Summer Interrupted; Christmas in Germany & Switzerland
Jan 26th, 2015, 06:51 PM
#21
December 21 – Sunshine!
Our internal clocks had re-set; we were no longer bouncing out of bed at 4:30 am.
Sunny but snowless, Scuol was not looking good for Christmas week skiers, but the lack of snow didn’t bother us much, we were here to walk.
We took the train to Lavin, a small village about 20 km from Scuol and per Fodorite Ingo, home to a town church with stunning frescos. We found the church easily enough, but being Sunday, a service was in session; not wanting to intrude, we moved on. We walked the trail from Lavin to the historic wonder of Guarda, a small village situated high above the valley renowned for the preservation of its architectural heritage and Romansh sgraffito, and a personal favorite of mine.
When we were last in Guarda it was a complete ghost town, but today The Hotel Meisser was open and beckoning. Fools that we are, we settled in on their terrace and proceeded to freeze our bits off over Irish coffee and apfelstrudel mit vanillesauce, which unfortunately, was served cold. We later went into the hotel to use the facilities and kicked ourselves for not dining inside; it was warm, cozy and seriously inviting. I was a bit surprised that such an imposing concrete building would house such an atmospheric interior, and I had to wonder what lay behind the doors of the other 17th century buildings of Guarda.
We continued walking to Ardez; logging some 6.5 miles and seeing a heck of a lot more people than we had last year, when these villages were virtually empty.
In Ardez we caught the train back to Scuol, trudged through the muddy meadow to drop off our backpacks and then set out to explore Lower Scuol, the older part of town located below the main street near the River Inn, an area we missed last year. We crossed two bridges and then set our sights on climbing up to the church that overlooks Scuol and the river, dominating the landscape from its perch atop a massive rock. It took some doing; how on earth the devout infirm make it up to this church on a weekly basis is a mystery. There isn’t even a car park nearby. They must really, really want to get up there!
We were hoping to find some indication of a holiday concert during our stay; we didn’t, but we did discover the town’s cemetery, spread across several sections surrounding the church. German and Swiss cemeteries fascinate me; they’re so well-tended and meticulously cared for, and this time of year, decorated for the holidays.
We continued our exploration, wandering through Lower Scuol, admiring the renovated traditional houses, absorbing the old world charm and trying to find a place to rest our bones over a late afternoon beverage. After much fruitless searching, we climbed yet another hill to the Hotel Guarda Val, warmly welcomed into their deserted Fireside Bar, where we settled in next to the cozy fireplace and recovered from our 8+ mile walking day with the help of a lovely Pinot Noir, made specifically for the Belvedere properties (31 CHF).
Afterwards we set about searching for a restaurant open early for dinner, fortuitously stumbling upon Pizzeria Tru overlooking the outdoor ice skating rink and busy feeding the Scuol Curling Club. Bill tried the beef carpaccio, which was dried rather than raw, but gobbled down just the same. I predictably went for the pizza (I do love my wood fired pizza!), this one quite big (50 CHF with drinks, tasty and filling, and best of all OPEN early).
https://www.flickr.com/photos/melnq8...7650335948876/
To be continued...
Our internal clocks had re-set; we were no longer bouncing out of bed at 4:30 am.
Sunny but snowless, Scuol was not looking good for Christmas week skiers, but the lack of snow didn’t bother us much, we were here to walk.
We took the train to Lavin, a small village about 20 km from Scuol and per Fodorite Ingo, home to a town church with stunning frescos. We found the church easily enough, but being Sunday, a service was in session; not wanting to intrude, we moved on. We walked the trail from Lavin to the historic wonder of Guarda, a small village situated high above the valley renowned for the preservation of its architectural heritage and Romansh sgraffito, and a personal favorite of mine.
When we were last in Guarda it was a complete ghost town, but today The Hotel Meisser was open and beckoning. Fools that we are, we settled in on their terrace and proceeded to freeze our bits off over Irish coffee and apfelstrudel mit vanillesauce, which unfortunately, was served cold. We later went into the hotel to use the facilities and kicked ourselves for not dining inside; it was warm, cozy and seriously inviting. I was a bit surprised that such an imposing concrete building would house such an atmospheric interior, and I had to wonder what lay behind the doors of the other 17th century buildings of Guarda.
We continued walking to Ardez; logging some 6.5 miles and seeing a heck of a lot more people than we had last year, when these villages were virtually empty.
