ENSISHEIM ?METEORITE 2011? NEWS
(April 21, 2011)
Dear meteorite friends,
My recent relative silence on the mail is basically due to family
health problems (through personally I am in good shape) that had
required my constant presence in Belgium, far from Mulhouse (where I
basically achieved teaching activities) and thus from mail contact
facilities.
I want to apologize to you all who sent me messages that I haven?t
answered yet. I?ll try to be in contact soon by answering specifically
your questions or requests.
Please find heredown the official announcement of the 12th edition of
our ?ENSISHEIM SHOW? that I traditionally use to forward to all of you
who are on my mailing list.
Your recent requests and questions regarding this
henceforth-unavoidable event argue for your intact interest that we
all meet again in the little cozy city of Ensisehim that is housing,
since almost 520 years, probably the most famous meteorite of the
Solar system!
I am fully confident that many of us will gather again to celebrate
the next Spring-Summer transition by sharing our (old, new or renewed)
passions for extraterrestrial objects of asteroidal or planetary
origin (meteorites) or from true terrestrial sources (tektites,
impactites).
Yes, definitely, « Ensisheim 2011 » is well scheduled for next June,
now 12 years in a row.
As every year, here you will find again, as a preview (only for you!),
a summary of the main characteristics of this 12th edition.
-------------
SHOW DATES:
Saturday June 18 (9:30-18:00) and Sunday June 19 (9:30-16:00), 2011
(the weekend preceding the famous ?Ste Marie-aux-Mines? mineral show
that is held relatively nearby (~ 80 km).
SHOW MAIN THEME: ?NWA: The Saharan Meteorite Bonanza?
SIDE THEME: ?Electromagnetic properties of meteorites?
FRIDAY ACTIVITIES
Friday 17th is the "DEALER?S DAY" devoted for tables/booth set up. As
last year, the Regency Palace rooms are exclusively open to dealers
(14:00 - 18:30), and NOT to the public.
- Note 1: Entrance exceptionally allowed to occasional visitors for
justified reasons, on request (entrance fee)
- Note 2: dealers can also (continue to) set up their booths on
Saturday 18th morning (7:30 ? 9:30) before the official show opening.
New: This year the Regency Palace rooms as well as the entire
electrical system are significantly renovated and modernized.
The Regency Palace rooms close on Friday 18:30 and all the opening
ceremonies then start on the main square: inaugural address,
enthroning ceremonies, friendly drink offered to dealers & invited
friends?
This year, a giant cake having the rough shape of the original
Ensisheim meteorite (!) will be baked. A portion is offered to anybody
accepting to quench his thirst with a glass of fresh ?Pinot Gris??
FRIDAY DINNER PARTY
The traditional Friday Dinner Party starts at 20:00 on the main
square, inside the large tent, thus almost in the open air (the mini
cold wave experienced in 2010 is relatively unlikely, though scattered
(thunder)storms are never excluded in hot Summer days (ask Bob Haag in
2001!)
Two meals (appetizer + beef or fowl (poultry) + desert (cook?s
surprise) selectively prepared by the owner of the nearby restaurant
"Le Boeuf Rouge" are proposed for a friendly price, not yet specified
but around 13 euro (about US $ 18-20), beverage not included (for some
?obscure? reasons?)
Beer is unlimited (you bet!).
This year the ?Meteor? beer (though famous by name) is replaced by the
excellent new brand ?Storky?: white beer, amber beer, as well as a
?special meteorite vintage 2011?.
And there will be also some very pleasant fruit-based lighter and very
refreshing beer ?for women? (but also strongly recommended for men,
especially after midnight?).
The recommended wines always include our 2 traditional specifically
labeled vintages "Ensisheim-Meteorite 1492" Pinot Gris (white) and
"Ensisheim-Meteorite 1492" Pinot Noir (red), with the famous meteorite
fall painting on label.
Other red wines that traditionally accompany meat-based menus
(Bordeaux....) will be available.
Party can end any time (possibly before the "meteorite hot rush" the
next morning....)
