GstaadLife

What is going on in Gstaad right now? In the wake of the robbery at the optician Woerni a few weeks ago, now the jewelery shop of Isabelle Fäh has been robbed. On Thursday August 20 sometime between 18h30 and 07h55 several pieces of jewellery and cash were stolen from her shop in Sutterstrasse next to Brand Sport. If you saw anything please contact: 033 356 84 31. Surveillance cameras, anyone?

Due to the great snow conditions, the past winter season saw Wasserngrat 2000 AG able to increase its profit by 15% to SFr 871'000 . Hans Ruedi Spillmann, president of the administrative board, also reported a 20% increase in summer visitors. So what to do with all the cash? It was decided to invest further in the Wasserngrat offer, and from next winter on a permanent, timed, slalom or giant slalom slope off the main slope shall be built to attract more skiers. We look forward to showing some of our friends what real competitive skiing means but, as ever, we hope that the masses stay away so that Wasserngrat remains reassuringly exclusive.

Don't we all love this great little spot on Glacier 3000? Well, we do hope that it will stay the fantastic, hidden treasure at 3000 meters it been over recent years - as Nik and Simon Buchs are not going to be the hosts any more this coming winter. They probably have enough to do on the Wasserngrat but we will miss them and their creativity at the refuge. It is not yet known who will take over but we shall let you know as soon as we hear.

We do like the French word for the VW bug - coccinelle (actually means lady bird) and there will be hundreds of them around this weekend. An international bug meeting is taking place this weekend in Château-d'Oex on the field around Landi where the balloon festival is. Under the title "Air cooled only" hundreds of these cute vehicles are expected and are definitely worth seeing. The program offers competitions, concerts, races, fireworks, a driving simulator and much more. See you there!

We spare you the pictures which appeared in Friday's Anzeiger von Saanen. But a recent reader's letter recorded 61 sightings of dogshit on the path from the Eggli base station along the river to Moosfang: the reader took the effort of taking pictures of each and every one of them. It can be quite annoying at times when one is forced to keep ones eyes down in order to prevent shoe damage rather than being able to enjoy the wonderful scenery around us. So come on people, please make the effort, take the bags, remove your dogs contribution to the landscape and put them in the numerous green bins.

In a recent reader's letter in the Anzeiger von Saanen, Daniel Loertscher let his voice be heard rather critically about the recent "Gstaad alive" events on the Promenade, talking about it disturbing the peace and style of the Promenade, its restaurants and its guests with its all its loudness and to-do. What did you think about it? More pics after the jump and on their webpage.

The ad on the left appeared in the Anzeiger von Saanen last Friday August 14 2009: It translates: "Which good hearted millionaire would grant us a generous donation!! So that we do not have to give up our farm. Please contact Chiffre 3770 at the Anzeiger von Saanen, Kirchstrasse, 3780 Gstaad." Nothing like being upfront with one's needs!

The new street numbers plaques are being delivered throughout this month. The new numbers have been up for some months on building on and around the Promenade in Gstaad, but now the rest of the region gets to play. Those of you who opted to have the Gemeinde hang your plaques will find them put up in the next weeks. And those of you who wanted to do it yourselves will receive a detailed information sheet with the plaque. If you have any questions about where to hang it you should call 033 748 92 93. By the way, the new address for the Gemeinde Saanen is also known now and will be official from January 1 2010: Gemeindeverwaltung Saanen, Schönriedstrasse 8, 3792 Saanen.

The path from Saanen to Rougemont is now sure to be widened and made all new and more accessible. Rougemont has already done its bit and Saanen is starting this fall... just in time for the winter. The path will also be bicycle and pushchair friendly.