[meteorite-list] Ensisheim-2009 news

From: Zelimir Gabelica <Zelimir.Gabelica_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Fri, 17 Apr 2009 11:43:13 +0200
Message-ID: <200904170943.n3H9hHO3030408_at_smtpmul.univ-mulhouse.fr>

Dear List,

The detailed flyer describing the 10th
international meteorite show ? Ensisheim 2009 ? will be ready quite soon.

Please find here as a preview, a summary of the
main characteristics of this 10th edition of the
show, that is of particular significance.

-------------
Show dates:
Friday June 19 to Sunday June 22, 2009 (as
always, the week-end preceding the Ste Marie mineral show).

Schedule:
Friday 19 is usually the "dealer?s day". This
year, the Palace rooms are not also open
exclusively to dealers but also to the public
(9:00 - 18:00), as it often occurs in most
mineral shows. This was decided after major
request, as this apparently favors business
during table setting. It will be to dealer's
responsibility to watch their stuff during the "Friday mess".

The Regency Palace rooms close at 18:00 and all
the opening ceremonies then start on the main
square: inaugural address, enthroning ceremonies, friendly drink...

The henceforth unavoidable Friday dinner party
will start from 20:00, on the main square, inside
the tents, almost in the open air (as we again
ordered the weather to fully co-operate!).
2 meals, selectively prepared by the owner of the
nearby restaurant "Le Boeuf Rouge" are proposed,
one based on poultry (fowl or alike), the other
based on game (wild animals), probably hind (doe) or young wild boar.
Fixed price: 23 euro, excluding beverages but
including, as a 10th anniversary special gift, an
original mug with Ensisheim meteorite engraved
("souvenir" otherwise available for 8 euro).
Beer is unlimited and the recommender wines
include 2 special vintages, namely
"Ensisheim-Meteorite 1492" Pinot Gris (white) and
"Ensisheim-Meteorite 1492" Pinot Noir (red), and
at least 2 other red wines that traditionally
accompany gam-based menues (Bordeaux....)
Party can end any time (possibly before the
"meteorite hot rush" the next morning....)

Everybody (organizers, dealers, close friends,
"loose" friends, relatives, related, tramps,
unknowns...) attending (or not) the dealer?s day
& enthroning ceremonies + "friendly drink" is welcome!
Please, let me know early enough (say before June
10 (slightly flexible deadline), if you want to
attend, how many guests you will bring and
(optionally, but it helps) which menu you would prefer
Reservation is a must, for obvious reasons (menu selection and preparation).
Fun absolutely guaranteed during the party (the
tradition is that the one who can't have fun pays
ME a beer!.....but so far I always stayed thirsty!)

While we are at food, the Saturday dinner party
(not official but strongly recommended) can
either take part in the tents on the main
"dancing" square (basically light meal involving
"tarte flamb?e" and alike + "selected liquids", all served by the organizers).
The other (and new) option is the restaurant "Le
Boeuf Rouge" that is actually located exactly on
the main square (on the other side of the church, 20 from the tents).
More than 120 guests can be sit inside in case of
cold (very unlikely), or in a newly rebuilt 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 "? la carte" at very friendly
prices (food quality to price ratio largely
positive) and beverage is unlimited. The
advantage of that option is not only excellent
food (we had a very positive try this week) but
its proximity to every hotel ("La Couronne" or
"Le Moulin") or the "dancing square", whereto you
could walk or "creep" (?) any time in the deep night....

Other meals:
Saturday and Sunday: traditional lunches + all
other traditional snacks, including the very
popular "tarte flamb?e" (Alsatian pie), all
permanently served outside or inside the sun-protected tent.
All the other activities on the main square
(beer, wine sale, beer, tee shirts, beer,
dino-teasing, mugs, beer, pins, discussions,
beer...) are maintained (some highly recommended!).

