Once in Bürchen, always in Bürchen!

Andy Semling has been a regular in the Moosalp region for almost four decades. The 41-year-old heating engineer from Breitenbach in Schwarzbubenland, Solothurn, spends most of his free time in Valais. The region around the Moosalp has become a second home for him. We met Andy during his Christmas vacation and wanted to find out how this special bond with the village and its people came about.

Andy first traveled to Valais with his parents when he was just four years old. Together with his older sisters, he learned to ski in the snow in Bürch. Since the winter of 1986, Andy has spent his vacations in the Moosalp region practically every year. Over the years, he has met numerous people from the village as well as vacation guests from near and far. It was also during a stay in the Moosalp region that he met his life partner Manu. His enthusiasm for the Valais mountains remains undiminished to this day, and he now regularly comes to Bürchen with his own family.

"A beach vacation is not for me"

Andy is a winter sports enthusiast and spends a lot of time on the slopes during the season. From December to the end of May each year, he rents a small chalet in the immediate vicinity of the chairlift valley station. During this time, he also commutes by train from Breitenbach to Valais at the weekends. He appreciates the manageable ski area with its many great restaurants, which offer something for every taste. "I'm more of a winter person, although I also enjoy hiking in the region in spring and summer," Andy reveals. Andy never even considers a beach or beach vacation. He clearly prefers a vacation in the mountains. Something else is out of the question for him, in line with his credo: "Once in Bürchen, always in Bürchen!"

In his free time, Andy likes to socialize. This is especially true during his stays in the Moosalp region. He is always up for an après-ski party with family, friends and acquaintances. Another of Andy's hobbies, apart from skiing and hiking, is music. He is occasionally active as a DJ. He even used to DJ at the famous Street Parade in Zurich and has also performed the odd gig in Bürchen. Last year, he and a friend organized a day dance on the edge of the piste.

Shorts as a trademark

Anyone who knows Andy knows that he is always out and about in shorts, even in the depths of winter. "The shorts just belong to me. They're like my trademark. I've never been sick because of them," says Andy with a grin. In spring, when the snow slowly starts to thaw, he even dares to ski down the slopes dressed only in swimming trunks. Even at 41, Andy still radiates a remarkable youthfulness. His deep attachment to Bürchen and the Moosalp is also clearly reflected in the tattoos on his calves. Not only the municipal coat of arms of Bürchen, but also the imposing local mountain Bietschhorn are immortalized there.

In the future, Andy can well imagine settling permanently in the Moosalp region and taking a job here one day. He likes the village and the friendly people. During his time in Valais, he has already made many contacts and is a welcome friend wherever he goes. Dear Andy, we thank you for your loyalty and wish you a great time with us in the Moosalpregion!