Ingo's Trip Report Lower Engadine/Switzerland January 04
Jan 30th, 2004, 03:22 AM
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Ingo's Trip Report Lower Engadine/Switzerland January 04
First some general information:
Accommodation: We rented an apartment in Vulpera/Lower Engadine (Switzerland). The apartment had a large living room, two bedrooms, kitchen, bathroom and balcony. We booked per email two days ahead. Official rate was 101 Sfr. per day, but we got 5% off for email-booking. Plus cleaning 70 Sfr. plus taxes 3.15 per person and day, plus garage 6 Sfr. per day and car (parking along the street free). Laundry room available.
Vulpera is located vis-à-vis Scuol, on the opposite bank of the Inn river at an elevation of 1250 m. It is ? unlike the other villages in the engadine ? not an old village. When the spa tourism started a boom in the area in the 2nd half of the 19th century Vulpera was founded and some hotels were built there. Most of them are still in operation, unfortunately the best (Waldhaus) was destroyed by a fire in 1989. In the 1970s some apartment houses were built in adapted local style. They also house a post office, tourist office, a small grocery and a sports shop (equipment rental station).
Public transportation: I was again impressed by the sufficient public transportation system in Switzerland. Even the smallest village in the mountains has a bus service or a train station. The changes bus/train are convenient, fares are reasonable (cheap for those who hold a half-fare card like me).
Caution: When in the mountains drink much more water than usually! Drink before you get thirsty! Easy for us during this vacation because several fountains in Scuol have both normal and mineral water (of course for free), the latter from the numerous mineral springs in the surrounding.
Danger of avalanches: I saw so many guys/gals snowboarding and skiing off-piste. I admit it is pure fun doing this (and watching), but only a very few of them took care of avalanches. I was told that one teenager was killed near Scuol in an avalanche accident this winter.
Saturday, Jan 17
Started 5 am in Dresden. Driving the motorway was easy until we reached Munich where it started snowing. Temps approx. 0 Celsius. When we left Munich on the motorway towards Garmisch-Partenkirchen the road conditions became very tricky. 15 cm snow/mud on the road and no road service in sight. We reduced the speed to 50 kmph because it was way too slippery. Thank god it got colder when we reached the mountains so the tyres got better grip. It was snowing all the way to Landeck (Austria). I was not too surprised that after passing the Finstermünz gorge and entering Switzerland finally the sun started peeking through the clouds. It is a geographical/meteorological phenomenon that the Engadine gets more sun than the surrounding valleys.
We were tired after that drive, so only relaxed, bought some food in the grocery etc. and got to bed early.
Accommodation: We rented an apartment in Vulpera/Lower Engadine (Switzerland). The apartment had a large living room, two bedrooms, kitchen, bathroom and balcony. We booked per email two days ahead. Official rate was 101 Sfr. per day, but we got 5% off for email-booking. Plus cleaning 70 Sfr. plus taxes 3.15 per person and day, plus garage 6 Sfr. per day and car (parking along the street free). Laundry room available.
Vulpera is located vis-à-vis Scuol, on the opposite bank of the Inn river at an elevation of 1250 m. It is ? unlike the other villages in the engadine ? not an old village. When the spa tourism started a boom in the area in the 2nd half of the 19th century Vulpera was founded and some hotels were built there. Most of them are still in operation, unfortunately the best (Waldhaus) was destroyed by a fire in 1989. In the 1970s some apartment houses were built in adapted local style. They also house a post office, tourist office, a small grocery and a sports shop (equipment rental station).
Public transportation: I was again impressed by the sufficient public transportation system in Switzerland. Even the smallest village in the mountains has a bus service or a train station. The changes bus/train are convenient, fares are reasonable (cheap for those who hold a half-fare card like me).
Caution: When in the mountains drink much more water than usually! Drink before you get thirsty! Easy for us during this vacation because several fountains in Scuol have both normal and mineral water (of course for free), the latter from the numerous mineral springs in the surrounding.
Danger of avalanches: I saw so many guys/gals snowboarding and skiing off-piste. I admit it is pure fun doing this (and watching), but only a very few of them took care of avalanches. I was told that one teenager was killed near Scuol in an avalanche accident this winter.