Everybody (kings, presidents, organizers, dealers, relatives, close
friends, distant friends, desert explorers, unknowns, tramps, outlaws
(?),... attending (or not) the dealer's day & enthroning ceremonies &
the "friendly drink", is warmly welcome!
Special invitation to citizens from NWA! (fleeing dictators, please
inquire first?)
Please, let me know (e.g. by mail) early enough, ideally before June
12 (slightly flexible deadline), if you want to attend the
dinner-party, HOW MANY GUESTS you will bring and WHICH MENU (beef or
poultry) you would prefer.
THIS RESERVATION IS A MUST, for obvious reasons (total number of
guests, menu selection and preparation). But please reserve only if
you are (almost) sure to attend so that we can fully meet all your
commitments, needs and comfort (I hate heavy and unnecessary
administration, so please?.)
Fun is absolutely guaranteed during the party. I will maintain the
tradition that the one who can't have fun pays ME a beer! (here I am
sure nobody will be ?in ruin??)
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY ACTIVITIES:
* General activities: ?Sales, trades, exchanges??of various
extraterrestrial objects?(but is it really needed to repeat this one
more time ?).
Please note: sales of terrestrial rocks, minerals and fossils are PROHIBITED!
* Side activities: up to your best inspiration. Here we are very
flexible indeed but? please just stay under the elemental legal
constraints.
* To help you having even more fun (in case?), we can offer:
- Permanent musical entertainment by the ?Ensisheim?s Accordion
Association? (Saturday 18:00 ? 20:00)
- Country music by the ?world famous? ?Ansa Elsass Country Jumper?
group. (you could appreciate a few surprises there?.) (Sat. 20:00 ?
21:30)
- ?Younger? music (?techno? & related?) by the ?Ensisheim College
Orchestra? teens
(Sunday late morning ? to be confirmed)
- Don?t forget that the main square is a permanent dance floor any
time, anyhow, for every age!
SATURDAY DINNER
The Saturday dinner (not official but strongly recommended to all
participants) can either take part on the main "dancing" square, or
?anywhere else?.
- On the square, either inside the big tent or around the
umbrella-covered tables (6 chairs per table), you may order the
current meals served during the day, thus "tarte flambée", various
snacks, cakes + "selected liquids", but also special show menus (meals
based on grilled meat, sausages, ?merguez??French fries, salad?and
?re-selected liquids?) as well as a special ?meteorite sandwich? (big
enough to be served on a dish), all prepared by the organizers.
- For ?anywhere else?, we specifically recommend the option that had
met a significant success in 2010: Go to the restaurant "Le Boeuf
Rouge" located on the other side of the church, 20 m from the tents.
More than 120 guests can sit inside, in case of cold weather (quite
unlikely), but also in the friendly open-air courtyard. This large
open resort is partly covered by a wooden roof (in improbable case of
rain), partly just sun-protected by vineyard.
Meals are proposed there "à la carte" at very friendly prices (the
owner is, since last year, our new Brother-Guardian of the Ensisheim
meteorite): any kind of food (quality to price ratio largely
positive); beverage variety unlimited!
The advantage of that option (?Boeuf Rouge?) is not only the excellent
food (we had a very positive feedback in the last 2 years) but also
its proximity to the main hotel "Domaine du Moulin" or to the "dancing
square", whereto you could walk (or "creep"...?) any time in the deep
night....
SATURDAY & SUNDAY LUNCHES
Traditional lunches + all other specific snacks, including the very
popular "tarte flambée" (Alsatian pie) as well as the new options
(grilled meat and the big meteorite-sandwich) are permanently served
outside (umbrella-protected tables) or inside (sun and/or
rain-protected tent).
Lunches can be served to exhibitors in the Regency Palace on noon
time, on specific request.
