas DC-6 to DC-10, Boeing 727 and higher models. If possible, with Swissair. That was before the company's grounding .
• By car: with the Triumph Spitfire, the VW Variant, the Ford Taurus, the Ford Granada, and the Chrysler Vision.
So, the Zurich-Geneva route is worn out. Something else was needed to make the adrenaline flow in powerful yet calm streams. One day, he realized that there must be something else behind sound-absorbing walls, bushes, and house facades—something like love, hope, and joy. Un- fortunately, it could also be hate, fear, and suffering.
Is there anything extraordinary in Switzerland's overpopulated, hilly, middle European territory? Could lovely, pleasant, curious, funny, or absurd events exist?
Could he explore an unknown world at a walking pace, stress-free? He would use profile shoe soles instead of Michelin, Goodyear, or Bridgestone tires. He could walk light-footed instead of having a foot push the gas pe- dal. Not only that, but he could admire the surroundings instead of staring at the car’s bumpers ahead of him.
As a side effect, questions that are highly unimportant for survival, such as the following, could also be answered:
• Is there a path, a small street, or a full-blown road between the steep hill in front of Olten, where the train to Bern cuts a daring curve before passing through the rail yard and the Aare?
• How many army trucks can be parked on the right side of the freeway near Wangen an der Aare, aligned with precision, and at a minimum distance?
• Could an Airbus A380 make an emergency landing at Grenchen Air- port?
• Is the brilliant idea of carving a canal from Orbe to Lausanne, allowing multimillionaires to rally with their racing boats from Hamburg to Monaco a good idea?
• How far above Rolle is Mont-sur-Rolle, and does as much wine grow there as is drunk in Zurich?
The questions concerning geography and other realities would undoubtedly be solved.
And those that are much more important to him? The ones that concern the 'untouchable', such as the 'spirit', the soul, the good God, and, of course, the evil devil?
Barely! Fantasies and illusions will compete. Puns, common sayings, quotes, and proverbs will chase each other. There will be many question marks and, likewise, exclamation marks.
Many ambiguous, invented, and provocative expressions must be enclosed between apostrophes.
He must be more than just slightly disturbed. Only a half-crazy person could think of walking from Zurich to Geneva.
Expected time: a maximum of two weeks. Budget target: maximum one thousand Swiss francs.
He wasn't always such an uncompromising marcher, or, as they say in German, ‘Wandersmann’. In school, he loved school trips and holiday hikes more than anything. It brought variety to the dreary everyday lives of people with low incomes.
His more or less regular jogging made his muscles ridged. He jogged about ten kilometers on the tartan track in front of the house or around the nearby small lake. These exercises resulted in his current 76 kg and 178 cm physical dimensions. He should be able to bear the moderate-to-severe exertion to come.
He is old and has to fight his age. What bothers him? It is not the money for his existence, which is secured thanks to AHV and other pillars. Today, he wonders why a vote had to be taken to introduce the AHV in 1947. Who could have been against it?
He has everything he needs, and he earned it himself. He adds up his contributions and those of his employers, plus the interest and compound interest, plus the gain made with the invested capital. The resulting sum is enough to guarantee him an adequate standard of living until age 80. So, he is not a social parasite, as is often said when the AHV is discussed.
So, what's troubling him? He is, as one says, a deserving pensioner. There's no shame in no longer being a cog in the 'gross social production machine'.
But it raises the question: What else is he here for on earth? Doesn't the reason to live cease after the first commandment in the Bible has been obeyed?
Be fruitful and multiply; subdue nature and animals... (Genesis 1:28)
In his opinion, the Lord was most likely a little tired on Saturday. Is, what was created on his last day at work really beyond any doubt? Is it the ‘Crown of Creation’?
His thoughts frequently wander from the Big Bang, over the single-celled organism, to ‘Homo sapiens’ (Latin for wise men) and beyond. What will follow?
Something better, something fairer? Is this just one of his many illusions?
Without illusions, life becomes an existence. (Mark Twain )
The most critical question in life is: What is its meaning and purpose? Will that question ever be answered? Here are two suggestions:
The meaning of life is to enjoy it. (Author unknown)
Let us eat and drink; we will die in the morning. (1. Corinthians 15:32)
The Bible says so, but certainly not as a commandment. When certain statements in the Bible are taken out of their context, they can be massively abused.
So, instead of enjoying life, why the torture of walking from Zurich to Geneva?
• In the rain, through the dust of the construction sites?
• Going up and down the stony and slippery hiking trails?
• To search, dead tired, for accommodation every day, like Maria and Joseph once did?
• To hope to find a place to sit, even if it's just a decent tree trunk?
• Why will he take all those risks?
The hike will certainly not be risky. Going astray and wandering for 40 years through the desert like the Israelites did is unlikely. There are signs everywhere, although some are no longer legible because they haven't been serviced for a long time, or point to stylish, romantic paths, which are detours for him. The area to be hiked through is fertile, subsidized, and somewhat green between the buildings. Water is always available.
Also, why not tackle the challenge?
Hiking is the miller's delight. (from a hiking song)
You don't have to be a miller; even a trained mechanic enjoys hiking. And above all, he has time, which is no longer money for him. He has more time than money.
Now, he goes to bed without having the usual cigar and beer. He has to be fit tomorrow. Up to now, there were just words.