Saturday, Jan 17
Started 5 am in Dresden. Driving the motorway was easy until we reached Munich where it started snowing. Temps approx. 0 Celsius. When we left Munich on the motorway towards Garmisch-Partenkirchen the road conditions became very tricky. 15 cm snow/mud on the road and no road service in sight. We reduced the speed to 50 kmph because it was way too slippery. Thank god it got colder when we reached the mountains so the tyres got better grip. It was snowing all the way to Landeck (Austria). I was not too surprised that after passing the Finstermünz gorge and entering Switzerland finally the sun started peeking through the clouds. It is a geographical/meteorological phenomenon that the Engadine gets more sun than the surrounding valleys.
We were tired after that drive, so only relaxed, bought some food in the grocery etc. and got to bed early.
Jan 30th, 2004, 03:23 AM
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Sunday, Jan 18
Snowfall all day. We walked to Scuol (30 minutes). A very nice footpath; (and much snow in the trees); we crossed the Clemgia creek gorge and the Inn river on high bridges with stunning views. We took the local bus (free) to the railway station and from there the train to Ardez. I love these red trains of the Rhaetian railways (narrow gauge) ? especially in winter they look like toys. Only then minutes later we arrived at Ardez. It is a quaint village, somewhat larger than the more famous Guarda, but less touristy and more authentic IMO.
We strolled through the village, from one little square (each with fountain) to the other, along narrow cobbled alleys and enjoyed the beautiful Engadine houses. Each is different, but they all are decorated with sgraffiti and/or frescos, have alcoves or little balconies.
The church was first mentioned in the 12th century, the tower was rebuilt in 1445, the church 1576-77. It is a beautiful two-nave church with lofts (the earliest lofts in Switzerland!), in late-gothic style with a first tendency to Renaissance style. It is a very nice church, with impressive gothic style vaulted ceilings, a beautiful organ and carved wooden benches which make a cosy ambience.
We had lunch in the ***star hotel Aurora. I had a Nüssli salad with roasted bacon and mushrooms (boletus), boiled egg and Italian dressing. Main course was Engadiner Rösti (Rösti with thin slices of dried meat, cheese and egg sunny side up). Very tasty! Not to forget the fabulous red wine from the neighbouring Italian valley (Valtellina). The staff was very attentive and friendly.
Afterwards we took the train back to Scuol, bought some cheese, dried meat, bread, wine etc. for dinner and walked to our apartment in Vulpera. We grabbed our bathing suits and towels and headed to the spa. Three hours later we returned, totally relaxed and enjoyed a fine meal at home.
Monday, Jan 19
We got up early, because the weather was predicted to become sunny. Indeed! So, after breakfast we took the ski bus to the railway station, where the gondola to the skiing area starts. What fun it was to ski down the runs taking benefit of the excellent snow conditions. Of course we also stopped here and there for a short break at one of the mountain huts. I had a huge portion of (very good) pasta (ravioli filled with spinach and cheese) and of course two dezi of red wine (Valtellina).
Our pace got slower in the afternoon and finally, sipping on a hot chocolate, we decided to finish the skiing with the ?Traumpiste? (dream run) down to the village Sent. The name of the run is justified ? 10 km long, 1250 m elevation difference, leading away from lifts though (almost) untouched nature and providing gorgeous views. It was in fact a perfect, but exhausting experience with a break at the little hut half way down. We took the ski bus to Scuol and from there back to Vulpera. Spa was scheduled again and afterwards we had the remains of the food of the day before for dinner. I love Swiss cheese and dried meat!
Snowfall all day. We walked to Scuol (30 minutes). A very nice footpath; (and much snow in the trees); we crossed the Clemgia creek gorge and the Inn river on high bridges with stunning views. We took the local bus (free) to the railway station and from there the train to Ardez. I love these red trains of the Rhaetian railways (narrow gauge) ? especially in winter they look like toys. Only then minutes later we arrived at Ardez. It is a quaint village, somewhat larger than the more famous Guarda, but less touristy and more authentic IMO.
We strolled through the village, from one little square (each with fountain) to the other, along narrow cobbled alleys and enjoyed the beautiful Engadine houses. Each is different, but they all are decorated with sgraffiti and/or frescos, have alcoves or little balconies.
The church was first mentioned in the 12th century, the tower was rebuilt in 1445, the church 1576-77. It is a beautiful two-nave church with lofts (the earliest lofts in Switzerland!), in late-gothic style with a first tendency to Renaissance style. It is a very nice church, with impressive gothic style vaulted ceilings, a beautiful organ and carved wooden benches which make a cosy ambience.