OTHER ?SURVIVAL? ACTIVITIES
All the other activities on the main square (beer, wine sale,
fruit-beer, tee shirts, lager, snacks, beer, meteorite smuggling,
Polish vodka (?), mugs, edible meteorite, white beer, pins, merguez,
wine tasting, ?Storky? amber beer, French (or true Belgian!) fries,
?Storky? vintage, discussions, Gewürztraminer, Russian brandy (?),
dark beer, Columbus memories, lager-mix, Pinot Noir/Gris, tequila (?),
beer, market trends, water (??)... and permanent museum visits are
maintained (some highly recommended!).
EXIBITION/ACTIVITIES related to the show theme
1) Thematic display in the Regency museum: METEORITES FROM NORTHWEST AFRICA
The traditional meteorite display in the museum hosting the 53.831 kg
?Ensisheim Queen? meteorite (please note once and for all the exact
weight!), will involve the various types, subtypes, sizes, shapes,
colors, shock grades, main masses, breccias, weathering grades? that
characterize the 5350+ NWA meteorites so far officially classified or
provisional.
Folks, yes, this is a CALL FOR SAMPLES!
This time, the exhibition is open to anyone willing to display a nice
NWA wonder from his private (anonymous or official) collection.
The weirdest the sample, the better.
Particularly appreciated will be samples that have a (curious, tragic,
funny?.) history or anecdote to tell.
Desert hunters, this call is for you!
If you wish to bring such samples, please notify me ?asap? (mail) and
specify the name and all the scientific, anecdotic or personal data
that characterize your specimen(s) so that I can prepare in advance
the corresponding didactic labels.
Thank you to participate!
2) Thematic display in the Spiess hall (first room on the right side
when you are at the top of the Palace spiral staircase): a bunch of
stuffed animals living in hot deserts.
Note: many such LIVE animals, including snakes, scorpions and?a camel,
will be wandering throughout the square, for the best kid?s (and
adult?s) appreciation. Hide your hamburgers!
3) Side-theme: INTRINSIC MAGNETISM OF METEORITES AND THEIR BEHAVIOR IN
AN ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD
An original prototype instrument home-built by one of our invited
lecturers Guy VERLOOVEN, will be at your disposal to test your
recognized meteorites but also your unknowns or meteorwrongs. The aim
is to determine with great accuracy the type of your sample through
measuring simultaneously their magnetic susceptibility (variant of
Rochette?s method) and their electrical conductivity.
4) This year, we have 2 plenary lectures related to the appropriate themes:
1) Michael FARMER (USA):
"METEORITE HUNTING IN DESERTS: REAL DANGER! "
(Saturday, 15:00-16:00) (in English; if needed Zelimir can ensure
French translation)
This lecture will warn you of the many dangers you may face when you
hunt meteorites in hot deserts, in particular in the Sultanate of
Oman. In particular, it is expected that Mike and Bob Ward are willing
to tell us more about their incredible and horrific forced visit of
Omani jails?
2) Guy VERLOOVEN (Belgium):
?THE DIFFERENT WAYS METEORITES CAN BEHAVE IN ELECTRO-MAGNETIC FIELDS?
(Sunday, 11:00-12:00, in French + English comments if needed).
The lecture will satisfy your general curiosity about electromagnetism
and its interference with matter, and answer your questions on how the
new prototype works to specify meteorite types (?side theme? described
above)
ACCOMMODATION
Warning!
The well known hotel "La Couronne" is now definitely closed!
The nearest hotel is now the "Domaine du Moulin" where I?d urge you
to make room reservation, should you wish to stay at a walking
distance of the show.
The "Niemerich" (Pulversheim) and the "Cheval Blanc" (Baldersheim)
hotels, both about 5 km distant from Ensisheim (excellent tip for
those having a car) are also always welcoming you.
NEW!
An equivalent accommodation as offered by the ?Domaine du Moulin? can
be found 5 km away from Ensisheim, namely at the ?ECHOMUSEE? resort:
Hotel Restaurant ?Les Loges de l?Ecomusée », BP 7, Chemin du
Grosswald, 68190 Ungersheim (30 rooms).
