Twice a year we try to pay our guests a “home visit”. This we call a “Metromeeting” as it involves trips to large cities. We have already been to Munich, Düsseldorf, Berlin, Dubai, Geneva, Paris, Brussels, Tel Aviv and Istanbul.

Though never before had there been a Metromeeting in Zurich or Stuttgart – both cities are so close to Lake Constance that we regarded them as being on our doorstep. We have now made up for it – at least with regard to Zurich, as we will visit Stuttgart at the beginning of 2010. On 2 July we invited the Buchinger guests from the Swiss metropolis to the trendy restaurant “Rüsterei” whose interior design is the work of Heinz Julen from Zermatt. Located in the newly opened “Sihlcity”, the restaurant owes its name to the only part of the original paper-mill site that has been preserved.

We had chosen a wonderful summer evening for the event, allowing it to unfold outdoors in the garden in front of the restaurant. Our Buchinger cooking team prepared the organic gourmet meals in the restaurant kitchen, assisted by some of its chefs. Our Egyptian bar man Ibrahim mixed the welcome cocktails on the spot, with and without spirits. As preparations got underway we were joined by the new chief physician Dr. Stefan Drinda, who came from paying a visit to a colleague at the University Clinic of Zurich.

Eva Maria Ordenes from Marbella, Isabel Klauke and Kristina König from Überlingen, Raimund Wilhelmi and Dr. Francoise Wilhelmi de Toledo welcomed the guests. This was followed by a short PowerPoint presentation showing recent Buchinger developments, in terms of the buildings as well as in the therapeutic and medical facilities. For those who had never been at a Buchinger residence, Dr. Francoise Wilhelmi de Toledo gave an outline of therapeutic fasting and answered questions put by the audience.

Then the Zurich guests were treated to delicious but healthy vegetarian delicacies created under the direction of head chef Hubert Hohler. Accompanying Zurich wine was served by exceedingly friendly waiting staff. Lively discussion carried on late into the night.

Memories of the unique ambiance of Sihlcity, the friendliness of all the staff there and the many signs of attachment displayed by our Buchinger guests from Zurich will linger on for a long time to come.