We had lunch in the ***star hotel Aurora. I had a Nüssli salad with roasted bacon and mushrooms (boletus), boiled egg and Italian dressing. Main course was Engadiner Rösti (Rösti with thin slices of dried meat, cheese and egg sunny side up). Very tasty! Not to forget the fabulous red wine from the neighbouring Italian valley (Valtellina). The staff was very attentive and friendly.
Afterwards we took the train back to Scuol, bought some cheese, dried meat, bread, wine etc. for dinner and walked to our apartment in Vulpera. We grabbed our bathing suits and towels and headed to the spa. Three hours later we returned, totally relaxed and enjoyed a fine meal at home.
Monday, Jan 19
We got up early, because the weather was predicted to become sunny. Indeed! So, after breakfast we took the ski bus to the railway station, where the gondola to the skiing area starts. What fun it was to ski down the runs taking benefit of the excellent snow conditions. Of course we also stopped here and there for a short break at one of the mountain huts. I had a huge portion of (very good) pasta (ravioli filled with spinach and cheese) and of course two dezi of red wine (Valtellina).
Our pace got slower in the afternoon and finally, sipping on a hot chocolate, we decided to finish the skiing with the ?Traumpiste? (dream run) down to the village Sent. The name of the run is justified ? 10 km long, 1250 m elevation difference, leading away from lifts though (almost) untouched nature and providing gorgeous views. It was in fact a perfect, but exhausting experience with a break at the little hut half way down. We took the ski bus to Scuol and from there back to Vulpera. Spa was scheduled again and afterwards we had the remains of the food of the day before for dinner. I love Swiss cheese and dried meat!
Jan 30th, 2004, 04:04 AM
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Tuesday, Jan 20
Heavy snowfall! We decided to explore the village Sent. The few what we saw the day before (you don?t walk around much with ski boots!) looked very pretty. So we hopped on the bus (changed in Scuol) and arrived in Sent 10.45 am. This village is yet a little larger than Ardez, has larger squares, more accommodation to offer, more houses are restored ? probably because it is part of the skiing area. Anyway, it is still unspoiled and its houses provide a local speciality: the gables (see my pictures). We enjoyed walking around, admired the facades with frescos and sgraffiti, the carved wooden doors ? and the gables. We found out that the latest Heidi movie was set in Sent (in the 1990s). Finally we found the restaurant Chesa Veglia, a cosy, absolutely wonderful place with old wooden interior. I had the best ever Bündner Gerstensuppe (barley soup, a speciality of canton Graubünden), accompanied by a glass of the obligatory Valtellina red wine. For dessert I had Vermicelles, a speciality of the season (baiser, covered with chestnut mousse and whipped cream). Do not tell the weight watchers! An espresso completed the meal.
After leaving this charming restaurant we visited the nearby church.
The church was built in 1496 in gothic style. Beautiful ceilings! Very interesting details, so the windows and a late gothic tabernacle. The impressive tall tower, which dominates the scenery, was built in neo-gothic style 1899.
Later we took the bus back to Scuol, relaxed in the spa and walked back to our apartment. For dinner we headed to Villa Marie, a *** hotel with gourmet restaurant. In spite of gourmet food we had cheese fondue with white wine (St. Saphorin from Lake Geneva).
Wednesday, Jan 21
It had finished snowing in the morning, but no sun yet. A friend an I decided to make a day trip to St. Moritz for skiing. The others wanted to give the local skiing area another shot. So the two of us took the bus to the railway station, where we purchased the tickets ? the Rhaetian railways offer a superb deal: if you buy the one-day ski pass for St. Moritz (57 Sfr) at the railway station (in Scuol, Davos, and many others) then the return ticket for the train is only 1 Sfr. A bargain! We took the train 8.34 am from Scuol, changed in Samedan and arrived St. Moritz at 9.55 am where we hopped on the local bus which took us to Schulhausplatz square. At the cash desk of the funicular we showed our voucher and got a ski pass. 10.30 am we were on the slopes at Corviglia. The sun came out; an hour later the sky was blue. Skiing was GREAT ? chair lifts with bubbles everywhere, sunny slopes, excellent snow (powder) ? just perfect.
