Greisinger Opening Ceremony (Part 3)

There is nothing like having second or even first breakfast in Switzerland, especially when the morning headlines feature a merrier world.

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Reading of Mittelerde in the headlines while enjoying a Hobbit breakfast. Compliments to Gasthaus zur Traube!  22 Sept. is happy coincidence…

The long awaited day had come; the opening ceremony of the Greisinger Museum.  After my journey with the wolfish dog, and a fine breakfast, it was time to don my viking tunic and get to Bag-end.  Another exceptionally hot sunny day saw many guests joining the hustle and bustle of the Greisinger grounds.  A good majority of the guests arrived in costume which added to the festive flair and charm of the event.  Once Gandalf arrived, we knew it had to a be a special party.

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Good morning!

The party began with a wonderful performance of the alphorn; the traditional instrument of the region.

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Beautifully decorated Alphorns.

 

Goblins, warriors, shire-folk, minstrels and even an Ent-wife all mingled in the garden with anticipation of the ribbon cutting and their first tour of Bag-end and the museum.

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I’m not sure how Gandalf is going to feel about Goblin-men being invited to the party.  A warrior was close at hand, surely to keep them in check.
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As one would expect, the Goblins kept trying to dominate the media spotlight.

 

 

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The ribbon cutting and official opening were about to begin!

After a speech by Baseli Werth (president of Jenins), Bernd spoke and cut the red ribbon; thus opening the museum for small groups of guided tours.  Amid the feasting, fun and museum tours, various media outlets were there interviewing folks about the grand opening.  I had the wonderful opportunity to speak to a couple TV stations – you can watch those segments here.

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Jan Boom and a goblin gal enjoy the Greisinger grill!

As the sun set behind the green dragon and the mountains of the west, the party continued with food, music and endless Tolkien talks.

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There hasn’t been a dragon in these parts for a 1000 years!

After darkness settled in, the party moved inside where Bernd gave some thank you speeches as well as receiving some heart warming gifts from friends.  I kept hearing talk of Gandalf’s fireworks all night and then everyone swarmed outside as it turned out the rumours were true.  I’m fairly sure the residents of Jenin and Landquart considered that a dragon might indeed be attacking when they saw this display of fireworks exploding up the mountain!

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Bilbo did not know what he was in for. Would Bag-end survive the night?
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Crack, fizz, boom, pow… Bilbo look out!!!

As if Gandalf’s whizpoppers weren’t enough, Goblins and Dunlendings starting breathing fire!

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Its a wonder none of the guests were incinerated.

Finally things calmed down a bit and all was quiet outside Bag-end.

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The window’s of Bag-end offer such an inviting glow at night.

The party carried on long into the night.  I’m not quite sure what time I finally wandered up the hill to the gasthaus, but when my head hit the pillow I soon met dreams of a summer night I spent at a party at Bag-end.

 

Thus ends part 3 in my tales of visiting the Greisinger Museum grand opening ceremony.  There was so much to cover, I could hardly relay it all.  Parts one and two are here.  At the final part of my tale there will be a video montage of the entire weekend.

About John Di Bartolo 36 Articles
I'm just a minstrel on a wandering horse. Hear John's "Folk-Fantasy" music here: Second Breakfast by Lonely Mountain Band

3 Comments

  1. Thanks for the mention, and for your wonderful reports – it really was an amazing event. It was a great privilege to have been there – and to meet you!

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