In Ardez we caught the train back to Scuol, trudged through the muddy meadow to drop off our backpacks and then set out to explore Lower Scuol, the older part of town located below the main street near the River Inn, an area we missed last year. We crossed two bridges and then set our sights on climbing up to the church that overlooks Scuol and the river, dominating the landscape from its perch atop a massive rock. It took some doing; how on earth the devout infirm make it up to this church on a weekly basis is a mystery. There isn’t even a car park nearby. They must really, really want to get up there!
We were hoping to find some indication of a holiday concert during our stay; we didn’t, but we did discover the town’s cemetery, spread across several sections surrounding the church. German and Swiss cemeteries fascinate me; they’re so well-tended and meticulously cared for, and this time of year, decorated for the holidays.
We continued our exploration, wandering through Lower Scuol, admiring the renovated traditional houses, absorbing the old world charm and trying to find a place to rest our bones over a late afternoon beverage. After much fruitless searching, we climbed yet another hill to the Hotel Guarda Val, warmly welcomed into their deserted Fireside Bar, where we settled in next to the cozy fireplace and recovered from our 8+ mile walking day with the help of a lovely Pinot Noir, made specifically for the Belvedere properties (31 CHF).
Afterwards we set about searching for a restaurant open early for dinner, fortuitously stumbling upon Pizzeria Tru overlooking the outdoor ice skating rink and busy feeding the Scuol Curling Club. Bill tried the beef carpaccio, which was dried rather than raw, but gobbled down just the same. I predictably went for the pizza (I do love my wood fired pizza!), this one quite big (50 CHF with drinks, tasty and filling, and best of all OPEN early).
https://www.flickr.com/photos/melnq8...7650335948876/
To be continued...
Jan 26th, 2015, 07:28 PM
#22
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Sorry you missed the frescoes in Lavin, but glad you got both the outdoor views and indoor comfort of Guarda's Hotel Meisser -- how I loved my stay there! 
I was fortunate to have been in the area during the height of wildflower season (oh, that walk from Guarda to Ardez was magnificent!) and now I get to revisit vicariously during the winter with you -- bonus!
I was fortunate to have been in the area during the height of wildflower season (oh, that walk from Guarda to Ardez was magnificent!) and now I get to revisit vicariously during the winter with you -- bonus!
Jan 28th, 2015, 01:48 AM
#27
RM67 7.5 hours gets us to Kuala Lumpur, hang around airport for several hours, then 13.5 hours to Europe from there. Last year I added 3 hours of train travel (with 3 connections) after landing, which did not make me a popular itinerary planner....
Jan 28th, 2015, 02:19 AM
#28
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Fabulous pictures of the Colmar Christmas markets. We were there as well and loved both Colmar and Strasbourg holiday markets and the one in Lille was not shabby either. Wonderful report. Thanks so much.
Jan 28th, 2015, 02:22 PM
#29
Thank you Julie, I thoroughly enjoyed your photos from your trip as well.
RM67 -
Perth (and Australia in general) certainly isn't the place to live if you want to be close to...anything. Bali is closer to Perth than most of the rest of Australia (3:45) with the exception of Adelaide, which is about a three hour flight (I love SA by the way Adelaidean, been there twice!). And as luck would have it, neither of us has the least bit of interest in Bali (didn't even visit it when we lived in Indonesia).
New Zealand, which many people think is at our doorstop is actually a 6-7 hour flight, an overnighter no less.
Adelaidean - last year we did the same, arrived in Zurich after flying some 18 hours on planes, then got on a series of trains for another 3.5 -4 hours. Part of the reason Freiburg appealed was that is was only two hours away and only one train change.
RM67 -
Perth (and Australia in general) certainly isn't the place to live if you want to be close to...anything. Bali is closer to Perth than most of the rest of Australia (3:45) with the exception of Adelaide, which is about a three hour flight (I love SA by the way Adelaidean, been there twice!). And as luck would have it, neither of us has the least bit of interest in Bali (didn't even visit it when we lived in Indonesia).
New Zealand, which many people think is at our doorstop is actually a 6-7 hour flight, an overnighter no less.
Adelaidean - last year we did the same, arrived in Zurich after flying some 18 hours on planes, then got on a series of trains for another 3.5 -4 hours. Part of the reason Freiburg appealed was that is was only two hours away and only one train change.
Jan 29th, 2015, 01:56 PM
#30
December 22, 2014 – Fabulous views and mineral pools
It was time to go UP. We took the Motta Naluns gondola up to the ski area above Scuol (12.50 CHF each with 50% Swiss Pass reduction), donned our Yak Trax (yes, snow!) and began the short gentle walk down to Prui.