The 2009 theme is very simple:
"BEAUTIFUL METEORITES"
There will be an outside display involving 3
"genuine" dinosaurs" surrounding a giant
meteorite that is expected to fall the day before
the show opening. More seriously, there will be a
480 kg new iron offered for public admiration
(and sale!). It will fly directly from the
Santago del Estero strewn field, sent through
some "air-pony-express-mail" by our ever smiling "brother Hans" (Koser).
No sir, it is definitely NOT a Campo, but an new
iron found onto the current Campo strewnfield. It
is a coarse octahedrite (like Sikhote-Alin)
provisionally named LAS PALMAS (under classification).
(For serious potential buyers, pics and price can
be obtained soon from Hans or me. Just write.
If sold, the giant chunk is to be taken "as such"
after the show, as "carry-on" on your hand
luggage for your return flight, and as a "nothing
to declare" goods for the customs clearance (foresee a small bag!)

The traditional meteorite display will include at
least 2 prestigious collections: Alain Carion
(private) and collection from NH museum of
Edinburgh (Scotland), brought by its curator
Peter Davidson (still to be confirmed). Probably
also some fantastic meteorites from Starsburg NHM
museum and some other few wonder from private
anonymous local collections...And there is still
room for other outstanding samples. Just write!

This year, we have 2 (perhaps 3) general lectures always related to theme.
1) Jean-Claude Lefebvre: "Dinosaurs: from
absolute domination to total demise" (Saturday, 15:00-16:00)
2) Alain Carion: "30 years of meteorite passion" (Sunday, 11:00-12:00)
3 (optional): Peter Davidson: "The Edinburgh NHM
meteorite collection" (schedule to be set)

Accommodation:
We henceforth have now 4 comfortable hotels to
propose, namely ?La Couronne?, ?Niemerich?,
?Cheval Blanc? and the new (but already very popular) "Le Domaine du Moulin".
Everybody must arrange for his own accommodation.
You can find soon all hotel data (phone, fax,
e-mail, web sites) in the flyer. If you call,
they all do speak English and German (perhaps French ?).
If you need hotel data right now, please write.

Other features, data, remarks:

- Table prices: maintained as in the past

- Entrance fee (4 euro for adults 2 days
(Saturday, Sunday), 6 euro for 3 days (including the Friday dealer's day).

- Number of tables: still limited to about 55.
Their position in basically unchanged

- A new side-room is open (on the right from the
entrance). You can find there a dino-based
display (genuine dino fossil bones, posters,
bookshop, "Club Astro" table (2009 is officially the "Astronomy year"!)

- Table reservation procedure: just write me!
(mail is the most reliable contact, phone is more
tricky as I am not always there)

- We still have free tables but I recommend you
don't reserve too late! And our former guests who
did not yet send their traditional "hello", are
urgently encouraged to confirm (or cancel) their
wish to keep their usual tables at their
preferred place. So please hurry to reserve if
you want to come again, as I already have quite a
number of newcomers on a waiting list!

- Very important remark for dealers, can all of
you who already reserved, CONFIRM me (by mail)
your earlier made table reservation? (Except
Carion, Haberer, Koser, who reserved yesterday).
   Sorry for trouble but will greatly facilitate
my administrative task, is far easier for me to handle, and safer for you.

- 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 label and price and leave the
pieces in locked tables, with info on how you
should be contacted by potential customers during
the show. Contact me personally.

- Important: for public's respect dealers are
kindly asked NOT to leave the show tables before
16:30. It 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.

- Finally, needless to mention, the FUNNY (crazy
?), friendly and ever smiling show ambience, that
is progressively acquiring an ever growing
reputation, is absolutely guaranteed (by YOUR
simple presence), for sure, especially for this
special 10th edition of the show.


Well, that's about all, folks.
There is much more to be said but I prefer you
now ask specific questions (on or off list).

Should this 10th show bring to all again much
meteorite passion, fun, faith and friendship!

Best wishes,

Zelimir



Prof. Zelimir Gabelica
Universit? de Haute Alsace
ENSCMu, Lab. GSEC,
3, Rue A. Werner,
F-68093 Mulhouse Cedex, France
Tel: +33 (0)3 89 33 68 94
Fax: +33 (0)3 89 33 68 15
Received on Fri 17 Apr 2009 05:43:13 AM PDT