We decided to splurge for lunch: Our plan was to stop at the Trutz mountain hut, but all the tables were reserved. So we ended up in the neighbouring hut called ?el paradiso? and did not regret it. Cosy ambiance, excellent service. I had a mix of Italian antipasti (grilled zucchini, aubergine and tomatoes, peperoncini filled with ricotta; salami and dried meat) with pane Carasau (a sort of bread from Sardinia, with olive oil and rosemary). Yummy. Main course was lamb rack (with mustard and several herbs) with saffron risotto, accompanied by an Italian red wine (Rosso di Montalcino). Unbelievable! It was hard for us to leave this wonderful place ? Finally we got on the slopes again. We took the cable car up to Piz Nair for the most scenic views ? big mistake! The storm almost blew us off the groomed runs! We hurried to get down to lower elevations and skied there for the rest of the afternoon. 4 pm we took the run down to St. Moritz Dorf to avoid the crowds at the funicular, although it is a 5 minutes walk (you have to carry the skis) from the end of the run to the village centre. (The run down to St. Moritz Bad is more convenient, but we planned to have a coffee at café Hanselmann, so this was out of direction.) Well, Café Hanselmann ? the place to see and be seen is obligatory after skiing in St. Moritz. We had an excellent strawberry tart (the strawberries tasted like just picked in June!) and an outstanding cappuccino ? and of course we enjoyed watching the (more or less) famous (and definitely interesting) people. Later the local bus took us down to the railway station, where we got on the train. We left St. Moritz at 6.02 pm, changed in Samedan and arrived Scuol at 7.26 pm. We hopped on the already waiting bus and were 15 minutes later in our apartment. A perfect day, finished with two hours relaxing in the spa and a self cooked meal of pasta and tomato sauce plus parmigiano cheese.
Heavy snowfall! We decided to explore the village Sent. The few what we saw the day before (you don?t walk around much with ski boots!) looked very pretty. So we hopped on the bus (changed in Scuol) and arrived in Sent 10.45 am. This village is yet a little larger than Ardez, has larger squares, more accommodation to offer, more houses are restored ? probably because it is part of the skiing area. Anyway, it is still unspoiled and its houses provide a local speciality: the gables (see my pictures). We enjoyed walking around, admired the facades with frescos and sgraffiti, the carved wooden doors ? and the gables. We found out that the latest Heidi movie was set in Sent (in the 1990s). Finally we found the restaurant Chesa Veglia, a cosy, absolutely wonderful place with old wooden interior. I had the best ever Bündner Gerstensuppe (barley soup, a speciality of canton Graubünden), accompanied by a glass of the obligatory Valtellina red wine. For dessert I had Vermicelles, a speciality of the season (baiser, covered with chestnut mousse and whipped cream). Do not tell the weight watchers! An espresso completed the meal.
After leaving this charming restaurant we visited the nearby church.
The church was built in 1496 in gothic style. Beautiful ceilings! Very interesting details, so the windows and a late gothic tabernacle. The impressive tall tower, which dominates the scenery, was built in neo-gothic style 1899.
Later we took the bus back to Scuol, relaxed in the spa and walked back to our apartment. For dinner we headed to Villa Marie, a *** hotel with gourmet restaurant. In spite of gourmet food we had cheese fondue with white wine (St. Saphorin from Lake Geneva).
Wednesday, Jan 21
It had finished snowing in the morning, but no sun yet. A friend an I decided to make a day trip to St. Moritz for skiing. The others wanted to give the local skiing area another shot. So the two of us took the bus to the railway station, where we purchased the tickets ? the Rhaetian railways offer a superb deal: if you buy the one-day ski pass for St. Moritz (57 Sfr) at the railway station (in Scuol, Davos, and many others) then the return ticket for the train is only 1 Sfr. A bargain! We took the train 8.34 am from Scuol, changed in Samedan and arrived St. Moritz at 9.55 am where we hopped on the local bus which took us to Schulhausplatz square. At the cash desk of the funicular we showed our voucher and got a ski pass. 10.30 am we were on the slopes at Corviglia. The sun came out; an hour later the sky was blue. Skiing was GREAT ? chair lifts with bubbles everywhere, sunny slopes, excellent snow (powder) ? just perfect.