Hiking in Switzerland is downright civilized, often involving a gondola/chairlift/funicular ride, followed by a walk/hike to a mountain restaurant, in this case, a collection of self-service huts. Once at Prui, we snuggled into the sheepskin bench covers at a table on the sun terrace to soak up the sun (!) and stunning views of the snow-covered Alps. Bill jumped at the chance to try the organic beer brewed in the small village of Tschlin, located about 30 minutes from Scuol (and still on our must visit list). I was completely content with a warm mug of gluhwein (14 CHF).
We eventually tore ourselves away and continued walking to snow-free Ftan, the trail no longer easy, but rather steep and muddy, logging a total of four miles. We managed to get to Ftan just before 2 pm, kitchen closing time for many Swiss establishments. As we did throughout this trip, we randomly selected a hotel restaurant for lunch - BellaVista Hotel/Pizzeria - where yes, we shared yet another pizza and a small bottle of Pinot Noir, one of many from the Maienfeld region that we’d consume over the coming weeks (47 CHF).
After lunch we took the bus down to Scuol; an après-ski tent on the patio of the Bellaval Hotel caught our eyes, or rather our ears, as it was practically pulsating with loud music; we popped in to investigate, finding it completely empty, but apparently open. We settled in for a drink, entertained by some pretty hilarious Christmas songs set to polka music, but we high-tailed it out of there as soon as the first smoker came in.
Back to the apartment to do our laundry, the washer and dryer baffling in its complexity, we randomly pushed buttons until something worked (I’m always amazed at how frustrating simple tasks can be when you don’t speak/read the language).
That evening we walked through town to the Bogn Engiadina, Scuol’s mineral spa, supplied by four springs discovered hundreds of years ago. The complex is home to numerous baths, saunas and wellness facilities. Worried about having to bare all, we gave it a pass last year.
Further research revealed that one need not go naked other than when using the sauna and the Roman-Irish Bath. I’d also discovered that the spa offers a dinner time special between 7:30 – 9:45 pm, when entry is 18.50 CHF per person (usually 26 CHF for three hours).
We found the shared sex dressing room arrangement a bit strange and it took us awhile to sort out that you were to enter a tiny cubicle from one direction and exit from the other sans shoes, but we finally got the gist.
We enjoyed our two hours in the spa’s various pools, especially the one outside where we could gaze at the stars while we soaked. It’s a very nice set-up, clean and well maintained, but I like my water HOT, so I found the pools too cold (34c and 37c...and one at 16c that neither of us dared try). I’m not sure if it was the minerals or the circular motion of the outdoor pool, but by the time we left I felt loopy.
http://en.graubuenden.ch/wellness-an...ina-scuol.html
Photos here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/melnq8...7650437489702/
To be continued...
It was time to go UP. We took the Motta Naluns gondola up to the ski area above Scuol (12.50 CHF each with 50% Swiss Pass reduction), donned our Yak Trax (yes, snow!) and began the short gentle walk down to Prui.
Hiking in Switzerland is downright civilized, often involving a gondola/chairlift/funicular ride, followed by a walk/hike to a mountain restaurant, in this case, a collection of self-service huts. Once at Prui, we snuggled into the sheepskin bench covers at a table on the sun terrace to soak up the sun (!) and stunning views of the snow-covered Alps. Bill jumped at the chance to try the organic beer brewed in the small village of Tschlin, located about 30 minutes from Scuol (and still on our must visit list). I was completely content with a warm mug of gluhwein (14 CHF).
We eventually tore ourselves away and continued walking to snow-free Ftan, the trail no longer easy, but rather steep and muddy, logging a total of four miles. We managed to get to Ftan just before 2 pm, kitchen closing time for many Swiss establishments. As we did throughout this trip, we randomly selected a hotel restaurant for lunch - BellaVista Hotel/Pizzeria - where yes, we shared yet another pizza and a small bottle of Pinot Noir, one of many from the Maienfeld region that we’d consume over the coming weeks (47 CHF).
After lunch we took the bus down to Scuol; an après-ski tent on the patio of the Bellaval Hotel caught our eyes, or rather our ears, as it was practically pulsating with loud music; we popped in to investigate, finding it completely empty, but apparently open. We settled in for a drink, entertained by some pretty hilarious Christmas songs set to polka music, but we high-tailed it out of there as soon as the first smoker came in.
Back to the apartment to do our laundry, the washer and dryer baffling in its complexity, we randomly pushed buttons until something worked (I’m always amazed at how frustrating simple tasks can be when you don’t speak/read the language).
That evening we walked through town to the Bogn Engiadina, Scuol’s mineral spa, supplied by four springs discovered hundreds of years ago. The complex is home to numerous baths, saunas and wellness facilities. Worried about having to bare all, we gave it a pass last year.
