From Fettuccine to Fondu; A Brief Sojourn

Keep up with me here because 2 days ago I boarded a flight for Geneva, Switzerland to finish up shooting yet another documentary! Crazy? For sure! But worth the stress and aggravation to escape the hectic pace of Rome and breath in some fresh Alp air.

I've been in a little town called Sion documenting a man named Serge Roetheli, a world runner who circumnavigated the globe for almost a decade with his wife by his side on a small motorbike. Last year he and Nicole flew to Albany to be interviewed for a documentary that we (a loose collection of west/east coast production companies) are producing/shooting/writing/editing. But, rather than just interview him a second time around, I shadowed his continuously active lifestyle for the day. Activities like boxing, propelling, climbing and owning a new trendy corner cafe and lunch shop.

Dressed with souvenirs, photos and special dishes from their 8-year adventure the cafe is perhaps a temporary fix from the freedom they had while traveling. Still, it suits both of them well because they still meet friendly faces everyday and it's a team effort. In a very short time Serge and Nicole have gone from rags to riches (by their standards) following an exhaustive endeavor where they sold all their personal belongings to complete a goal. In running around the world through 66 countries they risked their physical safety, mental health, financial future and most importantly, special relationships with family, friends as well as to each other. Bouts of malaria, dysentery, seizures, snake bites, broken bones and soiled spirits slowed them down but didn't stop them.

In 2005 their perseverance paid off completing 40,912 kilometers(the name appropriately given to their Cafe) in just over 8 years. Today they don't have a regret in the world. They both carry an introspection and understanding of people and places at the ground level that few others have. It was wonderful seeing accomplished friends still so bitten in love and enduring another challenge, albeit not nearly as daunting as breaking long-distance records. Even though most of the day was spent with Serge and Nicole, I learned much about their hometown as well.

The Alps that protect their little valley town of Sion behold a sedated magic for the locals who live here. Nobody stops to stare at the colors of a setting sun melting down on their craggy horizon for the billionth time. That heavenly glow around dinner time is as trite to them as a stop light turning yellow to red is for us. But what I find remarkable is that the Alps have this unusual protective quality not unlike giant human hands clasping lightly around a fragile baby bird. If you’ve ever cradled a robin that’s fallen from its nest than you know the sensation I'm writing about. The Alps instead do for a person’s soul what humans do for the weaker species. They evoke a sense of support, safety and shelter so strong that you can almost feel that second set of eyes peering down on you and lifting up your spirits.

When I was a kid and visited family in Germany I was scared to death of the Alps. They loomed over me like a monster: dark, menacing and foreboding. But now they cast an invisible net of protection, still porous enough to navigate but stalwart like steel to withstand exposure. Figuratively speaking, I guess the Alps provide what many travelers like me get when away from home for too long – lonely. Of course, there's no better Swiss cuisine than Fondu to help soak up my pains of missing my dog and sleeping in my own bed. Photos will be posted soon.