GstaadLife

So the results of this year's Gemeinde elections are in. And the new Gemeinde president, as voted by 46% of eligible voters, is Aldo Kropf. Yes, that's the Gstaad pharmacy Aldo Kropf who actually moved here from Basel 17 years ago - and yes Saaners have elected themselves a relative 'foreigner'! He prevailed in a closely fought contest against local Brigitte Zahnd, winning 940 votes to Zahnd's 843. Overall the whole election was dominated by the FDP, and even SVP candidate Marcel Bach's run for office did not amount to anything (as predicted by GstaadLife.com readers here). Niklaus Würsten, Verena Müllener, Gottfried von Siebenthal, Walter Matti as well as Hans Schwenter were all elected into the business audit commission. At 46% voter participation was slightly higher than four years ago. Click here for the complete results.

Above: the new Saanen Gemeinde council (left to right): Christian Gafner, Arthur Reuteler, Albert Bach, Emil Trachsel, Aldo Kropf, Toni von Grünigen, Christa Kunz, Hans Schär and Heinz Brand. Aldo Kropf will take over as the new Gemeinde president at the beginning of 2009.

Above, the Gstaad Promenade this past Thursday morning October, yes October 30. If you can't wait for the real , the glacier is now open for skiing! 

For those of you who wish to partake in a little ice skating in the center of Gstaad, the season is kicking off this Saturday November 1 Sunday November 2 (weather permitting). The rink is open daily 10h00 to 17h00, with a late night session on Thursdays from 19h30 to 21h30.

It's Halloween this Friday. This old Celtic tradition seems to have found its way to mainland Europe although we have to say with no clarity of its origins. Many people here in the Swiss alps seem unaware that Halloween was actually a festival of the Celtic people to mark the end of the harvest season and their New Year. Later the Christians established All Saints Day on November 1, so people could continue to celebrate this festival, and the mass of this day was called all Hallwomass.

Konzentration. It's the buzz word related to Gstaad-Saanenland cable cars that's caused quite a stir over the past months (see Major changes proposed for Gstaad-area cable cars). Rellerli or no Rellerli? Pull down the drag lift atop the Eggli, or leave it for old time's sake? Last Friday evening, Bergbahnen Destination Gstaad, the company that runs most of the the Gstaad cable cars and lifts, and various Gemeinde officials got together to present an information evening about which of our area cable cars will stay and which will go. It's all part of a SFr 160 million 10-year investment to improve the region's ski infrastructure. Here's what they had to say...and in case you don't have time to read all this, we can tell you, dear GL.com readers that the Rellerli is staying open at least till 2018. Click on the ski maps below to enlarge; all the details are described below the graphics.

Black (remaining at least until 2018)

• A1 chairlift St. Stephan–Lengebrand (retrofit 2011)
• A2 chairlift Lengebrand–Parwengesattel
• B1/B2 gondola Zweisimmen–Rinderberg (retrofit 2007 following)
• B6 chairlift Oeschseite–Büelti
• C7 chairlift Saanewald–Hornberg (retrofit 2015)
• C8 skilift Hornberg–Hornfluh (retrofit 2009–2018)
• C9 skilift Hornberg-Hühnerspiel (retrofit 2009–2018)
• C12 chairlift Oeschseite–Chübelialp
• D1 chairlift Schönried–Horneggli (retrofit 2017)
• D3 skilift Läger–Horneggli (retrofit 2009–2018)
• E1 gondola Schönried–Rellerli (demolition 2019)
• E2 skilift Rellerli (demolition 2019)
• E3 double skilift Hugeli (demolition  2019)
• H1/H2 gondola Gstaad–Wispile (retrofit in progress)
• H3 skilift Wispile–Stand
• J4 skilift Schopfe (demolition circa 2020 and after rebuild of J7)
• J3 chairlift Rübeldorf–Vorderes Eggli (demolition circa 2020 after rebuild J7)
• K1 chairlift Chalberhöni–Les Gouilles
• L3 gondola Les Gouilles–Videmanette

Yellow (demolition before 2018 and replacement by new lift)

• B3 skilift Birrmoos (rebuild 2012)
• C1/C2 gondola Saanenmöser–Saanerslochgrat (rebuild 2011)
• C4 chairlift Chaltebrunne–Saanerslochgrat (under construction)
• C5 chair lift Chaltebrunne–Parwengesattel (under construction)
• H5 skilift Rütti (rebuild 2016)
• H6 skilift Zückerli (rebuild 2012 through relocation of Bodme skilift)
• J1 gondala Gstaad–Eggli (rebuild 2013)
• J2 skilift Eggli–Stand (demolition 2011 after rebuild J5)
• J6 chairlift Chalberhöni–Vorderes Eggli (rebuild 2010)
• L1/L2 gondela Rougemont–Videmanette (rebuild 2016)

Violet (rebuild, new construction)

• C10 transport lift (skilift/chair lift) Gfell–Hornfluh (new construction  2012)
• C11 chair lift Lischebode–Horetube (new construction  phase 2 / after2019)
• J5 chair lift Obem Stutz (Bramaad)–Vorderes Eggli (new construction  2011)
• J7 transport lift (chair lift?) Rübeldorf–Obem Stutz (Bramaad)–Berghaus Eggli (new construction phase 2 after 2019)

Red (demolition without replacement)

• C3 skilift Saanerslochgrat (demolition from 2012)
• C6 skilift Lätzgüetli (demolition from 2012)
• C10 skilift Lochstafel (demolition from 2012)
• H4 skilift Bodme (demolition/relocation to Zückerli 2012)
• L4 chair lift Rubloz–Les Gouilles (demolition 2009–2018)

Having just told you a couple fo weeks back about how much we love these hotel/restaurant reviews (see Gstaad Palace tops Bilanz hotel ratings) - here comes the next one. Our old favorite the GaultMillau restaurant guide is out with their 2009 edition and Gstaad is, as we all know, oficially recognized as a paradise for gourmets. Well, what's new on this year's list: the Bellevue's Coelho is down one point to 13, the Park gets an inaugural 14 points (having not been in it last year because of a chef change) and the Hostellerie Alpenrose gets an additional point to move up to 15. Chesery is still top of the pile in our region with 18 points.

Winter time starts this weekend on Saturday to Sunday night at 03h00. So don't forget to set your clocks back one hour which means you get an extra hour of sleep on Sunday morning. Summer time will be back on Sunday March 29 2009.

As promised in our photo-montage article earlier this week about the construction in Gstaad (see Construction in Gstaad... latest progress in pictures), here are rest of the photos from other construction sites around Saanenland. Above the latest with the Saanen bypass construction on the Rougemont side. Click here for more pictures.

For those of you who are not here right now, here's an update on the construction progress/mess in Gstaad... click here for the photos. We'll have more from other parts of Saanenland in the next few days.

Taki speaks again, this time on the status of the conservative movement and what he thinks of the National Review, the place where he got his start in journalism. Click play below to start the video.