[meteorite-list] Ensisheim 2010 show: INFO

[Zelimir Gabelica]

ENSISHEIM “Meteorite 2010” news
(Last update: May 19, 2009)


Dear meteorite friends,

Some technical inconveniences related to my 
recent office move and additional small health 
problems (leg injury) might explain this quite 
late official announcement of the 11th edition of 
our “Ensisheim show” that I traditionally use to forward to the listees.

Your frequent requests and questions regarding 
this henceforth unavoidable event argue for your 
intact (sometimes anxious) interest to meet again 
in the city that houses, since 518 years, the 
most famous meteorite of the Solar 
system!  Should we be numerous again to celebrate 
the next Spring-Summer transition by sharing 
again 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 2010 » is well 
scheduled for next June, now 11 years in a row.
The detailed (official) flyer will be ready very 
soon. It will be sent on specific request, by 
E-mail as attachment, in English or French version (please specify).

As every year, here you will find again, as a 
preview (only for you!), a summary of the main 
characteristics of this 11th edition.

-------------
Show dates:

Saturday June 19 to Sunday June 20, 2010 (the 
week-end preceding the nearby Ste Marie mineral show).

Main show theme: “Tektites & Impactites”
Side show theme: “The conquest of space: man on Mars by 2025 ?”

Friday June 18 schedule:

Friday 19 is usually the "dealer’s day" devoted 
for tables/booth set up. Oppositely to the 2009 
edition, the Regency Palace rooms are again 
exclusively open to dealers (14:00 - 18:30), and 
not anymore to the general public.
Note: the dealers can also (continue to) set up 
their booths on Saturday morning (7:30 – 9:30) 
before the official show opening (9:30).

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...

This 11th show edition is more specifically 
dedicated to the memory of Christian ANGER, our 
beloved Brother and everybody’s friend, who 
suddenly left us to “explore other skies”


Friday dinner party

The henceforth traditional Friday Dinner Party 
will start at 20:00, on the main square, inside 
the tents, almost in the open air (as we had a 
mini cold wave in 2009 we firmly ordered the 
weather to fully co-operate again, as in the past).

Two meals, selectively prepared by the owner of 
the nearby restaurant "Le Boeuf Rouge" are proposed.
Both are “chef’s specials”, one based on minced 
beef, the other on minced fowl (poultry), both 
accompanied by either home made “spëtzle” (kind 
of egg noodles, Alsace’s special - recommended) 
or French fries (on request), along with season 
vegetables. A choice desert (cook’s surprise) is included.
Price: 12 Euro (!), beverages not included.

Beer is unlimited (would you believe ?) and the 
recommended wines include 2 special vintages, 
namely "Ensisheim-Meteorite 1492" Pinot Gris 
(white) and "Ensisheim-Meteorite 1492" Pinot Noir 
(red). 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 (organizers, dealers, close friends, 
"loose" friends, relatives, related, tramps, 
unknowns...) attending (or not) the dealer's day 
& enthroning ceremonies + the "friendly drink", is warmly welcome!

Please, let me know (e.g. by mail) early enough, 
ideally before June 11 (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 
(menu selection and preparation). But please 
reserve only if you are sure to attend! Last year 
we had 105 reservations but only 82 people showed 
up! Meeting your commitments would exempt us from 
asking deposits in future (I hate heavy and 
unnecessary administration, so please
.)

Fun absolutely guaranteed during the party (the 
tradition that the one who can't have fun pays ME 
a beer is still relevant.....and, believe me, I prefer to stay thirsty!)

Saturday and Sunday activities:

* Show opening:
-        Saturday: 9:30 – 18.00
-        Sunday: 9:30 – 16.00 (possibility to 
stay up to the official show end (17:00)

* General activities: “Sales, trades, 
exchanges”
of various extraterrestrial 
objects
(but is it really useful to repeat this one more time ?).
Please note: 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 (is this possible ?), we can offer:
- Permanent musical entertainment by the 
“Ensisheim’s Accordion Assocation” (Saturday 18:00 – 20:00)
- Country music and dance demo by the “world 
famous” “Ansa Elsass Country Jumper” group. (you 
could appreciate a few surprises there
.) (Sat. 20:30 – 21:30)
- “Younger” music (“techno” & related ?) by the 
“Ensisheim College Orchestra” teens
(Sunday 11:30-12:30)
- 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 in the tents (or in the open air) on the 
main "dancing" square or “anywhere else”.