We decided to splurge for lunch: Our plan was to stop at the Trutz mountain hut, but all the tables were reserved. So we ended up in the neighbouring hut called ?el paradiso? and did not regret it. Cosy ambiance, excellent service. I had a mix of Italian antipasti (grilled zucchini, aubergine and tomatoes, peperoncini filled with ricotta; salami and dried meat) with pane Carasau (a sort of bread from Sardinia, with olive oil and rosemary). Yummy. Main course was lamb rack (with mustard and several herbs) with saffron risotto, accompanied by an Italian red wine (Rosso di Montalcino). Unbelievable! It was hard for us to leave this wonderful place ? Finally we got on the slopes again. We took the cable car up to Piz Nair for the most scenic views ? big mistake! The storm almost blew us off the groomed runs! We hurried to get down to lower elevations and skied there for the rest of the afternoon. 4 pm we took the run down to St. Moritz Dorf to avoid the crowds at the funicular, although it is a 5 minutes walk (you have to carry the skis) from the end of the run to the village centre. (The run down to St. Moritz Bad is more convenient, but we planned to have a coffee at café Hanselmann, so this was out of direction.) Well, Café Hanselmann ? the place to see and be seen is obligatory after skiing in St. Moritz. We had an excellent strawberry tart (the strawberries tasted like just picked in June!) and an outstanding cappuccino ? and of course we enjoyed watching the (more or less) famous (and definitely interesting) people. Later the local bus took us down to the railway station, where we got on the train. We left St. Moritz at 6.02 pm, changed in Samedan and arrived Scuol at 7.26 pm. We hopped on the already waiting bus and were 15 minutes later in our apartment. A perfect day, finished with two hours relaxing in the spa and a self cooked meal of pasta and tomato sauce plus parmigiano cheese.
Jan 30th, 2004, 04:06 AM
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Thursday, Jan 22
Not much to say about that day. Alpine skiing in Scuol's skiing area. Azur blue sky, but a bit windy. The soundgarden restaurant offered internet access, so I posted a short ?Hello? on Fodors. Lunch was grilled venison with (French) Freedom fries (LOL) and green salad. Later I had a piece of nut cake (obligatory when in the Engadine) and a hot chocolate (obligatory when in Switzerland).
We went to the spa again in late afternoon. Dinner was in the hotel Villa Engiadina, located only a five minutes walk from our apartment. A gem! Built in 1902 it remained its Belle Époque and Art Nouveau style and ambience. Recently restored it is not widely known yet and still moderately priced. I chose the menu of the day (four courses). First a Bresaola ? Carpaccio with ruccola and parmigiano. Then a soup (Minestrone). Main course was filet of venison on pasta (Farfalle) with pieces of pumpkins and chanterelles. For dessert I had mousse au chocolate with raspberries. Of course we also ordered a red wine - Merlot del Ticino - and an espresso. Everything was perfect.
Friday, Jan 23
Again a wonderful, sunny day. Original plan was to do some cross-country skiing. But I knew that the groomed cross-country tracks in the Lower Engadine do not get much sun in January (which is on the other hand the reason for the excellent snow conditions). So we changed the plan. We walked to Scuol and did some sightseeing in the picturesque lower part of the village. At 11.30 am we got on the bus, changed in Ramosch and arrived 11.55 am in Vna.
Vna is a quaint village (pop. 68) which nestles on a sunny terrace 500 m above the valley floor at an elevation of 1600 m. The ride in the small bus together with a bunch of Rumantsch chatting school kids was fun. With every serpentine the views became more scenic. For those who have read my trip report Engadine in summer 2002 ? it reminded me of the day trip to the Poschiavo valley/Viano.
Anyway, we followed the groomed winter hiking path to Hof Zuort, an inn deep in the mountains, about five km distance from Vna. You can do the ride in an open sleigh, but it is an easy walk, 1 ? 1.5 hours each way. It was a fantastic day with dark blue sky, plenty of snow and gorgeous views. On the way we met a local guy who was in company of two mules: a four years old with name Sesam and a three months old one with name Mirin. He told us that he came back from his own mountains hut where he had spent the night. We chatted about 20 minutes about his life in the small village Vna. Fascinating! We found out that he is the guy who provides the sleigh rides to Hof Zuort.
We reached the inn at 1.45 pm. What an idyllic place, not from this world! An old Engadine style house surrounded by pure nature, mountains, woods. In the 1930s the Dutch conductor Mengelberg fell in love with this place and built a house nearby where he spent a lot time. It is now a museum, but open in summer only. He also built a beautiful wooden church (reminds of those in Norway) but again, open in summer only. Anyway, the interior of the inn is originally preserved: wooden panels on the ceilings and walls, paintings and stained glass windows, an old stove. Wow! The choice of dishes is limited, but of excellent quality. I had a green salad, this time with French dressing. Main course was Rösti with a sausage of venison. Red wine was a very good Pinot Noir from Zizers, canton Graubünden.
It was hard to say goodbye to the very nice hosts, but we had to hurry if we wanted to catch the bus in Vna at 4 pm. We got the bus, but unfortunately had no time to visit the highly recommended church in Vna. Next time then ?
