![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
back in the Beautiful Schnals Valley
Mar. 7th, 2016 05:18 pmWe are now to the highlight of my week in Italy--four days in South Tyrol, including a trip up into the Schnals Valley.
Long time readers will remember that I first came to this valley in 2010 for the European Textile Forum, where I met J., the Director of the Archeoparc, a delightful stone-age archaeology park dedicated to Otzi, the ice man who was found on the high ridge overlooking this valley. J. and I have kept in touch over the years, and when I had the opportunity to go to a conference in Venice, only a 3 or 4 hour drive from her valley, I took it as an excuse to come visit J. again.
She lives in the village of Plaus, located in the larger Vinschgau valley into which the Schnals Valley drains, not far upstream from the city of Meran.
I arrived on Saturday, as previously reported, in the middle of a snow storm. We might have gone for a walk on Sunday, but with the melting snow we decided to just stay in an enjoy a quiet afternoon full of pleasant conversation, yummy food, a bit of reading, and even an afternoon nap. Then in the evening we went into Meran to listen to a concert by a local Big Band, the members of whom wore traditional local folk costumes. That was quite nice, and I managed to finish doing the alterations of my favourite tunic while I listened. After the intermission the band returned in plain black clothing, which contrasted quite a lot with the colourful folk costumes they had been wearing. The reason for the change was quickly apparent--the rest of the numbers combined to tell a tale, and various band members came out in costume to act parts.
The story started with a cruise ship at dock--first some drunken sailors reeled their way (playing brass instruments) up the center isle of the theater to the deck of the ship (the ship itself was projected onto the wall behind the band), then a variety of passengers, each one dressed as a stereotypical tourist of one category or another, made their way on board, followed by scenes during the cruise itself, culminating, during a dance party, with the onset of a fierce storm, and eventual shipwreck on an island, where they first were frightened by the local tribes people, and then befriended them, before being rescued by another ship. The entire tale was told only through music, wordless acting/dancing, and special effects with lighting and projecting a setting onto the back wall. A perfect bit of theater to enjoy when in a country where one doesn't speak the language.
Note that in South Tyrol the language is German--this region only became part of Italy after WW1, and German is still the most common language. All street signs are in both German and Italian in this area, and school kids can choose between going to a German school, where they will also study Italian and English on the side, or an Italian school where they will also study German and English on the side. Well, the kids living in the smaller villages can choose between the local German school, or leaving home to attend an Italian school elsewhere.
Today is Monday, and J. had to work, so I accompanied her up to the Archeoparc. Her first order of business was to meet with a photographer who has images she will use for updating the web page, and after that meeting she, he, I, and her assistant, went to a local restaurant for lunch, where I had some of the yummy dumplings that are a regional specialty of this valley. After lunch I went for a walk to one of the high farms overlooking the valley--such a cute place, I would love to live in such a wonderful old timber house in a high valley like this one. This valley is even prettier right now, with all of the snow, than it was when I was here years ago in the summer. Now I am back in her office happily accomplishing stuff on the computer and occasionally providing English words as she works on the web site.
This evening I will go with her to choir, and I have tomorrow available for additional adventures. My flight out is Wednesday morning from Venice, so I will need to decide between driving back to Venice tomorrow evening and getting a room for one night, or starting driving at 04:00 on Wednesday. Given how adventurous the drive here is, I think we will consult a weather forecast before making that decision.
Long time readers will remember that I first came to this valley in 2010 for the European Textile Forum, where I met J., the Director of the Archeoparc, a delightful stone-age archaeology park dedicated to Otzi, the ice man who was found on the high ridge overlooking this valley. J. and I have kept in touch over the years, and when I had the opportunity to go to a conference in Venice, only a 3 or 4 hour drive from her valley, I took it as an excuse to come visit J. again.
She lives in the village of Plaus, located in the larger Vinschgau valley into which the Schnals Valley drains, not far upstream from the city of Meran.
I arrived on Saturday, as previously reported, in the middle of a snow storm. We might have gone for a walk on Sunday, but with the melting snow we decided to just stay in an enjoy a quiet afternoon full of pleasant conversation, yummy food, a bit of reading, and even an afternoon nap. Then in the evening we went into Meran to listen to a concert by a local Big Band, the members of whom wore traditional local folk costumes. That was quite nice, and I managed to finish doing the alterations of my favourite tunic while I listened. After the intermission the band returned in plain black clothing, which contrasted quite a lot with the colourful folk costumes they had been wearing. The reason for the change was quickly apparent--the rest of the numbers combined to tell a tale, and various band members came out in costume to act parts.
The story started with a cruise ship at dock--first some drunken sailors reeled their way (playing brass instruments) up the center isle of the theater to the deck of the ship (the ship itself was projected onto the wall behind the band), then a variety of passengers, each one dressed as a stereotypical tourist of one category or another, made their way on board, followed by scenes during the cruise itself, culminating, during a dance party, with the onset of a fierce storm, and eventual shipwreck on an island, where they first were frightened by the local tribes people, and then befriended them, before being rescued by another ship. The entire tale was told only through music, wordless acting/dancing, and special effects with lighting and projecting a setting onto the back wall. A perfect bit of theater to enjoy when in a country where one doesn't speak the language.
Note that in South Tyrol the language is German--this region only became part of Italy after WW1, and German is still the most common language. All street signs are in both German and Italian in this area, and school kids can choose between going to a German school, where they will also study Italian and English on the side, or an Italian school where they will also study German and English on the side. Well, the kids living in the smaller villages can choose between the local German school, or leaving home to attend an Italian school elsewhere.
Today is Monday, and J. had to work, so I accompanied her up to the Archeoparc. Her first order of business was to meet with a photographer who has images she will use for updating the web page, and after that meeting she, he, I, and her assistant, went to a local restaurant for lunch, where I had some of the yummy dumplings that are a regional specialty of this valley. After lunch I went for a walk to one of the high farms overlooking the valley--such a cute place, I would love to live in such a wonderful old timber house in a high valley like this one. This valley is even prettier right now, with all of the snow, than it was when I was here years ago in the summer. Now I am back in her office happily accomplishing stuff on the computer and occasionally providing English words as she works on the web site.
This evening I will go with her to choir, and I have tomorrow available for additional adventures. My flight out is Wednesday morning from Venice, so I will need to decide between driving back to Venice tomorrow evening and getting a room for one night, or starting driving at 04:00 on Wednesday. Given how adventurous the drive here is, I think we will consult a weather forecast before making that decision.
