In the meantime, we hike. Today we came over the 1850m Schadona pass, climbing through snow (both falling and on the ground -- but nothing like as bad as the conditions we experienced when coming over the Bockscharte) for the last 100m or so, stopping for lunch at the Biberacher Hut, before descending to Buchboden in the Grosswalser Tal.
Actually we stopped just a little before Buchboden proper. Hotel Bad Rothenbrunnen is a 170 yr old building with its own healing spring that was purchased and partially renovated by Lorenz and Maria, a nice local couple, in 2006 after having been standing empty and unused for 20 years. He has a small successful medical software company but had wanted to buy and run this place for more than 30 years, and when it became available he didn't hesitate.
First thing he did, he built a significant hydropower generator (1 megawatt per hour) on the stream next to the hotel, which generates enough income to cover all of the costs associated with renovation and restarting the business. Their daughter runs it, but they step in from time to time when she takes a break. We were the only guests this evening (due to the continuing awfulness of the weather, although, as they said, they don't mind bad weather because on the one hand the increased water flow generates more power, i.e. income, and on the other hand it means less work for them!), which was very nice since it meant that we could talk at length (I stayed up until the almost unheard of time of 10:30!).
I am sleeping in the Kaisersuite, so called because Prinz Friedrich Leopold von Preussen, a brother-in-law of the German Kaiser, stayed here for two weeks to do some hunting in 1912. The furniture appears to date from before that time, and was purchased with the house, so it is entirely possible that I am to sleep in the same bed. Fortunately, however, the bedclothes and mattress are new :-).
It really is very peaceful here, the only sounds being those of water -- the rain falling and the rushing stream next to the hotel. Of course, with all the rain we've had over the last few days, all the mountain streams are rushing. Countless spectacular waterfalls are about the only compensation we have had for the foul weather. Oh, other than the opportunity to test extensively every possible combination of our rain and cold weather gear.
But enough griping. The countryside is spectacular: much wilder than the Allgaeu or the Bavarian Alps. Steep and high mountains with much bare rock and dark pine forests in deep dark valleys.
Coming over the pass into the Walser valley it was interesting to note the changed architecture. I had read that the Walser people had retained a distinctive dialect, dress, and architecture since moving here from the Valais / Wallis region of Switzerland (Rhone valley upstream of Lake Geneva) back in the 14the Century, and the difference was immediately clear in the first houses we saw. Their roofs and walls were clad with narrow wooden shingles unlike anything I have seen elsewhere in the Alps.
However, I have seen exactly this style of building outside of the Alps: in Romania. It pains me to have to say this, but after years of making fun of Lidia for remarking about almost everywhere we visited that it looked just like Romania, I find myself now doing exactly the same thing. Perhaps Romania really is the Omphalos of Europe, the center of the world of which all other places are just pale imitations?
Something to ponder during the short hike to St. Gerold tomorrow, where, I am told, we will be staying in the hotel of the Buergermeister, who knows Maria of Rothenbrunnen well because she grew up there. We will thus be carrying greetings and perhaps have more interesting conversation as a result. I think I like the Grosswalsertal.