All details and reservation on line on the following link:
http://www.gralon.net/hotels-france/haut-rhin/hotel-hotel-restaurant-les-loges-de-l-ecomusee-ungersheim-14163.htm
Everybody must arrange for his own accommodation!
You will find soon all hotel data (phone, fax, e-mail, web sites) on
the flyer.
If you call, they all do speak English and German (possibly French?).
Should you need hotel data right now, please mail me.
Other features, data and remarks:
- TABLE PRICES: maintained as in the past (see flyer).
- ENTRANCE FEE:
* 4 euro for adults, allowing show and museums visits for 2 days
(Saturday, Sunday)
* Children under 12: free
* Those (non-registered dealers) who exceptionally wish to visit the
show rooms during table installment on Friday afternoon must ask for a
special visit card (badge) and should pay a ?discouraging? 5 euro
entrance fee.
- NUMBER OF TABLES: still limited to about 55.
- TABLE RESERVATION PROCEDURE.
Just write me! (mail is the most reliable contact, phone is more
tricky as I am not always there).
My mail: ?Zelimir? <zelimir.gabel...@uha.fr>
- TABLE AVAILABILITY.
All the former dealers have full priority to reserve their last year table.
We still have a few free tables for newcomers but I recommend you
reserve right now (or ?asap?)! First come, first served.
IMPORTANT CALL TO OUR FORMER GUESTS:
Those who did not yet send their traditional "hello, please can you
reserve my usual place?", are urgently encouraged to confirm (or
cancel) their wish to keep their usual tables at their preferred
place. In any case, because of some slight differences changes in
table arrangements, the organizers reserve the right to possibly
change the layout of certain places.
So please hurry to reserve if you want to come again, as we already
have newcomers on a waiting list!
- TABLE RESERVATION:
Please, can all of you who already reserved, CONFIRM me (by mail) your
earlier made table reservation? (Except those who already did so a few
days ago).
Sorry for this trouble but it will greatly facilitate my
administrative task (far easier for me to handle, and safer for you).
A few words can do.
- CONSIGNMENT ROOM:
Some space in the consignment room is still available, free of charge,
for those, especially guests coming from far away, who wish to sell
some of their meteorites (ideally about 5-15 pieces).
Just write labels and prices and leave the pieces in the locked
tables, with info on how you should be contacted by potential
customers during the show. We will take care of your sales (all free,
no commission).
Contact me personally.
- SHOW LEAVING BY DEALERS:
For public's respect, dealers are kindly asked NOT to leave the show
tables before Sunday 16:00. This is one of the rare restrictions we
must impose. Priority can be given to dealers who are able to fulfill
this request.
Should you have a major problem with this, please contact me.
- ORIGINAL DRAWINGS CONTEST:
Those who can bring proof they are still under age of 12
(?administrative? age because we ALL have a mental age below 12!) and
have an ?artistic soul? (who hasn?t ?), can propose us their best
drawings related to the theme: ?METEORITE HUNTING IN HOT DESERTS?.
Yes, you can bring drawings from the young artists from all over the
world! Just a name (signed painting) and age are needed to obtain a
?reward? (contest results & awards: Sunday 15:00)
THE FLYER
The official flyer is now ready and will be available in a couple of
days on the Ensisheim web site:
www.ville-ensisheim.fr
Just open the site and click to the link: ?Ensisheim-meteorite 2011?.
Those who wish to receive the flyer personally and rapidly, please
e-mail me. I will be happy to send it, as attachment, in English or
French version (please specify).
AS A (PROVISIONAL) CONCLUSION:
Needless to mention, the FUNNY (crazy ?), friendly and ever smiling
show ambience, that is progressively acquiring an ever growing
reputation, is absolutely guaranteed again (by YOUR simple presence)
for this new 2011 ?blast?.
Should this 10th show bring to all again much meteorite passion, fun,
faith and friendship!
Bring much nice stuff and/or have a happy hunting.
We hope the so called ?general crisis? and the $ versus ? random
fluctuation won?t have any bad influence on your sales or purchases.
My ever growing best wishes to all,
Zelimir
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