Further research revealed that one need not go naked other than when using the sauna and the Roman-Irish Bath. I’d also discovered that the spa offers a dinner time special between 7:30 – 9:45 pm, when entry is 18.50 CHF per person (usually 26 CHF for three hours).
We found the shared sex dressing room arrangement a bit strange and it took us awhile to sort out that you were to enter a tiny cubicle from one direction and exit from the other sans shoes, but we finally got the gist.
We enjoyed our two hours in the spa’s various pools, especially the one outside where we could gaze at the stars while we soaked. It’s a very nice set-up, clean and well maintained, but I like my water HOT, so I found the pools too cold (34c and 37c...and one at 16c that neither of us dared try). I’m not sure if it was the minerals or the circular motion of the outdoor pool, but by the time we left I felt loopy.
http://en.graubuenden.ch/wellness-an...ina-scuol.html
Photos here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/melnq8...7650437489702/
To be continued...
Jan 29th, 2015, 09:07 PM
#31
Years ago my mother did the unclad sauna thing in Germany but misread signage due to her cataracts and ended up in the male sauna (didn't phase her, LOL). Apparently her eyesight was good enough to note no George Clooney's in there.
Jan 30th, 2015, 04:24 AM
#33
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I've really never considered visiting Switzerland at any time of year, but your trip report is so vivid and the scenes you render are so lovely, that Switzerland has climbed into my "one day" travel list. Very excited to continue reading!
Jan 30th, 2015, 08:25 AM
#34
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Some snow at last! Great pictures again. No pics from the Bogn Engiadina? ;-)
The dinner time special must be new. Wasn't available when I was there a couple of years ago.
Indeed, it's recommended to stay in the water not too long. About 20/30 minutes at once is enough, no wonder you felt somewhat loopy afterward.
Great pictures again. No pics from the Bogn Engiadina? ;-)The dinner time special must be new. Wasn't available when I was there a couple of years ago.
Indeed, it's recommended to stay in the water not too long. About 20/30 minutes at once is enough, no wonder you felt somewhat loopy afterward.
Jan 30th, 2015, 02:03 PM
#35
Why thank you inspiredexplorer, you're very kind!
Ingo - I left my waterproof camera at home. The water was so cool that it didn't occur to me to take breaks; you're right, I probably did it to myself.
Ingo - I left my waterproof camera at home
. The water was so cool that it didn't occur to me to take breaks; you're right, I probably did it to myself.
Feb 1st, 2015, 02:36 PM
#36
December 23, 2014 – Duty free nirvana
We boarded the 8:40 am bus to the former smuggler’s paradise of Samnaun, situated in a triangle surrounded by Austria and Italy. We made this trip last year (thanks again Ingo) and so enjoyed it that we wanted to return. In fact, I wouldn’t mind staying here a few days next time. Samnaun is Switzerland’s only duty free resort; it shares its ski areas with Austria, forming the biggest joint ski region in the Eastern Alps with some 220 km of ski pistes and 44 ski lifts. It also has an assortment of groomed winter walking trails, which was what we were after.
We got off the bus in Martina near the Austrian border, thinking we had to change to another bus as we had last year, but seeing none. Confused, we returned to our bus and asked the driver, who told us the bus we were on continued to Samnaun. Huh. We later learned that there are at least two routes to Samnaun from Scuol; one via Austria, one via Switzerland; but I’m still not clear on how you tell in advance which route you’ll be on. Today’s bus (1:15) went through Austria and lacked the winding switchbacks, unsettling drop-offs and impossibly narrow tunnels of last year’s thrill ride via the Swiss route.
Upon arrival in the village, we popped into the Information Center to enquire about walk options, then boarded another bus to the Bergbahn station at Samnaun Ravaisch and joined the queue for tickets. After some much appreciated help from the attendant, we decided to purchase a return Winterwanderweg pass that included both the Twinliner double-decker cable car (the world’s first, which holds up to 180 people!) up to Alp Trida Sattel and the chairlift to Alp Trida, giving us access to a couple of groomed winter walking tracks. The cost was 20.50 EUR each, no discount for Swiss Pass. We found it interesting that the ski resort charged in Euro, yet prices in Samnaun were in Swiss Francs (but they also accepted EUR at a reasonable exchange).
The cable car ride was something else, a near vertical, breath-catching 722 meter rise. The ski area is truly amazing, the first we’d ever seen with intersecting chair lifts; and I’ve since learned, 14 eating establishments. Skiers from Ischgl on the Austrian side can take the Duty Free Run directly down to the duty free shops in Samnaun and Laret. There’s a heck of a lot going on up here, and today, plenty of people out enjoying the snow.
