Up, Up, and...Further up

Day 2- July 26, 2009

Everyone got up early. It was a sunny Sunday and the first real day of vacation. We had a cozy breakfast and the boys managed to get ready without too much drama. We decided to head into town for a couple of kitchen necessities and we knew that the bakery would be open in the morning...like their neighbors to the North, Austrians apparently can't go without their daily bread. I had the fabulous idea that we should walk... it's only about a mile and the sun was shining, and the river was rolling, and the edelweiss blooming... Boots on, and los geht's! So, without overstating the obvious (in retrospect) a mile on flatland is a little different than a mile uphill. Obstacles aside, there were highlights to our first trek; the boys finding gooey snails and a gorgeous wildflower bouquet that's still in the kitchen. We stopped frequently to enjoy the view and catch our breath, I guess it takes awhile to adjust to an altitude of 4,000 ft. The hike down was a lot more enjoyable- we followed the river. Sebastian went hunting for four-leaf clovers and Christopher threw any loose stones within sight into the river.
This was the only day thus far that we had a real plan. A "local" (on top of the mountain) amusement park- Sunny Mountain- was having their annual Summerfest with all sorts of special events. We took the lift up to the park and were once again gobsmacked at the view. We were greeted by the clearest lake- reflecting blue sky and green pine trees surrounded by a big playground, a tubing track, kett-car rally, and mountain huts. The boys were ready to go but Klaus was eyeing the next lift up. He said that he just wanted to see the view from "the top." OK, how long could that take? Again, we boarded the lift and up we went. This time, as we were transported upwards there was a new sound to break the unbelievable silence.... Bells- cowbells. The cows WAY up there (around 6,000 ft) really wear them- who knew? As much as I loved the peacefulness I was also terrified that Christo was going to take off over the edge- he is my insane grumpy Staff Sergeant and it was a real possibility. We took off our jackets and sat down far from any steep ledges to a small picnic lunch with fresh rolls baked with Caraway seeds and apples. The peak was calling to Klaus- another 1,000 ft- but I was skeptical. It was early and I didn't want to turn the boys off of hiking on the first day out- especially after the morning's escapades. We decided that we will return to in a few days to tackle the peak after we all get a bit more acquainted with the rhythms and demands of climbing.
The four of us spent the rest of the afternoon playing in a mountain stream, racing kettcars, hopping on kitschy inflatables, and people watching. Several hours later we traveled back down the mountain exhausted, smiling, and a little sunburned. We treated the kids to an ice cream (the lady at the shop was so excited to speak English- she'd just returned from a month long California adventure) and headed back to Kappl. We explored the church in its full baroque glory and the surrounding cemetary, where not a single inch of space goes to waste. Later, we returned to the apartment where K-dog made a delicious Austrian dinner and we headed to bed wondering what adventures the next days would bring.....