Sunday 29th November 2015, 2:30pm

Getaway #10: Nina Weber

Nina Weber chose this Sunday’s getaway destination. *)

– When I met Nina we spent an hour trying to figure out places where we might have met before. She looked so familiar, I was sure I knew her from somewhere. Searching our past for possible meeting points we found two major things we had in common. We had both studied at the Zurich Art School – though not at the same time – and we used to be friends with two quite particular guys – but when Nina started seeing them a lot, I did not live with Fidel and Valentin anymore. The familiar feeling remained an unsolved riddle. We dropped the topic and continued cooking. Only now it seems rather obvious: The third thing we have in common is looking familiar to people for no reason. –

[Report]

No one showed up that day. This was actually kind of nice. No need to explain that Nina herself was sick and staying in bed. No need to discuss the shall we do it or leave it question. No need to feel bad or oddly responsible for the destination aimed for closing its doors in the moment of arriving. To put it bluntly: Nothing worked the way it was planned. And is turned out to be the most calming and soothing getaway imaginable. Because everything worked out, slightly different, but beautifully. And the concept was put to another test and made it. Things can work just as well when everybody stays at home.

Through the icy rain Nina gave me directions via text messages: She would have gone to the Üetliberg, making her way up from Albisgüetli. Then past the top, down a bit to the left, in order to pause at the Teehüsli Jurablick.

Seamed by traces of snow, in an incredible silence, the path leads over the mountain crest, opening a constant view down on the lake. It continues past the hilltop, the restaurants, the train station, keeping to the left on a small foot path through a light coniferous forest. There it was: Jurablick.
No one had shown up that day. Not even at Jurablick. The weather and a first wave of winter flu seemed to have kept really everybody in bed. That’s why they shut the door with an angry knock when I arrived. One hour early.

I ended up sitting on the wet and chilly terrasse, watching the pink light of the beginning sunset cover the far away mountain tops like a cup cake icing, eating and drinking the leftovers I had found at home before leaving.
Meanwhile Nina was in her bed drawing what she could see in the frame of her window probably also drinking tea, on her Inside Sunday.

When I was about to leave, one guy exited the Teehüsli. I asked him for directions. On the train down we met again. He offered me some cake the had been given there after he had finished his slice, because really no one had shown up that day. I politely declined. I had had my piece of cake: sweet lukewarm green tea with wodka and clementines.

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*) Mirjam Bayerdörfer invited Nina Weber for the tenth Outside Sunday.