The Cows in the Alps

 The Cows in the Alps

by

B.D. Adams

©2013

This memory/story came to me while I listened to a conversation at the Car Club picnic just this last Sunday. This picnic happens every year and it is always nice to meet with the other members, as Daniel and I are. I hope this brings a smile and maybe even a giggle or two. Enjoy!

I have traveled to many different places in my lifetime. As some folks have known, I have lived in Germany, which has encompassed some of those places. This story is about my family’s vacation in July of 1985, in the Italian Alps with a German family, who befriended us.

Europe is not so different from America. Just like when we meet other people here in New Hampshire to travel to other locations for car shows, we met with Günther Schlickle (nickname “Schlick”), his wife, Maria, and their daughter, Heike (age 12), to travel to the northern Italian Alps.

For me, my husband, Rick, and my son, Jacob (age 9), the trek went from our home in Zweibrüken (Two Bridges), Germany, to Austria, to Switzerland, and then into the Süd Tirol (South Tyrol) in northern Italy. This region had been see-sawed between Italy and Germany for control via wars (the same as with Austria) for centuries. After WW2, the South Tyrol went permanently to Italy! However, because of the hoopla with the differences of languages and the Tyrol had been German for long periods, all road signs were in Italian and German with the occasional blurb in French and English.

Our destination was to a German speaking bed & breakfast establishment – a Gasthaus (an inn) -- in Kastelbell-Tschars. The valley is sandwiched between extremely tall mountains! Most of the mountains in the Süd Tirol are around 3,000+ meters high (approx. 12,000+ feet)! The highest mountain in this region is Mont Blanc, which is 4,810 meters (15,782 feet). We didn’t see this mountain, but I read about it later. The Alps are so tall that I felt like when I first went to New York City ... like the back of my tongue was sunburned from looking up so much.

The small town, the valley, was picturesque with orchards of fruit trees and the mountains. There was a rushing river very near to the Gasthaus. The sound was rather awesome!! However, even with the force of the sound, it was rather soothing.

Our arrival at Wielander’s (pronounced Veelander) Gasthaus entailed meeting the owner and his daughter, being shown our rooms and unpacking our vehicles. The owner’s wife wasn’t present ... we would meet her later. Our trip was long and tiring, so we all hit the proverbial hey early.

In the morning, and all the mornings of our visit, the breakfast repast was fantastic! Nothing like an American Continental Breakfast. There were no scrambled eggs, no waffles and no cereal. There were boiled eggs and small potatoes, a few bricks of homemade cheese, thick slices of sausage, roast beef (not sure of the roasted description) and lamb. And, for sweet notions, many fruits ... mostly melons. So tasty!!

On the third day of our Italian adventure, Herr Wielander invited all of us to go with him up the one mountain to meet his wife, where she was vacationing with her sister. They were on the middle mountain seen in the first photo, close to the top. It’s one of those 3000+ meter high mounts. We wouldn’t go to the top, just to the approximate 10,000ft. elevation. With backpacks, we began to climb.

            Herr Wielander guided us and spoke with Schlick at length and Schlick would translate the conversation. The main topic regarded the new taxes in Italy that affected him and his land. We climbed steadily.

There was a definite path, like possibly for an ATV, but I didn’t see tire tread in the dirt ... more like a cart path. The older man had a small two wheel cart that contained the items for his wife. He wouldn’t allow Rick or Schlick to help to pull the cart. The path winded through the thick forest of different species of Pines and Evergreen trees. At one point, we could look out over the side of the mountain. Without a doubt, it looked like we were as high as airplanes would go!!! The patchwork fields were so evident, even through the haze! We continued to climb.

            Within another half-hour, we were on a definite rutted road. We went around a bend and the road opened up onto a meadow so high in this mountain! And, there were cattle grazing in this meadow. It was very amazing to see this!  

            As I looked up a bit more, I saw there were two buildings to the right of the meadow. There was a wooden fence that appeared to keep the cattle away from the small house that had smoke coming out of the stack. The other, bigger building was a barn, obviously for the cattle. The house was built literally in the side of a moderate hill ... made me think of the sod houses of the prairies, but this was in a mountain 10,000ft up! Schlick informed that Herr Wielander owned this land, as well as the cattle.

            Above the house and barn, there was a lot of hanging fog several feet above because of the remaining snow. Also, Schlick pointed out that we were now at the base of a glacier! All this nature, what a thrill!

            The six of us opened our packs to set up for our outside picnic. Maria took control of the provided grill for the cooking of our sausages. I took care of spooning salad and beans onto the paper plates.

            Frau Wielander came to greet us and shook mine and Rick’s hand. She seemed to be a very comfortable older woman, even though she wouldn’t allow me to photographer her. When she spoke her German, I could not understand her accent, so Maria did her best to translate. Frau Wielander did comment that Jacob’s Jäger Hut (hunter hat) looked like the one Herr Wielander wore. Maria giggled because this observation was funny to her.

            I saw inside the one door of the little house where the kitchen was. The floor was rough hewn wood with thick stone/brick walls. The cast-iron stove was old and well used. Many meals had to have been cooked there! The most fascinating part of this experience was to learn that the house where Frau Wielander and her sister were “vacationing” had no electricity, or running water! There was enough water from the melting snow/glacier. So strange what some people call ... a vacation.

            After the picnic, we explored more of this area. The fog would dissipate a bit to allow some blue sky and sunshine to make the mountain more heated! Even with all the snow still in the area, it was a wicked hot July day! I was able to get a photo of Jacob with the

mountain’s glacier as a background.

           After we had eaten (thank goodness), a situation occurred with one of the cows

near the little house. For whatever reason, a cow with her head in the outhouse wanted to make a feast of what was in outhouse! And, yes ... she was munching away! Herr Wielander jabbed her, poked her, hit her to get her away from the outdoor toilet. I apologize that I do not have a photo of that scene. I think one’s imagination can suffice.

            We talked, laughed, mooed to the cows ... fun stuff. Before going back down the mountain, we went a bit higher. There was a small, stone Chapel with glass windows. Maria explained to us that many hikers need the Chapel to rest or to pray. She said there were many of these throughout the Alps. There were many cows that seemed to feel at home around the little Chapel. Rather appropriate, I thought. 

            This is one vacation that remains steadfast in my memory! When the doctors told me that I might lose my memories, I was devastated! Immediately, I went through a mental tally of what I was pretty sure that I remembered. Definitely, this memory was still there and attainable! I was so glad.

            Oh, yes ... watch out for cows in outhouses.