Alpenstep workshop proposal

[Gerold Rupprecht]

Dear Gnusteppers,

I have made enquiries and have the following proposition for you:

Date: weekend of 1rst of September (Saturday to Sunday) (next available date 
would be weekend 29th of september)
Place: Les Marecottes, Valais Switzerland 
Maps:           http://www.marecottes.ch/images/acces/carte_suisse.gif
                        http://www.marecottes.ch/images/acces/plan.jpg
Hotel:  http://www.hdm.ch/index-en.htm

Price:

I have a rate of 85 CHF per person with "demi pension" (breakfast and dinner) 
for workshop participants.

Currently there are 12 beds available, but extra accomodation can be arranged. 
There are several other bed and breakfasts, as well as competing hotels within 
walking distance, so if you want to bring your partner or family I am sure we 
can make arrangements.

The accomodation is shared, but definitely better than the youth hostel. There 
is one apartment with four beds, two rooms with double beds and two singles 
available at this time. 

This is a family run small hotel, which is well kept. The food is simple but 
good (large buffet breakfast). The hotel is 5 minutes walk from the narrow 
gauge railway station. It has ADSL internet connection (wireless) available for 
us to use. The breakfast room (bright north east mountain view) will be 
available for our workshop.

The following webcam link gives you an idea of the view:
http://www.swisswebcams.ch/english/webcam_les_mar%E9cottes_(1923_les_marecottes)_1045527182.html

I have also found a vegetarian restaurant (macrobiotic) for those interested 
which is a twenty minute walk away (flat). This might be a good idea for lunch: 
http://www.biohotels.info/e/15436/accomodation_bio

For those with partners that are interested in art, there is the Gianadda 
museum http://www.gianadda.ch/ in Martigny (thirty minutes by train) from the 
hotel. The exposition will be
 
Marc Chagall, Entre ciel et terre
6 July – 19 November 2007

They also have an automobile museum.

For those more outdoor oriented, there are lots of possibilities for hiking, 
canyoning as well as the train (goes to Chamonix). We will also be a ten 
minutes walk from a fantastic swimming pool and local zoo. Some photos are here:
http://www.marecottes.ch/galerie_sports.php

For the workshop, I can arrange extra electrical adapters (let me know what you 
need) and extension cords. Gürkan has offered to bring a network switch from 
the university. I am also willing to bring my flat screen and a machine (512 MB 
ram, 1.7 GHz cpu with 20 and 80 G disks for file serving and compiling).

Will we want a projector, flip chart, printer ?

I am willing to pick up anyone flying in to Geneva and take them with in our 
car (seats five - station wagon). I can also put up a guest either before or 
after in Geneva (my office has a large double bed).

For train travel the following site in english helps you choose your 
connections (2 hours from Geneva):
http://www.sbb.ch/en/index.htm

This is the french speaking part of Switzerland, but many of us are good 
english speakers, so I think you will all feel welcome.

Looking forward to your feedback. Please advise at your earliest convenience 
how this looks for you and if you want me to book for you. There should be no 
problem for those who want to arrive friday evening.

I would like to be able to get back to the hotel by Wednesday or Thursday this 
week, so please get back to me at your earliest convenience.

I hope some good discussions and code can be worked on as well as having a good 
time. I expect the agenda will have to be set by the participants, preferably 
in advance.

I am also willing to see if we can have a gnustep cake invented so let me know 
if you have any food allergies so you are not disappointed.

Thanks for your interest.

-- 
Gerold Rupprecht
10 rue Louis-Curval
CH-1206 Geneva
Switzerland

Tel./Fax        (41) 022 347 73 96

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