SEPT. 23 - THE DAY THE COWS CAME HOME

 Breakfast was served in another adjoining building, which was a Pizzeria. Very nice design and ambiance.

I had carefully studied the bus schedule to ride down to Reith because Ron was concerned about parking there. I felt it would be a great inconvenience to have to come back up in the bus, which only ran every hour, and then set off in the car down the same treacherous roads to our next destination. But, Ron thought that would be best, and since I wasn't driving, I acquiesced.

Outside the hotel

The best laid plans.....

Alpbach is very pretty, but we didn't take time to explore since the bus was due soon. We set off and walked down the hill to the nearby bus stop. We could see loads of people in hiking and rain paraphernalia walking down, so I figured we were going in the right direction. We found the stop. Eventually there were about 30 of us waiting. We saw the #4074 bus going up the hill, so knew it would be coming back down shortly. When it did, it was already full, and didn't even slow down. You would think the driver would have opened the door and given some explanation. But we were all left looking around wondering what had happened. Very infuriating!  People continued waiting, thinking another bus would be along, but finally they started leaving. One group called a taxi. Ron went to get the car and picked me up.

We got down to Reith and followed the signs to the parking area. Ron showed our handicap placard, and a volunteer parking attendant had us follow him quite a distance to another lot where we were able to park. Walked slowly into town where we had to pay 7 EU per person entrance fee. The street was lined with vendor stalls selling foods, beverages, and handicrafts. 

This is one of the biggest events of the year in the Alpbachtal (Valley), and thousands of visitors turn up to enjoy. We came to an open Platz set up with long fest tables and chairs, and found a seat on the end to accommodate my walker. Got a beer and a gluhwein. The music was by a Tyrolean group, Peter Larch, more an orchestra than a band with about 40 musicians. They were very professionally outfitted in matching trachten, and the music was great. A couple songs we enjoyed include "Rosemunde" (same music as "Roll out the Barrel") and Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline". People sang along and it was a lot of fun.

Ron got me a kasekrainer (cheese sausage) and he had a wurst of some kind. Once we finished that, we left our table and walked a bit further. 

Suddenly, excitement built in the crowd, and everyone hurried to find a place to see. Then we heard volunteers shouting and moving everyone back off the street. Cow bells began ringing, and suddenly the lead cow appeared, complete with headdress and bell. 

When the cows are decorated it signifies that there haven't been any major pitfalls or deaths for the herd during the summer. With all the cows decorated and bells ringing, the villagers are giving thanks for a successful season.

She wasn't first, but the first I could
get a picture of

The initial procession went on for about 15-minutes with about ten farmers bringing their cows down.

We then walked down another street toward more music. Passed a smaller band on, and continued toward a bigger crowd and even more music. Unexpectedly, once again volunteers began shouting, warning people back, and more cows began coming toward us. So, we got to see another procession.

We then found a place to sit in another terrace of a lovely hotel, Der Kirchenwirt, just opposite another band. They were playing more traditional Tyrolean music, and at one point (just when Ron had gone into the hotel) they played "The Kufsteiner Lied", which has always been one of his favorites. 

Just the whole day of seeing the sights, hearing the sounds of the cowbells and the music, inhaling the crisp mountain air, and being amongst so many cheerful people having a good time and enjoying themselves was a great day for me. I was very sad to see it end, as we don't know how many days like this can lie ahead. I told Ron we need to seek out another "Fest".

We ended up going inside, and Ron had a Marillen schnapps while I had my usual Grunerveltliner, which always seems to be the "house wine" here. Shortly, he went to get the car from the handicap lot, which was still quite a walk. He drove back to the hotel, parked, and came in for another Marillen.

It was then time to head off to our next, very close, destination (about 2-hours), Mayrhofen. I had enjoyed several days in Mayrhofen when I was on one of my solo journeys in Europe in the 1980's. We also went there briefly with friends on a later visit. Our hotel this time was on the edge of town, a part of town that didn't even exist when we were last there. The Kulmbichlhof was the only place I had been able to find, and it turned out we were on the THIRD floor with no elevator. They were totally booked up, we were the last room, so no possibility to change. We had packed lightly for a one-night stay, but it was still heavy for three flights. We, especially Ron, appreciated that the lady who welcomed us carried the bags up for us. That was a nice note, but otherwise, the hotel really had no "gemutlichkeit" or charm. Just a room, and very much in the same style we remember from about 40-years ago. Anyway, I climbed the stairs and went to bed. No way I was going back down and up again!