The best PR...

'fortuna est momentum quo occasionem convenit talentum'

So, preparation meets opportunity.

Well, who cares? I do care (unless there is any doubt about this in the audience).

So, one son of Imre Simon contacts me for a meeting appointment in Vienna.

He will come with his brother.

So.

For those of you who are ever going to meet family members of coffee machine manufacturers,

bring with you:

_ pen and paper,

_ a voice-recorder (with new batteries... i brought once one with empty batteries, funnily enough, during our first meeting with Mr. Simon's son, and it wasn't of much help. I can't thank enough the curator of the museum for giving me batteries on that day!),

_ a camera,

_ documents about the business,

_ artefacts... for me on this, day: 2 old coffee machines (and my wife asked why was i going out with a cabin-luggage to go to town),

_ questions... but be aware that in the most cases, you will be listening, not talking and most of the questions will have to wait.

Greetings, small talk, looking for a coffee... i spare you the details.

I pull a coffee machine out of my "luggage".

The eldest son takes it in his hand, inspects it and says: "It's as old as me".

And the younger son adds: "yeah, there is a picture of you as a baby with it!".

I felt like this picture needed introduction.

Enjoy!

Welcome to room 402!

I had this picture - that i wanted to show you some time ago - in mind about every time i went in or out of our hotel room.

But first, here are the door and key photos of our holiday room:

And here the picture i had in mind:

'fortuna est momentum quo occasionem convenit talentum'

Thank you Mssrs. Simon.

Thank you.

If you only knew how grateful i am that you crossed my path.

Mik

I just wish i could upload the fragrance emanating from these pages...

Macchinetta per caffè espresso - Giordano Robbiati - 18 September 1946