- On the square you will find traditional light 
meals involving "tarte flambée" and alike, 
various snacks + "selected liquids", all served by the organizers.

- For “anywhere else”, we specifically recommend 
the option that had met a significant success in 
2009: 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 (very 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 wineyard.

Meals are proposed there "à la carte" at very 
friendly prices (food quality to price ratio 
largely positive) and beverage variety is unlimited.

The advantage of that option (“Boeuf Rouge”) is 
not only the excellent food (we had a very 
positive feedback last year) 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....

NEW!
This year we decided to follow some pertinent 
suggestions and to install 5-6 rounded tables (6 
chairs per table) with umbrellas all around the 
square where meals based on grilled meat, 
sausages, “merguez”
and French fries + salad or 
alike, are served permanently during the show and 
more particularly during the lunch and dinner times.

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) 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 activities

All the other activities on the main square 
(beer, wine sale, beer, tee shirts, lager, 
snacks, beer, meteorite smuggling, Polish vodka 
(?), mugs, beer, pins, wine tasting, “Meteor” 
beer, discussions, Russian brandy (?), Columbus 
memories, lager, tequila (?), beer, market 
trends, water (??)... and permanent museum visits 
are maintained (some highly recommended!).

Exhibits related to the show themes

1) Thematic display in Regency museum

The traditional meteorite display in the museum 
containing the 53.831 kg “Ensisheim queen” 
meteorite, is replaced this year by an unusual 
display of high quality TEKTITES and some 
IMPACTITES (so as to once meet the generic title of the show).
For reasons of simplicity in the organization and 
because of the various delays we had to manage, 
(almost) all the displayed pieces are from my 
personal (modest but still representative) 
collection, with a special emphasis to Philippine 
tektites that are either spectacular in size or 
groove design (Paracale) or that show 
weird/aesthetic shapes (Anda-type) or are 
sculpted into freaky objects (Cambodia). Most are 
anecdotic finds of which the history will be 
explicated and/or illustrated by original pictures taken on site.

The display can always be completed, as it is the 
tradition, by some other few wonders from other 
private (anonymous or official) collections...
Yes, this is a call for samples!  Just write. You 
can't believe how many things can be arranged at the last minute!

2) Thematic display in the Spiess hall (first 
room on the right side when you are at the top of the Palace spiral staircase).

    * 3 replicas of the famous ARIANE-series 
rockets on loan from the “CNES” (French National 
Space Center), namely Ariane-3, -4 and -5.
    * A display window showing “the ins and the 
outs” of the newly created “Mars Society – 
Belgium”, including “a few things you always 
wanted to know about planet Mars” and some 
related Martian meteorites. Pierre-Emmanuel 
Paulus and Etienne Lefebvre, members of the MSB, 
will be happy to answer any of your concerns.

This year, we have two plenary lectures related to the appropriate themes:

1) Etienne LEFEBVRE (Belgium): "Target Mars: the 
Big Adventure of the 21st Century " (Saturday, 15:00-16:00)

2) Guy HEINEN (Linger, Luxembourg): “Tektites: 
Witnesses of Cosmic Catastrophes” (Sunday, 
11:00-11:30); video presented and animated by 
Zelimir Gabelica (unfortunately Guy won’t be able to make it personally)

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.

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 (perhaps French ?).

Should you need hotel data right now, please write.

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:
It is still limited to about 55.

- New side-room:
A new side-room (“salle Spiess”, on the right 
from the entrance) is basically devoted to 
cultural activities and displays: MSB display 
“Mars” window, Rocket display, Bookshop, some 
material and hardware sale and the "Club Astro" table.

- 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.Gabelica at uha.fr>

- Table availability.
We still have free tables but I recommend you reserve right now (or “asap”)!

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 quite a number of 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 “artist 
soul” (who hasn’t ?), can propose us their best 
drawings related to the theme “Imagine Human Landing on Mars in 2025”.
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)

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 2010 “blast”.

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

Bring many nice stuff and/or have a happy hunting.
We hope the so called “general crisis” won't have 
any bad influence on your sales (lower 
euro/dollar for overseas dealers) or purchases 
(European meteorites more affordable for US 
collectors ?). A good puzzle for the next 
Cap’tain Blood’s “Market Trends” report


My ever growing best wishes to all,

Zelimir





Prof. Zelimir Gabelica
Université 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