We began by walking from Alp Trida Sattel down to Salaas, a self-service restaurant and sun terrace absolutely packed with skiers. We people watched for a bit while trying to sort out a problem with my camera, then, unable to find another walking track, retraced our steps to Alp Trida Sattel (~two miles return) and took the chairlift down to Alp Trida, thinking we’d eat lunch there, but finding the restaurant and its sunny terrace completely mobbed with skiers.
We could see yet another restaurant below us, so we headed there, finding the sun terrace of Skihaus Alp Trida completely devoid of sun, and therefore people-free. We settled in at a table on the frigid terrace, wrapped ourselves in the provided wool blankets and pinched extras from a neighboring table.
Not surprisingly, we had the entire terrace to ourselves until the sun finally crested the mountains and brought with it hungry sun-seeking skiers. By then we’d finished a lovely lunch of garlic soup, barley soup and a shared mixed salad (41 CHF with drinks). Ever tried to eat soup with mittens on? It’s not easy!
Suddenly having a primo spot on the now busy terrace, we returned the extra blankets and soaked up the rays, sipping drinks and watching the free entertainment provided by littlies at a ski school directly in front of us, great fun.
Our map showed another short trail from Alp Trida to Alp Bella, but we’d lost our will to walk, so we made our descent on the chairlift and gondola, the sudden steep drop drawing gasps from many onboard.
Once deposited in the cold sunless depths of the valley, we caught a bus back to Samnaun, then set about exploring the duty free shops in the village. We made a few small purchases (chocolate mostly) successfully ridding ourselves of the mountain of EUR shrapnel I’d managed to accumulate in Freiburg.
We left Samnaun on the 4:10 bus, once again taking the route via Austria; no bus change in Martina.
Back in Scuol we sought out a dinner venue that wouldn’t require trekking up and down the hills between our apartment and town. Enter Hotel Altana, situated very near the train station.
The restaurant was more upscale and posh than we expected and the waiter seemed a bit flummoxed by our order – steak tartare for Bill (32 CHF), barley soup for me (12 CHF), a small bottle of Malanser Pinot Noir to share (27 CHF).
Bill thought he’d died and gone to heaven last year when he found steak tartare on the menu of a restaurant in Munich and he was hoping to recapture the experience. He prefers simple, straightforward 'cannibals', raw beef, onions, salt and pepper spread on thinly sliced buttered German rye. However, this version was a saucy concoction of beef, chilies, egg and various mystery ingredients (waiter told us the chef closely guarded his recipe) served on points of white toast. When I asked how it was, I got the crinkled nose, head bouncing ‘it’s okay’ response; Billspeak for ‘I don’t really like this, but I’m going to eat it anyway’.
At the end of the meal, our waiter brought us a complimentary glass of dessert wine, a very nice touch and thoroughly appreciated, but we couldn’t shake the feeling that we’d somehow disappointed him.
Photos here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/melnq8...7650091987428/
To be continued...
We boarded the 8:40 am bus to the former smuggler’s paradise of Samnaun, situated in a triangle surrounded by Austria and Italy. We made this trip last year (thanks again Ingo) and so enjoyed it that we wanted to return. In fact, I wouldn’t mind staying here a few days next time. Samnaun is Switzerland’s only duty free resort; it shares its ski areas with Austria, forming the biggest joint ski region in the Eastern Alps with some 220 km of ski pistes and 44 ski lifts. It also has an assortment of groomed winter walking trails, which was what we were after.
We got off the bus in Martina near the Austrian border, thinking we had to change to another bus as we had last year, but seeing none. Confused, we returned to our bus and asked the driver, who told us the bus we were on continued to Samnaun. Huh. We later learned that there are at least two routes to Samnaun from Scuol; one via Austria, one via Switzerland; but I’m still not clear on how you tell in advance which route you’ll be on. Today’s bus (1:15) went through Austria and lacked the winding switchbacks, unsettling drop-offs and impossibly narrow tunnels of last year’s thrill ride via the Swiss route.
Upon arrival in the village, we popped into the Information Center to enquire about walk options, then boarded another bus to the Bergbahn station at Samnaun Ravaisch and joined the queue for tickets. After some much appreciated help from the attendant, we decided to purchase a return Winterwanderweg pass that included both the Twinliner double-decker cable car (the world’s first, which holds up to 180 people!) up to Alp Trida Sattel and the chairlift to Alp Trida, giving us access to a couple of groomed winter walking tracks. The cost was 20.50 EUR each, no discount for Swiss Pass. We found it interesting that the ski resort charged in Euro, yet prices in Samnaun were in Swiss Francs (but they also accepted EUR at a reasonable exchange).