Later that afternoon we visited the small farmers market at the gondola station in Scuol where locals sold their organic food like cheese, dried meat, salsiz (sort of salami), bread. I could not resist to buy a lot of all this ? and a nut cake.
After the obligatory spa we had farewell dinner at one of my favourite restaurants, Hotel Traube. I ordered the three course menu of the day: ruccola salad with king prawns and pieces of walnuts with Italian dressing. Main course was filet of Loup de Mer with pasta (tagliatelle) in white wine sauce. Dessert was ice cream with cranberries and whipped cream. It was outstanding! Not to forget the quarter of excellent Chardonnay.
Saturday, Jan 24
Time to say goodbye. We left at 10 am, did the short detour to Samnaun to get cheap gas and do some duty free shopping and arrived home at 7 pm.
I will definitely go back soon!
I hope you enjoyed this trip report. Maybe way too detailed, but I know my friends' (esp. from the Support Group for those ?) expectations. LOL!
In case you want to see some pictures, they are uploaded to ofoto.com and I am just busy adding titles. I will post here when they are online.
Not much to say about that day. Alpine skiing in Scuol's skiing area. Azur blue sky, but a bit windy. The soundgarden restaurant offered internet access, so I posted a short ?Hello? on Fodors. Lunch was grilled venison with (French) Freedom fries (LOL) and green salad. Later I had a piece of nut cake (obligatory when in the Engadine) and a hot chocolate (obligatory when in Switzerland).
We went to the spa again in late afternoon. Dinner was in the hotel Villa Engiadina, located only a five minutes walk from our apartment. A gem! Built in 1902 it remained its Belle Époque and Art Nouveau style and ambience. Recently restored it is not widely known yet and still moderately priced. I chose the menu of the day (four courses). First a Bresaola ? Carpaccio with ruccola and parmigiano. Then a soup (Minestrone). Main course was filet of venison on pasta (Farfalle) with pieces of pumpkins and chanterelles. For dessert I had mousse au chocolate with raspberries. Of course we also ordered a red wine - Merlot del Ticino - and an espresso. Everything was perfect.
Friday, Jan 23
Again a wonderful, sunny day. Original plan was to do some cross-country skiing. But I knew that the groomed cross-country tracks in the Lower Engadine do not get much sun in January (which is on the other hand the reason for the excellent snow conditions). So we changed the plan. We walked to Scuol and did some sightseeing in the picturesque lower part of the village. At 11.30 am we got on the bus, changed in Ramosch and arrived 11.55 am in Vna.
Vna is a quaint village (pop. 68) which nestles on a sunny terrace 500 m above the valley floor at an elevation of 1600 m. The ride in the small bus together with a bunch of Rumantsch chatting school kids was fun. With every serpentine the views became more scenic. For those who have read my trip report Engadine in summer 2002 ? it reminded me of the day trip to the Poschiavo valley/Viano.
Anyway, we followed the groomed winter hiking path to Hof Zuort, an inn deep in the mountains, about five km distance from Vna. You can do the ride in an open sleigh, but it is an easy walk, 1 ? 1.5 hours each way. It was a fantastic day with dark blue sky, plenty of snow and gorgeous views. On the way we met a local guy who was in company of two mules: a four years old with name Sesam and a three months old one with name Mirin. He told us that he came back from his own mountains hut where he had spent the night. We chatted about 20 minutes about his life in the small village Vna. Fascinating! We found out that he is the guy who provides the sleigh rides to Hof Zuort.
We reached the inn at 1.45 pm. What an idyllic place, not from this world! An old Engadine style house surrounded by pure nature, mountains, woods. In the 1930s the Dutch conductor Mengelberg fell in love with this place and built a house nearby where he spent a lot time. It is now a museum, but open in summer only. He also built a beautiful wooden church (reminds of those in Norway) but again, open in summer only. Anyway, the interior of the inn is originally preserved: wooden panels on the ceilings and walls, paintings and stained glass windows, an old stove. Wow! The choice of dishes is limited, but of excellent quality. I had a green salad, this time with French dressing. Main course was Rösti with a sausage of venison. Red wine was a very good Pinot Noir from Zizers, canton Graubünden.
It was hard to say goodbye to the very nice hosts, but we had to hurry if we wanted to catch the bus in Vna at 4 pm. We got the bus, but unfortunately had no time to visit the highly recommended church in Vna. Next time then ?
Later that afternoon we visited the small farmers market at the gondola station in Scuol where locals sold their organic food like cheese, dried meat, salsiz (sort of salami), bread. I could not resist to buy a lot of all this ? and a nut cake.
