am sitting in the cafe' of the LandAnna BioHotel (whatever that means) in Silandro, Alto Adige, Italy, sipping on a glass of what i am pretending is Gewurztraminer (probably Sauvignon, but it's the house wine and WWOOFers can't be choosers), listening to Italians who are really Austrians babble in German (my brain feels like scrambled eggs). The decor is rather dated, but cozy in a Austrian way- lots of wood paneling and beer steins. Out the window the sun is setting on some real damn mountains, like, the actual Dolomites, reducing sweet Cormons to a town built in the shadow of a pimple in the scheme of things. The sun glows pink on the sloping snow, beds of clouds gather here and there, closer to us here on Earth than the top of that glassy beast, Mt. Snarz. This place is for sure a slice of heaven, touched by God, majestic.
The hotel is situated in the middle of town, though the town came long after the structure of the hotel itself. Originally a farm house, the sprawling stone structure was built over 1,000 years ago. Over time bits and pieces were added on, other people gathered around, and the town of Silandro (Schlanders in Tedesco) came into being. The same family has owned this house for 400 years, and 25 years ago turned it into an organic farm. These days, it is a bio-hotel that offers cozy rooms, a three-star restaurant, horse back lessons and trail riding and (!!!) a petting zoo. It is a splended place, in the center of a splended little town, surrounded by staggeringly high mountains that offer mountain climbing, skiing and some serious hiking.
Work is lovely- today we spent hours in the apple orchard, planting baby trees in among the 2,500 that are already established from past seasons. Horses roam around, and bunnies hop. I mucked a stall today! It felt good.
Rooming is cozy and right up my alley- I have my own little nook in an apartment right behind the hotel. There are 5 german kids and 1 boy from Switzerland who rent rooms in the aparmtent while they go to the local sculpture school, giving the place the laid-back, free spirited energy of a hostel.
All in all, I am doing very, very well here.
Will keep readers posted, but for now it is 9pm and I am one tired duck. A feather bed is calling my name.
The hotel is situated in the middle of town, though the town came long after the structure of the hotel itself. Originally a farm house, the sprawling stone structure was built over 1,000 years ago. Over time bits and pieces were added on, other people gathered around, and the town of Silandro (Schlanders in Tedesco) came into being. The same family has owned this house for 400 years, and 25 years ago turned it into an organic farm. These days, it is a bio-hotel that offers cozy rooms, a three-star restaurant, horse back lessons and trail riding and (!!!) a petting zoo. It is a splended place, in the center of a splended little town, surrounded by staggeringly high mountains that offer mountain climbing, skiing and some serious hiking.
Work is lovely- today we spent hours in the apple orchard, planting baby trees in among the 2,500 that are already established from past seasons. Horses roam around, and bunnies hop. I mucked a stall today! It felt good.
Rooming is cozy and right up my alley- I have my own little nook in an apartment right behind the hotel. There are 5 german kids and 1 boy from Switzerland who rent rooms in the aparmtent while they go to the local sculpture school, giving the place the laid-back, free spirited energy of a hostel.
All in all, I am doing very, very well here.
Will keep readers posted, but for now it is 9pm and I am one tired duck. A feather bed is calling my name.
2 comments:
Greetings to you in your Italian/Austrian/German wonderland! Sounds bucolic, as if Heidi should wander through in her braids and durndl. Enjoy, absorb, work, breathe!
Sounds absolutely idyllic, Boo! Wish I were there. I would buy beer steins for all the men in my family!!
Post some pics soon!
Love, Aunt Keli
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