The cable car ride was something else, a near vertical, breath-catching 722 meter rise. The ski area is truly amazing, the first we’d ever seen with intersecting chair lifts; and I’ve since learned, 14 eating establishments. Skiers from Ischgl on the Austrian side can take the Duty Free Run directly down to the duty free shops in Samnaun and Laret. There’s a heck of a lot going on up here, and today, plenty of people out enjoying the snow.
We began by walking from Alp Trida Sattel down to Salaas, a self-service restaurant and sun terrace absolutely packed with skiers. We people watched for a bit while trying to sort out a problem with my camera, then, unable to find another walking track, retraced our steps to Alp Trida Sattel (~two miles return) and took the chairlift down to Alp Trida, thinking we’d eat lunch there, but finding the restaurant and its sunny terrace completely mobbed with skiers.
We could see yet another restaurant below us, so we headed there, finding the sun terrace of Skihaus Alp Trida completely devoid of sun, and therefore people-free. We settled in at a table on the frigid terrace, wrapped ourselves in the provided wool blankets and pinched extras from a neighboring table.
Not surprisingly, we had the entire terrace to ourselves until the sun finally crested the mountains and brought with it hungry sun-seeking skiers. By then we’d finished a lovely lunch of garlic soup, barley soup and a shared mixed salad (41 CHF with drinks). Ever tried to eat soup with mittens on? It’s not easy!
Suddenly having a primo spot on the now busy terrace, we returned the extra blankets and soaked up the rays, sipping drinks and watching the free entertainment provided by littlies at a ski school directly in front of us, great fun.
Our map showed another short trail from Alp Trida to Alp Bella, but we’d lost our will to walk, so we made our descent on the chairlift and gondola, the sudden steep drop drawing gasps from many onboard.
Once deposited in the cold sunless depths of the valley, we caught a bus back to Samnaun, then set about exploring the duty free shops in the village. We made a few small purchases (chocolate mostly) successfully ridding ourselves of the mountain of EUR shrapnel I’d managed to accumulate in Freiburg.
We left Samnaun on the 4:10 bus, once again taking the route via Austria; no bus change in Martina.
Back in Scuol we sought out a dinner venue that wouldn’t require trekking up and down the hills between our apartment and town. Enter Hotel Altana, situated very near the train station.
The restaurant was more upscale and posh than we expected and the waiter seemed a bit flummoxed by our order – steak tartare for Bill (32 CHF), barley soup for me (12 CHF), a small bottle of Malanser Pinot Noir to share (27 CHF).
Bill thought he’d died and gone to heaven last year when he found steak tartare on the menu of a restaurant in Munich and he was hoping to recapture the experience. He prefers simple, straightforward 'cannibals', raw beef, onions, salt and pepper spread on thinly sliced buttered German rye. However, this version was a saucy concoction of beef, chilies, egg and various mystery ingredients (waiter told us the chef closely guarded his recipe) served on points of white toast. When I asked how it was, I got the crinkled nose, head bouncing ‘it’s okay’ response; Billspeak for ‘I don’t really like this, but I’m going to eat it anyway’.
At the end of the meal, our waiter brought us a complimentary glass of dessert wine, a very nice touch and thoroughly appreciated, but we couldn’t shake the feeling that we’d somehow disappointed him.
Photos here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/melnq8...7650091987428/
To be continued...
Feb 2nd, 2015, 09:16 AM
#37
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Not much snow, but still love the pictures. Have driven both roads up to Samnaun and agree, the road via Austria (Spiss) is outright boring compared to the Swiss road
The ski area that Samnaun shares with Ischgl is run by the Austrians, thus the Euro prices, and also the relatively inexpensive prices.
Too bad about the steak at the Altana. Never been inside and always wondered how it is. Upscale? That's a surprise.
I.
The ski area that Samnaun shares with Ischgl is run by the Austrians, thus the Euro prices, and also the relatively inexpensive prices.
Too bad about the steak at the Altana. Never been inside and always wondered how it is. Upscale? That's a surprise.
I.
Feb 2nd, 2015, 02:25 PM
#38
Thanks Ingo, it makes perfect sense now.
The Altana felt pretty posh by our standards They were geared up for the holidays, offering a multi-course set menu for dinner, but we weren't hungry enough to give it a go.
The Altana felt pretty posh by our standards
They were geared up for the holidays, offering a multi-course set menu for dinner, but we weren't hungry enough to give it a go.
Feb 2nd, 2015, 06:32 PM
#39
December 24 - Slipping and sliding above Tarasp
After an early morning trip to the COOP to stock up before their holiday closure, we walked from Scuol to Tarasp, home to the most imposing castle in Graubunden. Dating from the 11th century, Schloss Tarasp dominates the landscape from its prominent position atop a 100 meter rock. We took the tour of this fascinating castle last year; today we were here to walk.
