An Old Friendship Renewed

This week I've had the pleasure of hosting my Swiss friend Klaus and his son Daniel as they travel the U.S.  In the early 1970s Klaus was a high school exchange student in Williamston, where I was living and working at the time.  I cannot now remember how we met, but Klaus and I got to know each other during his exchange year.  A couple years later he returned with two friends, passing through Williamston and staying at my home on their coast-to-coast-and-back Grayhound journey.  Now, after 40 years, Klaus has returned to look up high school friends and show Daniel where his youthful adventure took place.

We had not communicated in some 30 years, but over a year ago Klaus managed to track me down via the Internet, and we arranged his visit to Presque Isle.  Now I have to plan a trip to Switzerland!

Klaus and Daniel in the silence of Northeastern Michigan

Klaus has had some real adventures over the years.  After university and a stint in the Swiss Army, he eventually found a position with the International Committee of the Red Cross, which is headquartered at Geneva.  He first spent four years in Africa and the Middle East.  In Mozambique, then embroiled in civil war, Klaus visited prisoners of war held by both sides to determine their health and treatment, and if possible to arrange their return home.  He then moved on to Iraq during the First Gulf War, where he facilitated repatriation of downed U.S. pilots.  After some time back in Switzerland the ICRC sent him off to Jerusalem and Gaza for two years.

For the past 14 years Klaus has been teaching law and other subjects in the Swiss public schools.  Daniel is a teacher also, but will take leave shortly to do an advanced degree in education law.  That will allow him to teach at both the secondary and university levels.

The two men flew into New York and spent a couple days seeing the Big Apple, and then moved on to Chicago where they spent a couple days in the Loop.  Then they traveled to Williamston, reunited with their host family, and began contacting old high school friends.  Finally, Tuesday afternoon, they made their way to Presque Isle.

On Wednesday drove into Alpena and took the Shipwreck tour at the National Marine Sanctuary.  The boat has two glass-bottom viewing wells which allow passengers to see several wrecks in the shallow water of Thunder Bay.  We then took a quick trip through the Sanctuary's museum, which is largely devoted to the shipwrecks of which the Sanctuary is the official steward.  Then, in late afternoon, we made a quick initial visit to Presque Isle's two lighthouses.

Klaus and Daniel meet Keeper Garrity at the Old Lighthouse.

Daniel rings the Lansing City Hall Bell at the Old Lighthouse.

There's no water at the Old Light's hand pump,
but it's fun to try.

Cooking for one is usually boring, but having a couple friends to feed proved a happy challenge.  We grilled steaks from Plath's (Rogers City) on Tuesday and chicken ka-bobs from Perch's (Alpena) on Wednesday, and then enjoyed fresh whitefish from Gauthier and Spaulding Fisheries (Rogers City) last night.  Yesterday we also visited the new bakery north of Rogers City to buy bread and share a light breakfast.  Both men are quite adept in the kitchen, although Klaus claims he rarely cooks.

Klaus at the grill, with Daniel looking on in amusement!

More on Klaus' and Daniel's visit in my next post. •••