House of Switzerland 2008: REACHING THE END

Beijing, Day 25

Back in town. After two weeks in the fresh air of Switzerland, the author of these lines is back...in the fresh air of Beijing. It was great to come home to an apartment full of life, as Mr. and Ms. Fournier were still here, as well as the director of our office in China, Nicolas Luo (agent 008). And I didn't come alone this time either, as my better half and Career Services Manager, Trude Gulbrandsoy, took a week of holidays to join me in the last days of the Olympic adventure. Our first steps took us to the friendly neighborhood, the police station, for registration (like all aliens do), and then we went straight to the HoS to see how the team was doing, and they were all still there, looking ... slimmer (Julian, transformed from Kung Fu panda to almost Bruce Lee shape), paler (yes, even Fides can look like that), tired, but all with a big smile and ready for the final 100 meters.

The "César Ritz" family

Peking Duck no 25 million....

Tony and his wife, both working at the Grand Hyatt Beijing

After lunch at, Nishi Group, Heidi Ni's family's restaurant, and a short nap we went back to the HoS, this time packed with local and international visitors, before we had Mr. and Ms. Fournier's farewell dinner at the "Made in China" in the Grand Hyatt. It was good to see Shuimiao (freshly promoted to Assistant Restaurant Manager), and Tony Han again, newly appointed restaurant manager of the "Made in China", one of Beijing's most popular places.

After a delicious dinner (we had probably the 25 millionth duck eaten during the Olympics, didn't do them any good, these games...) the Fournier family took of to the airport, while we went...back to the HoS where we met Julian and his parents who probably brought him some "Maultaschen" from back home. A good part of the Swiss Olympic team spend their last evening in the House, so the party was on until long after the official closing hours of the HoS Beijing 2008. CK