We first crossed the Inn River via a bridge with great views of the church propped up on its hill, me hoping to get some nice photos, but instead cursing the weather guessers for failing to deliver the promised sunshine. As we worked our way up to Tarasp-Fontana, we saw a sign leading to Avrona and Lai Nairs. Ingo had mentioned Restaurant Avrona; I’d contacted them and learned they’d be closed until Dec 27, but we decided to make the trek anyway, just because it was there and so were we. Our unplanned detour led us uphill along a rocky path that seemed to backtrack above the one we’d diverted from, triggering more than a few grumbles.
Off-the-beaten-path, traffic-free Avrona turned out to be a complete surprise. I only expected a Bergrestaurant, but here was a small isolated community situated at some 1450 meters.
We continued walking along the uphill track to Lai Nairs; a sign advising us ‘Die winterwanderweg sind zum Teil vereist’, which clearly meant ‘this here trail is seriously icy, put on your Yax Trak and mind your step mate’. As we forged on, the trail turned into a veritable ice skating rink; it was so thick that we began to wonder if it had been intentionally flooded to form the base of a cross country ski trail; the terrain on either side of the trail was completely bare of snow.
Soon, signs advising ‘bitte an die fussganger Bentzen sie den Wanderweg!’ began to appear. We only recognized a few words, but the bright orange of the sign and the exclamation point suggested we were someplace we shouldn’t be (Google translation: ‘please contact the fuss they trail the ganger Bentzen!’...hmmmm).
We never did find Lai Nairs (nor do we even know what if anything is there), but we eventually found our way to Tarasp-Fontana (five miles 3.5 hours). From up here, we could see Schloss Tarasp from an entirely different vantage point. Directly below us, an odd sight, a big patch of manmade snow, in the midst of a barren meadow the color of straw. We joked that someone’s dad was trying to give the kids a white Christmas.
We were hungry, but nothing in Tarasp appeared to be open, so we jumped on the waiting bus and returned to Scuol, hoping it hadn’t shuttered up for the holidays.
Our walk back to the apartment took us right by Hotel Bellaval, so we crossed our fingers and ducked inside, pleased as punch that they were open and serving food. This is what I’d been hoping for the previous night, casual and rustic, just my style. As if being open weren’t enough, they had fabulous food. I loved the decadent and creamy Bunder Gerstensuppe (barley soup, 7.50 CHF), and Bill was rather chuffed with his beef carpaccio with parmesan and truffles (22 CHF). ). Living in Perth, where Christmas = closures, we had concerns about finding a place to eat the following day – turns out Hotel Bellaval would be open, so we booked for the next night.
After chilling in the apartment for the afternoon, we walked to Hotel Gabriel in Lower Scoul for our Christmas Eve meal (thank you Swandav!). Worried about closures and/or places being fully booked, I’d needlessly reserved a table weeks in advance. Wow, what a find! This is a lovely traditional restaurant with a large varied menu; we were surprised to be two of only four people here and even more surprised to learn they’d be closing early due to lack of business.
Our meal was excellent; a massive caprese salad and stick-to-your-behind cheese fondue for me, a garden salad and rosti with cheese, bacon and egg for Bill, Pinot Noir for both. It was a delicious holiday feast, complete with festive, cozy ambiance and lovely service, a good choice indeed (104 CHF).
The streets of Scuol were completely deserted as we walked back through town. We soaked up the silence while gazing at the twinkly white lights and brightly lit trees, beautiful in their simplicity.
We trudged up the hills to our apartment and settled in for an evening of ringing church bells (I so loved this!) and televised Swiss holiday concerts. We then curled around our laptop to watch The Grinch Who Stole Christmas (the 1966 original of course), our holiday tradition.
Photos here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/melnq8...7650188096100/
To be continued...
After an early morning trip to the COOP to stock up before their holiday closure, we walked from Scuol to Tarasp, home to the most imposing castle in Graubunden. Dating from the 11th century, Schloss Tarasp dominates the landscape from its prominent position atop a 100 meter rock. We took the tour of this fascinating castle last year; today we were here to walk.
We first crossed the Inn River via a bridge with great views of the church propped up on its hill, me hoping to get some nice photos, but instead cursing the weather guessers for failing to deliver the promised sunshine. As we worked our way up to Tarasp-Fontana, we saw a sign leading to Avrona and Lai Nairs. Ingo had mentioned Restaurant Avrona; I’d contacted them and learned they’d be closed until Dec 27, but we decided to make the trek anyway, just because it was there and so were we. Our unplanned detour led us uphill along a rocky path that seemed to backtrack above the one we’d diverted from, triggering more than a few grumbles.