After the obligatory spa we had farewell dinner at one of my favourite restaurants, Hotel Traube. I ordered the three course menu of the day: ruccola salad with king prawns and pieces of walnuts with Italian dressing. Main course was filet of Loup de Mer with pasta (tagliatelle) in white wine sauce. Dessert was ice cream with cranberries and whipped cream. It was outstanding! Not to forget the quarter of excellent Chardonnay.
Saturday, Jan 24
Time to say goodbye. We left at 10 am, did the short detour to Samnaun to get cheap gas and do some duty free shopping and arrived home at 7 pm.
I will definitely go back soon!
I hope you enjoyed this trip report. Maybe way too detailed, but I know my friends' (esp. from the Support Group for those ?) expectations. LOL!
In case you want to see some pictures, they are uploaded to ofoto.com and I am just busy adding titles. I will post here when they are online.
Jan 30th, 2004, 05:11 AM
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Ingo,
I'm so happy to be the first to say,
BRAVO, BRAVO, BRAVO!!
Terrific report. And the understatement of the year: wish I were there.
As usual, your enthusiastic observations and detailed report make the Engadin a powerful draw. I really love the breadth of stuff you offer: architecture, art, skiing, walking, and food food food.
Now, HOW long do I have to wait for pictures??!!
See ya,
s
I'm so happy to be the first to say,
BRAVO, BRAVO, BRAVO!!
Terrific report. And the understatement of the year: wish I were there.
As usual, your enthusiastic observations and detailed report make the Engadin a powerful draw. I really love the breadth of stuff you offer: architecture, art, skiing, walking, and food food food.
Now, HOW long do I have to wait for pictures??!!
See ya,
s
Jan 30th, 2004, 05:36 AM
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Thank you S!
You don't have to wait a long time, here is the link (I hope it works):
http://www.ofoto.com/I.jsp?c=120rexk...&x=0&y=-awbjzj
You don't have to wait a long time, here is the link (I hope it works):
http://www.ofoto.com/I.jsp?c=120rexk...&x=0&y=-awbjzj
Jan 30th, 2004, 06:22 AM
#7
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Hi Ingo!
I enjoyed the report of your most recent trip to the Engadine. Their tourist office should hire you!
The photos were wonderful. I like the food pictures....yum!
We don't get snow very often where I live so I really enjoyed the snow pictures.
I want to return; Ardez? Sent? Scuol? I definitely want to stay at the Villa Engiadina!
Thanks!
I enjoyed the report of your most recent trip to the Engadine. Their tourist office should hire you!
The photos were wonderful. I like the food pictures....yum!
We don't get snow very often where I live so I really enjoyed the snow pictures.
I want to return; Ardez? Sent? Scuol? I definitely want to stay at the Villa Engiadina!
Thanks!
Jan 30th, 2004, 07:26 AM
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Oh Ingo! What a wonderful trip!!! I think I will copy down your itinerary word for word on a trip someday. The trip to Hof Zuorf sounds like such a magical day! The open sleigh sounds fun too. (even though you walked 
)
Now I'm going to go look at the pictures. Thanks for all the wonderful detail. I planned next week's menu from your trip report!
)Now I'm going to go look at the pictures. Thanks for all the wonderful detail. I planned next week's menu from your trip report!
Jan 31st, 2004, 12:16 AM
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Thank you S, Judi, Steve and Grasshopper! Your nice comments are very much appreciated.
Food is one of the reasons why I love to go back again and again.
Steve, I am sorry about the snow ... it is indeed somewhat unusual that they have so much snow in the Lower Engadine that early in winter. From my experience I can say that Feb/March are more snow reliable.
Ingo
Food is one of the reasons why I love to go back again and again.
Steve, I am sorry about the snow ... it is indeed somewhat unusual that they have so much snow in the Lower Engadine that early in winter. From my experience I can say that Feb/March are more snow reliable.
Ingo
Jan 31st, 2004, 05:08 AM
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Great report. Thanks to you, Ingo, I really enjoyed my visit to the Engadine last summer, particularly the town of Poschiavo and other recommendations that came from you.
This trip sounded like fun -- take away the cold and the snow, reset it in the middle of summer -- and this Florida guy would enjoy it too. LOL
This trip sounded like fun -- take away the cold and the snow, reset it in the middle of summer -- and this Florida guy would enjoy it too. LOL
Jan 31st, 2004, 11:17 AM
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Ingo,
After wrestling with my isp for a few hours today, I was finally able to see the entire album -- GREAT! How do you manage to make each town more compelling than the last? I must say, I LOVED the opening shot of the mountains from the Scuol bh. I just love those mountains & snow & fog.
