Leaving Titisee we headed over more mountain passes, through historic
villages, wineries, and breathtaking scenery on our way to our next town located
in the ski village of Tschagguns, Austria. After arrival and check-in at our
base of the mountain Inn, some of us took a drive to the top of a ski area, a
tour on an ancient cemetery with really intricate iron work grave markers and
some grave sites from the 1600's. We were also fortunate enough to be around the
corner from a fall festival with food, Oompah Music, and beer! Back at the Inn
we were treated to a tradition on Sunday nights with a reception in the lobby
where we partook in a pre-dinner aperitif and some music performed by the
Innkeeper on the guitar, his wife on the harp, their son playing a trumpet, and
an accordion player. We were then given a tour of the kitchen and tasted some
appetizers that were unbelievable! Then came dinner! Local cuisine, wine and
beer! And did I mention the dessert?
Our
next destination was Italy. Enroute we drove over the Silvretta Pass, a
scenic and challenging drive over the Dolomites with only 18 switchbacks! We
wound our way through many more fantastic alpine villages and towns, found some
great lunch, and did I mention the bakeries! Along the journey we stopped at the
historic Church Tower in The Lake at the small town of Reschen, Italy near the
Austrian border. In 1920 planning began to flood the valley to enable water
storage and electric generation. The valley was finally flooded in 1950 and 163
homes and the church were covered with 22 meters of water. The only evidence of
the village is the church tower and cemetery on a hill overlooking the lake. In
winter you can walk to the tower. Legend has it you can mysteriously still hear
the bells in the church tower!
Our hotel in Meran,
Italy was yet another charmer. Meran, a larger city, was full of shopping
and dining possibilities! Meran is also a very old city from
the days when walls were built as a defense at the perimeter. These walls can
still be seen today. The area is still largely German but more Italians are
calling it home now. Our welcome came in the form of a Tirolian night at the
hotel with an accordion player and a huge feast of local tastes including
Sauerkraut, Pork Roast, Wurst of every kind and many other tasty dishes. And
dessert! The morning held a historic self guided tour of the old town area
including Roman Catholic Churches, historic city gates, and a prince's castle. The afternoon several of us took a chair lift to an area at the top of the city
called Dorf, a very nice shopping and dining area with plenty of nice hotels and
guesthouses. After some refreshing ice cream, another ride down the chair lift
for some rest time at the hotel. Some of the group also made a side trip to see
The Ice Man, a 5,300 year old man found in 1991 frozen near the border region of
Italy and Austria. Also known as Frozen Fritz, the mummy gives an amazing
description of early European life.
Leaving Titisee we headed over more mountain passes, through historic
villages, wineries, and breathtaking scenery on our way to our next town located
in the ski village of Tschagguns, Austria. After arrival and check-in at our
base of the mountain Inn, some of us took a drive to the top of a ski area, a
tour on an ancient cemetery with really intricate iron work grave markers and
some grave sites from the 1600's. We were also fortunate enough to be around the
corner from a fall festival with food, Oompah Music, and beer! Back at the Inn
we were treated to a tradition on Sunday nights with a reception in the lobby
where we partook in a pre-dinner aperitif and some music performed by the
Innkeeper on the guitar, his wife on the harp, their son playing a trumpet, and
an accordion player. We were then given a tour of the kitchen and tasted some
appetizers that were unbelievable! Then came dinner! Local cuisine, wine and
beer! And did I mention the dessert?
Our
next destination was Italy. Enroute we drove over the Silvretta Pass, a
scenic and challenging drive over the Dolomites with only 18 switchbacks! We
wound our way through many more fantastic alpine villages and towns, found some
great lunch, and did I mention the bakeries! Along the journey we stopped at the
historic Church Tower in The Lake at the small town of Reschen, Italy near the
Austrian border. In 1920 planning began to flood the valley to enable water
storage and electric generation. The valley was finally flooded in 1950 and 163
homes and the church were covered with 22 meters of water. The only evidence of
the village is the church tower and cemetery on a hill overlooking the lake. In
winter you can walk to the tower. Legend has it you can mysteriously still hear
the bells in the church tower!
Our hotel in Meran,
Italy was yet another charmer. Meran, a larger city, was full of shopping
and dining possibilities! Meran is also a very old city from
the days when walls were built as a defense at the perimeter. These walls can
still be seen today. The area is still largely German but more Italians are
calling it home now. Our welcome came in the form of a Tirolian night at the
hotel with an accordion player and a huge feast of local tastes including
Sauerkraut, Pork Roast, Wurst of every kind and many other tasty dishes. And
dessert! The morning held a historic self guided tour of the old town area
including Roman Catholic Churches, historic city gates, and a prince's castle. The afternoon several of us took a chair lift to an area at the top of the city
called Dorf, a very nice shopping and dining area with plenty of nice hotels and
guesthouses. After some refreshing ice cream, another ride down the chair lift
for some rest time at the hotel. Some of the group also made a side trip to see
The Ice Man, a 5,300 year old man found in 1991 frozen near the border region of
Italy and Austria. Also known as Frozen Fritz, the mummy gives an amazing
description of early European life.