Off-the-beaten-path, traffic-free Avrona turned out to be a complete surprise. I only expected a Bergrestaurant, but here was a small isolated community situated at some 1450 meters.
We continued walking along the uphill track to Lai Nairs; a sign advising us ‘Die winterwanderweg sind zum Teil vereist’, which clearly meant ‘this here trail is seriously icy, put on your Yax Trak and mind your step mate’. As we forged on, the trail turned into a veritable ice skating rink; it was so thick that we began to wonder if it had been intentionally flooded to form the base of a cross country ski trail; the terrain on either side of the trail was completely bare of snow.
Soon, signs advising ‘bitte an die fussganger Bentzen sie den Wanderweg!’ began to appear. We only recognized a few words, but the bright orange of the sign and the exclamation point suggested we were someplace we shouldn’t be (Google translation: ‘please contact the fuss they trail the ganger Bentzen!’...hmmmm).
We never did find Lai Nairs (nor do we even know what if anything is there), but we eventually found our way to Tarasp-Fontana (five miles 3.5 hours). From up here, we could see Schloss Tarasp from an entirely different vantage point. Directly below us, an odd sight, a big patch of manmade snow, in the midst of a barren meadow the color of straw. We joked that someone’s dad was trying to give the kids a white Christmas.
We were hungry, but nothing in Tarasp appeared to be open, so we jumped on the waiting bus and returned to Scuol, hoping it hadn’t shuttered up for the holidays.
Our walk back to the apartment took us right by Hotel Bellaval, so we crossed our fingers and ducked inside, pleased as punch that they were open and serving food. This is what I’d been hoping for the previous night, casual and rustic, just my style. As if being open weren’t enough, they had fabulous food. I loved the decadent and creamy Bunder Gerstensuppe (barley soup, 7.50 CHF), and Bill was rather chuffed with his beef carpaccio with parmesan and truffles (22 CHF). ). Living in Perth, where Christmas = closures, we had concerns about finding a place to eat the following day – turns out Hotel Bellaval would be open, so we booked for the next night.
After chilling in the apartment for the afternoon, we walked to Hotel Gabriel in Lower Scoul for our Christmas Eve meal (thank you Swandav!). Worried about closures and/or places being fully booked, I’d needlessly reserved a table weeks in advance. Wow, what a find! This is a lovely traditional restaurant with a large varied menu; we were surprised to be two of only four people here and even more surprised to learn they’d be closing early due to lack of business.
Our meal was excellent; a massive caprese salad and stick-to-your-behind cheese fondue for me, a garden salad and rosti with cheese, bacon and egg for Bill, Pinot Noir for both. It was a delicious holiday feast, complete with festive, cozy ambiance and lovely service, a good choice indeed (104 CHF).
The streets of Scuol were completely deserted as we walked back through town. We soaked up the silence while gazing at the twinkly white lights and brightly lit trees, beautiful in their simplicity.
We trudged up the hills to our apartment and settled in for an evening of ringing church bells (I so loved this!) and televised Swiss holiday concerts. We then curled around our laptop to watch The Grinch Who Stole Christmas (the 1966 original of course), our holiday tradition.
Photos here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/melnq8...7650188096100/
To be continued...
Feb 3rd, 2015, 09:46 AM
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Good to hear that Bellaval is still that rustic, charming place. Love barley soup! And for 7.50 CHF this is a steal.
Too bad restaurant Avrona was still closed. But it has always been my understanding that until Christmas holidays it's still shoulder season in the Lower Engadin (and most other Alpine ski towns).
The trails on the Tarasp side of the valley were icy about three out of four times I was there in winter. I often stayed at the rental apartments in Vulpera and walked quite a bit up toward Tarasp/Avrona (btw, Lej Nair is a bit away from the regular hiking trail, only small paths lead there - hard to find in winter.) We always had trouble going back down to Vulpera because the trails were icy, more like bobsleigh runs or so
Too bad restaurant Avrona was still closed. But it has always been my understanding that until Christmas holidays it's still shoulder season in the Lower Engadin (and most other Alpine ski towns).
The trails on the Tarasp side of the valley were icy about three out of four times I was there in winter. I often stayed at the rental apartments in Vulpera and walked quite a bit up toward Tarasp/Avrona (btw, Lej Nair is a bit away from the regular hiking trail, only small paths lead there - hard to find in winter.) We always had trouble going back down to Vulpera because the trails were icy, more like bobsleigh runs or so
