A frightening event
In the academic year 2012-2013 we were travelling a lot. First of all we went to Estonia where Willem would give a course. Our contact person was Laur who had worked with us several times to analyze the data of the experiments that were done in the context of the European Social Surbvey. At the photo, you see Laur and Irmtraud in front of our hotel in Tallin. Laur was a good host, so we had a very nice time in Estonia.
It is a country with a very special history due to the regular foreign occupations, which created extreme social problems in the society and personal dramas. This shows itself in the literature. In the end, we asked Laur about a book that was less depressive but that seemed to be impossible.
Nevertheless Estonia is very interesting, especially Tallin which this picture also shows, but there is much more. For example, we enjoyed also very much an impressive performance of music of Arvo Pärt. A visit to this country we can highly recommend.
It is a country with a very special history due to the regular foreign occupations, which created extreme social problems in the society and personal dramas. This shows itself in the literature. In the end, we asked Laur about a book that was less depressive but that seemed to be impossible.
Nevertheless Estonia is very interesting, especially Tallin which this picture also shows, but there is much more. For example, we enjoyed also very much an impressive performance of music of Arvo Pärt. A visit to this country we can highly recommend.
Our tour of Europe
In 2013 we went first as usual to Davos, in fact it was the last time that we went there for skating because the skating rink was open for the last time. Later I went with the Spanish skaters to the 24 hours skating event in Calafat close to the Ebro delta. We stayed there is a hotel that we liked a lot. There was only one problem: the nuclear plant near by.
We went later for work and pleasure via Berlin to Vienna and Graz. This town was transformed in a mixture of old and modern buildings. This contrast was very interesting. We used the opportunity to go on a guided tour from Graz to the area where Irmtraud many years ago was born. To our surprise, the tour went to the countryside very close to the village where she had lived with her parents. A countryside with vineyards on the hills. It was a pleasant experience to see this nice, friendly landscape again after so many years.
In 2013 we went first as usual to Davos, in fact it was the last time that we went there for skating because the skating rink was open for the last time. Later I went with the Spanish skaters to the 24 hours skating event in Calafat close to the Ebro delta. We stayed there is a hotel that we liked a lot. There was only one problem: the nuclear plant near by.
We went later for work and pleasure via Berlin to Vienna and Graz. This town was transformed in a mixture of old and modern buildings. This contrast was very interesting. We used the opportunity to go on a guided tour from Graz to the area where Irmtraud many years ago was born. To our surprise, the tour went to the countryside very close to the village where she had lived with her parents. A countryside with vineyards on the hills. It was a pleasant experience to see this nice, friendly landscape again after so many years.
The ESRA meeting in Ljubljana
From Graz we went by train to Ljubljana. In the train this photo of Irmtraud was made. She looked very healthy and confident. In Ljubljana the fifth ESRA conference took place. Willem had resigned as president of the ESRA, during the last conference in Lausanne. Because we had been meeting many times with our IRMCS group in Ljubljana, the local organizers invited Willem as one of the keynote speakers. Willem liked that a lot because he had decided that he would now also stop with his scientific work. So he expected here to present his last speech for his colleagues. Anuska Ferligoy had organized for us the hotel suite where in the past the Clintons had stayed in Ljubljana. So all was well organized. The speech went well and at the end of his speech, Willem thanked all people for their nice cooperation, whished them success with their work but ended with a last slide which was the picture you see at the side. He was now 70 and he wanted to have more time and fun with his new Spanish skating friends. At that moment we could not expect what would happen next.
From Graz we went by train to Ljubljana. In the train this photo of Irmtraud was made. She looked very healthy and confident. In Ljubljana the fifth ESRA conference took place. Willem had resigned as president of the ESRA, during the last conference in Lausanne. Because we had been meeting many times with our IRMCS group in Ljubljana, the local organizers invited Willem as one of the keynote speakers. Willem liked that a lot because he had decided that he would now also stop with his scientific work. So he expected here to present his last speech for his colleagues. Anuska Ferligoy had organized for us the hotel suite where in the past the Clintons had stayed in Ljubljana. So all was well organized. The speech went well and at the end of his speech, Willem thanked all people for their nice cooperation, whished them success with their work but ended with a last slide which was the picture you see at the side. He was now 70 and he wanted to have more time and fun with his new Spanish skating friends. At that moment we could not expect what would happen next.
A frightening event
In the train from Graz to Ljubljana this photo of Irmtraud was made. She looked very healthy and confident.The day after the speech, we left Ljubljana and returned to Barcelona. The next day at night Irmtraud had pain in her stomach. When it went worse, we called a doctor. The doctor said that she had to go to the hospital. The ambulance came and around 10 p.m. Irmtraud was laying in a bed in the corridor of the Hospital de Mar waiting to be examined. First an assistant came and suggested that a cancer was causing the problems which was fortunately not true. At some point in time, they took Irmtraud with them for further examinations and they told me that I better go home. At 4 a.m. in the morning I got a phone call that I had to come to the hospital. There four specialists were sitting at the other site telling me that Irmtraud had to be operated and that it was rather complicated. I had to sign to agree with the operation and I got a moment to see Irmtraud before she would be operated.
In the train from Graz to Ljubljana this photo of Irmtraud was made. She looked very healthy and confident.The day after the speech, we left Ljubljana and returned to Barcelona. The next day at night Irmtraud had pain in her stomach. When it went worse, we called a doctor. The doctor said that she had to go to the hospital. The ambulance came and around 10 p.m. Irmtraud was laying in a bed in the corridor of the Hospital de Mar waiting to be examined. First an assistant came and suggested that a cancer was causing the problems which was fortunately not true. At some point in time, they took Irmtraud with them for further examinations and they told me that I better go home. At 4 a.m. in the morning I got a phone call that I had to come to the hospital. There four specialists were sitting at the other site telling me that Irmtraud had to be operated and that it was rather complicated. I had to sign to agree with the operation and I got a moment to see Irmtraud before she would be operated.
After the operation, which took more than two hours, she was delivered at the intensive care unit and I was allowed to see her again for a moment. Later she was moved to a normal hospital room. However, there she lost so much blood that she was moved again to the intensive care for some days till she was indeed stable again. After two weeks, she could leave the hospital with instructions how to live with an intestine which was 150 cm shorter. We were happy to be together again in our house and not in the hospital room, no matter how nice the views from the hospital were. It was a shocking experience which just ended well. It learned us that life can change very rapidly. So, we had to enjoy the time we still had together.
Willem’s new life
I already had stopped with working for RECSM, the ESRA and ESS and concentrated on helping Irmtraud to find her way again. Besides, I created with some friends the first speed skating club of Barcelona, the Club Pati Barcelona. when Irmtraud felt better again I went skating more often and decided even to buy speed skates to participate in marathons. It was not that I expected to create new records but such skates are lighter, fit better and look nicer. Here they are.
I already had stopped with working for RECSM, the ESRA and ESS and concentrated on helping Irmtraud to find her way again. Besides, I created with some friends the first speed skating club of Barcelona, the Club Pati Barcelona. when Irmtraud felt better again I went skating more often and decided even to buy speed skates to participate in marathons. It was not that I expected to create new records but such skates are lighter, fit better and look nicer. Here they are.