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Bond World Opens

By MI6 Staff

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BOND WORLD - Opening Ceremony with 007 Fever, Glitter and Glamour
300 invited guests and members of the media attended the BOND WORLD 007 inauguration in the presence of the British Ambassador to Switzerland Sarah Gillett and James Bond actor George Lazenby. Host Annina Frey presented the event with the assistance of four Bond Girls, and the stage was already set with an atmospheric red carpet and Aston Martins as the guests arrived at Stechelberg valley station. After enjoying an aperitif served by local Gimmelwald market women, the cableway ride up to the Schilthorn - accompanied by the iconic James Bond theme music and including a stop off at the Martini Bar at Birg intermediate station - heightened the suspense even further.

Upon arriving at the Schilthorn, the guests witnessed a deceptively authentic reenactment of the legendary helicopter attack scene on the Piz Gloria, courtesy of two Air Glacier helicopters and firework displays.

And of course actors and film crew members involved in the 1968/69 shoot were present too, which not only transported the guests back in time but also added an extra-special glamour factor to the evening with George Lazenby (James Bond actor), John Glen (Special Unit Director), Terry Mountain (Raphael) and Sylvana Henriques (Angel) as well as local stuntman and film producer Stefan Zurcher.

Ambassador Sarah Gillett and George Lazenby cut through the ribbon together with Schilthorn Cableway CEO Christoph Egger to officially open BOND WORLD 007. The BOND exhibition addresses seven key scenes from the movie in a virtual or interactive manner. The guests were keen to try out the helicopter simulator or be filmed in an original movie bobsleigh.

The Bond theme set the scene for the evening's culinary offering too: Piz Gloria host and head chef Thorsten Uffelmann created a special menu that whisked diners away on a culinary journey through the world of James Bond, starting out with From Russia with Love, a salad of asparagus served with OONA caviar and sturgeon from the Tropenhaus Frutigen project, followed by You Only Live Twice, a veal main course, and a sweet strawberry denouement aptly named A Quantum of Solace.

The guests also took the opportunity to explore the new BOND WORLD 007, chat in the informal atmosphere of the Bollinger Champagne Bar or try their luck at the casino specially set up for the evening's festivities.

A glorious firework display on the terrace of the Piz Gloria revolving restaurant was a fitting final act of the foray into the BOND world, followed by the cableway ride back to Murren and Stechelberg against the backdrop of a starlit sky and sweeping views of the magnificent Swiss Alps.

The countdown ended on Saturday 29 June, when the doors to the BOND WORLD 007 opened to Bond fans and members of the public. Around 1000 visitors found their way to the Schilthorn to see the new themed virtual exhibition. The autograph signings with George Lazenby (James Bond actor), John Glen (Special Unit Director), Terry Mountain (Raphael) and Sylvana Henriques (Angel) were particularly popular, and the presence of the Swiss James Bond Club ensured a steady flow of 007-related facts, anecdotes and lore. Lovers of the more suave and glamorous side of the world of Secret Agent 007 retreated to the Bollinger Champagne Bar, where host Thorsten Uffelmann had taken care of every last detail, with not only the tableware but also the BOND burgers sporting the 007 logo in honour of the occasion.