This is John Kennedy with another Postcard from Abroad from the University of Kansas.
Many people have favorite numbers, but have you ever heard of a town with one? Solothurn, a picturesque town in Switzerland, is fascinated with the number eleven. It boasts eleven churches, eleven fountains, and eleven museums. Eleventh birthdays are special occasions. And if you need a time to meet, 11 is the luckiest. Eleven is even the brand name of locally produced chocolate and beer products. Why is this number significant? There’s no real consensus. Perhaps it’s because Solothurn was the eleventh member of the Swiss Confederation. Perhaps it’s related to religion or numerology. Regardless of the origin, people are wildly enthusiastic about eleven, but… I’m sure you’ve heard of…Stranger Things.
With thanks to JENNIFER DUHAMEL of the KU Center for Global and International Studies for this text, this is John Kennedy. Wish you were here.
