While this holiday always shows up on my calendar, it is special this summer as we have just said “Auf Wiedersehen” to ten cousins visiting from Switzerland, as well as an assortment of US relatives with Swiss heritage.  Leading up to their arrival, I assumed the role of travel agent and booked housing and offered sighting seeing suggestions.  Even though arriving in Chicago on different days, six on July 9 and the four landing on July 21, everyone’s destination was the micro-metropolis of Bloomer, Wisconsin, and the Kuster-Custer family reunion.  The last family picnic was held in 2013 celebrating my Great Uncle Vincenz’s 1913 arrival in America and my grandfather’s visit to his brother a year later.

The challenge of planning sightseeing trips for Swiss visitors is understanding and accepting that the Midwest specializes in subtleties.  We simply cannot compete with the panoramic vistas of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau, rather Wisconsin and Minnesota offer gently rolling green hills, tall corn, and the mighty Mississippi, albeit moving slowing along.

In addition to the picnic, my tour guide itinerary included two trips to the Mississippi River (one for each of the two travel groups) with stops at Lark Toys to ride the hand-carved carousel, the Alma lock and dam to watch a tow go through, a scan of the valley from atop the river bluff, and wood-fired pizza at the Stone Barn, as well as 17 people joining Momma for Sunday Mass.  Momma’s house was the gathering point for three dinners – lasagna for 9, a sandwich smorgasbord, and post-picnic snacks, enjoyed by 17, all served with a variety of red and white wines (moderately consumed) and gifts of Swiss chocolate in red and white foil wrappings.

In these few days, amid a great deal of laughter, a few tears for those no longer with us, and plenty of careful translation from Schweizerdeutsch (Swiss German) to English and back again, we, the children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren of August, Vincenz, and Willhelm Kuster shared the joy of family together.

Photo credit:  Swiss National Day graphic shared by Franz K. via WhatsApp

While we may not be traveling very far from home these days, we are soon going to enjoy hints of Switzerland.  Six Kuster cousins landed in Chicago last Saturday, toured the Windy City, and are now heading north along the shores of Lake Michigan.  They will spend time in Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay, and beautiful Door County before driving west to my hometown, Eau Claire.  Another four Kuster cousins will depart Zurich on July 20 for O’Hare and immediately head north for the all day Kuster-Custer Family Picnic on July 22 in the small burg of Bloomer (population ~3,700).  At last count during yesterday’s Zoom planning session, we are expecting 180 picnickers, including our 10 Swiss visitors.  Amazing to think what the two brothers, Wilhelm and Vincenz immigrating from Switzerland, created.

Photo credit: Marianne Deluca