I also chuckled at the shots of your food -- your friends must think you're mad! But don't stop!
So now should I reconsider my plans to stay in Sils on my return to the Engadin?? Scuol, Sent, & Vulpera are just stunning. I'm already hunting down and comparing hotels! Ah well, it's a harmless addiction.
s
After wrestling with my isp for a few hours today, I was finally able to see the entire album -- GREAT! How do you manage to make each town more compelling than the last? I must say, I LOVED the opening shot of the mountains from the Scuol bh. I just love those mountains & snow & fog.
I also chuckled at the shots of your food -- your friends must think you're mad! But don't stop!
So now should I reconsider my plans to stay in Sils on my return to the Engadin?? Scuol, Sent, & Vulpera are just stunning. I'm already hunting down and comparing hotels! Ah well, it's a harmless addiction.
s
Feb 1st, 2004, 04:53 AM
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Well at last. You'll notice that I had to re-register, because I could not get the techno gremlins to let me in. Wonderful trip report, Ingo. Churches, vistas, local architecture, food descriptions; I want to copy it all. Your SGFTWLS fans are not disappointed. And merci beaucoup for the pictures. J. (Hello to all!) p.s. I smiled at the mention of a St. Saphorin White -- is it the best?
Feb 1st, 2004, 06:58 AM
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First a big thanks to all who responded. It is good to know it was worth the effort to put this trip report (and the photos) together. Now on to the question which came up.
Grasshopper, it depends with the snow ... this time it was quite wet right when it fell down. But a day later it was like "champagne powder", no chance to make a snow ball of it. It is a matter of temperatures. Since the Engadine (especially the Upper Engadine/St. Moritz) is well known as one of the regions with lowest minimum temps the snow gets very dry soon after a snowfall.
Two or three years ago I thought the snowboarders would indeed outnumber the skiers. But now, probably as a result of the carving-skis, the tendency goes to more skiers. Having noticed this I must add that Scuol is a centre of snowboarding in Europe, since the first snowboard school in Europe was opened in Scuol and two world-champions in snowboarding are Scuol locals.
(And now a question: which food did you pick for menu next week?
S, stick with your original plan and stay in Sils! Make a day trip to Scuol, Ardez or whereever in the Lower Engadine. To be honest, in summer I miss the dramatic views and glaciers of the Bernina massif when being in the Lower Engadine (recall the view from Alp Grüm/Bernina Express?).
jmw, the St. Saphorin is definitely one of the best white wines in Switzerland, IMO only topped by a Dezaley.
Bob, it was not that much wine!
Cheers, Ingo
Grasshopper, it depends with the snow ... this time it was quite wet right when it fell down. But a day later it was like "champagne powder", no chance to make a snow ball of it. It is a matter of temperatures. Since the Engadine (especially the Upper Engadine/St. Moritz) is well known as one of the regions with lowest minimum temps the snow gets very dry soon after a snowfall.
Two or three years ago I thought the snowboarders would indeed outnumber the skiers. But now, probably as a result of the carving-skis, the tendency goes to more skiers. Having noticed this I must add that Scuol is a centre of snowboarding in Europe, since the first snowboard school in Europe was opened in Scuol and two world-champions in snowboarding are Scuol locals.
(And now a question: which food did you pick for menu next week?
S, stick with your original plan and stay in Sils! Make a day trip to Scuol, Ardez or whereever in the Lower Engadine. To be honest, in summer I miss the dramatic views and glaciers of the Bernina massif when being in the Lower Engadine (recall the view from Alp Grüm/Bernina Express?).
jmw, the St. Saphorin is definitely one of the best white wines in Switzerland, IMO only topped by a Dezaley.
Bob, it was not that much wine!
Cheers, Ingo
Feb 5th, 2004, 02:51 AM
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Ingo, brilliant and very detailed trip report. I am still not sure if it was a sports or a gourmet trip ...
Anyway, on thursday, Jan 22nd you forgot to post a "Hello" at VT ...
Nevertheless, interesting to read.
Thank you soooo much
HORSCHECK
Anyway, on thursday, Jan 22nd you forgot to post a "Hello" at VT ...
Nevertheless, interesting to read.
Thank you soooo much
HORSCHECK
