Stopoff at St. Gallen

Apparently the monks from St. Gallen, now in Switzerland, travelled all over southern Germany, because we have seen countless paintings and carvings depicting their sailing about. So when we realized that we were passing through on the way home, we felt compelled to stop.

Note to travellers: It is not wise to stop in a city short on parking when you have a cartop carrier strapped to the top of the vehicle. All we could find without going into a garage -- a potentially disastrous scenario -- was one-hour meter parking. Well, we were only planning on two hours, so we figured we would go for it.

St. Gallen is a great city! I think we could have spent a whole day there, shopping and wandering around the halbwerk houses and shops. Instead, we rushed through them and found a giant beautiful cathedral. The interiors of many German churches were either pillaged or destroyed during the Reformation and later iconoclastic movement, so it was so refreshing to see a church in all its glory -- although in honesty, I think that it was Baroque and so built and decorated after that Reformation.

We had heard that the library was fantastic, and in the same monastery complex, so we found it and went inside. They have handwritten books over 1000 years old! It was a two-story room with many windows and benches for reading, and books lining the walls in what were basically 50-foot bookcases, with a gallery built around at a second-floor height. It was not large, but was really gorgeous for bibliophiles like ourselves.

Note to travellers: Also, there are very clean and free bathrooms at the monastery!

Then we raced back to the car, only a few minutes past our allotted parking time, and wiggled our way back to the highway, back home. The main train station is right in the heart of things and I would recommend stopping there for anyone going through.

Schlaf im Stroh, "sleeping in straw," is a hands-on way to experience Swiss farm life. For a family of five visiting a country where hotel rooms routinely allow only two people, perhaps with a toddler added in, it was a fun and less expensive way to visit rural Switzerland. As luck would have it, this particular farm was only a five minute walk from Heidihof and the Heidi museum.

The program started as a way for farmers to supplement their income while their cows were in the high pastures during the summer. "Beds" – literally space in the hay areas – could be reserved for a low cost and in the morning, guests receive breakfast.

At Herr and Frau Just’s farm, we were shown to a little hut between the barn and main house which was probably much like the Alm Uncle’s hut from Heidi: there was one main room, with a Kleiderschrank (closet) filled with extra bedding, available for a fee, a table with a corner bench and some chairs, and two sets of bunk beds. Up some narrow stairs, there was a bit of a hayloft: to the left and to the right were sleeping areas piled deep with hay and a very large sheet spread out over each area – enough space for our entire family to comfortably fit on just the right side. Additionally, over the main room was a loft accessible by ladder with large blue mattresses, with space for 8 more people.

This space was not wasted our first night! A university student travelling about on her own showed up and took one bunk; then later, two families with a total of four adults and seven additional children came, taking up the extra bunk space and the other sleeping loft. In the U.S., this would be extremely awkward, but in Europe, it was very matter of fact – think about elevator etiquette and boundaries, and extend it to a small hut.

Breakfast was not a giant spread, as we have had in German hostels, but was delicious and plentiful. There was coffee, hot water and teabags, and – to my children’s delight! – fresh milk from the cow, heated up to mix with Ovaltine or Nestle Quik to make tasty hot chocolate. Plenty of fresh bread, butter, homemade blackberry jam and jelly, thin-sliced local cured bacon, and fresh local cheese – well, really wonderful.

Overall, a lovely experience as a novelty, but probably not something we will repeat – it was definitely more comfortable than camping and would be perfect for the wandering hiker, but for a family, it is better for us to have a private space to which we can retreat at the end of the day.

Heidi in the Swiss Alps

Heidi made me want to stretch out in the Alpine meadows, explore the Alm Uncle's mountain hut, traipse through Dorfli, and chase goats with Peter. Over Labor Day weekend, we were able to visit Maienfeld, the real town which is the setting for the fictional character of Heidi.

Starting at the Heidi museum, we were able to poke around the Heidihaus, which was much more than the one-room hut described as the Alm Uncle's. Perhaps it would be more like the house where she lived with Dete? It was very authentically furnished and decked out, the kids could touch and try much of the things inside -- try on Heidi's red shawl! -- and more importantly, did not require a long hike.

After stretching our legs outside the gift shop and seeing the freely wandering goats (who quite enjoy the picnic table as a goat-sofa), we began our climb up the mountain. The stroller was quickly abandoned for the initial rocky, somewhat steep path. Our toddler was buoyed onward by the fresh ripe blackberries growing along the side of the trail. We were delighted to find one wayside marker had cold running spring water marked Trinkwasser -- safe for drinking. Eventually, after about an hour of our slow progress, we reached a fork: continue to Heidi's meadow or veer left to Peter's Hut, promising ice cream, beer, and cake? Reader, we veered.

Peter's Hut is operated by the house's inhabitants. We think they moved the modern addition, and turned the original house into the hut/cafe area, but this does not detract from its charm, or the delight in resting your legs and refreshing yourself while looking over the lovely valley.

Having seen the sign to "Peter's Hut" on another walk, we asked the lady if taking the path further onward would be the quickest way back down. Happily it was, especially since our toddler was about to fall asleep in our arms.

Overall, a very enjoyable afternoon, especially since the weather was in our favor. I recommend hiking shoes, backpack carriers for babies, and definitely a camera.